SSC Coop kits, Explanation please?

[randyy]

Okay, I'm a newbie and want to do a megatree with 16 SSCs.  I think I understand that I'll need one active 16 port hub and 16 SSCs, but the other options (passive 16, passive 4, and combiner) have me stumped.  The Wiki just has placeholders for their "function and use".

So, my question is, what are these other kit items and why would I salivate over them?  Advantages / disadvantages?

[rrowan]

16 port passive hub is the little bother to the 16 port active hub. Major difference is the passive hub does NOT have the DMX output
4 port passive hub is designed to extend one cat5 cable from the 16 port active. example you have 3 items a distance away from the active hub. Instead of running 4 cables you can use the 4 port hub and one cable then split out the signal at the distance items. Also it needs a power supply at the 4 port hub.
Combiner is really only need if you want to use 4 USB dongles to run to one cat5 cable to either another combiner or a 16 port active hub.

hope that helps

Rick R.

[randyy]

That helps a lot!  Thanks.

[taybrynn]

I think unless your doing four Dmx dongles, skip the combiner.  A combiner and splitter allows you to put up to four pixelnet universes on a single cat5 and then break them back out as needed ... Say each to its own active hub.

Skip the 4 port passive hubs unless you are looking to run Long distances or want to de-centralize the power and maybe lower the power load on the active hub.  I bought the four port passive hubs last year not really knowing the purpose, but I was glad I had some because it gave me a lot of options I need since my display ran across two homes and two driveways and the f
4 port passive hubs made satellite smart string items a breeze to handle, with a single active hub.

For a mega tree, there would be no need for the passive hubs if your doing just sixteen strings. 

Sometimes a spare ssc or active hub is a good idea, so you have a backup.

I could defiantly see how the passive 16 port would be useful, ESP. If you don't need the Dmx out and want to save same money.
Also if you need more ports and power l.. Say for a 32 string mega tree.  Lots of options!

[tbone321]

When you say passive hub you nw need to be a little more clear since there are now two of them and they are very different.  The passive hub that you are referring to is the 4 port passive hub but nw there is also a 16 port passiv hub which has all of the pixelnet capabilities of the active 16 port hub.  The only missing capabilities are the DMX output and the passthru is passive. 

[Steve Gase]

A complete setup for 16 smart strings:


(1) EtherDongle with pixelnet firmware -OR- (1) USB Dongle with pixelnet firmware
(1) Active 16-port hub
-- (1) Single-rail power supply for the active hub
(16) SSCs
-- (17-18) Cat5 cables to connect everything together (depending on EtD or USB connect to your PC.

[chrisatpsu]

(16) SSCs

you can get away with 8 ssc's attached to strings folded over to look like 16 strings. i did this last year b/c i didn't have enough ssc's do do everything i wanted.

[jnealand]

I have a backup active hub and several extra SSCs.  There were very useful as both a backup and to have something to test with on my workbench after the display was setup.  In fact I keep one SSC always loaded with the test firmware.

[randyy]

Thanks to everyone for your advice, it was all helpful.  Steve, your info was exactly what I needed.   

I do have one more question.  Does the 4 port passive hub output pixelnet, dmx, or either, depending on where you plug it in?  I was thinking of making my megatree the "base station", and running two 4-ports out to the yard and home trim, breaking off of them with dmx LEs.  Does that work or is there a better system?

[taybrynn]

The 16 port passive hub is only pixelnet in and out.  No DMX.

The 4 port passive hubs are similarly only pixelnet, you CAN'T hook an LE off of them, since there is no DMX out on a passive SS hub.     You would need an active 16 port hub to do that.

What I did last year was hook up my SS active hub to a chain of nearby LE(s) (from the SS active hub DMX OUT) ... and at the last LE in that chain, I took the DMX out and put it into a Lynx TX (wireless DMX).  Then I used an onboard ex/rx on my remote (satellite) LE(s) ... to accept that wireless DMX signal IN, and if there were more than one LE at a satellite location, just the first LE had an ex/rx and the others were connected via. DMX by wired cat5 cable connection from the first LE (the one with ex/rx on it).

This way the DMX distribution goes wireless and is pretty easy ... and then you can focus on your smartstrings from a pixelnet only point of view ... and could use passive hubs more potentially.

There are many ways to do this, just giving you one example.

Another reason to to go passive hubs might be to lower the size of power supply needed, which can lower costs ... esp. if your pushing a lot of 4amp smarts strings on a single active hub ... because there is a point where a 60a power supply might be $70 ... but a 80a single rail PS might be $170 ... so that extra $100 for another 20a ... might be better used to power a $40 16 port passive with another $40 PS on it running maybe 40a ... maybe not a great example, but it shows the options you have.

[sebjsan]

Nicely explained Taybrynn. I for one am a huge fan of your light set up and would greatly appreciate a diagram of your set up

[Steve Gase]

Thanks to everyone for your advice, it was all helpful.  Steve, your info was exactly what I needed.   

I do have one more question.  Does the 4 port passive hub output pixelnet, dmx, or either, depending on where you plug it in?  I was thinking of making my megatree the "base station", and running two 4-ports out to the yard and home trim, breaking off of them with dmx LEs.  Does that work or is there a better system?

Using the DMX coming from an ACTIVE 16-port hub, you can stretch it to use for a number of DMX needs. 

Option 1: daisy-chain DMX from one LE to another. 
Option 2: split the DMX cable using RJ45 splitters  You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
Option 3: design your lighting elements (like RGB coro illuminaries) so that they have an input and output to pass or daisy-chain the DMX
Option 4: Use a lynx splitter (not a passive hub)  You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Option 5: You can mix and match all of this...

[n1ist]

Careful with the "y" splitter (option 2 in Steve's post above).  The only way they will reliably work is if the tail between the splitter and device is very short (just a few inches). 
/mike