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Basic Stamp and DMX — Parallax Forums

Basic Stamp and DMX

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2003-01-20 21:14 in General Discussion
does anyone know if you can send a dimmerpack (for stage lighting) a
DMX single from a stamp?

Thanks
Richey

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-01-17 02:34
    At 01:34 AM 1/17/03 +0000, richeybrooksiii <richey@c...> wrote:
    >does anyone know if you can send a dimmerpack (for stage lighting) a
    >DMX single from a stamp?

    I don't think so. The data rate is 250,000 bits per second which is 4 us
    per bit time. I don't think the Stamp is up to that speed (yet).

    You can certainly do it from a standard PIC, though. I have code that does
    just that.

    dwayne

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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-01-17 03:51
    Short answer: no

    DMX is an extention of RS-485 serial protocol that is run
    asynchonously over a 5 pin XLR cable. It also runs at 250kBPS which
    I believe is faster than is possible with Basic Stamp SEROUT
    command. If you could speed it up, then there is no reason why not.
    There might be a way to use some kind of external serial driver.

    They also sell dumb DMX controlers that are programed via RS232. You
    could definatly use the stamp to control the box which in turn
    controls the dimmers. These things cost ~$200 which, for stage
    lighting is damn cheap -- compare to a dimmer. So if you can spend a
    little money and just want a stamp to control lights then you're all
    set. If you were trying to use the stamp to avoid shelling out $200
    for such a box, then you're SOL.

    -selket

    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "richeybrooksiii <richey@c...>"
    <richey@c...> wrote:
    > does anyone know if you can send a dimmerpack (for stage lighting)
    a
    > DMX single from a stamp?
    >
    > Thanks
    > Richey
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-01-17 13:26
    I've been looking at doing this for a while now (trying to build
    wireless dimmers, motor control, etc) and here is what I've found. For a
    stamp to receive DMX you need a PIC, 8051, or any other programmable
    device that can handle interrupts and run at 250K. You then pass on a
    couple of channels to a stamp. To send DMX you would definitely be
    looking somewhere other than a stamp. Unfortunate I know, but the stamp
    is great for something's just not this particular application. That's
    the way it goes. Ian
    Original Message
    From: richeybrooksiii <richey@c...> [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=mH5fpP6ZzocAX4UAbZ0_FgnXxIDWdxZcEw9dNXVx4ui574EwGzBwyy8-Q2aj6_yw8R2oSybkYrRMgagt]richey@c...[/url
    Sent: January 16, 2003 8:34 PM
    To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Basic Stamp and DMX

    does anyone know if you can send a dimmerpack (for stage lighting) a
    DMX single from a stamp?

    Thanks
    Richey


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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-01-17 20:06
    Can't you do MIDI->DMX? You can *certainly* drive midi from a stamp, I do
    it all the time.

    On Fri, 17 Jan 2003, selket_10027 <selket_10027@y...> wrote:

    > Short answer: no
    >
    > DMX is an extention of RS-485 serial protocol that is run
    > asynchonously over a 5 pin XLR cable. It also runs at 250kBPS which
    > I believe is faster than is possible with Basic Stamp SEROUT
    > command. If you could speed it up, then there is no reason why not.
    > There might be a way to use some kind of external serial driver.
    >
    > They also sell dumb DMX controlers that are programed via RS232. You
    > could definatly use the stamp to control the box which in turn
    > controls the dimmers. These things cost ~$200 which, for stage
    > lighting is damn cheap -- compare to a dimmer. So if you can spend a
    > little money and just want a stamp to control lights then you're all
    > set. If you were trying to use the stamp to avoid shelling out $200
    > for such a box, then you're SOL.
    >
    > -selket
    >
    > --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "richeybrooksiii <richey@c...>"
    > <richey@c...> wrote:
    > > does anyone know if you can send a dimmerpack (for stage lighting)
    > a
    > > DMX single from a stamp?
    > >
    > > Thanks
    > > Richey
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and Body
    of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    >
    >
    >

    Sean T. Lamont, CTO / Chief NetNerd, Abstract Software, Inc. (ServNet)
    Seattle - Bellingham - Vancouver - Portland - Everett - Tacoma - Bremerton
    email: lamont@a... WWW: http://www.serv.net
    "Do not fear mistakes, There Are None" - Miles Davis
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-01-18 17:01
    No you can't. Just because they use the same plug doesn't mean that
    the protocols are the same. Midi is 31k baud and DMX is 250k baud.
    the stamp can go up to 125k baud.

