DiyLightAnimation

Fun => The Porch => Topic started by: rjhodgefamily on December 27, 2017,

Title: To soon to ask about 2018 Coops?
Post by: rjhodgefamily on December 27, 2017,
With the current season ending I am looking at the needs of my cul-de-sac to expand the lightshow next year. Looking for SSR4s, EX/RX, and LE's. I know the LE's are a long shot because of parts. But I would be happy even with a PCB only coop for everything and then source my own parts.

Heck I would even be willing to run such a coop. Barring that has anyone ever talked to RJ about open sourcing his hardware and software? I would love to tackle a version 6 of the LE to fix our component issues and would rather go down a legitimate route instead of ripping the boards to make improvements. I just like the lynx architecture for dumb lights (Cost, ease of building, wireless, etc...). Most of these features are not to be found on other DMX boards, and I never anticipate changing to pixels anytime soon it would be too cost prohibitive to move 11 houses.
Title: Re: To soon to ask about 2018 Coops?
Post by: tbone321 on December 27, 2017,
It is sad to say but I believe that the coops for this site are dead and gone. 
Title: Re: To soon to ask about 2018 Coops?
Post by: smeighan on December 28, 2017,
RJ, the founder of this group and sole developer of hardware hasnt posted here in more than two years (July 2015). I think your best bet is to find people selling their old DLA equipment or move to alternatives,. I no longer have and dla hardware in my show. most of my hardware is now falcon controllers https://www.pixelcontroller.com/store/index.php, i also use the falcon pi player as my show player http://falconchristmas.com/forum/index.php?board=8.0
Title: Re: To soon to ask about 2018 Coops?
Post by: rjhodgefamily on December 29, 2017,
So I have been looking at other controllers. Does falcon even sell a DMX version something comparable to the LE? I have also been looking at the Renard SS16 which has DMX Firmware but the firmware has been in perpetual beta. And from other posts here People don't seem to like the Renard controllers even though price wise they are about the same. Have also been looking at the LOR CTB16PC but people have complaints about running those in DMX mode as well. Not to mention that the CTB16PC costs about $60 more than an LE. Granted that is non secret sale pricing.

I just feel that the LE is ahead of all of these controllers and this board could still be relevant just need to bring the boards up to date. I realize RJ has been hands off for a couple of years, and I came into DLA at the tail end of his involvement. That is why I was hoping that maybe someone might have already reached out to him about open sourcing the hardware and firmware.

Heck I am even writing a OSX version of the Lynx Config, Light Curve, and DMX utilities. That is how much I believe that the LE shouldn't be allowed to just die.
Title: Re: To soon to ask about 2018 Coops?
Post by: tbone321 on December 29, 2017,
I believe that he sold the LE to Minleon with the understanding that while he could produce them for the coops here, he could not release either the board or its firmware as open source.  The problem with Renard is that there implementation of DMX was not a full version but rather an adaptation of the Renard protocol and where it would respond to DMX commands, it would still alter the data stream like the Renard protocol does.  This forces you to put the controllers in a specific order for them to work properly which is not needed with a true DMX setup.  Sadly, the craze for RGB pixels has all but killed the market for DMX AC dimmers.
Title: Re: To soon to ask about 2018 Coops?
Post by: rjhodgefamily on December 29, 2017,
I was sort of worried about Minleon having the rights, but couldn't find anything definitive.

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The problem with Renard is that there implementation of DMX was not a full version but rather an adaptation of the Renard protocol and where it would respond to DMX commands, it would still alter the data stream like the Renard protocol does.  This forces you to put the controllers in a specific order for them to work properly which is not needed with a true DMX setup.

Yeah that is what I was afraid of looking at the Renard boards. As for pixels if it was only my house I might consider moving to pixels. Somewhere the whole thing blew up and is now 11 houses which is awesome looking but a little of a pain to switch anything out. Looks like I will still be stuck picking things up onesie, twosie until I can figure out a solution to move new expansion to. Not ideal but I know enough boards come up every year, just prefer the guarantee of a coop.

I would reverse engineer the boards but I know that isn't right to all the work RJ put in, nor would I without some kind of official nod.

Guess I will keep plodding away until we hear something from one of the coop managers.
Title: Re: To soon to ask about 2018 Coops?
Post by: tbone321 on December 29, 2017,
I guess my question is why switch everything out?  You could use pixels for some of your further development and slowly change some props over like leaping arches which would make your AC dimmers available for props that are not easy or practical to convert. 
Title: Re: To soon to ask about 2018 Coops?
Post by: rjhodgefamily on December 29, 2017,
Yeah I realize that and that is what it may come to. Maybe it is just my inner reluctance to change.