DiyLightAnimation

Hardware => Lynx Smart String => Topic started by: t.jo13 on September 28, 2012,

Title: Difference between acive hub and passive hub
Post by: t.jo13 on September 28, 2012,

 I have been tying to figure out the difference between an acive hub and passive hub is,

Title: Re: Difference between acive hub and passive hub
Post by: AverageJoeTX on September 28, 2012,

Active hub has a DMX output where as passive hub does not. I'm sure its deeper than that, but that's the simple answer.

Title: Re: Difference between acive hub and passive hub
Post by: dearvbguru on September 28, 2012,

Active hub also has two pixel net outputs.

If I remember right there is about a $20 price difference with the extra parts for the active hub.

I was trying to figure out which ones to go with and decided on the active hubs because of the split pixelnet output and the DMX output allowing me to have a lot of flexibility because I will be running a mix of pixels and LOR CCR's and regular AC controllers running under DMX mode as well as some other DMX lights.

Title: Re: Difference between acive hub and passive hub
Post by: chrisatpsu on September 28, 2012,

I believe the active hub also regenerates the pixelnet signal on the two outputs, so it acts like a splitter, and has an output for DMX

Title: Re: Difference between acive hub and passive hub
Post by: t.jo13 on September 28, 2012,

With the dsc's coming out would it be a waste to use a passive hub due to the fact that there is only 3 channels used for dumb strings

Title: Re: Difference between acive hub and passive hub
Post by: chrisatpsu on September 28, 2012,

what do you mean? a dsc still needs to be plugged into a hub, whether it's active or passive.

Title: Re: Difference between acive hub and passive hub
Post by: t.jo13 on September 28, 2012,

That is where I was getting confused. Dumb strings use only 3 channels, and if I use a dsc then I need to use an active hub or passive hub right? If I don't use a dsc then I could use an mr16 .

Title: Re: Difference between acive hub and passive hub
Post by: chrisatpsu on September 28, 2012,

mr16 is a 16 channel dmx controller

dsc is a 3 channel pixelnet device.

pixelnet devices (ssc, dsc) need a hub to choose the correct pixelnet universe (16 port hubs)  and to inject the 12v power.

Title: Re: Difference between acive hub and passive hub
Post by: deplanche on September 28, 2012,

A Dumb string controller (DSC) requires an active or passive hub to use it with a dumb string of lights.  This will give you 16 outputs, each controlling the 3 channels = 48 channels.

You can control a dumb string of light with a MR16 as well.  But you can't use a MR16 to control a DSC.  An MR16 has 16 channels.

Title: Re: Difference between acive hub and passive hub
Post by: chrisatpsu on September 28, 2012,

	16port Active Hub	16port Passive Hub	4port Passive Hub
Choose Pixelnet Universe	YES	YES	NO
Uses PC Power Supply	YES	YES	NO
Regenerates Pixelnet Data	YES	NO	NO
DMX Out	YES	NO	NO

Title: Re: Difference between acive hub and passive hub
Post by: t.jo13 on September 28, 2012,

Quote

16port Active Hub

16port Passive Hub

4port Passive Hub



Choose Pixelnet Universe

YES

YES

NO



Uses PC Power Supply

YES

YES

NO



Regenerates Pixelnet Data

YES

NO

NO



DMX Out

YES

NO

NO

 

Thankyou for the info, now it makes sense. Couldn't figure out the difference except for dmx out. I t would also be cheaper per channel to use a passive hub instead of 3 mr16's. As my daughter would say having a blonde moment LOL

Title: Difference between acive hub and passive hub
Post by: rm357 on September 28, 2012,

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A Dumb string controller (DSC) requires an active or passive hub to use it with a dumb string of lights.  This will give you 16 outputs, each controlling the 3 channels = 48 channels.

You can control a dumb string of light with a MR16 as well.  But you can't use a MR16 to control a DSC.  An MR16 has 16 channels.

Ok...

DSC is a 3 channel pixelnet device that gets data and power from the hub. You could plug 16 of the into either the active or 16 port passive hub. You can also plug any mix of SSCs and DSCs into the hub. Power limit for the DSC is 4 amps total.

The MR16 is a 16 channel DMX device that needs its own local power supply. The DMX can come from an active hub, DMX dongle, or other device. The power and data come from different sources. Power limit for the MR16 is 35 amps total, no more than 2.5 amps on any single channel.

Dumb strings are just a string of lights with RGB LEDs that are connected in parallel. There is 1 wire for the common +12v and a wire for each color - red, blue, and green. Each of the wires for the colors will need to be attached to a controller of some sort... DSC, MR16, etc.

Title: Re: Difference between acive hub and passive hub
Post by: rrowan on September 28, 2012,

Well if Chris is correct with his data  :D

Its now in the wiki equipment hub section
http://www.diylightanimation.com/wiki/index.php?title=Equipment#Pixelnet_Hubs

Rick R.

Title: Re: Difference between acive hub and passive hub
Post by: taybrynn on September 28, 2012,

That WIKI rocks ... use it all the time.

Thanks rick !!