Thread: Making a drop for DMX items

I have been trying to get some information on hooking up the 3 channel DMX controllers. I have everything except the DMX input information.

I have black is GND, Red is Data +, and Blue is Data - on the controller. But what pins/colors does that correlate to in the Cat5 cable?

As I understand it a drop is simply a connection point that allows data to be received without interrupting the data flow through the rest of the transmission line. So I bought a couple of Keystone connectors to build in-line drops for each of my DMX controllers. This seems to work well as far as connecting it, and is pretty straight forward. That is providing I have all my wire numbers correct. But for DMX what wires to pins do I need? All of them, or only 3? The DMX controllers I have only have the 3 channel controllers. So any pins/wires I don't need, I can just omit in the system?

Just a tip.. On Cheap (non-Commercial) DMX decoders connecting the Ground wire may cause interference and your lights may pulse or be slow in responding. Even with a 120 ohm termination at the end, sometimes the ground wire will cause noise or interference.

Pin outs.

Pathway Connectivity Inc. - Cat5 Pinout for DMX

Originally Posted by Wizard

Just a tip.. On Cheap (non-Commercial) DMX decoders connecting the Ground wire may cause interference and your lights may pulse or be slow in responding. Even with a 120 ohm termination at the end, sometimes the ground wire will cause noise or interference.

Ok so your saying to not connect the Ground, and as per the site run the Red to the white/ orange stripe, and Blue to the Orange.

I have watch several videos and read several blogs about using the blue pair. Was that just a personal choice? Or will I need to make an adapter somewhere to go from blue to the orange pair?

My idea is to use a small cheap plastic weather proof outdoor enclosure, per drop. It will contain the power supply, the controller, and a cat 5 connection. The RGB LED strip will have small short cord running to the control box. Using the keystone connectors, I can make drops exactly where I want along the main line.
I have read several times about the 120 ohm resistor at the end od the data line. This is required for all applications? is it a 1 watt resistor? And its just wired across the + and - data lines?

By drop in the line do you mean in/out or just add wires to a common bus (dmx line)

Pic of how it should be done

Cool thanks for the help. Even once you get all the hardware connected, theres still configuring it, then sequencing. Sheesh. LOL
The keystone connectors are very nice for making a drop connection.




Just add another additonal cat 5 cable to this photo and repeat the two pairs of orange wires connected in there, stomped in with a razor blade. Then tidy'ing it all up, and placing it in an enclosure with the other gadgets, per drop.