I remember doing bar gigs with fully analog lighting before DMX became available. Then I started seeing some of the big DMX controlled rigs at some concerts I worked (1KW Par64s were more common in arena scale shows). And now (as you said) almost everything is LED. The amount of magic that the newer tech allows in a lighting rig is truly amazing, especially when you compare it to what we used to have to do.
@AnotherMaker3 жыл бұрын
The first time I stood on a stage blasted by Par64s, I could not believe the amount of heat they threw. In Florida in the summer, it was a huge deal because in air conditioning is already taxed to the max, so moving to LED was a game changer for heat...not to mention weight and flexibility.
@trufflexiaolongbao3 жыл бұрын
Am a theatre tech who's learning arduino. Thanks for this. All the way from Singapore
@AnotherMaker3 жыл бұрын
I've never been there but it is on my list! Thanks for watching!
@crckdns3 жыл бұрын
just found your channel while searching for dmx solutions with arduino.. great content! thanks for contributing to the maker world!
@AnotherMaker3 жыл бұрын
Awesome! Thanks for watching!!! Glad to have you on the channel.
@GaryBradleymusic4 ай бұрын
Ahh, the good old days. Huge trucks, burns, cuts and heavy stuff that crushes you, noisy generators and high currents. What have we come to? 😅 Tx for the tutorial! 😊
@GadgetReboot3 жыл бұрын
Good intro for getting up and running! I might have to get some low cost lights for playing around. I have 2 American DJ's but they can be awkward for desktop demos with the bulky cables built in sticking out the back and torquing the lights around.
@AnotherMaker3 жыл бұрын
I can't believe I never saw your DMX video. 37,000 other people did :) I'm absolutely going to be building a few of your RS485 DMX adapters. I want to try to do one of the USB ones on Node Red
@violinyay6632 Жыл бұрын
A friend of mine vaguely mentioned that he wants to do something cool with his dmx-lights after he first used an arduino for a school project. I dont think he knows that those two things are even connectable. Now I want to gift him something to christmas to program his dmx lights with his arduino. And thats how I found this video. If someone has some additional ideas, they are always welcome
@AnotherMaker Жыл бұрын
That's so cool and so nice of you. I know KZfaqrs pileofstuff and gadget reboot have both done some Arduino DMX stuff as well. They may have some ideas
@randallslinkard18193 жыл бұрын
I am blown away by the lighting of the 1994 Pink Floyd "PULSE" Concert. Any idea how that massive and complex lighting was controlled back then? I am finding no information. Thank you very kindly, Randall
@AnotherMaker3 жыл бұрын
DMX was around then, so they may have used it. I'll ask some friends.
@randallslinkard18193 жыл бұрын
@@AnotherMaker Thank you very kindly. I am in awe of the scope and complexity of the lighting. Any info would be greatly appreciated 🙏
@benveasey7474 Жыл бұрын
Is there some way/device of/for 'storing' a DMX sequence? Perhaps with a calendar function so that you can have your light show come on certain days of the year at certain times? Thanks
@AnotherMaker Жыл бұрын
I wish I could be more helpful. C is by far my worst language. You could possibly log every to SD card and replay it
@earlgreybeard3 жыл бұрын
Your video was a great start for me to understand how the Arduino can be used with DMX. Many thanks. What I cannot find anywhere is someone demonstrating how to control moving head lights via the same route. As far as I understand it, these lights have extra channels for controlling the pan and tilt, and so on. But the fact that all the examples I have seen control static LED fixtures makes me wonder if the Arduino has some kind of limitation. Any thoughts? Raymond, Nottingham UK.
@AnotherMaker3 жыл бұрын
Hi Raymond. Good to hear from you. I don't think there's any special limitations, I just think the static fixtures are easier to demonstrate. Yes. Those fixtures have extra channels, but they are the same 0-255 as anything else. The arduino is completely unaware of whether or not it's changing a color or moving a light. Now the one thing I would imagine is that a lot of the software has "profiles" for these fixtures so you can simply put that you want to do a figure 8 pattern or you want to make some sort of geometric shape. That's how the software I've used worked. So if you wanted to accomplish the same thing with anything other than a sweep with an arduino you would have to do some sort of math (like pan +2 for every +1 you tilt to go at some sort of angle). I'm guessing everyone (me included) is too lazy to do that.
@earlgreybeard3 жыл бұрын
@@AnotherMaker Thanks for your kind reply. I have found some code at github.com/compugician/DMX-MovingHead which takes the light to a specified 3 point co-ordinate. It's a good guide, but I doubt I will need anything that fancy. My light will be outdoors (under a cover) at Christmas, pointing at a rotating glitterball for some of the time, and making gentle sweeps and so on at others. If I do need anything really fancy, I should be able to invoke one of the light's inbuilt display chases. The trick I think is to find a way to keep everything compact and simple so as not to blow the Arduino storage limit. Mad? Probably. If it all works, I will post it. Take care. Raymond.
@benveasey7474 Жыл бұрын
@@earlgreybeard Could a CSV file be used to store timings etc.?
@earlgreybeard Жыл бұрын
@@benveasey7474 Hi Ben. I am sure that would be good practice. I am not familiar with Arduino file handling, but no doubt it is feasible. My main issue currently is getting the interface to work at all, even with a hard-coded routine. But your comment has re-inspired me. I might have another go!
