Fobbles F2 Fog Machine Control

[ChiefWarrant]

Hello DIY-ers,

My wife came up with a "great idea" that I now need to implement....a bubble fogger.

At the Transworld Expo, she ordered a Froggy Fog Fobbles F4. Currently it is on back order due to the chip shortage, but we are assured it will be arriving before Halloween.

I have been using RS-232/RS-485 for years and am making the switch to complete Ethernet this year. My question lies in the DMX signaling.

1. I have USB --> RS485 converters already, do I need to purchase a special converter to change that to DMX? Based on the "DMX Primer" I read I don't think I do. It states DMX512 adopted a method called EIA-485.

2. The 3-pin DMX connector looks similar to the ones I use for pixels. Will the pixel connector work, or do I need to purchase DMX pigtails?

3. I do have a Falcon F16V3, would this be a better option to connect to?

4. Is there a special data rate that DMX uses, or is it programable?

5. Is there any websites that folks found helpful in the past to learn DMX.

Of course the wife originally ordered this to use at Halloween, but I am also planning on putting it into a Christmas sequence. Currently thinking about Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy with just the bubble fogger and some other small "burst" props I built.

I am completely new to DMX, so any help is appreciated.

-Tony

 

[Maraku]

Hello DIY-ers,

2. The 3-pin DMX connector looks similar to the ones I use for pixels. Will the pixel connector work, or do I need to purchase DMX pigtails?

3. I do have a Falcon F16V3, would this be a better option to connect to?

4. Is there a special data rate that DMX uses, or is it programable?

DMX is supposed to use a 5 pin XLR connector, but through people cheating it has turned to a 3 pin XLR connector. These 3 pin XLR connectors are the same as microphones.
However, on this note: Do not use microphone cables, the impedance is wrong. Ethernet cable is almost the right impedance as actual DMX cable, which is great because it's cheap!

DMX is RS-485. Pixel data is an SPI protocol, main difference is pixel data is not a differential signal.

Easiest option: You've got a Falcon F16v3.
Serial output port 3 on the board (top right of the board is 3 RJ45 connectors, bottom one is serial output 3).
Tell the Falcon in serial outputs that this will output DMX and set the DMX universe it listens for.

What every software you're using to sequence, tell it to add another universe to the E1.31 network for the Falcon.




That's the setup to get a DMX signal from your software. Next steps is assigning the device in the software (so it knows the channels it's on) and setting the devices start channel.


I recommend this video from Canispater Christmas on DMX, it's for moving head lights but uses all the same principles. This Fobble machine will likely use 2-3 DMX channels.

I can help further on this, although it will help if I could know the software you're using and how your pixels are currently setup.

 

[ChiefWarrant]

DMX is supposed to use a 5 pin XLR connector, but through people cheating it has turned to a 3 pin XLR connector. These 3 pin XLR connectors are the same as microphones.
However, on this note: Do not use microphone cables, the impedance is wrong. Ethernet cable is almost the right impedance as actual DMX cable, which is great because it's cheap!

DMX is RS-485. Pixel data is an SPI protocol, main difference is pixel data is not a differential signal.

Easiest option: You've got a Falcon F16v3.
Serial output port 3 on the board (top right of the board is 3 RJ45 connectors, bottom one is serial output 3).
Tell the Falcon in serial outputs that this will output DMX and set the DMX universe it listens for.

What every software you're using to sequence, tell it to add another universe to the E1.31 network for the Falcon.

That's the setup to get a DMX signal from your software. Next steps is assigning the device in the software (so it knows the channels it's on) and setting the devices start channel.

I recommend this video from Canispater Christmas on DMX, it's for moving head lights but uses all the same principles. This Fobble machine will likely use 2-3 DMX channels.

I can help further on this, although it will help if I could know the software you're using and how your pixels are currently setup.

Thank you for the information. The video is helpful.

I see that I need to get a XLR 3 Pin Female Plugs (Audio Mic Microphone Connector), sine that is the input that Froggy Fog put on the Fobble. I am planning on using Vixen 3.74 to run the Fobble, so once I configure DMX 3 on the F16v3, build the cable using the process outlined in the video. Then is a matter of testing the Fobble. Based on the User Guide (attached), 15 channel mode maybe the better option, but I won't know for sure, until I do some testing.

Thank you again. I am sure I will gave more questions once I get the Fobble and begin testing.

-Tony

 

[Maraku]

Thank you for the information. The video is helpful.
Thank you again. I am sure I will gave more questions once I get the Fobble and begin testing.

-Tony

You're welcome. Fire away in this post or elsewhere if you become stuck.


Side note: I wasn't expecting to see 15 channels that manual! I thought this was just a fog and bubble machine, not with the extra lights on the front.