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Sound Reinforcement - Forums for Live Sound Professionals - Your Displayed Name Must Be Your Real Full Name To Post In The Live Sound Forums => Lighting Forum => Topic started by: Kemper Watson on August 27, 2023, 01:34:30 PM

Title: Wireless DMX
Post by: Kemper Watson on August 27, 2023, 01:34:30 PM
Does anyone have good experiences with any of the wireless systems?. I bought the Donner but I'm already down to one receiver still working. Has anyone used the ETC? Blizzard? ADJ Wirefly? Looking for a dependable solution.
Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Jeff Lelko on August 27, 2023, 03:32:13 PM
RC4 Wireless offers a very complete catalog of solutions when wireless DMX is mandatory.  I still continue to only consider wireless DMX out of necessity and not out of convenience, but RC4 is who I look to when reliability matters.  Hope this helps!
Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Dave Garoutte on August 28, 2023, 02:01:27 AM
Does anyone have good experiences with any of the wireless systems?. I bought the Donner but I'm already down to one receiver still working. Has anyone used the ETC? Blizzard? ADJ Wirefly? Looking for a dependable solution.
I've had good luck with the Donners for several years now.
Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Kemper Watson on August 28, 2023, 06:58:43 AM
I've had good luck with the Donners for several years now.

I dont know what I'm doing wrong, the receivers keep dying. Maybe I got a bad batch..
Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Paul G. OBrien on August 28, 2023, 10:30:22 AM
I too have some Donner wireless and several other brands here that all combined have been solid for years, though I do have a couple power supplies that don't seem to work anymore.
Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Tim Weaver on August 28, 2023, 11:07:22 AM
I bought some Donner's at my last church and the antennae broke off all the receivers. It's a very flimsy design even if you try to take care of them.

I have a bit of experience with the Chauvet system that look like USB keys. They work well but the range is limited since they are small and can only live behind the light. Transmitter seems like a good piece of kit.

I also have some Show Baby's from City Theatrical. They are pretty bomb proof.
Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Robert Healey on August 28, 2023, 04:54:31 PM
I also have some Show Baby's from City Theatrical. They are pretty bomb proof.

I believe City Theatrical OEM's ETC's wireless DMX products. There is at least some compatibility between the Show Baby and ETC's offerings.
Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Nimrod Webber on August 29, 2023, 04:04:58 PM
Does anyone have good experiences with any of the wireless systems?. I bought the Donner but I'm already down to one receiver still working. Has anyone used the ETC? Blizzard? ADJ Wirefly? Looking for a dependable solution.

If you're into DIY, you may consider this option.. I've had 100% success with the wireless DMX pcb kits from Ebay.
I've built many, some integrated into controllers (as transmitters) or in various fixtures, and some just in small project boxes.
I also built some for a few colleagues and all are very happy with them. I've been using these for almost 10 years now without any problems.

This is one of my designs:
(https://i.ibb.co/F0b83Mn/IMG-20210128-104030-s.jpg)

(https://i.ibb.co/Hpv5yjm/IMG-20210128-105551-s.jpg)

 :)



Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Brian Jojade on August 29, 2023, 06:52:07 PM
If you're into DIY, you may consider this option.. I've had 100% success with the wireless DMX pcb kits from Ebay.
I've built many, some integrated into controllers (as transmitters) or in various fixtures, and some just in small project boxes.
I also built some for a few colleagues and all are very happy with them. I've been using these for almost 10 years now without any problems.

This is one of my designs:
 :)

Very cool concept.  Adding a powercon OUTPUT as well would make it even easier to add into the lighting chain.
Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Kemper Watson on August 31, 2023, 04:49:38 PM
Very cool concept.  Adding a powercon OUTPUT as well would make it even easier to add into the lighting chain.

I know I can't build that. I'd buy a transmitter and receiver if you have them for sale.
Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Noah D Mitchell on October 12, 2023, 08:46:02 AM
I also have some Show Baby's from City Theatrical. They are pretty bomb proof.


