ProSoundWeb Community

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Pages: [1] 2  All   Go Down

Author Topic: Wireless DMX - Truly wireless...  (Read 4533 times)

Sam Costa

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 481
  • 408-849-6420
Wireless DMX - Truly wireless...
« on: August 10, 2018, 02:16:54 PM »

 Hello everyone, I’ve seen on the market several of these DMX wireless transmitters and receivers. I would like to see if there was one that was out there that is truly wireless, meaning it doesn’t require a power adapter on the transmitter.

I’ve been using and love using my DMXIS program via laptop/MacBook and it’s connected via a wired transmitter that currently is connected from my USB port to the unit and from there it connects to the first light fixture via DMX cable. .

Upon searching the Internet I cannot seem to find  any wireless DMX transmitter that does not require a power adapter and I would truly like to be wireless with my laptop and be able to walk about freely in the venue controlling the lighting when I need to.

Any info or assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks. 
Logged
Being a productive member of society and encouraging others to do the same.

Dave Garoutte

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3384
  • San Rafael, CA
Re: Wireless DMX - Truly wireless...
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2018, 03:35:14 PM »

Would this be better in the lighting forum?
Logged
Nothing can be made idiot-proof; only idiot resistant.

Events.  Stage, PA, Lighting and Backline rentals.
Chauvet dealer.  Home of the Angler.
Inventor.  And now, Streaming Video!

Taylor Hall

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 869
Re: Wireless DMX - Truly wireless...
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2018, 03:57:29 PM »

I'm pretty sure either ADJ or Chauvet makes something like that, but they only operate on their proprietary wireless protocol (WiFly, D-Fly, etc) and compatible fixtures which get very pricey very fast. They're also very bulky and not exactly made for walking around in the way you describe.

I'm not familiar with DMXIS, does it have a web interface that allows you to access it remotely? Perhaps set up your own ad-hoc wireless network to remote desktop on the laptop running the software?

Otherwise you could make your own power supply for the transmitter you have. Pretty much all of them that I've seen operate on 5V, so you could use almost any USB battery pack out there. The biggest problem with that is that if you run out of battery or want to go to wall power, you'll lose DMX signal when the transmitter goes dead and blackout your entire lighting rig.
Logged
There are two ways to do anything:
1) Do it right
2) Do it over until you do it right

Lyle Williams

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1558
Re: Wireless DMX - Truly wireless...
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2018, 05:43:27 PM »

Build them into your fixtures?
Logged

Russell Ault

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2497
  • Edmonton, AB
Re: Wireless DMX - Truly wireless...
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2018, 06:00:49 PM »

The biggest problem with that is that if you run out of battery or want to go to wall power, you'll lose DMX signal when the transmitter goes dead and blackout your entire lighting rig.

This is why trying to do this with wireless DMX is a bad idea. DMX tends not to be particularly fault-tolerant at the best of times, and the more complexity you add to the DMX end of things the more likely you are to accidentally plunge everyone into darkness (which is why I tend to think of wireless DMX as a "last resort").

Walk-around remote lighting control is a very common thing in the big leagues, but it's achieved by remotely controlling the lighting controller (often over Wi-Fi), not remotely controlling the lights themselves. In the case of software solutions like DMXIS typically you'd want to run the software on a computer that lives near the first light in your DMX chain (so no wireless DMX is required at all) and then use a second computer or tablet and some kind of remote desktop software to remote control the first computer over Wi-Fi. This gives you the flexibility you want, but also means that the show goes on if the wireless connection drops or your battery dies.

-Russ
Logged

Scott Holtzman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7530
  • Ghost AV - Avon Lake, OH
    • Ghost Audio Visual Systems, LLC
Re: Wireless DMX - Truly wireless...
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2018, 06:48:02 PM »

This is why trying to do this with wireless DMX is a bad idea. DMX tends not to be particularly fault-tolerant at the best of times, and the more complexity you add to the DMX end of things the more likely you are to accidentally plunge everyone into darkness (which is why I tend to think of wireless DMX as a "last resort").

Walk-around remote lighting control is a very common thing in the big leagues, but it's achieved by remotely controlling the lighting controller (often over Wi-Fi), not remotely controlling the lights themselves. In the case of software solutions like DMXIS typically you'd want to run the software on a computer that lives near the first light in your DMX chain (so no wireless DMX is required at all) and then use a second computer or tablet and some kind of remote desktop software to remote control the first computer over Wi-Fi. This gives you the flexibility you want, but also means that the show goes on if the wireless connection drops or your battery dies.

-Russ

I agree with that, my last foray with those chinese wireless DMX dongles is that if the light is power cycled they will transmit in addition to RX (they are duplex) and you find your lights popping into slave mode.  Just awful.

A tip, even on small lighting gigs if you use a opto-isolator to segment the network DMX is much more reliable an easier to troubleshoot.

+1 on wireless control of the board.  Showexpress even has Android and Apple clients.
Logged
Scott AKA "Skyking" Holtzman

Ghost Audio Visual Solutions, LLC
Cleveland OH
www.ghostav.rocks

TJ (Tom) Cornish

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4317
  • St. Paul, MN
Re: Wireless DMX - Truly wireless...
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2018, 08:17:54 PM »

+1 on wireless control of the board.  Showexpress even has Android and Apple clients.
As does Elation (formerly Martin) M-PC.
Logged

Steve Garris

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1457
Re: Wireless DMX - Truly wireless...
« Reply #7 on: August 12, 2018, 02:47:37 PM »

Hello everyone, I’ve seen on the market several of these DMX wireless transmitters and receivers. I would like to see if there was one that was out there that is truly wireless, meaning it doesn’t require a power adapter on the transmitter.

I’ve been using and love using my DMXIS program via laptop/MacBook and it’s connected via a wired transmitter that currently is connected from my USB port to the unit and from there it connects to the first light fixture via DMX cable. .

Upon searching the Internet I cannot seem to find  any wireless DMX transmitter that does not require a power adapter and I would truly like to be wireless with my laptop and be able to walk about freely in the venue controlling the lighting when I need to.

Any info or assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

FWIW I use Luminair3 on an iPad mini - which is one of the few controller based app's that don't require a pc. I use the Donner wireless transmitter & receivers. The transmitter uses a power supply but it just sits on stage next to my APE. My receivers hang from each light tree and are rechargeable battery powered. All this stuff has worked flawlessly for me at many shows over the past year. The downside is Luminair is not as featured as any pc based app.
Logged

David Allred

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1903
Re: Wireless DMX - Truly wireless...
« Reply #8 on: August 12, 2018, 04:04:57 PM »

I have seen wireless dongles that get power from the fixture, thru the shell,  if the fixture is so set up in that way.
If your fixture / controller has a 5v (assumed) rail you could potentially  connect using the cut connector end of the ps provided with the normal dongles.
Logged

Lyle Williams

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1558
Re: Wireless DMX - Truly wireless...
« Reply #9 on: August 15, 2018, 04:04:27 PM »

I took the $10 compatible boards and built them into enclosures with IEC power.

I find this a very convenient format.  I now have 18.  All fixtures in a given location get daisy chained together for power and DMX.
Logged

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Wireless DMX - Truly wireless...
« Reply #9 on: August 15, 2018, 04:04:27 PM »


Pages: [1] 2  All   Go Up
 



Site Hosted By Ashdown Technologies, Inc.

Page created in 0.034 seconds with 22 queries.