Why is the Lynx USB DMX dongle better?

[Night Owl]

I've been browsing the site and searching through the board and haven't been able to find the answer to this question: Why would I want to build a Lynx USB DMX dongle vice purchasing an Enttec open USB dongle?

I did read somewhere that the Enttec open has some timing issues that are not in the Pro model.  So there is a cost benefit the Lynx USB DMX has over the Pro.

Being able to use cat5 cable is a big cost savings.  But unless your dimmer boxes have a cat5 input, you will have to make an adapter.

My cousin runs a DJ company and will let me borrow a couple of boxes and DMX cables so the Enttec would work for me.  However I may want to get my own equipment and either purchase commercial dimmers or build an Express and making a decision now on the type of USB DMX dongle to start off with will influence my decisions later on.

Aloha
Nathan

[memphislights]

If I remember correctly, the Enttec open dongle generates the DMX data via "software" vs hardware for the Lynx and Enttec Pro.  Due to interrupts and buffering, the open dongle sometimes drops data.  The packet dropping only comes into play when using timeslices less than 25 ms ? I think.

The Lynx dongle is about 1/2 the price of the Enttec Pro.  It is a one-way implementation, meaning it only sends out the DMX signal.  Currently there is no provision to handle DMX signals returned from smart devices.

As you stated, you can use standard CAT5 cable instead of DMX cables.  You can of course make cat-xlr adapters as needed.

If you plan on doing an real DJ work, then the Enttec Pro might be better for you.  If you are going to dedicate this to your lights, then the Lynx works pretty well.
  
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[RJ]

Do to the hiccups in timming the open has on some computers we do not support the enttec open. The Pro has its own brain and controlls the timeing itself instead of the computer. The Lynx dongle does the same and is much more cost effective. The Lynx is also tuned to vixen better so it performs better at high refresh rates in vixen than the enttec does.

This does not mean you can not buy a enttec open and try it. But do not blame the Lynx equipment if your computer is one that cause the misses and skips on your DMX stream until you try a Lynx or PRO model on them.

RJ

P.S. see we were both typing at the same time. Yeah what he said up above 

[Night Owl]

If I remember correctly, the Enttec open dongle generates the DMX data via "software" vs hardware for the Lynx and Enttec Pro.  Due to interrupts and buffering, the open dongle sometimes drops data.  The packet dropping only comes into play when using timeslices less than 25 ms ? I think.

The Lynx dongle is about 1/2 the price of the Enttec Pro.

Thanks, that pretty much answers my question.  The Lynx should be compared to the Pro and not the open.