How do I control the MR 16 Controller with IDMX?

[occhristmas]

Ok - I have read all of the posts related to the MR-16 Controller and I still cannot get my MR16 Controller to work with my LOR IDMX.  I have checked all of the solder points, I have rechecked that my pic is programmed, the cat5 cable works perfectly with other DMX equipment, and I have a constant 12VDC power source.  I have hooked up 6 of wirekat's MR16 to ground 1 through 6 with a common positive wire.  When I fire up the power all 6 lights come on - and stay on.  In general, what is supposed to happen when an MR16 controller works and is powered up?  Am I missing something totally obvious?  I was hoping to use the IDMX to power my MR16s with the MR16 controller to free up my other DC boards since the MR16s are channel hogs if you want individual control.  Any help is appreciated, please assume that I am a novice at DIY and electronics.


So, my questions:

1.  Does the MR16 controller even work with the IDMX from LOR?

2.  Do I have to use vixen to give an address to the MR16 controller?

3.  Do I need to modify a cable to work from the IDMX to the MR16 controller?

4.  Is there any way to test the functionality of the board?

Thanks.

[KeithTarpley]

Greetings,,,

Have you tried switching the two non-ground pins for the cable from Lor's dmx to the dmx input of the MR16?

Keith

[occhristmas]

So, would I change both ends of the wire?  And if this isn't the last in the universe, would I need to then change the wiring from the mr16 to other dmx units?  Specifically, I am building some lynx express units - how would I wire for those?  I will update after performing the suggested wire fix from the idmx.  So, if this works I will have to start labelling my cat 5e wires huh?

[rrowan]

hi occhristmas,

This page might help

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Rick R.

[RJ]

Couple of basic questions to focus on the problem. Did you get the Pic on the MR16 programmed for you by someone or did you buy a programmer and do it yourself?

When you say you are using a cable that works with other DMX devices the wiring on the MR16 is cat5 jack so where did you get the dmx to cat5 cable?

can you post some pics of both sides of the pcb to look at?

These will get us started for you.

Yes the MR16 should work with the IDMX but I have not seen one used with it yet.

RJ   

[tpctech]

Couple of basic questions to focus on the problem. Did you get the Pic on the MR16 programmed for you by someone or did you buy a programmer and do it yourself?

When you say you are using a cable that works with other DMX devices the wiring on the MR16 is cat5 jack so where did you get the dmx to cat5 cable?

can you post some pics of both sides of the pcb to look at?

These will get us started for you.

Yes the MR16 should work with the IDMX but I have not seen one used with it yet.

RJ   

I have a known working MR16 board and have LOR and a IDMX.  I will connect them and advise.  I really don't see why it won't work.  Check your cable wiring from 3-pin on IDMX to RJ45 to MR16

KEN

[blearning]

Don't forget also that you will need a crossover cable from IDMX to DMX and yes when it isn't crossed over correctly the lights will stay on ....  SMILE ... from experience ... 


Check out the wiki for the correct pinouts You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

[RJ]

For IDMX to lynx the XLR connector needs to be wired like this
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The Idmx out for the dmx is wired standard dmx.
RJ

[occhristmas]

Ok - I am hoping that I missing something really simple.  I have attached photos of the controller and screenshots of the pickit.  I have tried all of the suggestions to no avail...and I am going to bed before I drive myself nuts!  Thanks so much for your help....I will hopefully find conclusion to this tomorrow when my mind is clearer!


To answer questions so far -
I have a microchip controller with a sure electronics attachment - I am pretty confident that the chip is prgrammed correctly even if I did it myself...but please look it over and tell me that it is totally wrong and that you know how to fix it!!!

As far as cabeling - I was using a modified XLR to RJ45 cable to run a chauvet colorsplash from the IDMX.  I had the orange and orange white and brown/brownwhite connected to the 3 prongs on DMX male that plugs into the IDMX dmx out (it looks a mess, but works) which ran to the DMX device where the RJ45 plugs into an adapter I bought (You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login) called an XLRJ45.

