Author Topic: Wireless Versus Cat 5 Pros and Cons  (Read 5620 times)

Offline NavyGator

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Wireless Versus Cat 5 Pros and Cons
« on: January 01, 2011, »
Hi everyone. Being new to DLA I was wanting to compare the pros and cons of using wireless versus Cat 5 before making a decision on which way to go. Could you guys help correct and expand this list for me?

Rich

**I updated the list below**


Cat 5

Pros:
  • Less expensive
  • No additional PCB build
  • Higher signal quality for longer runs

Cons:
  • Signal cable needed between devices
  • Build Cat 5 cables

Wireless

Pros:
  • No signal cable needed to connect devices
  • Don't have to worry about 32 DMX device (daisy chain?) limit
  • Easier to reposition display elements

Cons:
  • More expensive
  • Additional PCB build
  • Lower signal quality for longer runs
  • Line of sight required
« Last Edit: January 02, 2011, by NavyGator »

Offline rrowan

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Re: Wireless Versus Cat 5 Pros and Cons
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2011, »
Hi Rich

btw: thanks for adding pictures to the wiki for the LNT page.

Cat5 cable can be more reliable than wireless (as long as the cable is built correctly and a wire is not broken) (wired pro)

I think RJ is working on making the wireless more reliable

If your yard would need long runs of cat5 than wireless would be better (wireless pro)

I'll post more later, got to run

Cheers

Rick R.
Light Animation Hobby - Having fun and Learning at the same time. (21st member of DLA)
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Offline smartcontrols

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Re: Wireless Versus Cat 5 Pros and Cons
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2011, »
Hi Rich,

My 2 cents;

I think the cost difference is really based on your setup. Reliable CAT5 cable can get expensive as well for long runs.

A few more pro's for wireless (at least for my setup)
Do not need to worry about the 32 device limit of DMX.
Less wires running around the yard.
Easy to move things around, don't need to make new CAT5's

Another con to wireless is the line of sight requirement. Some places it works some places it doesn't.

Myself I use a combination of both.  I transmit the wireless. Where I have a group of controllers in the same area I put one receiver and then CAT5 between that group of controllers. As in my mega tree has 7 LE's running it. There is one receiver for the first LE and the other 6 are daisy chained off of it. That gives me one power cord is the only wire going to my mega tree.

Or where I am running a power cord from one controller to the other, I will usually also have a CAT5 between them and only one receiver for both.  As my arches are all in a row. The power goes from controller to controller down the line. I run a CAT5 long side it to daisy chain all the arch controllers and then have one receiver on the first one.

So a long story short, it really comes down to how your display is setup and your preferences.

_jeff

Offline jnealand

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Re: Wireless Versus Cat 5 Pros and Cons
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2011, »
I'm running all wireless this year, but for next year I'm going to do a combo as smartcontrols is doing.  I made a lot changes this year with my power distribution and as I look at how I have things laid out I realize I don't need 3 wireless receivers for my mega tree when one will do the trick.  Same with arches.  With more LEs coming that will save me from buying more EXRX devices for next year.  But I would not be without the wireless.  I even have my V2 transmitter inside the house and everything works fine.
Jim Nealand
Kennesaw, GA

Offline wbuehler

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Re: Wireless Versus Cat 5 Pros and Cons
« Reply #4 on: January 02, 2011, »
Ran all Wireless for the past 2 years, not really any cons for my setup, next year will be a mix with the SSC's being added.

Offline NavyGator

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Re: Wireless Versus Cat 5 Pros and Cons
« Reply #5 on: January 02, 2011, »
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Hi Rich,

My 2 cents;

I think the cost difference is really based on your setup. Reliable CAT5 cable can get expensive as well for long runs.

A few more pro's for wireless (at least for my setup)
Do not need to worry about the 32 device limit of DMX.
Less wires running around the yard.
Easy to move things around, don't need to make new CAT5's

Another con to wireless is the line of sight requirement. Some places it works some places it doesn't.

Myself I use a combination of both.  I transmit the wireless. Where I have a group of controllers in the same area I put one receiver and then CAT5 between that group of controllers. As in my mega tree has 7 LE's running it. There is one receiver for the first LE and the other 6 are daisy chained off of it. That gives me one power cord is the only wire going to my mega tree.

Or where I am running a power cord from one controller to the other, I will usually also have a CAT5 between them and only one receiver for both.  As my arches are all in a row. The power goes from controller to controller down the line. I run a CAT5 long side it to daisy chain all the arch controllers and then have one receiver on the first one.

So a long story short, it really comes down to how your display is setup and your preferences.

_jeff


Is the limit of 32 devices due to daisy chaining and the signal is delayed or degraded over the path?

