light o rama 64 channel or any other suggestions?

[wiz]

Hi, next year i plan to step it up from a decent display at best to whatever my head can dream up. currently have 9,000 led's and plan to step it up to 25,000 next year and i can afford 1500 dollars to sync up with computer hardware in addition to lights and x-cords. so for 1500 what does anyone suggest to use to maxamize my budget? channels per dollar? i have 1 sub panel but plan to have a new 2nd panel wired to house by elect company then go over with an electrician my 5 year plan. anyway suggestions would be great and so far the light o rama setup seems easy to use out of the box but id like more channels but if i can only start with 64 ill do it.

[alwysrit2]

If you are looking for a turnkey solution, LOR is great. If you don't mind getting your hands a little dirty and spending some time with a soldering iron in your hand, take a look around at the hardware. The Lynx system looks like a good 'kit', but all of the controllers in the hardware section are being actively used (and a few that aren't listed). Many of the devices listed here can be connected together to get far over 64 channels.
Post any questions you have, there are always people watching
-Don

[wiz]

what kind of setup would you then reccomend? the bang for the buck in my opinion would have to double the channels while taking less then 30 hours. that seem about right?

[Macrosill]

Ron,
This is a DIY bb. The only reason someone here would tell you to go and buy and off the shelf product like LOR or AL, Animated Lighting, would be if one of your requirements was that the system be pre-assembled. Other than that we have everything abd in some cases more than both of the previous mentioned solutions.

I personally use the Renard system. I have assembled everything myself, that gives a certain amount of pride, especially when you tell people who ask about the display that you put it all together from scratch. Anyone can buy an off the shelf product and plug it in. That is not what we are about. We like to tinker and build stuff. We like to see the fruits of our work. And that is not just by Firegod, Phil, RJ and KC, just to name a few, spend countless hours doing the actual designs and programming for us for free. Every time one of us builds one of their systems they get to see the fruits of their work.

The decision on which system to go to is a personal one. It should be based on your monetary situation, time constraints and mechanical ability. There is no single right or wrong answer to your question.

[Jeff Millard]

If you do choose to go the route of Pre Assembled systems. Spend some time here (http://lightorama.mywowbb.com/) reading about the other users that have LOR control their lights.

The LOR system is not easily interconnected with the DIY hardware, so if you decide in the future to actually build your own you will be stuck with something you can't expand without paying the price...

LOR users are a very loyal bunch of folks. Many have experienced a customer service that is unique in business. However it isn't inexpensive.

I do both DIY and LOR, but LOR completey controls my Christmas display. Were I to actually review the costs.... I'd probably find another hobby (or sell the LOR and migrate over to full DIY)

Get your hands in the hardware, it's the most fun of all. As Brian said, there is a sense of pride and accomplishment making your own system. ...and you have an entire year to prepare!!!

Jeff

[skygodtj]

If I understand it... the dimmables(Lynx, FireGod, Ren) use 4 channels to dim, is that right? So a 64ch board will have 16 actual dimmable channels(sockets)? The non-dimmables, Olsen, ect are straight socket-to-light plug-ins? All the pix I see of the PCB's have Cat5 sockets... where do the light plugs go in? Do each Cat5 lines have 120VAC sockets at the ends that the light sets plug into?

Thanks,

TJ
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GE Lights&Sounds 20song box, my intro to lighting..

[Macrosill]

TJ,
Each channel on a Renard, Lynx or Firegod dim independently from one another. 1 channel gives you 1 channel of dimming.

The Olsen design runs a cat 5 from the controller to remotely mounted relay boards. The relay boards turn the lights on and off. The lights plug into the relay boards.

[skygodtj]

Ok, so the "main" board, Olsen 595, Lynx, etc has Cat5 cable running to the actual relay boards that the light sets plug into.. 'K, got that.. I've d/l'ed Vixen, the LOR Demo program('know one cant run the other), even the WizardsInWinter demo sequence to play with..

So..if I want a 16ch, expandable(at some point) preferably dimmable, but not an absolute nessessity, board... Olsen595 or Lynx(lots say way easier to build), I need the controller board(one of those two), SSR's for 16ch, Cat5 cables, wall-wart(5VDC)power, Vixen and light sets.. anything else? Heat sinks for the SSR's or included.. I'm guessing there is a Coop set up for a complete roll-ur-own "kit" ending soon? Anyone take Visa, MC, PayPal? :D

Thanks,
TJ

[RJ]

The Lynx does not need the external SSR boxes it has them built on the controller. It is very much like a LOR controller and has 16 channels. The Lynx is Coop as a kit with everything minus the extenstion cables but you will need a DMX dongle for your computer to generate DMX to run it with.
This will maybe answer your question on the Lynx anyway:

http://www.christmasinshirley.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=700

[skygodtj]

I reeeeally hope it's easy because not only will I be jumpin into CCL... it'd be with DMX.. and I dont even know what that stands for :D Well, I'm game for abt anything.. When the time comes, put me down for one order please!

Thank you RJ!

TJ

[rrowan]

Ok, so the "main" board, Olsen 595, Lynx, etc has Cat5 cable running to the actual relay boards that the light sets plug into.. 'K, got that.. I've d/l'ed Vixen, the LOR Demo program('know one cant run the other), even the WizardsInWinter demo sequence to play with..

