Recommended DMX Hardware
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Hi all, my name is Santigo, I have worked for many years with amateur theater groups. I'm a user of GNU / Linux for many years and have recently discovered this wonderful program QLC +. I think it will be very useful for future theater projects, but I need help to choose which DMX device I should buy. I've been comparing Enttec devices. My initial choice was the Enttec DMX USB Pro but, I've heard very good comments for the Enttec ODE. The device must be fully configurable and compatible with GNU/Linux.
Which device would you recommend?.
I'am Spanish, perhaps in the future I could help to translate QLC+ to some of the languages I know, they are Catalan and Spanish.
I use a artnet to dmx Interface based on a atmel avr mcu.
http://shop.ulrichradig.de/Bausaetze/AVR-ArtNet-Node-Bausatz.html
You can try building own Anyma uDMX device. It is less vulnerable to system clock issues (bitbanging on ftdi-based hosts is very dependent on proper clock) and is very easy to build. Provides galvanic separation from DMX devices - no ground loop problems. I've built it with SMT devices, so it is as small as possible (however version without power converter fits inside XLR plug). Drawback - no return channel yet.
Hi Santiago,
It suppose it depends on how professional the working environment is and what extra features you're looking for.
Something similar to the Enttec products are those from DMXKing. They have processors that guarantee no light flickering however the config software is currently windows only. http://dmxking.com/usbdmx
The USB DMX interfaces from China via eBay for about £20, in a small square white box with two LEDs, are Anyma-based so do not suffer from flicker. They claim to offer galvanic isolation but do not because there is just an opto-isolator for the data, which is pointless on its own. You need to cut a couple of tracks and add a tiny DC-DC converter if you want galvanic isolation.
Last edit: Matthew Marks 2013-12-29
Hello
i use a uDMX usb. It works great for what i am doing and has isolation. I don't recommend it in high end or commercial use simply for lack of features and as said above no return. I did find some fixtures flicker with it. It was fixable in regedit (windows) by changing the frequency to 25hz. QLC's default is 50 hz.
all and all, when choosing your interface, keep in mind what scale of production you are needing and the specific features you require. There are lots of great products out there that are both flexible and affordable, just do your research and find the system that works for you.
Hi Santiago. It all depends on how much you want to spend, how many fixtures/universes you need to control and how you want to cable your equipment (DMX or ethernet/wifi)
I personally found DMXKing products quite solid. Let's say what's without the word "PRO" might get weak under pressure. PRO products usually have opto-isolation and internal buffers that avoid flickering and annoying glitches.
I'm mostly referring to Enttec and DMXKing devices. Know nothing about the products mentioned above.
Oh, forgot to say. QLC+ is already translated in spanish, but thank you for the availability anyway ! :)
If you need in the future tranlate QLC+ to catalan I can help. Many thanks for this great program. ;-)
Thanks to all for your comments. I think the best solution for me are the DMX USB interfaces like Enttec DMX USB pro or DMXKing.
I am also looking for a USB to DMX dongle. I was really excited about the Ultra DMX Pro by DMX King. The capability of 2 universes is important, and the built in splitter is amazing. However, they just got back to me saying that this product is discontinued.
http://dmxking.com/usbdmx/ultradmxpro
Does anyone else have a recommended USB to DMX dongle? I'm looking for something that will do 2 universes and won't give me any problems as it'll be running a decently large venue.
I'm looking for a list of links to products that have been tested and work well.
Thanks
Why don't you get two devices that do one universe each? USB ports are cheaper than fancy DMX interfaces. I mention Anyma again... :-)
Anyma, I went on ebay and searched for that and found very little.
The only Anyma device that pops up consistently in Google is uDMX, which is about $250.
http://www.anyma.ch/store/11-udmx.html
Do you have a brand, or model number that you've tested and I can buy?
Or are you building your own? I see that this is possible, but I'd really rather not. :)
My only experience here is that Amazon seems to have quite a few cheap devices at around the GBP 30 mark; and the one I bought is /terrible/. It claims to be a uDMX clone, but its DMX output speed is attrotious. Manages to output about 3 DMX frames per second; so it's waaaaay too slow to implement a decent fade.
For reference: DO NOT BUY THIS: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009B5II8G/
Paul, Thanks for the heads up.
Did you end up buying something that works?
Not yet. I have my eye on one of the Enttec devices though. Just a matter of seeing how my show's budget will stretch.
Paul, I hadn't considered that problem, but your Amazon link brings up as an alternative what I'm 99% certain is the same as the product I'm using - though I bought it though eBay direct from China for about £20. It's the square white box which seems to be universally accompanied by the claim that it offers isolation - it doesn't, without adding a DC-DC converter. I haven't noticed any laggy performance from it and it contains what I think is pretty close to a reference Anyma implementation.
Oh, and if you're going Enttec, go pro, rather than open - metal cases and pretty labels are lipstick on the pig of a flicker-prone inadequately-buffered FTDI serial dongle (cost: <£10).
Last edit: Matthew Marks 2014-03-25
I actually just bought this one that you recommend, and had exactly same problem that Paul described - updates at only 1-2 frames a second, even though the clock speed reported back to QLC+ is 30 hz.
Tried on both a MAC OSX system and also a Ubuntu PC, both having exactly the same issue.
Got a refund and bought an Enttec Pro which I've used before with no problems. Would be interested to know if there is some kind of solution to the low update problem though - would be nice to be able to use this cheap interface for a low cost Raspberry Pi solution!
I've added photos of it, plus opened it up to show the chipset for anyone interested.
Last edit: FactorFilms 2014-12-08
Just wanna add that I hand crafted my own uDMX interface from scratch
and got exactly the same behavior: It reports 30Hz but only updates at
1-2Hz.
2014-12-09 0:21 GMT+01:00 FactorFilms factorfiles@users.sf.net:
Snakedog11, please search this forum first, as I'm mentioning Anyma again :-)
Again, I ask if you have any model numbers, brands, links... Anything for me to search for.
The uDMX is not cheap
I've looked at all 18 references to Anyma on this forum and I can't find a any useful links to products that are tested by users and guaranteed to work reliably.
I thought I had given you more than ample information! They are unbranded. They have no model numbers. I explained what they look like and how they're described ("isolation"). Links are ephemeral for these sorts of products. Here's one that happens to work at the moment:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DMX512-Satge-Lighting-Controller-Support-PC-MAC-USB-to-DMX-Interface-/251471646983
It's tested by me - why would I recommend it otherwise? There are no guarantees - this is a low-cost product. But it works for me and I have no reason to believe it won't be reliable (and I have been inside it to add a DC-DC converter for isolation so I know what it contains).
Last edit: Matthew Marks 2014-03-25
Thank you Matt,
I'll look into this device.
How do you know it's an Anyma device?
I don't see anything in the description that says Anyma. (Sorry for my Newbness.)
I don't remember exactly how I worked it out! It is possible I took a punt on one having read mention of Linux drivers and frame buffering, then found it appeared as a uDMX device in QLC+ and looked that up. The first thing I did though was stick an ohm meter between input and output to discover it wasn't isolated, and got a partial refund for it being misdescribed.