Best Wireless DMX Solution

I am looking for a wireless DMX option for an upcoming show where I have been restricted from running wires through certain areas. I have with some degree of success used W-DMX and RC4 systems in the past.
So far RC4 has always worked for me, their portable dimmers have been useful in some props. For an installation I used w-dmx, so far they have not reported any issues with this setup. For the system I am buying I really want a major brand system so I can add additional receivers in the future if I choose to.
So here is my question, what systems do people use? Are all major branded wireless DMX systems (RC4, W-DMX, SHOW Baby) created equal?

Do you have enough time to test a range of different products in your venue and situation? I'd be happy to loan you samples of RC4Magic and RC4Magic-900. Do a real apples to apples comparison.

And afterward, consider posting your results here in Control Booth to help others with the same concerns.

Of course, I offer this -- and often do -- because results tend to be favorable for me. That's... not a bad thing... right?

Jim
RC4

Don't forget ETC is in this market now.

BillConnerFASTC said:

Don't forget ETC is in this market now.

Click to expand...

If ETC has developed wireless dmx technology of their own, that's news to me.

They have one wireless dmx product that I know of, using technology that is licenced from a third party.

Maybe Steve Terry can comment?

In one particular showroom in Las Vegas we used a combination of RC4 and W-DMX because common sense is not everyone's strong point. Both systems worked well in a room that was pretty busy IR wise. I personally prefer RC4 products as their product line and form factor tend to better fit the kinds of things I'm putting the dimmers in. When you're building hand props size really does matter.

Looking into the same thing. Haven't seen RC4, but the main brands used here are following. Wireless Solutions have more different models.

@Crash_Override -- in your chart, the first 3 items all use the same family of RF cards, CRMX by LumenRadio. The fourth is Wireless Solution W-DMX. LumenRadio receivers will connect with W-DMX transmitter, but not vice-versa. So really, this is not providing much comparison value if you consider what's under the hood.

There are many brands building products with RF cards from the three main developers of wireless technologies. It makes most sense to compare the performance of these three core technologies: LumenRadio, RC4, and Wireless Solution. Then, within the technology you prefer, you could shop around looking at all the different products that use that technology you've selected. You might prefer a certain brand, or device footprint, or warranty. Or you might want to stick with brands that are carried by a reseller providing support you know you can count on.

So, in my opinion, the technologies to compare are CRMX 2.4Ghz, W-DMX 2.4Ghz, W-DMX 5.8GHz, RC4 2.4Ghz, and RC4 900Mhz.

theatrewireless said:

If ETC has developed wireless dmx technology of their own, that's news to me.

They have one wireless dmx product that I know of, using technology that is licenced from a third party.

Maybe Steve Terry can comment?

Click to expand...

ETC has indeed entered the wireless DMX512 market with our new Colorsource Relay product line. After an exhaustive evaluation of all the wireless protocols on the market, we have adopted the City Theatrical SHoW DMX protocol in our new product. Our Colorsource Relay system is fully interoperable with CTI SHoW Baby and SHoW DMX products.

ST

Thanks, Steve.

The key point here, as I said previously, is that there are only a few companies doing the R&D to develop core wireless systems. Others, including ETC, then utilize them. So start by evaluating the small number of core technologies, then choose from the wide range of brands that use the technology you prefer.

Jim

I have 3 Show Baby DMX by City Theatrical in use at my venue. 1 transmits, and the other 2 receive. A friend has used up to 8 in his venue and has always been very happy with them. I've never encountered any problems in the 4 years I've been using them. The ShowBaby is the littlest of the line and the other can do multiple bands/ auto switching and such. But the show baby works great for us for what we do.

theatrewireless said:

Thanks, Steve.

The key point here, as I said previously, is that there are only a few companies doing the R&D to develop core wireless systems. Others, including ETC, then utilize them. So start by evaluating the small number of core technologies, then choose from the wide range of brands that use the technology you prefer.

Jim

Click to expand...

You seem to suggest that a given technology will perform similarly regardless of which licensee or adopter impliments it, and I don't find that to be the usual case. Whether it works well for someone may be as much a factor of who supports a product that uses the technology rather than the merits of the technology.

Thank you for everyone's replies. I borrowed a RC4 2.4 Ghz setup from a production company in town. It worked well in space and when I took it for a distance test it went further than my laser tape measure (the laser is only good up to about 100'.) I decided to walk around the building and it was able to go through 2-3 cinder block walls but more than that the signal dropped off.
I also tested the American DJ WiFly system because the production company had one. It had similar results in open air, it went further than my tape measure but less than the RC4. Once I started moving around the building it dropped off very quickly. The company had some problems with signal interference on the wifly system so they tend not to use it.
I am trying to get a hold of a Show Baby system to do a similar test. After looking around W-DMX costs more than I am planning to spend.

