Programming DMX lighting shows and running thru HC-8

[gadget-evilusions]

I have limited knowledge about DMX. The most I have done is connecting multiple hc/8 together.

This may have been done previously, but I couldn't find it. Is it possible, to program in vixen a series of lighting shows, and is the hc/8 to send the DMX data to something like this? High Power 24 Channel 3A/CH DMX512 Controller Led Decoder Dimmer For Project https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q1N1NVK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_bSweybMCTPMCF

I have programmed animatronic programs in vixen, and used the hc-8 as the output card, but never with DMX for lighting purposes.

[JonnyMac]

That is doable. You would create the Vixen show, put it on a micro SD, then have a routine that read the Vixen data and inserted it into the DMX output stream.

Considerations:
-- a standard DMX "universe" of 512 bytes takes about 22.8 milliseconds to transmit
-- the HC-8+ DMX output code (written by yours truly) can send shorter universes for a faster refresh rate (do this for Steve Wang projects)
-- will you have more than 24 channels in your Vixen show (that device has 24 outputs)?

I can knock together a program for you if I know a few more specifics.

[livinlowe]

Jon, et all-
Looking at the Vixen forums I had a question- is this also know as the E1.31 protocol?

[gadget-evilusions]

22.8ms is plenty fast for me. It's just for scene lighting, nothing crazy like you do for Steve.

Right now I am only planning on the 24 channels for this project, but now that I am starting to work in it, I could definitely see the usefulness of more channels. What is the max an HC-8 could realistically do?

I assume I would be exporting Vixen.bin files like I do with the animatronic programs?

That is doable. You would create the Vixen show, put it on a micro SD, then have a routine that read the Vixen data and inserted it into the DMX output stream.

Considerations:
-- a standard DMX "universe" of 512 bytes takes about 22.8 milliseconds to transmit
-- the HC-8+ DMX output code (written by yours truly) can send shorter universes for a faster refresh rate (do this for Steve Wang projects)
-- will you have more than 24 channels in your Vixen show (that device has 24 outputs)?

I can knock together a program for you if I know a few more specifics.

[JonnyMac]

22.8ms is plenty fast for me. It's just for scene lighting, nothing crazy like you do for Steve.

Right now I am only planning on the 24 channels for this project, but now that I am starting to work in it, I could definitely see the usefulness of more channels. What is the max an HC-8 could realistically do?

I assume I would be exporting Vixen.bin files like I do with the animatronic programs?

We'd probably setup the DMX to run at 15ms so that would give you 2x coverage if you set the Vixen timing to 30ms.

The program should be fairly simple, so the number of channels won't be a problem. You'll have to line up the Vixen channels with your DMX channels.

Yes -- the program would be reading a frame from the Vixen show and dropping it right into the DMX output. Both products work with bytes so it's just a matter of reading data from the file, then copying it to the DMX buffer.

[gadget-evilusions]

That seems great to me. I look forward to seeing it once you have time to make it. Thanks

[JonnyMac]

What is your time frame? I'm kind of compressed at the moment, and this is not one of those bang-out-in-30-minutes type programs. :)

[gadget-evilusions]

Although I'd love to have it next week, I don't expect it. I will use another option for this coming job, and use your program and HC-8 on future jobs. So either next week, or you have a month. I am not here to rush or pressure anyone. I hate it when people do that to me.

[JonnyMac]

Let me see what I can do. Rev F HC-8+, right?

Sometimes I forget how many hundreds of programs I've written over the years. I took a bit of time going through some related to your project and have assembled what I think are the pieces you need.

Notes:
-- Will run up to 8 shows, 0..7, controlled by IN0..IN7 (show names are vixen00.bin .. vixen07.bin)
-- Set for up to 64 channels
-- DMX refresh rate is 5ms which will allow smooth fades -- suggest 20ms frame rate (or higher) in Vixen

The program compiles just file, but I don't have the ability to test it. That said, it is built from code taken from working programs. Let me know if this works for  you.