+1 on Show Baby - I installed them in a few different church installations (lots of abuse) and all are still working great. The option for each to be RX or TX is a great feature.
Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Scott Holtzman on October 12, 2023, 11:06:21 PM

+1 on Show Baby - I installed them in a few different church installations (lots of abuse) and all are still working great. The option for each to be RX or TX is a great feature.


Yes the auto tx/rx that is a special feature of some of the Aliexpress gears is always lurking right beneath the surface ready to bite the unsuspecting engineer in the arse.  All it takes is to program a light as master and as soon as the dongle sees the data boom it switched to tx, even if it was an tx board, lol.



Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Tim Hite on October 17, 2023, 06:19:03 PM
Does anyone have good experiences with any of the wireless systems?. I bought the Donner but I'm already down to one receiver still working. Has anyone used the ETC? Blizzard? ADJ Wirefly? Looking for a dependable solution.

I've used the China stuff included with my Artfox to do fun things with battery uplighting that would have been otherwise not possible. It seemed to work well enough and had loads more range than I would have expected. It was out in the desert with no RF noise floor to speak of, which probably helped.
Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Kemper Watson on October 28, 2023, 09:02:07 PM
I've used the China stuff included with my Artfox to do fun things with battery uplighting that would have been otherwise not possible. It seemed to work well enough and had loads more range than I would have expected. It was out in the desert with no RF noise floor to speak of, which probably helped.

Just saw this: I'm usually in RF hell. In the middle of 3 TV transmitters
Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Tim Hite on October 29, 2023, 07:13:17 PM
Just saw this: I'm usually in RF hell. In the middle of 3 TV transmitters

I get away with a lot being where I am, still I think this stuff runs on 2.4GHz, so you may be fine.
Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Grayson MSA Rech on October 30, 2023, 02:19:31 PM
Another + for the Show Baby's.  I use regularly in a Public High School environment for some of our Dances and Theatrical and they work great.  That's with 500-1000 kids between Transmitter and receiver.  Our Wireless AP all running in 5G band so that's not an issue

Also nice thing about the Show Babys is that you can put out numerous units to cover a wide area saving long DMX runs.
Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Dave Garoutte on October 30, 2023, 04:12:49 PM
Another + for the Show Baby's.  I use regularly in a Public High School environment for some of our Dances and Theatrical and they work great.  That's with 500-1000 kids between Transmitter and receiver.  Our Wireless AP all running in 5G band so that's not an issue

Also nice thing about the Show Babys is that you can put out numerous units to cover a wide area saving long DMX runs.
They also act as splitter when using multiple Rx.
Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Nimrod Webber on November 14, 2023, 06:50:55 AM
Very cool concept.  Adding a powercon OUTPUT as well would make it even easier to add into the lighting chain.

I further developed the DMX RX/TX in the form of a wall wart (the AC prongs arrangement in this case is for the local (Israeli) standard)
I think this configuration is compact and practical. What do you say?   

(https://i.ibb.co/Yy4hRJK/DMX-Plug-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Yy4hRJK)

(https://i.ibb.co/448qCbZ/IMG-20231114-094425-s.jpg) (https://ibb.co/448qCbZ)

(https://i.ibb.co/PNhZz26/IMG-20231114-094555-s.jpg) (https://ibb.co/PNhZz26)

(https://i.ibb.co/vQgBk2f/IMG-20231114-095326-s.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vQgBk2f)

 :)
Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Tim McCulloch on November 20, 2023, 01:10:55 PM
Looks, nice, Nimrod.  You have a flare for these industrial designs.
Title: Re: Wireless DMX
Post by: Rich Grisier on November 21, 2023, 02:15:17 PM
I've been using Donner Wireless DMX for about 10 years now. They've been working great for the most part. I have a few of the battery operated ones that had poor range, but they worked. I marked those units and only use them at home for testing.

I picked up a few of the PCB kits off eBay. I mount them inside the fixture and power them by tapping off the power supply inside the fixture. I did that a couple years ago and so far no problems. Nice to be able to place those fixtures anywhere without having to think about running DMX cables to them.
Title: Posting Rules
Post by: Mac Kerr on January 27, 2024, 02:43:40 AM
wireless DMX is good you can consider different products

Please go to your profile and change your displayed name to your real full name as required by the posting rules.

Mac
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