System Design With The EtherDongle

[JimWright]

I hate to sound really stupid, but it won't be the first time. I am trying to figure out how many EtherDongles to purchase in the coop. What does the EtherDongle interface with? I can find no information up on this board yet to show how it is connected with the rest of the system. I assume that on one end it uses Ethernet as the networking protocol so that it connects to the "show computer" via Ethernet (wired or wireless). How, exactly, does it interface on the other end to the controllers? Is it the RJ-45 "Pixelnet" input to the Smart String Hub (and splitters/combiners)? Can I use more than 1 to interface channels in two different locations? Remember, I control two houses that are across the street from each other and can not get there via hardwired cable. For this year I will only be controlling 4 each 128 node strings, 2 at my house, and 2 across the street. Can I do this with only 1 EtherDongle, or will it require 2? I am afraid that I am missing something someplace. Jim Wright

[mykroft]

From what I have read there will be 2 firmwares - one for pixelnet output and one for dmx output.  4 universes of either - if you need to mix, then go pixelnet and use the dmx function of the active hub.

1 etherdongle using pixelnet is like 4 usb pixelnet dongles using a combiner to merge into 1 cable (1 pair per universe x 4 pair), so it will go directly to the pixelnet in on a active hub for the majority of us...

Hope this helps

Myk

[hbomb341]

Jim - you will need 2 - one for each location and you will need to create a wireless network between the 2 locations.

This is a BASIC but visual diagram of how it will all hook up.

Harrison

[JimWright]

hbomb341: Thanks for the info. That is what I thought. I already have the wireless network set up. I only have one other question. Can I "sister" or "piggy back" both dongles on the same PixelNet network, or do they have to be on separate PixelNet networks (universes) do to interference problems. I realize that if I want to control each string separately, then all of the nodes must have different channels numbers. But do I have to have separate PixelNet universes to have the two dongles working at the same time on the same physical network?

[RJ]

No you can run the same set of channels out of two EtherDongles. Any network latency will show up as delays between them so make sure your wireless network is not delated sending the data across.

RJ

[JimWright]

RJ: Thanks. I can rest easy now. I think I have it. I have ordered on the coop. Jim W