Lynx Express Newbie UK

[Chris]

Hi Guys,

Hopefully i'm in the right thread. I've been using LOR for a while and have been advised to get the Lynx Express.

Where can i find them to buy in the UK? I believe they are in kits?

Thanks

[tbone321]

All of the "kits" are sold in what we call coops.  There is currently a poll running to determine the desire for the different devices that we use.  Keep an eye on the coop forum to see when on starts up.  Remember that the LE is a DMX device and will not understand the native LOR commands.  You will have to configure your output device to send DMX which depending on your wiring structure, you will also have to configure your LOR controllers to also run on DMX as well.

[mangoat]

so, with a raspberry pi, running fpp, to run the express, do i need any other sort of dongles or what do i need to get it happening when we can get this COOP under way?

any help would be greatly appreciated.

cheers
mangoat

[tbone321]

The LE is a DMX device so you will either need to connect a USB dongle to the USB port and load the Linux FTDI driver for it or you will need to have the RP sending the DMX signal to its GPIO port driving a RS-485 which will send the signal to the LE.

[mangoat]

so what sort of usb dongle exactly?

[lburnham]

What and when is the first coop?

[tbone321]

so what sort of usb dongle exactly?

That depends....  What sequencer are you using and what OS is the RP running?

Looking at it again, does FPP mean Falcon Player?  If so, I believe that the Falcon player only outputs E1.31 and for that, you would use the Etherdongle (ETD). 

[tbone321]

What and when is the first coop?

What is the question.  What coop or device are you asking about.  The COOP managers are working out a schedule depending both on need of the different devices and the availability of the components required to build them.  I really hope that this year they actually post a tentative schedule so that we can make plans and setup budgets to buy what we need.

[mangoat]

Id just like to know when i can order stuff, just pcb/heatsinks and ill source the rest of components from the local guys here..

[mangoat]

Yes, falcon player, and the etherdongle plugs into what port? Ethernet? If so, i could plug it into a switch right?

[tbone321]

Id just like to know when i can order stuff, just pcb/heatsinks and ill source the rest of components from the local guys here..

If you are talking about the Express, you will need to wait for a coop to get the board and heat sink, and that's if there is a board only option.  I really hope that the coop managers put the board only option back into many of the coops.  As for when this will happen, they are working on the schedule now so we should know soon.

[tbone321]

Yes, falcon player, and the etherdongle plugs into what port? Ethernet? If so, i could plug it into a switch right?

Yes, the ETD plugs into the Ethernet port.  While you can plug it into a switch, remember that there will be a lot of data being sent to the ETD from the Pi.  I would look into directly connecting the PI to the ETD on the PI's Ethernet port and use WIFI on the Pi to monitor and control it.

[mangoat]

Hmm, but what about the ethernet i need for my e131 controllers

[twooly]

Like tbone said plug your etd and other e131 controllers into a switch and same with the pi and then get a wireless usb and use the wireless to manage the pi

[tbone321]

Hmm, but what about the ethernet i need for my e131 controllers

By all means, connect the Pi, ETD, and e131 controllers together with a switch, just don't connect that switch to your network.