DMX issues with Eurolite MK2
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offr...@gmail.com
Jan 14, 2024, 5:17:05 PMJan 14
to open-lighting
Hi all,
I own the Eurolite USB-DMX512 Pro interface MK2 [1] and have been using it for quite some time. I really like it in terms of price, stability and build, but I have 3 DMX devices that don't work well with this USB interface. I always thought this was an issue with just these DMX devices, but I recently exchanged the Eurolite MK2 with the Enttec DMX USB Pro [2], and it solves the issues with all 3 DMX devices, so it does seem to be that the Eurolite MK2 in combination with OLA does something non-standard. My guess is that the DMX devices are not fully DMX compliant, because really many devices work without issue, but that I do not know for sure.
I mail both to see if anyone knows if there's something I could try to fix the Eurolite MK2, and to make people aware of these incompatibility issues between the Eurolite MK2 and a few devices. The Eurolite MK2 is supposed to have its own processor so that it gets the timing correct, so I'm surprised it seems it actually doesn't get the timing (or protocol) correct / standard. That said, I've used the Eurolite MK2 with several tens of different devices, and really most of them work, and only a few devices that are old and/or budget do not work. I also have previously used the Enttec Open DMX USB [3], which, due to its lack of a processor, worked much less reliable compared to the Eurolite MK2.
For reference, these are the devices that don't properly work with the Eurolite MK2:
- The American DJ LED PAR 64 UV DMX [4]
This is a very old light so not surprising it isn't very compliant. With the Eurolite MK2, it flickers and behaves randomly when it's supposed to be turned on.
- Showtec RP-405 MKII switchpack [5]
With the Eurolite MK2, this switchpack also behaves randomly. I found an odd workaround: if I set the first DMX channel continuesly on (to value 255) and assign the switchpack to some other channels (not 1), the device works. I asked the shop that sold me the device about it, and they recommended me to sent it back, so I did. After checking they messaged me it worked fine and sent me the device back. I made a small movie for the shop of the device not working: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yb13d7NDxo . (I just notice someone replied to that movie with "Invert your dmx phase" -- can that be a cause?).
- Beamz StarColor128 LED Flood Light [6]
This is isn't too old of a model, so it is surprising it is not working well. The problem with this fixture is benign though: with the Eurolite MK2, it seems to miss many of the packages, and it only responses to DMX about once a second. This does mean that a fade looks harsh. I mailed the company that makes them, which more or less answered "we didn't know about that, and we don't know how to solve it".
( As a side comment; I'm really happy with how stable the combi OLA + Eurolite MK2 is — I recently organised a 3-day-and-nights event and everything ran without interruption for the entire time. )
Regards,
André
[1] Eurolite USB-DMX512 Pro interface MK2: https://www.thomann.de/nl/eurolite_usb_dmx512_pro_interface_mk2.htm
[2] Enttec DMX USB Pro: https://www.enttec.com/product/dmx-usb-interfaces/dmx-usb-pro-professional-1u-usb-to-dmx512-converter/
[3] Enttec Open DMX USB: https://www.enttec.com/product/dmx-usb-interfaces/open-dmx-usb/
[4] LED PAR 64 UV DMX: https://www.adj.eu/led-par-64-uv-dmx
[5] Showtec RP-405 MKII switchpack: https://www.thomann.de/nl/showtec_rp_405_mkii_relay_pack.htm#bewertung
[6] Beamz StarColor128 LED Flood Light: https://www.beamzlighting.com/product/starcolor128-led-flood-light-16x-8w-ip65-rgbw/
I own the Eurolite USB-DMX512 Pro interface MK2 [1] and have been using it for quite some time. I really like it in terms of price, stability and build, but I have 3 DMX devices that don't work well with this USB interface. I always thought this was an issue with just these DMX devices, but I recently exchanged the Eurolite MK2 with the Enttec DMX USB Pro [2], and it solves the issues with all 3 DMX devices, so it does seem to be that the Eurolite MK2 in combination with OLA does something non-standard. My guess is that the DMX devices are not fully DMX compliant, because really many devices work without issue, but that I do not know for sure.
I mail both to see if anyone knows if there's something I could try to fix the Eurolite MK2, and to make people aware of these incompatibility issues between the Eurolite MK2 and a few devices. The Eurolite MK2 is supposed to have its own processor so that it gets the timing correct, so I'm surprised it seems it actually doesn't get the timing (or protocol) correct / standard. That said, I've used the Eurolite MK2 with several tens of different devices, and really most of them work, and only a few devices that are old and/or budget do not work. I also have previously used the Enttec Open DMX USB [3], which, due to its lack of a processor, worked much less reliable compared to the Eurolite MK2.
For reference, these are the devices that don't properly work with the Eurolite MK2:
- The American DJ LED PAR 64 UV DMX [4]
This is a very old light so not surprising it isn't very compliant. With the Eurolite MK2, it flickers and behaves randomly when it's supposed to be turned on.
- Showtec RP-405 MKII switchpack [5]
With the Eurolite MK2, this switchpack also behaves randomly. I found an odd workaround: if I set the first DMX channel continuesly on (to value 255) and assign the switchpack to some other channels (not 1), the device works. I asked the shop that sold me the device about it, and they recommended me to sent it back, so I did. After checking they messaged me it worked fine and sent me the device back. I made a small movie for the shop of the device not working: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yb13d7NDxo . (I just notice someone replied to that movie with "Invert your dmx phase" -- can that be a cause?).
- Beamz StarColor128 LED Flood Light [6]
This is isn't too old of a model, so it is surprising it is not working well. The problem with this fixture is benign though: with the Eurolite MK2, it seems to miss many of the packages, and it only responses to DMX about once a second. This does mean that a fade looks harsh. I mailed the company that makes them, which more or less answered "we didn't know about that, and we don't know how to solve it".
( As a side comment; I'm really happy with how stable the combi OLA + Eurolite MK2 is — I recently organised a 3-day-and-nights event and everything ran without interruption for the entire time. )
Regards,
André
[1] Eurolite USB-DMX512 Pro interface MK2: https://www.thomann.de/nl/eurolite_usb_dmx512_pro_interface_mk2.htm
[2] Enttec DMX USB Pro: https://www.enttec.com/product/dmx-usb-interfaces/dmx-usb-pro-professional-1u-usb-to-dmx512-converter/
[3] Enttec Open DMX USB: https://www.enttec.com/product/dmx-usb-interfaces/open-dmx-usb/
[4] LED PAR 64 UV DMX: https://www.adj.eu/led-par-64-uv-dmx
[5] Showtec RP-405 MKII switchpack: https://www.thomann.de/nl/showtec_rp_405_mkii_relay_pack.htm#bewertung
[6] Beamz StarColor128 LED Flood Light: https://www.beamzlighting.com/product/starcolor128-led-flood-light-16x-8w-ip65-rgbw/
E.S. Rosenberg
Jan 14, 2024, 5:35:36 PMJan 14
to open-l...@googlegroups.com
A logic analyzer to see what is actually on the line would probably help a lot here, I looked at the plugin code and it does not actually directly drive the output rather it sends what needs to be put on the line and the firmware/microcontroller of the Eurolite needs to deal with that.
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Simon Newton
Jan 14, 2024, 6:05:37 PMJan 14
to open-l...@googlegroups.com
Agree, without analysing the signal it's going to be hard to isolate the issue
Nice work on GLight - I may have to give that a go sometime!!
Simon
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