EtherDongle Pixelnet and DMX

[dridas]

Hey guys! 

Had a question on the EtherDongle, Pixelnet and DMX. Forgive my ignorance, and I'm sure the question has been answered before, just I can't seem to find it.

So the EtherDongle carries DMX data and Pixelnet, I'm just not sure "how" it does it.

I'm relatively new to the world of light animation, and hoping to get 4 of the LynxExpress PCB's in the current Coop. I also have 2 USBDongle PCB's, but not sure if I should put them together.  I essentially started planning for next year, since I jumped in right after Halloween.

Alright, on to the question-  Does the EtherDongle 'natively' carry DMX data, or does it just output the data from a USBDongle? 

Correct me if I'm wrong anywhere, please. As I understand it- I can connect the EtherDongle anywhere on my home network. I have 2 routers in my house, opposite corners, with one Cat5e cable running between them. So getting the Cat5E cable outside is relatively easy.  If I connect the EtherDongle to the network, I can then connect the LynxExpress to the DMX output of the EtherDongle, and then daisy-chain my LynxExpresses in the yard where I want them??

Essentially, that eliminates the need for a USBDongle?  Just have to make sure the EtherDongle has the correct firmware for carrying both PixelNet and DMX?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[rrowan]

The EtherDongle has two firmware version. One is Pixelnet and the other is DMX you can not load both at the same time.

If you need both then you load pixelnet and then you need the SS Hub to mirror out the DMX channels.

To build the USB Dongle is your choice. If you want to test and or use the LE's before you can get a EtherDongle then I would build one. If the LEs are going to sit in a box until something next year then you don't need to build one. Of course having backups doesn't hurt.

EtherDongle "natively" DMX, only if the DMX firmware is loaded and you will be able to directly connect the LEs

You only need Pixelnet firmware is you are going to use Smart Strings (RGB)

Hope that helps some

Rick R.

[rimist]

Another way of looking at it: Both the USB dongle and the EtherDongle have a choice for firmware: DMX or pixelnet. If you have an EtherDongle with DMX firmware your description is correct. for USB dongle, the change would be PC - usb cable - USB dongle, the rest is the same.

In either case, if you choose to use pixelnet, add an active hub between the dongle and the first express. The hub provides 16 connections for RGB, and one output for DMX. As specified in a previous post, if you aren't using RGB, you don't need pixelnet.

As far as building a USB dongle, I would, both for testing and backup purposes. Besides, personally I couldn't wait until Halloween to get going besides, their is always Valentine's day, st Patrick's day, etc

- Rimist

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