@50Hz3 жыл бұрын
This is really cool, love the video
@frodothehobo95818 ай бұрын
Thanks for the interesting video. Im trying to research if its possible to use the arduino platform to build a usb to dmx translator for on pc software like chamsys or grand MA.
@AnotherMaker8 ай бұрын
Yes, but you would want one of Arduino boards that has the 16u4 chip on it like the leonardo or I believe it's called the pro micro/pro mini. I forget which one has that chip, but those can talk directly to the usb port.
@deepeshkushwah6073 жыл бұрын
Can you help me to make a code arduino dmx stepper motor with optical encoder
@AnotherMaker3 жыл бұрын
That really isn't my strongsuit. I only have one stepper motor video and it was an absolute pain in the butt :)
@deepeshkushwah6073 жыл бұрын
Please help me
@mycosys3 жыл бұрын
Technically 3 pin DMX doesnt exist. Some cheap units use a 3 pin connector but it isnt part of the DMX standard and its REALLY dangerous to have round with audio gear. 5 pin is much more common. You also shouldnt use microphone cables, they are the wrong impedance and cause cable reflections - its one of those things that is '90% ok' - it mostly works but you get weird glitches and hard to track failures.
@AnotherMaker3 жыл бұрын
I mentioned the mic cable thing in the description. I was waiting for this comment :) This is why I think it's really stupid that YT doesn't allow me to add text notes to the video if I say something factually inaccurate (or dumb). I 'd also push back a bit on the 5 pin is "much more common" as I'm sure that in terms of units sold over the last 10 years there are way more that use 3 pin DMX over 5. In fact, of the few hundred DMX devices I've owned only DMX controllers had 5 pin interfaces on them. I don't think I've ever owned a 5 pin fixture. Mine were plentiful ...but not high end :)
@josephroblesjr.89443 жыл бұрын
@@AnotherMaker I worked in a theatre for a few years and every dmx fixture we had was 5 pin. On the low end 3 pin is common but as soon as you go into the professional field you see mostly 5 pin. But yes the mic cables work (though impedance is different).
@wisico6402 жыл бұрын
I have done stage lighting for musical events for years & everything from 30$ lights to 6000$ lights and dmx equipment we use are only 3 pin. The out is a XLR Female, you can't really mix up with audio cables because you'll end up with 2 of the same female or male connectors you can't connect together normaly. + we mostly have actual dmx 3 pin cables, but sometimes have to use digiflex microphone cables, or even electrical wires & even with like 1000ft on 1 dmx512 universe we never ran into any issue with cables. The standard is old but pretty reliable.
@ajhardie4075 Жыл бұрын
I know this is like 2 years old but some of this is a bit wrong. 3 pin is still DMX. DMX was originally designed in 1986 to work as a 3 or 5 pin cable but with 2 of the pins left available for future upgrades as technology developed. So even now if you open up 5 pin DMX cables pin 3 and 5 a lot of the time aren’t even connected. The future upgrade ended up being bi-directional communication through a protocol upgrade to DMX called RDM (remote device management) allowing fixtures to send back data so they could be monitored from control. Also saying it’s “really dangerous” to have 3 pin DMX around audio gear is a huge overstatement. If you accidentally cross them in all likelihood nothing will happen but it’s best professional practice not to do it.
@wdd8973 Жыл бұрын
Hay, first of all thank you for this tutorial! But I don't find the "DmxMaster" library in the Library Manager of Arduino. Do you have an idea of what the probleme could be pls? :)
@AnotherMaker Жыл бұрын
You can download it from here (click code and download zip) then on windows at least it goes in your user/documents/arduino/libraries folder.
@emmanueldebulos40832 жыл бұрын
you deserve a thumbs up and a subscribe .
@AnotherMaker2 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much!
@linusoswald71483 жыл бұрын
Can you pls send me an link to the library
@AnotherMaker3 жыл бұрын
Sure. Sorry for the slow response. I've been sick. github.com/TinkerKit/DmxMaster Hope that helps.
@kazemzahedi104710 күн бұрын
Thanks for the nice video. Would you kindly share your Arduino code with us please
@markkibble94303 жыл бұрын
Hi have you a link to your Arduino DMX code please?
@AnotherMaker3 жыл бұрын
I need to get back to my office pc to grab it. IDK why it isn't in my git repo
@oscarpierson68923 жыл бұрын
its bad for your lights to use audio xlr bacles beavsue these are ment for carrying a analog signle not digital likr dmx
@AnotherMaker3 жыл бұрын
I know that it's not recommended but I've done it for 20 years and if you have decent mic cables, it works amazingly well. I'm not telling anyone else to do it, but it worked for me.
@RasmusZetterberg3 жыл бұрын
If your equipment has 3-pin XLR connectors you will most likely be fine either way, but the longer your cable/circuit is the more likely it is that you will experience signal reflection. This can cause your equipment to stutter, which is mostly harmless, but if you use fixtures with mechanical parts (like moving heads or physical shutters) they may move violently. Take care and don't plug your lights into sound equipment!
@AnotherMaker3 жыл бұрын
@@RasmusZetterberg Absolutely. My 100ft snake had 4 returns. I used 2 for audio and 2 for lights, but it was a pretty consistent setup. Even at that distance, my moving head lasers didn't have any issues, but that was just my experience. Everyone's mileage may vary.