Conductor Beta Finishes

[rrowan]

Heh, now I think I am confused.    Can you verify if I have this right:

The EtherDongle has two different firmware that can be loaded.  One is for Pixelnet and the other is for DMX.

If you connect an EtherDongle programmed for Pixelnet to a 16 port active hub, the active hub can output the first 512 channels as DMX.

If you connect an EtherDongle programmed for DMX to a Combiner (used in reverse), the Combiner can output 4 DMX universes.

The Conductor takes the place of your computer running the sequencing program.  Instead of your computer sending the control signals to the EtherDongle, the Conductor does that.

The Conductor has (will have) two different firmware that can be loaded.  One for Pixelnet and one for DMX.

If your EtherDongle is loaded with the Pixelnet firmware, the Conductor needs to be loaded with the Pixelnet firmware.

If your EtherDongle is loaded with the DMX firmware, the Conductor needs to be loaded with the DMX firmware.

Is that the gist?
 

Close but there is a problem.

The conductor does NOT have a pic on it so there is no firmware for it. The conductor is a add-on board to the EtherDongle. The EtherDongle gets a new firmware that supports the Conductor board and outputs pixelnet. Later RJ will release a DMX version for the Conductor/EtherDongle setup.

clear as mud?

Rick R.

[Night Owl]

Ah, so eventually the EtherDongle will have four different firmware versions:
Pixelnet output
DMX output
Pixelnet output with Conductor support
DMX output with Conductor support

Thanks, I think I got it now.

[chrisatpsu]

Ah, so eventually the EtherDongle will have four different firmware versions:
Pixelnet output
DMX output
Pixelnet output with Conductor support
DMX output with Conductor support

Thanks, I think I got it now.

isn't there just 4 firmwares for the pixelnet out?

the original makes the etherdongle respond to channels 1-16384
one for 16385-32768
one for 32769-49152
one for 49153-65536

[rrawlings]

I am more confused than ever now after reading this post.  I have not yet built my Ether Dongle and was going to get it done this weekend and have ordered the conductor and trigger.  I have seen a DMX code download for the ED, is this for straight DMX, 4 universes?  And will it work with the conductor?  I was looking to the conductor to save me buying another PC to use to run our show this year, I really don't want to tie down one of our two laptops in the house to the show.  I will still use the conductor next year as I plan on starting into SS for pixelnet, but I am very confused at this point as to what stage the conductor and ether dongle are at.

[thestig]

I am more confused than ever now after reading this post.  I have not yet built my Ether Dongle and was going to get it done this weekend and have ordered the conductor and trigger.  I have seen a DMX code download for the ED, is this for straight DMX, 4 universes?  And will it work with the conductor?  I was looking to the conductor to save me buying another PC to use to run our show this year, I really don't want to tie down one of our two laptops in the house to the show.  I will still use the conductor next year as I plan on starting into SS for pixelnet, but I am very confused at this point as to what stage the conductor and ether dongle are at.

The Etherdongle does have firmware to run 4 dmx universes. The conductor however is only sending pixelnet data at this time. It will be able to send dmx as soon as RJ finishes/releases the firmware for it. So to answer your question, yes the conductor will support dmx, just not yet. However, you can get dmx out by using the conductor with an ss active hub and pixelnet.

I hope this helps,


Grant

[rm357]

i was thinking that there were only 3 published etherdongle pixelnet firmwares, rather than 4 - e1.31 universes 1-32, 33-64, and 65-96 - which match the first three Chrisatpsu described. The conductor version need only address the first 4 pixelnet universes (e1.31 1-32, or addresses 1-16384, however you prefer to refer to it). each conductor/slave can have its own independent block of 4 universes - your software will need to be able to map the higher addresses to the appropriate sequence file.


the ether dongle in any configuration is only capable of putting out one type of data. It's either all pixelnet or all dmx. The actvie hub has a pixelnet to dmx converter that mirrors one of the eight 512 blocks of channels to a dmx output. At this time, there are no stand alone pixelnet to dmx converters. 

The DMX conductor firmware is on the list for development, but the slave software is higher on the list...

RM

[tbone321]

This is why I suggested to RJ that he not create DMX firmware for the Conductor or the EtherDongle itself for that matter.  I believe that the better solution would be to create a converter board to do that.  The grreat thing is that for the most part, it already exists on the active 16 port hub.  It just needs to be seperated from it.  This will cut the number of firmware versions (and revisions) in half and make it easy for people to use both and not have to attempt to locate one of their hubs near therr DMX devices and if they decide to stay with just DMX, they don't need to buid a full 16 port hub just to convert Pixelnet to DMX.  But even if this new board never comes to pass, the active hub can provide all of the DMX channels someone would need and cut the workload for RJ in half.

[deweycooter]

I'd imagine that the code changes are relatively small to get DMX firmware... and that small change means saving $60+ for the active hub.

[Steve Gase]

I was afraid of this...  the extra complexity offered by more features will provide the argument to provide fewer features.

myself, i'm not so interested in the new dmx features within MY show, but I see a LOT of interest in this -- and I believe it is greatly important to people who blend RJ's equipment with non-RJ, standard-DMX equipment.

I'd argue that we need to do a better job to write clear manuals that crisply state the features and how it all comes together. 

i am arguing that the extra features (especially DMX support) should continue to be developed.  I think anyone that has played with this for a while feels that this is not rocket science, it makes sense, and there should be no technical reason why pixelnet and dmx should NOT coexist.  the challenge is how to properly describe how it works so that newbies can get the same understanding.

[deplanche]

I'd argue that we need to do a better job to write clear manuals that crisply state the features and how it all comes together. 

With all the new toys/features that have been coming out, I would agree.  I am willing to assist with this in any way I can.

[rrawlings]

So what I am hearing is that I definitely will not be doing an all DMX show this year using a conductor unless I buy an active hub to convert pixelnet right?  Another hundred bucks worth of hardware to use the roughly 180 bucks worth of hardware in the etherdongle and conductor.  Maybe my wife is right,drugs would be a cheaper hobby 

[Steve Gase]

Maybe my wife is right,drugs would be a cheaper hobby 

ROFL

[urthegman]

The lights would probably look cooler too!!!! 

[mykroft]

Anyone know what size SD card is coming in the CoOp?  I can get Sandisk 32g class 4 for $11.....

Myk

[KeithTarpley]

Greetings,,,

Please do not substitute the card without being aware that it might not work.  All cards are not alike in specs.

Keith