Help please!!! Want to use RGB LEDs with Vixen

[Flash69]

I have been doing this for 2 year; you can see my first year display at www.austinchristmas.org. I have 2 REN64s (using 90 channels) controlled by Vixen.

I understand how the main DMX controller/dimmer system works, however I don't understand how I would make it control node based RGB LEDs. I have been following the work done at www.response-box.com/rgb however I don't understand what I need to setup a system to do this.

Do I need to have DMX dimmers? Do I need to have a USB to DMX converter? Do I need to have some other controller to interface between Vixen and the RGB nodes?

I am not a dumb guy but I just don't understand what I need for Vixen to control the RGB LED nodes.

I have searched and read everything I can find however I still don't get it.

Can someone help me understand it?

[j1sys]

Flash -

JEC/MPH have some real good professional grade hardware. you can use their pixels and controllers and they will work as a DMX device and you can control them from Vixen like any other DMX device.

There is a lot of development work on some other options like the TP3212 and stuff over on ACL (forums.auschristmaslighting.com). A lot of the pixel oriented folks from here hang out over there.

Also you can look at ECGs (my product, but not a plug) to drive the DMX lines to either of these devices. It works well with a Vixen plugin that we have developed and given to the community. David with LSP has also taken our plugin and ported it to LightShowPro. A lot of people truly believe that LSP is a must to drive pixels. Doing 2048 discrete points in Vixen can be time consuming.

MPH is also in the final stages of a board called the Pixtail that will allow a user to plug one of our ECG-M24H and control pixels directly from Vixen over the Ethernet.

So there are a lot of options and a lot of expert advice is available.

-Ed

[Flash69]

Ed I appreciate the information. I know MPH's products are not your products however I would like to understand this statement.

JEC/MPH have some real good professional grade hardware. you can use their pixels and controllers and they will work as a DMX device and you can control them from Vixen like any other DMX device.

If I understand this correctly I don't even need any DMX devices. JEC/MPH's product just uses the DMX protocol?

Also if I were to use your device, where could I purchase pixels? Can I mix pixels and controllers or are they all propriety?

[DynamoBen]

I want to keep this thread on topic, lets take questions about commerical offerings or potential sales offline.

Generally speaking if it can be controlled via DMX there is any difference between dimmers and RGB LEDs. To do DMX with Vixen you need a DMX dongle, at present there are two flavors the OpenDMX and the DMXPro clones.

In regards to the RGB pixel project the best bet might be to contact the manufacturer/maker and pose your questions to them, they are familiar with Vixen. With that said I believe their system communicates via Art-Net which is an ethernet communications protocol that is supported by Vixen. Should be plug and play.

[aussiephil]

Hardly think it went off topic,
Flash69 wanted info and Ed's only crime seems to be not mentioning DIYC own home grown effort.

Will you guys please recognise that there are many options coming out, and a TRUE community spirit would see you talk about all the options.

Flash69,
Yes the time is fast approaching were DMX will not be required.

Cheers
Phil

[Tabor]

I dont believe Ed is off topic here.

Flash asked about DMX and RGB nodes.

To do DMX from vixen you do not have to have a DMX dongle.

Yes you can use a USB-DMX dongle and you are able to get one universe allowing 170 RGB nodes on it…Thats it.

I better and cheaper option for RGB's would be an Ethernet variety. This will convert the ethernet dmx to RS485 DMX and allow up 8 universes and 1360 RGB nodes.

To do the same thing would require 8 DMX Dongles costing twice as much.

After you have dmx out Flash you then need another data converter to SPI, which is what the RGB Nodes use.

There are a few options found here and on forums.auschristmaslighting.com

Hope this helps.

[chrisl1976]

Hardly think it went off topic,
Flash69 wanted info and Ed's only crime seems to be not mentioning DIYC own home grown effort.

Will you guys please recognise that there are many options coming out, and a TRUE community spirit would see you talk about all the options.

Flash69,
Yes the time is fast approaching were DMX will not be required.

Cheers
Phil

Nicely put Phil....Ed was not off topic at all.....we all like to know whats available to us outside of the normal confines of DIYC. There is a entire product line out there for you to choose from.

[Flash69]

I better and cheaper option for RGB's would be an Ethernet variety. This will convert the ethernet dmx to RS485 DMX and allow up 8 universes and 1360 RGB nodes.

After you have dmx out Flash you then need another data converter to SPI, which is what the RGB Nodes use.

Thank you Tabor. Can you provide some examples of the above hardware so I can research them?

[Tabor]

No problem.

Firstly: The EtherConGateway by J1Systems found http://www.j1sys.com/ethcongateway/

With the vixen plugin this will connect to your PC via Ethernet and output 4 - 8 dmx universes priced $110 - $190 USD and worth every cent.

then you have the USB - DMX dongles found here by RPM which does one universe and costs around $45 - $55 USD.

There is another dmx dongle by RJ over at www.diylightanimation.com

You can then run any dmx device from these.

Specifically for the RGB Nodes you will need an DMX - SPI convertor

The TP3212 can be found over at forums.auschristmaslighting.com
costs about $45, currently the firmware allow for one universe.

there is a professional version found on response box website.

There is also another new prop version here on DIYC.

Any other questions just ask.

Speak to various people on the various forums, I know the Chat over at the auschristmaslighting is always talking about RGB.

[DynamoBen]

Looked like this was going to turn into a support thread that might be more appropriate elsewhere. Apparently I'm off topic, sorry folks.