Thread: USB to Cat5 adapter

i have seen the USB to CAT5 adapters out there. They state that they can be used to directly run DMX from LSP (being used as a dongle).

My question is how hard can these be to wire your self? I mean I have a tone of spare USB cords laying around.

Here you can see the four wires used in a standard USB cable.


Here you can see the Cat5 wiring.



The USB has one data pair, and the Cat 5 has 3 with a spare two slots in the end connector.

Since my thought was to make a Y'ed cable to splice in the DMX channel on an unused pair for use with the teensy boards as a data pass through. I was wondering what wire would go to what. But also how to save the 20 bucks by making my own.

You cant Y a DMX device it will not work properly. You will need an optically isolated DMX splitter to Y the data. Also UBS to RJ45 to DMX is not possible with out a PIC or DMX encoder Such as Entech or E1.31 device. Something has to encode a usb signal to DMX and on the other end decode to DMX signal either to 6801, 2801, or any other device or DMX device such as automated lighting / fogger / ANY DMX device will be able to be addressed onto that 1 universe DMX to RGB output 3 channels or more. You can only Split one universe (512 channels). that being said an opticlly isolated splitter i have seen a 16 channel splitter before..

You can pass though is the device is set up for it. some of the devices from china say they can pass through but they don't work well(lesson for me learned the hard way). Real DMX devices will allow pass through. Which means only 1 run of shielded cable.(DMX). Then you could just go from device 1 to device 2 to device 3 ........ device 16 without any problems. DMX lines should be shielded and typically 16 gauge. However i have run 22 gauge approx 200 feet without any problems.

For my E1.31 device i have made 6 RJ45 to 3 pin dmx cable adapters but they are only 6 inches long. The rest of the cable is 16 gauge shielded to my decoders.

The RJ45 to 3 Pin or 6 pin ends is very simple to make. If your device has 5 pins no worries for what you are doing you would only ever need 2 pins. 2 and Pin 3. Pin 1 is ground and on cheaper devices it will cause noise on the line and your devices pay pulse or flicker even with a 120 ohm termination resistor.

Hope this helps without confusing you

Mike

It was somewhat informative and Also, confusing as any new tech is.

So i can use the Ethernet cables unused pair, that will completely pass through the controller boards unused to my DMX modules? I have a two part dongle coming USB DMX decoder to 3 pin DMX female, to male 3 pin DMX to Ethernet. My thought was to do a teeny bit if wire manipulation and tie into the unused pair, and run all the DMX stuff off of that pair.

I guess I'm not understanding why I cant use that unused pair of wires in the system to carry the DMX signal. Running two Ethernet cables isn't that big of a deal, as I plan to hard mount the connection with a direct link between the inside wall and the outside receptacle enclosure.

After looking again at the solticewerks page the only way you will be able to do what you want to do is purchase a USB to 485 adapter such as USB-RS485 Communications Adapter This would convert a Serial bus signal to RS485 which is sent out over a cat5 cable. You would then need to split your cat 5 cable so the pairs needed to run your Teensy boards go to the USB to RS485 converter and the unused pair would go to your either your USB to DMX dongle OR a E1.31 card which converts ethernet to DMX. To tell you the truth you would be better or just running 2 cat5 cables as you are not going to save that much money doing it the other way. Also you are limited on a USB cable to 5 meters or 16 feet so if you were planning on running USB to your first Teensy board it would need to be within 16 feet of your computer.

I will admit i am unfamiliar with all the dmx devices. and boards. I have been actively involved int he entertainment industry using DMX for everything.
You can try it but i am not sure how well the data will like that?

but that being said short run hard wired should not not be an issue and separate lines. not a problem but not on the same universe unless your device has a clean pass through.

I am told that the teensy boards have an unused pair that the boards dont use. So it would allow pass through.

Then what is a USB to DMX module? If connected to another adapter that turns it into Ethernet would that also have a run of only 16 feet?

Originally Posted by Caretaker

After looking again at the solticewerks page the only way you will be able to do what you want to do is purchase a USB to 485 adapter such as USB-RS485 Communications Adapter This would convert a Serial bus signal to RS485 which is sent out over a cat5 cable. You would then need to split your cat 5 cable so the pairs needed to run your Teensy boards go to the USB to RS485 converter and the unused pair would go to your either your USB to DMX dongle OR a E1.31 card which converts ethernet to DMX. To tell you the truth you would be better or just running 2 cat5 cables as you are not going to save that much money doing it the other way. Also you are limited on a USB cable to 5 meters or 16 feet so if you were planning on running USB to your first Teensy board it would need to be within 16 feet of your computer.

I agree with caretaker as I stated in the post about the teensy controllers. Unless you are going to run the teensy controllers with DMX it is much simpler and less work to buy a cheap usb to rs485 adapter and run 2 cables.

I ordered these two.

Interface USB - DMX 512 | eBay

TecNec DMX-5XM-CAT5 5-pin XLR Male to RJ45 Adapter | eBay

Worse case if the first one doesnt work, I have time to order one that does. Plus they have US distributors so I have someone to call as well.
So if it works Ill let every body know. LOL

Originally Posted by ydeardorff

I ordered these two.

Interface USB - DMX 512 | eBay

TecNec DMX-5XM-CAT5 5-pin XLR Male to RJ45 Adapter | eBay

Worse case if the first one doesnt work, I have time to order one that does. Plus they have US distributors so I have someone to call as well.
So if it works Ill let every body know. LOL

I see that the interface controller uses ENTEC OPEN. A number of users here have suggested that ENTEC PRO is much more reliable.

Also are you going to run the teenseys with RENARD DMX or standard Renard? Unless I am missing something if standard renard you still need to have a USB to RS485 adapter.

Hopefully, it would be running the DMX.

It states in the ad:

Interface USB-DMX512 uses newer integrated circuit for communication with USB than Enttec Open USB DMX, but it is from the same manufacturer FTDI (Future Technology Device International Ltd.). 100% compatibility is ensured, because drivers are the same for both converters. All programs that support Enttec Open DMX USB will automatically work with DMX PIPE or USB-DMX512 Module. What is more, the converters DMX PIPE and USB-DMX512 Module allow using of licensed and patented version of Music Visualization. Also along with the converters software like DMX512 PC Control, DMX Light Control (for Windows CE, Smartphone and ARM4), LCD/DLP Effect Projectors and others is being developed.

My concern is the statement above about the 16 foot limit on USB. Given this will be connected inches from the computer I'm not worried about it functioning. But will I have the 300 or so feet of reach I need after the DMX to cat 5 adapter is connected? Hmm.

I emailed the tech support in Oregon on the device for more info. Worse case Ill return it if it doesn't work. I have two of the 3 channel controllers and some modules coming to test it out.

The teensy boards use renard, yes. This adapter I believe I read somewhere that it used entec I think. Ill keep looking to see where I read that and post it here.