So, I am guessing that the adapter was adapting something that I am not accounting for...as I am writing this, I am coming up with new ideas - and unfortunately, all  of the tests that I have run need to be rerun.

I think that I have really been confusing myself with the dongle wiring posts - I keep reminding myself that I need to block the dongle out of the picture.  

I tried the crossover from the IDMX to the Lynx Mr16 - didn't work for me (but now that I realized that the adapter to my Chauvet might be doing something, I will have to retry this)

Again, thanks for all of your help...snd, I really hope that someone will benefit from our efforts!!!)  We will make this work...at this point, brain fried...

[rrowan]

I didn't see it mention but I could of missed it

Did you program the MR16 with a start address?

In the MR16 picture I don't see any cat5 going to it

Rick R.

[emoser]

a quick thought, could the pin out for the XLRJ45 be Different then the pin out posted on the Wiki?

emoser

[RJ]

Could you get a high resolution picture for the front and back of the pcb? I tried to zoom in enough to look for issues for you but it is too pixelated to get in close enough.

I can tell you what to start looking for as these are the number one issues on the builds we see time and time again.

1 - is the clock module in correct? the black dot on the shiney silver square should be as close to the white dot on the pcb as it can get.

2 - check each chip to make sure it is facing the correct way. On this pcb the chips do not face all the same way. the notch or dot on the chip should be on the same end the half round notch on the silk screen printing is on the pcb.

3 - Missed or poor solder joints on the back. We all miss one or have one that can be better from time to time and this can get you.


If all this is good, and good pictures will let us look for you as the same person misses the same mistake over and over again but a new person catches it right away, then we look at power to make sure we have good 12volts in the correct direction and 5 volts on the boards correct.

If all that is good then we look at th DMX cables that you are looking at. I base this plan on that you have other DMX stuff working on the idmx device with the same cable so it is the end of the list in my mind since the MR16 is the untested part and I would work the other direction.

RJ

[memphislights]

As far as cabeling - I was using a modified XLR to RJ45 cable to run a chauvet colorsplash from the IDMX.  I had the orange and orange white and brown/brownwhite connected to the 3 prongs on DMX male that plugs into the IDMX dmx out (it looks a mess, but works) which ran to the DMX device where the RJ45 plugs into an adapter I bought (You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login) called an XLRJ45.

So, I am guessing that the adapter was adapting something that I am not accounting for...as I am writing this, I am coming up with new ideas - and unfortunately, all  of the tests that I have run need to be rerun.

The LOR should be using the blue pair (4/5), but the MR16 wants data on the orange pair (1/2).  Try making a crossover cable to cross 4/5 with 2/1.  I also crossed over the brown pair even though the MR16 does not use it.  I made my crossover this way so it can be used with either a LOR or Lynx source.

LOR  iDMX		MR16
WH/OR (1)		WH/Blue (5)
Orange (2)		Blue (4)
Blue (4)		WH/OR (1)
WH/Blue (5)		Orange (2)
Brown 8		Brown/White (7)
Brown/White (7)		Brown 8

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Check page 2 of the DMX-DOC.pdf on the LOR site at You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to see what I am talking about.

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[RJ]

Guys,  I think there is some confusion here. He is not trying to hook a LOR controller to a Lynx as we do all the time. He is hooking a IDMX output to a MR16. The IDMX is a standard DMX pin out unlike the LOR controllers that are on different pairs. a cable working to hook a IDMX to other non LOR devices would be the same as all of the LYNX stuff is pin compatable with the DMX standard.

The Adapter he is using to adapt from the IDMX XLR to connect to the RJ45 should be correct and require no other adaption just a striaght through network patch cable.

I have a couple of the adapters coming from a company to test myself so can't swear it is correct but since we use the DMX standard it should be.

RJ

[memphislights]

But, the IDMX with the LOR DMX-RJ45 adapter is using pins 4,5,6 by default.  Wouldn't you still need to get the data to pins 1,2 to talk to Lynx stuff?