DMX-512 is built into most Light-O-Rama controllers

Light-O-Rama adapted its proven off-the-shelf light controllers to be plug and play compatible with the show industry DMX-512 lighting standard.  Other than a cable adapter to jump between the RJ-45 Light-O-Rama network connector and the DMX-512 3 pin or 5 pin XLR jack, there’s no need for special adapters or dedicated dimmer pack racks.  Our 16 channel controllers are designed to handle 8 amps per channel (30-40 amps maximum per controller) and hang on your light trusses next to the fixtures saving cable and time.  More important, reconfiguring your lighting becomes easier because of the portability of the controllers. DMX-512 is built into most of our light controllers at no extra charge.

Want to add controllers to an existing DMX-512 installation? When the Light-O-Rama controller first powers up if it senses DMX-512 data it responds based on the starting address you have given the controller.

How do you physically link to DMX-512?

There are several ways to bridge into the DMX-512 world.  If you already have a DMX-512 control console, just connect our controllers into your existing RS-485 based DMX data network.  We use a standard RJ-45 connector on our controllers but can make available an XLR based adapter cable or provide the pinout to make your own.

Use DMX-512 devices in an Light-O-Rama controlled environment

Below we use a regular Light-O-Rama USB485 adapter (number 5 connected to the yellow line) to create a dedicated DMX-512 universe but you can also use Enttec DMX USB Pro, Enttec Open DMX USB or DMXKing UltraDMX RDM Pro devices.  The adapter provides one DMX-512 universe.  Please note this setup requires at least the Advanced level of our Sequencing Suite software.

By using multiple USB ports on your computer you can run multiple dedicated networks and all controlled by Light-O-Rama.  See examples above on how various dedicated networks operate.

DMX data network.  We use a standard RJ-45 connector on our controllers but can make available an XLR based adapter cable or provide the pinout to make your own.

iDMX1000 LOR-DMX Bridge

If you are not a professional lighting designer but feel comfortable using our ShowTime Sequencing Suite basedsequencing software, we have a special DMX-512 bridge called the iDMX-1000 converter.  This industrial quality device allows you to direct DMX-512 enabled lightingand special effects fixtures over a standard Light-O-Rama based data network.  The iDMX1000 opens up the DMX-512 world to your computerized show.

DMX data network.  We use a standard RJ-45 connector on our controllers but can make available an XLR based adapter cable or provide the pinout to make your own.

How can it all connect?

1.  The Light-O-Rama ShowTime Sequencing Suite works on your personal computer running Microsoft Windows and allows you to design your own shows.  The ShowTime Sequencing Suite then runs your shows and sends the right commands at the right time to the various control channels.  The ShowTime  Sequencing Suite can even keep music synchronized to the controller commands.

2.  Speakers to play the music accompanying your show are attached to the computer sound card.

3.  Your personal computer communicates to the controllers using a device plugged into your computer’s serial or USB communications port.  The blue line shows the standard serial output of your computer (RS-232 or USB) out of your PC where it enters our converter that transforms the signal to the native Light-O-Rama network protocol (the green line) that connects to our various types of controllers over standard computer network wire.  We recommend Cat 5 LAN cables available from us and off-the-shelf from your local big box store in the computer section.

4.  The Light-O-Rama professional or residential high voltage AC light controllers include special effects such as simple on/off, intensities, smooth fading, twinkling, shimmering.  Over 200 controllers can be daisy chained, mixed and matched on one LOR network giving you the ability to command thousands of channels.  Need more channels?  Add another Light-O-Rama network.

5.  Electrical power is supplied to the controller placed close to your lights so you don’t need to run long extension cords.  Commands from the Software Sequencing Suite are performed on each controller.  Power to each of the attached lighting circuits is controlled independently.  Think of having many dimmer switches that the computer can change very quickly and independently.

6.  Connection to a DMX-512 universe using the Light-O-Rama  iDMX1000 converter.

7.  DMX-512 controlled lights and fixtures in the same universe