Help configuring LOR and DMX protocol networks for a show

M

MagicChristmasTree

New member
I finally own a home again after two years in a rental house. I haven't had a display for four years and am excited about having one again. With the repairs and renovations on the house I won't be fully moved in until the end of October so I need to use what I have on hand for this year's show. In between sorting, boxing, moving and unboxing I've spent a bit of "free" time coming up with a relatively simple show configuration. It will be all incandescent lights. Next year I'll have time to begin the transition to pixels.

I have five LOR 16-channel dimmer cards, an old LOR USB>RS-485 converter, a G3-MP3 player (which I bought but never used), and an ENTTEC DMX USB Pro, DMX dimmers and switches from my professional lighting days. I'd like to use the DMX equipment in the show this year. The old show ran on a dedicated PC running LOR V4.? I can buy a license upgrade if needed but my old show programming is not that sophisticated to need exotic new features.

(I should add that while I could run the LOR dimmer boards on DMX protocol, I use the shimmer and twinkle effects and as far as I know you lose use of those effects if you switch from LOR to DMX protocol driving the boards.)

Possible configuration 1: Buy a new LOR USB>RS-485 interface and use the interfaces, one for a LOR protocol network and the other for a DMX network running live from my PC.

Possible configuration 2: Use my existing LOR interface for the LOR protocol network and the ENTTEC unit for the DMX protocol network, again running live from my PC.

But what I'd really like to do is to use my G3-MP3 to run the show on both networks once I test and debug my show. Can that unit output LOR protocol on one output and DMX protocol on the other one? The manual does not address that and at the moment I don't have time to delve into the hardware utility.

And how would I configure the system to run first on one of the live setups (listed above) and then downloaded onto an SD card for the G3-MP3?

Comments and suggestions welcome.
 
Last edited:
MagicChristmasTree said:
I finally own a home again after two years in a rental house. I haven't had a display for four years and am excited about having one again. With the repairs and renovations on the house I won't be fully moved in until the end of October so I need to use what I have on hand for this year's show. In between sorting, boxing, moving and unboxing I've spent a bit of "free" time coming up with a relatively simple show configuration. It will be all incandescent lights. Next year I'll have time to begin the transition to pixels.

I have five LOR 16-channel dimmer cards, an old LOR USB>RS-485 converter, a G3-MP3 player (which I bought but never used), and an ENTTEC DMX USB Pro, DMX dimmers and switches from my professional lighting days. I'd like to use the DMX equipment in the show this year. The old show ran on a dedicated PC running LOR V4.? I can buy a license upgrade if needed but my old show programming is not that sophisticated to need exotic new features.

(I should add that while I could run the LOR dimmer boards on DMX protocol, I use the shimmer and twinkle effects and as far as I know you lose use of those effects if you switch from LOR to DMX protocol driving the boards.)

Possible configuration 1: Buy a new LOR USB>RS-485 interface and use the interfaces, one for a LOR protocol network and the other for a DMX network running live from my PC.

Possible configuration 2: Use my existing LOR interface for the LOR protocol network and the ENTTEC unit for the DMX protocol network, again running live from my PC.

But what I'd really like to do is to use my G3-MP3 to run the show on both networks once I test and debug my show. Can that unit output LOR protocol on one output and DMX protocol on the other one? The manual does not address that and at the moment I don't have time to delve into the hardware utility.

And how would I configure the system to run first on one of the live setups (listed above) and then downloaded onto an SD card for the G3-MP3?

Comments and suggestions welcome.
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Did you ever get any help with this??

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk
 
Thanks for asking.

No responses so I'm presuming LOR is a dead topic on here with everyone chasing the pixel parade with Vixen and X-Lights. Since I'm still unpacking way too many boxes from my move to the new house I've decided to just squeeze everything into my 80 LOR channels this year and forget using any of the DMX stuff. Next year I'll have more time to plan the transition away from 120-Volt incandescent lights and lower the power bill.
 
Didn't see anything specific to my original quest on the LOR website. I've got more than enough to do building a new physical show to suit my new home and property to keep me busy this fall. Getting out of the temporary rental house by the end of this month has been my major priority so not a lot of time left in the next 45 days with outdoor temperatures warm enough for construction of the new electrical and control infrastructure, tree base, fence and house lights and props.

I'll research this more next year if I decide to stick with LOR programming or I may switch to Vixen or X-Lights software. My show will always be focused on a coherent design motif, all about the "wonderful world of color," and growing the list of fun props rather than a lot of blinky-flashy. I still need to consider my neighbors in my show programming even though I am now on two acres instead of a city lot.
 
I personally haven't used S4 of the software suite in some time. However I believe that was when it was first implemented to be able to allow multiple USB to serial devices to be connected and used as a control method. You would just need to make sure your com port is configured correctly when setting up your output network settings. I originally started with LOR all the way back to S1, moved away to DIY stuff in about 2016/2017, now for various reasons am diving back into LOR but S6 seems like quite a different operation. Id be happy to discuss/assist further in pm if you would be interested in doing so?
 
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