    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "Sean T. Lamont .lost."
    <lamont@a...> wrote:
    >
    > Can't you do MIDI->DMX? You can *certainly* drive midi from a
    stamp, I do
    > it all the time.
    >
    > On Fri, 17 Jan 2003, selket_10027 <selket_10027@y...> wrote:
    >
    > > Short answer: no
    > >
    > > DMX is an extention of RS-485 serial protocol that is run
    > > asynchonously over a 5 pin XLR cable. It also runs at 250kBPS
    which
    > > I believe is faster than is possible with Basic Stamp SEROUT
    > > command. If you could speed it up, then there is no reason why
    not.
    > > There might be a way to use some kind of external serial driver.
    > >
    > > They also sell dumb DMX controlers that are programed via RS232.
    You
    > > could definatly use the stamp to control the box which in turn
    > > controls the dimmers. These things cost ~$200 which, for stage
    > > lighting is damn cheap -- compare to a dimmer. So if you can
    spend a
    > > little money and just want a stamp to control lights then you're
    all
    > > set. If you were trying to use the stamp to avoid shelling out
    $200
    > > for such a box, then you're SOL.
    > >
    > > -selket
    > >
    > > --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "richeybrooksiii
    <richey@c...>"
    > > <richey@c...> wrote:
    > > > does anyone know if you can send a dimmerpack (for stage
    lighting)
    > > a
    > > > DMX single from a stamp?
    > > >
    > > > Thanks
    > > > Richey
    > >
    > >
    > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    Subject and Body of the message will be ignored.
    > >
    > >
    > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    > >
    > >
    > >
    >
    > Sean T. Lamont, CTO / Chief NetNerd, Abstract Software, Inc.
    (ServNet)
    > Seattle - Bellingham - Vancouver - Portland - Everett - Tacoma -
    Bremerton
    > email: lamont@a... WWW: http://www.serv.net
    > "Do not fear mistakes, There Are None" - Miles Davis
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-01-20 21:14
    No, that's not what I'm saying. There are devices for driving DMX systems
    with midi control, which would be an alternative to doing conversion from
    serial to DMX.

    On Sat, 18 Jan 2003, selket_10027 <selket_10027@y...> wrote:

    > No you can't. Just because they use the same plug doesn't mean that
    > the protocols are the same. Midi is 31k baud and DMX is 250k baud.
    > the stamp can go up to 125k baud.
    >
    > --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "Sean T. Lamont .lost."
    > <lamont@a...> wrote:
    > >
    > > Can't you do MIDI->DMX? You can *certainly* drive midi from a
    > stamp, I do
    > > it all the time.
    > >
    > > On Fri, 17 Jan 2003, selket_10027 <selket_10027@y...> wrote:
    > >
    > > > Short answer: no
    > > >
    > > > DMX is an extention of RS-485 serial protocol that is run
    > > > asynchonously over a 5 pin XLR cable. It also runs at 250kBPS
    > which
    > > > I believe is faster than is possible with Basic Stamp SEROUT
    > > > command. If you could speed it up, then there is no reason why
    > not.
    > > > There might be a way to use some kind of external serial driver.
    > > >
    > > > They also sell dumb DMX controlers that are programed via RS232.
    > You
    > > > could definatly use the stamp to control the box which in turn
    > > > controls the dimmers. These things cost ~$200 which, for stage
    > > > lighting is damn cheap -- compare to a dimmer. So if you can
    > spend a
    > > > little money and just want a stamp to control lights then you're
    > all
    > > > set. If you were trying to use the stamp to avoid shelling out
    > $200
    > > > for such a box, then you're SOL.
    > > >
    > > > -selket
    > > >
    > > > --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "richeybrooksiii
    > <richey@c...>"
    > > > <richey@c...> wrote:
    > > > > does anyone know if you can send a dimmerpack (for stage
    > lighting)
    > > > a
    > > > > DMX single from a stamp?
    > > > >
    > > > > Thanks
    > > > > Richey
    > > >
    > > >
    > > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > > > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > > > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    > Subject and Body of the message will be ignored.
    > > >
    > > >
    > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    > > >
    > > >
    > > >
    > >
    > > Sean T. Lamont, CTO / Chief NetNerd, Abstract Software, Inc.
    > (ServNet)
    > > Seattle - Bellingham - Vancouver - Portland - Everett - Tacoma -
    > Bremerton
    > > email: lamont@a... WWW: http://www.serv.net
    > > "Do not fear mistakes, There Are None" - Miles Davis
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and Body
    of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    >
    >
    >

    Sean T. Lamont, CTO / Chief NetNerd, Abstract Software, Inc. (ServNet)
    Seattle - Bellingham - Vancouver - Portland - Everett - Tacoma - Bremerton
    email: lamont@a... WWW: http://www.serv.net
    "Do not fear mistakes, There Are None" - Miles Davis
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