So..if I want a 16ch, expandable(at some point) preferably dimmable, but not an absolute nessessity, board... Olsen595 or Lynx(lots say way easier to build), I need the controller board(one of those two), SSR's for 16ch, Cat5 cables, wall-wart(5VDC)power, Vixen and light sets.. anything else? Heat sinks for the SSR's or included.. I'm guessing there is a Coop set up for a complete roll-ur-own "kit" ending soon? Anyone take Visa, MC, PayPal? :D

Thanks,
TJ

Wow Tj you just got me about confused... :)

Olsen595 / Grinch (Grinch easier to build) need a Ren-C and Ren-T boards to become dimmable.

Lynx is a DMX system and you need a DMX dongle (magic box between computer and Lynx or other stuff on the DMX channel)


I could be wrong

It seems that the wall warts cause some problems and it appears that most people use power from the PC to the controller board.

Note: I have only just order my board(s) and have not started soldering yet. So don't take my words as complete.

Rick R.

[Wayne J]

It seems that the wall warts cause some problems and it appears that most people use power from the PC to the controller board.

Rick R.

This is completely true. Stay away from the use of wall warts. Regulated and filtered power is needed.

[RJ]

skygodtj,

Post over in the Coop forum. There is a thread there called "Second Lynx Coop" that you want to post that you want one so you get on the coop list for the next order.

[skygodtj]

Rick, sorry, what I stated came from this table..

http://christmasinshirley.com/wiki/index.php?title=Comparison_of_DIY_Boards

..down towards the bottom said that the Lynx(RJ's) was the easiest to build as it comes with a manual (aw, real men down read manuals!) and that the Olsen or Grinch, by itself is not dimmable, but plugged into the Ren-C, and/or -T board, is dimmable, so Im just going by what was in the table. And yeah, I will have to find a dongle, unless it comes withthe coop order(not sure)..

I'm now splitting my "wealth" between my pirate haunt(OMG!!) and the Christmas lighting display.. and as they are close together(why cant one ofthem be around June?) I've got to start on them soon. Everyone else here is home every night. 4 of my nights are spent in hotels! It's tuff enough getting a laptop by TSA's eyes.. how wud I fare trying to get a soldering pencil past them??

teege

[skygodtj]

Thanks RJ, I'll head right over... Visa, MC or Paypal? :D

[skygodtj]

Reading thru the first Lynx coop thread I picked up a couple things.. first, the DMX dongle.. I searched eBay and came up with EntTec DMX Pro, a box with "mike" jacks on it.. is that it? There is one 512ch interface, for $140 but another one for $280-something.. is that what goes with ur Lynx? Any other dedicated source for DMX dongles, or just eBay? Second, the lights run on DC for smoother transitions, etc?

teege

[RJ]

They can be had for $130 off ebay and a few other sources typically. This is the DMX dongle that will run your DMX equipment. You one of these and then you are good unless you end up going over 512 channels. Not too many get that large.

The Lynx puts out DC for a number of reasons but the target was to build a smooth dimmer for both regular and LED lights.

[skygodtj]

k, so u think abt $85 + shipping, abt $150-ish for the dongle.. totals abt $250-ish? And only the Pro works(supported).. there are a couple Open DMX dongles, those are not the same?

teege

[RJ]

I don't recommend anything but the pro at this time.

[skygodtj]

Ok, are the Pro DMX dongles seasonal? Do prices vary across the year? Abt $250 +/- total

[cmurray]

http://www.enttec.com/index.php?main_menu=Products&prod=70304&show=description&name=dmxusbpro

ebay looks cheaper but they gouge you on shipping.

Plan on paying a little over $150 for the pro.

Joel

[skygodtj]

Thanks Joel, I found a couple on eBay for $138, and $18 to ship, abt $10 less than EnTec directly.. Thanks tho..

teege

[cmurray]

Wrong site.
http://www.sirs-e.com/st/dmx-usb-c-27.html

$129.99 + 6.60 shipping usps.

Joel

[skygodtj]

Ok, went, saw, conquered!! :D One DMX Pro enroute.. shipping to AZ was $8.20, but still it's $20 better than eBay, so... RJ, I guess add one more Lynx order !! Ok, just to be sure.. RJ's Lynx board, DMX Pro and what else do I need? Oh yeah, I already have Vixen.

TJ

[tstewart]

Ok, went, saw, conquered!! :D One DMX Pro enroute.. shipping to AZ was $8.20, but still it's $20 better than eBay, so... RJ, I guess add one more Lynx order !! Ok, just to be sure.. RJ's Lynx board, DMX Pro and what else do I need? Oh yeah, I already have Vixen.

TJ


You will also need one of these connectors to connect your cable to the DMX Pro.

http://www.sirs-e.com/st/neutrik-pole-cable-connector-male-p-66.html

I got this information from RJ when I was asking him what I needed for communicating with the Lynx.


Todd

[skygodtj]

Ok, I'll order them when lynx comes in. thanks

[tstewart]

You will just need one. It is the connector that will connect to the DMX Pro.


Todd

[skygodtj]

ok, thanks

[fkostyun]

It's tuff enough getting a laptop by TSA's eyes.. how wud I fare trying to
get a soldering pencil past them??


Well, they didn't question one of my Renard24's and 6 sets of lights that I took as carry-on for the Philly Mini last year.

[skygodtj]

But they dont look like they cud stab anything right? :)

If the connector is just a 5pin mike connector, can I get it at any audio store or Frys..(Baseline & I-10)?

teege