Which DMX interface to use?

[bumclouds]

Hey guys,

I've just started doing the lights in a club. They had a light jockey setup, but I didn't like it, and I want to try using Freestyler for a while.

It doesn't look like freestyler supports the existing Lightjockey DMX interface though. So which DMX interface would you recommend getting?

I'm not that interested in a USB interface, because, in my experience, USB things are prone to spontaneous failure and are just crap. Which is the best and most reliable non-USB DMX interface to get?

Andrew

[remco_k]

I have no idea what you should get. Have a look at the supported interfaces list here.

Next to that I can't agree on your statement about the failure and crap for USB devices. If you buy an cheap PCI, Serial or LPT DMX interface, then that can be a crappy thing just as much as an cheap USB to DMX device can be.
The interface itself determines the quality not the type of connector (in this case USB) or data type that is used to control it, so if you buy a good USB interface like the Enttec USB DMX Pro, you just have a good interface. As simple as that.
Don't go for Serial or LPT interfaces, as new computers wil not have those connectors anymore now or in the future. Buying an USB to Serial/LPT converter is an option though. Still, then its better to buy an USB to DMX interface directly.
With this I've warned you for cheap interfaces, with _all_ types of connectors, not just USB.

Also if choosing for USB interfaces I believe that there is more to choose in between, and, if you ever buy a laptop, the USB interface will fit on that also.

I think most FreeStyler users using USB to DMX interfaces, as do I. I have to, because my laptop does not have any serial or parallel connector.
I just can't see any other reason not to use an USB to DMX interface.

[bumclouds]

What is the advantage of using art-net for fixed installations?

Our club has LightJockey Version 1 at the moment, but they can't afford to LightJockey Version 2 for quite some time as its about 2000 dollars. Some of our fixtures aren't listed in the fixture profiles of LightJockey 1, and so I have to set them on autopilot, which looks bad.

So that's one reason I'm looking into Freestyler, so I can get those lights working.

The other reason is that I eventually want to hook up a midi controller with some sliders and knobs to control some effects on the fly - - and Freestyler looks like it has a much simpler implementation of midi controllers. This is just at a glance anyway - - I'm pretty much a deadset beginner, so I don't know much.

Just out of interest.. in which ways is LJ better than freestyler?

[encoreevents]

i have just received the milford instruments serial dmx transmitter part number 1-553 , but see that free styler does not show it under the list of interfaces . any idea anyone

[remco_k]

i have just received the milford instruments serial dmx transmitter part number 1-553 , but see that free styler does not show it under the list of interfaces . any idea anyone

Its not supported.

But, since many other interfaces like Enttec Open USB and USB Pro are in fact serial interfaces, you might want to try selecting one of those and configure the proper com-port. Try it out, if it works, it works. If not, then not. There are more serial interfaces besides these two. Iterate through the list and test them all?

Edit:
I did have a short look at your interfaces manual. http://www.milinst.com/DMX/1_553inst.pdf
I don't believe one of the Enttec selections will provide a working situation for you, but maybe others do.

[remco_k]

Yes DMX is a serial data transmission protocol based on RS-485 protocol and USB is a serial bus, so both are "serial" does not follow that you should use a serial interface to connect from PC to interface though. Most USB connections will be faster than a serial connection to the interface.

Having a hard time to be sure I understand what you mean here.
I think you mean that a serial device (RS232) like the DMX transmitter encoreevents bought can never be controlled by <insert any other device> that is USB controlled?
In fact thats true, but: many USB devices (like the Enttec PRO (not the openDMX I just saw)) create a virtual com port (RS232) on windows, it becomes COM4 or so.
The controlling software (like FreeStyler) only writes data to the RS232 port, COM4.
So from the FreeStyler view; and Enttec DMX device is a normal RS232 comport, as are some other DMX devices that are in real life an USB device.
So when selecting the Enttec interface in FreeStyler and setting the comport to com 1 or 2 (the real comport on the computer) makes that freestyler outputs the data on that comport.

However, like I noted before, there is an underlying protocol that needs to fit the device itself. Enttec just talks a different language over RS232 than the DMX transmitter encoreevents bought. So thats not gonna work.
But another USB (thats software serial controlled RS232) device could be working:
Cinetix USB/DMX box
DMX4ALL
JPK USB-DMX
NVENT ProDMX
USBDMX.COM

Of course encoreevents can aslo try other RS232 controlled devices.

He just might get lucky that one of them talks the same language over RS232.


@encoreevents
Did you try out the "Milford Instruments 1-463" device in FreeStyler?