Thread: USB to DMX

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I am trying my first DMX setup and need advice on which USB to DMX device to use. I know Enttec is good but whats the difference between the DMX USB Pro and the Open DMX USB? I am a home haunt thing and dont want to pay all the extra for the pro unless it really matters.

Any experts out there???

I know the USB pro has some advantages, but i've been using OpenDMX for years and have had no problems with it.

I have looked all over to try to figure what the hell the advantage is with no luck.

Originally Posted by crazybob

I know the USB pro has some advantages, but i've been using OpenDMX for years and have had no problems with it.

I have the Pro, and have used both the Open and the Velleman.

The Velleman and VSA do not play well together, as soon as you use more than 5 or so channels (last I checked) - the speed of playback gets warped, and it goes out of sync with the audio.

The Open didn't exhibit the above problem, and I've never seen any problems with it myself, even with long runs. However, Phoenix_AU_was_UK has run into problems with it under certain circumstances. Because it isn't electrically isolated from the computer, it would be more susceptible to electrical noise than the Pro.

The Pro is electrically isolated from the host computer. So, any electrical garbage that ends up on the DMX lines (from laying next to AC lines, etc) won't have any possibility of messing with the USB connection.

Aside from this, there is a frame rate difference too. This has to do with how quickly the DMX controller refreshes the data sent out to DMX devices. The quicker the refresh, the smoother your animation can be. I found the Velleman to be the slowest, the Open to be in the middle, and the Pro advertizes itself as being as fast as the DMX standard will allow for.

I bought the Pro to 'beat up' the Medusa DMX board, to make sure it worked properly under all circumstances. But, based on my personal experience so far, if I were just building a prop, I'd get the Open.

- Hook

Thanks! You sold me on the medusa as well so look for the notice from paypal!

As Hook eluded to it really depends what you are trying to do with it as much as anything else.

So what are you trying to do with it?

At this point run a coffin prop. In the prop I will have a fogger, two LED lights sets, and maybe 8 pneumatic devices.

Here is a thread I started last February when I began the venture into DMX. There's lots of good advice and how to's in the thread from many of the Stars of this forum. What would we do without them?

DMX Basics

As I understand it, the Pro version has its own microprocessor to generate the DMX data stream. The Open version relies on the computer CPU do generate it, so it is susceptible to lagging if the computer becomes process heavy.

I've used the Velleman for two years (12 channels and no problems), but upgraded to the Open this year due to the feedback on this forum. However, for a show I'm doing in November, I need two separate control systems, so I also got a Pro to drive my Medusa board and DMX dimmer packs.

For your purposes, the Open sounds fine. If you're thinking about long-term DMX control, perhaps the Pro is worth the investment.

-dgm

Hook_On_Scares and Dadgonemad are right about the Pro: it is electrically isolated and it has a microprocessor, which off-loads the DMX data stream updating from the host CPU. It is the best way to go at this date and time.