USB DMX Dongle

There are two categories of USB DMX dongles - ones with an internal clocking processor and those without. As you might suspect, the 'withouts' are less expensive. The software you are using to drive the dongle may or may not work with a 'without' (often called 'open'). Enttec still sells an Open model, I don't believe DMXKing does. For smooth dimming of 3 lights, you can probably get away with an Open. I've seen some Open designs going for as little as $30. A little Google search with provide results. For any serious work with 20 or more lights, I would recommend a device with internal clocking. The DMXKing ultra DMXmicro is the least expensive model I'm aware of with clocking and has given several of my clients good service.
 
The even cheaper option is the MagicQ basic dongle. It runs around $15. The downside is that it's limited to 5 hours of runtime. After that you have to restart the software.
 
uDMX dongles work out of the box with most linux software, but is a bit of a pain to get setup on windows. Cheap though!
 
I will second the DMXKing endorsement. My first DMX adapter was just a USB-RS485 (Modbus) dongle and from a PC & Mac it worked for some lights and devices but not all from a Raspberry Pi -- as noted, no processor, just an adapter. For a fixed install with only a few lights (and a fog machine!) I used the DMXKing ultra DMXmicro and it worked with everything.
 

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