Run LOR as DMX off pixelnet hub?

[sielbear]

I have been 100% LOR up until this year with the cool pixelnet stuff.  I've previously run the LOR dongle and setup the one network - easy peasy.  Now that I'm running pixelnet with the active hubs, it seems to make all kinds of sense to run my LOR stuff over the DMX output from pixelnet.

1.) Do I need to reflash the boxes?
2.) I believe I need to make a custom cable to go from pins 4 and 5 to pins 1 and 2??  Please correct me if I'm wrong.
3.) I believe I read that the channel number is basically ((LORUnit#)-1) * 16 + LOR Channel on that controller.  If I was on unit 2, 3rd channel, my DMX channel would be ((2-1) * 16) = 16.  16+3 = 19?
4.) Anything else I may be overlooking?  Any reason NOT to do this and keep the LOR network seperate?

[taybrynn]

1) no change to the LOR controllers is necessary

2) Yes, you need to get from the standard DMX 1,2 to to the LOR version of DMX on 4,5.  See wiring colors in attached picture.
    Attached a short cat5 cable (monoprice #2132) to something like this (MonoPrice.com item #5370) ... which makes splicing a real breeze.

3) right, if using LOR + xlights and all on Regular network.

4) The only reason not to do it this way, is that you would lose the LOR hardware version of twinkle and shimmer effects ... and get the DMX version instead (it's different, but configurable).
    THe only other reason is that you would technically have less config file changes if you just left your existing controllers 'as is' ... but then you have to go to multi network setting in xlights and assign the DMX (really pixelnet) to "Aux A" network instead of Regular.  You also would not need to conversion cable if you run two networks, since LOR stays LOR and pixelnet stays pixelnet.

[rdebolt]

LOR Boxes also have to have 4.20 firmware or newer.

[taybrynn]

Thx, forgot about that.   SHould not be an issue for fairly recent LOR controllers.

[mokeefe]

2) Yes, you need to get from the standard DMX 1,2 to to the LOR version of DMX on 5,6.  See wiring colors in attached picture.

It's probably just a typo, but in your text you say LOR uses pins 5 and 6, but the pictures show it as 4 and 5.  Don't want people confused.

-Mike

[taybrynn]

Your right, sorry about that, I'll try and correct those posts.

[sielbear]

Thank you so much for the help!  I really appreciate all of the assistance!  Should be pretty straight forward to make a little adapter cable.  I've got the crimp tool and a spool of cat-5 on hand. 

Thanks again, guys!  I really appreciate it!

[Mickpat]

Thanks for the diagrams.  Today I built a cable by cutting one of the pixelnet pigtales RJ provided and spliced it back together.  I tested my LOR using LSP 2.0 and it worked well.

EtherDongle -> SSC Hub -> DMX -> Coversion cable -> LOR  -> LOR ->  LOR

Might need to make another cable so I can convert back to Express

EtherDongle -> SSC Hub -> DMX -> Coversion cable -> LOR  -> LOR ->  LOR -> coversion cable -> Lynx Express

The downside is I need to update all of my sequences to DMX and remap channels.

[lightingnut]

Im confused, do I need the conversion cable if I am using my iDMX to run my Lynx express? And yes I know I need the adapter to go from XLR to RJ45, I have that.

[sielbear]

Someone with an express should verify, but I believe you will. The standard dmx input / output is on pins 1 and 2. Lor uses 4 and 5. The output from lynx will be on pins 1-2, and you will need the adapter cable to get that signal to pins 4-5 for lor.

[RJ]

The Lynx stuff uses the standard DMX pair. It is the lor that is not, the reason I am saying this is that the Commerical adapters convert the 3 pin DMX plug to the correct pair so you would not need anything else. It will take a DMX round connector to a RJ45 connector on the correct wires. It is when you use LOR rj45 to LYNX and vice a vs that an adapter is needed.

RJ

[lightingnut]

I thought pins 1 and 2 on the RJ45 cable was standard. I was able to get a 2nd Lynx to test using the LOR hardware utility but when I put the Lynx into the system outside it would not work. So I guess I will try and run the song from the computer and see if that will make the Lynx work.

I could also try running the iDMX right off the first controller maybe that would make it work. Right now the iDMX is the 3rd unit in line.

Thanks for your input RJ.