@Apmccandless

Good choice scoring the RC4 loaner. RC4 has been rock solid for me on multiple productions, and we specify it for the many venues we design. We've done extensive testing with range, obstacles, atmosphere... RC4 has never failed to impress. Their 900mz is incredible, and their 2.4 gear plays well with Lumen Radio and WDMX. I've had issues in the past with some of the others you mention...

Look for my article in Lighting & Sound America this October about The Lost Colony - The RC4 performed wonderfully there in tough atmospheric conditions.

Cheers! -Josh

So which is better option: Lumenradio CRMX or Wireless Solutions W-DMX?

This isn't really a fair question without a lot more context about where and what you need to accomplish. There aren't any professional wireless DMX products that are "bad." They have all been designed by skilled and reputable engineers. Design always starts with a personal (or corporate) design criteria and priorities. The two systems you mention are both good, and perform very similarly. This is because the engineering team who initially designed W-DMX moved on to create LumenRadio; thus, both systems share some of the same core philosophies. LumenRadio receivers will connect to W-DMX transmitters for this reason (but not the other way around -- W-DMX will not connect to LumenRadio devices).

W-DMX arguably has the largest user base worldwide, particularly in Europe. LumenRadio has become the darling of the motion picture industry. In my personal opinion, Lumen has done the best job of wireless RDM, but I have not yet evaluated the new W-DMX G5 so I could be out-of-date on that.

Both have a long list of partners -- products by others with wireless built-in either as stock or as an option. If you have a favorite brand for lighting (or other) fixtures, investigate which wireless system they may be partnered with -- that might be the decision maker for other wireless gear you choose.

W-DMX and LumenRadio have both won PLASA product awards, for which the judging is very legitimate and carefully considered -- they are trustworthy indicators of product quality and usefulness.

There are other systems on the market you should also consider. Including ours, of course, which is also PLASA award winning.

Jim
RC4 Wireless
www.rc4wireless.com
www.wirelessdimming.com
http://rc4.info

... and the $10 2.4GHz boards work too if your budget is limited.

Lyle is correct that they will work under some circumstances. The advantage of higher end gear is data security. W-DMX and LumenRadio have both handled it very well: each transmitter has a unique ID code. When you pair a receiver to it, no other device can ever connect and manipulate your channels because all other devices use a different code. (I'll blow my own horn here and say RC4 is the best for this, because we give every owner/user/project a set of unique ID codes and we maintain a database of all of them. This lets us provide spare transmitters on short notice and you'll never have to re-pair everything to the new device. And our latest RC5 EASS system also provides 256-bit EAS data encryption.)

Compare this kind of security to ANY system with a limited number of codes or "channels" that are common to all devices on the shelf, whether there are 5, 6, or even 30 of them. There is still a chance (and a pretty good chance) that somebody nearby could end up using the same channel you do. And this problem even exists in a couple of system that are promoted as "professional."

But back to Lyle's point -- yes, in an installation like, say, a house of worship on a large(ish) plot of land, a less secure system will be entirely satisfactory. Again, it's context. Where will you be using your system? Who else will be around? Is this predictable, or could you be in a different place every day or every week?

Another consideration is frequency. Getting out of the 2.4GHz band is more and more desirable because of ever growing interference from multiple WiFi networks, Bluetooth devices (including Apple Watch, FitBit, etc. that arrive with the audience in the seats). Check out 900Mhz system for longer range, but only if you're in North America, Brazil, Australia, or New Zealand. The 900 band is used for cellphones almost everywhere else in the world.

Jim
RC4

Yes, if you used the cheap stuff on a big concert, I might show up and run your lights my way, just for giggles.

The $10 2.4 GHz boards are also not suitable to big league use due to a rookie RF design issue.

They use GMSK modulation (the particular modulation isn't the problem) centered on 2.4GHz. ie, centered on 2400000kHz. So half the modulation falls just outside the bottom edge of the ISM band.

Nobody cares, but that's technically not legal.

For the non Rf-heads, here is an analogy:

Imagine a rancher with a million acres of land, bounded by a fence.

When they build their modest house, it straddles the fence. Exactly half the square footage is not on the rancher's land.

When you had a million acres to work with and half the house is on the wrong side of the fence, that's pretty ....ing funny...

As I said, rookie design mistake.