Rich

Offline tbone321

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Re: Wireless Versus Cat 5 Pros and Cons
« Reply #6 on: January 02, 2011, »
The 32 device limit is due to load and signal degradation and is not much of a concern if you are using Expresses as they can regenerate the signal on DMX out 2 which restarts the device count.  The Lynx Splitter also regenerates the signal.
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Offline travailen

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Re: Wireless Versus Cat 5 Pros and Cons
« Reply #7 on: January 02, 2011, »
DMX512, which is the format we use, can handle 512 channels maximum. After that, you need to start a new universe. The 32 unit limit would apply to Expresses as they are 16 channel units and 16 X 32 = 512, the maximum channels in a universe. if you were using SS4s the limit would be 128 units since 4 X 128 = 512. I think that a properly built DMX layout should have no trouble running any number of apprpriate units as long as the total channel coult does not exceed 512.

Rick S

Offline tbone321

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Re: Wireless Versus Cat 5 Pros and Cons
« Reply #8 on: January 02, 2011, »
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DMX512, which is the format we use, can handle 512 channels maximum. After that, you need to start a new universe. The 32 unit limit would apply to Expresses as they are 16 channel units and 16 X 32 = 512, the maximum channels in a universe. if you were using SS4s the limit would be 128 units since 4 X 128 = 512. I think that a properly built DMX layout should have no trouble running any number of apprpriate units as long as the total channel coult does not exceed 512.

Rick S

This is not completely correct.  While it is true that a DMX512 universe has a max channel count of 512 and the and the Express has 16 channels, the fact that 32 of them comes out to the full 512 channel universe is not what the limit is about.  A unit is a unit and whether they are 16 channel Expresses or 4 channel Athers or SSR4/DMX, you still cannot have more than 32 of them daisy chained together by spec without some type of signal regeneration.
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Offline travailen

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Re: Wireless Versus Cat 5 Pros and Cons
« Reply #9 on: January 02, 2011, »
Yes, thanks for that. I forgot to mention that detail of needing a repeater or some other signal regenerator if you are going over 32 boxes on a single wired buss.

Rick S

Offline gophergrove

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Re: Wireless Versus Cat 5 Pros and Cons
« Reply #10 on: January 03, 2011, »
That's just it.  Specifications are guidlines to ensure the equipment will give the user the performance expected, however, they are never absolutes.  Take ethernet over Cat5 with a specification of 100m for a segment length (node to hub/switch).  At 101m the signal doesn't stop it is still there and most likely completely usable by the end user, however, the performance of the link might be degraded a certain percentage. 
Exceeding specs (regarding performance) if required  is usually worth a try to see if it will work, however, you cannot complain if it doesn't work as advertised and be glad if it does (dmoore's example).

As far as wireless vs wired, I'm a firm believer it is always 'cheaper' to run a cable (if possible) than to use wireless.  By cheaper I'm including initial hardware costs as well as configuration time, performance levels, troubleshooting issues, maintenance, lost productivity due to down time, etc.
I'm new to this light automation and will be getting a wireless setup to test and hopefully use but I doubt I'll rely on it for the whole setup.

Offline Trepidati0n

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Re: Wireless Versus Cat 5 Pros and Cons
« Reply #11 on: January 25, 2011, »
A RX/TX unit and single LE/RX unit will set you back ~$100 by time it is all said and done (parts, pcb, enclsures, shipping, etc).  For that same $100, you could snag ~1000 feet of CAT5 pre-done from monoprice.   So, even reasonably thinking that wireless is cost benefit would be hard to argue for. 

However, what is easy to argue effort of running CAT5 in a daisy chain fashion versus not.   I can see the instant appeal and value of just being able to plug a LE into a 110/220 outlet and get blinky.  There in lies the amazing and tremendous value.


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Offline deplanche

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Re: Wireless Versus Cat 5 Pros and Cons
« Reply #12 on: January 25, 2011, »
Personally, I have both indoor lights and outdoor lights as part of my show.  Wireless allows me to run them both without having to worry about how to get CAT5 from inside to outside... and keep out critters, snow, and cold. 

Offline RJ

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Re: Wireless Versus Cat 5 Pros and Cons
« Reply #13 on: January 25, 2011, »
It is like most things it is what is your priority.

Wireless to me is not meant to be a cost savings, it is not meant to be an improvment, It is so I can setup and tear down in much less time.

Once you start moving things and having to redo cables or make longer ones or replace the end that got damaged or the cable that worked last year but doesn't this year it saves me much time. Time is a precious and costly thing to me so It saves me money in my mind do to the speed at which I can setup and move things with only needing power. Then teardown without disconnecting, coiling cat5 and storing it.

It has to be the end users call. I love it but not all will.

RJ
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