The old DMX adapter question

[Alior]

Hey everyone,

I'm trying to figure out a adapter problem and wonder if you all would be so kind to throw your two-cents in. I know that to do a 5 to 3 adapter it's 1-1, 2-2, 3-3 and 4 and 5 are not used but is that the same to make a 5 pin male to 3 pin male adapter? Is it even kosher to make a male to male adapter like that? I've searched the web for them and have come up with only 5 pin male to 3 pin female.

Many thanks!
Nick

 

[MarshallPope]

Why do you need to go m-m?

 

[Alior]

Why do you need to go m-m?

It came up in a conversation tonight with a buddy of mine. I told him about how I saw a 5 pin m-m in my travels and we both couldn't rack our brains as to what it could've been used for. We got on the topic of 3-5 and wondered if that could be duplicated. I know it seems redundant to have something like a m-m adapter but I figure if for what ever the reason I would need something like that it would be on hand. If not then just to find out if a- it's possible and b- what purpose a m-m would serve.

 

[Floobydust]

Yes; only if you're trying to use an audio return feed on a snake as a DMX feed for onstage lighting.

You would need a Turnaround at each end. The three pin variety.

Unless these was a spare microphone line, then the sexes would match with the DMX sexes.

I've used a spare snake channel for this and usually carry these Turnarounds as a normal item.

 

[David Ashton]

I always carry both types of 3/5 adaptors and both types of 3 pin xlr sex changers, this covers all bases

 

[BobHealey]

I've used male to male 5 pins to go into ETCNet2 nodes that were wired for outputs but configured for inputs in software. Haven't found a use for a female to female 5 pin yet. Could see needing to do a 3-5 conversion too, but i'd probably just use a standard 3->5 first.

 

[Scarrgo]

I worked on an event where we needed 10- M-M and 10 F-F all 5 pin, seems a bundle got put down backwards, and no one noticed till after the show floor was installed, it was cheaper to make a bunch of turnarounds than pull the floor...so remember, male to control...

Sean...

 

[JohnD]

I recently ran across these at what i think are fairly good prices:
http://audiopile.net/products/Adapt...DMX_barrel_adaptors/DMX_BARREL_ADAPTERS.shtml

 

[SteveB]

I've used male to male 5 pins to go into ETCNet2 nodes that were wired for outputs but configured for inputs in software. Haven't found a use for a female to female 5 pin yet. Could see needing to do a 3-5 conversion too, but i'd probably just use a standard 3->5 first.

You can also run into ETC (and other, presumably) rack mount nodes (as I use) that have male chassis 5 pin, where you need F/M to F/M turnarounds to use the ports as outputs. This is one of the nice thing about the node system, the devices can be configured as needed, but you do need turn-arounds handy.

 

[Alior]

You can also run into ETC (and other, presumably) rack mount nodes (as I use) that have male chassis 5 pin, where you need F/M to F/M turnarounds to use the ports as outputs. This is one of the nice thing about the node system, the devices can be configured as needed, but you do need turn-arounds handy.

That is what I have to do at my old high school. They're ETC wall port is 5 pin out and ETCLink in.

I recently ran across these at what i think are fairly good prices:
http://audiopile.net/products/Adapt...DMX_barrel_adaptors/DMX_BARREL_ADAPTERS.shtml

That's awesome. Definitely going to book mark that site. Thanks!

I worked on an event where we needed 10- M-M and 10 F-F all 5 pin, seems a bundle got put down backwards, and no one noticed till after the show floor was installed, it was cheaper to make a bunch of turnarounds than pull the floor...so remember, male to control...

Sean...

I see. So basically a M-M would be useful in case a cable was laid out wrong then. In that case a M-M would come in very handy.


I guess I have some projects to hold me over for the winter months. Thanks everyone. You have been more than helpful

 

[JD]

I see. So basically a M-M would be useful in case a cable was laid out wrong then. In that case a M-M would come in very handy.


I guess I have some projects to hold me over for the winter months. Thanks everyone. You have been more than helpful

And this is exactly why you want every conceivable adapter in your case even though you hope to not need them!
Nothing like finding that the 150 run that has two rolls of gaff tape holding it down and runs all the way around the theater was put down backwards!
Heck, the tape used costs more than the adapter!

 

[SteveB]

I recently ran across these at what i think are fairly good prices:
http://audiopile.net/products/Adapt...DMX_barrel_adaptors/DMX_BARREL_ADAPTERS.shtml

I think this might have been discussed before, but I'm not a fan of the barrel types, thinking they place a lot of strain on a node connector, especially with the cable attached.

Which is why I use the cable versions.

 

[LightingGuy89]

I've found these to be useful. they are made in any gender and any pin configuration, plop a 3Pin on one end and a 5Pin on the other and you have your gender and your pins needed. this is not a EDMX protocol, simply a pin-to-pin conversion. You could not run this through a network switch it would have to be direct lines, up to 330 feet.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HRNRTES/?tag=controlbooth-20

 

[derekleffew]

I've found these to be useful. ...

The same/similar item, much less expensively:
http://www.productionadvantageonline.com/Search/c-point.aspx

 

[SteveB]

The same/similar item, much less expensively:
http://www.productionadvantageonline.com/Search/c-point.aspx

I'd be curious as to the situations where you need to adapt a cable Cat5/RJ45 connector to 5 pin, much less 3. I would think that if you are seeing a wall mounted (or rack) RJ45, it's NOT going to be DMX, it's going to be somebody's e-net signal, thus requiring a node of some sort.

I understand that running Cat6 cable in a permanent system can be desirable and that the cable supports DMX, thus you can terminate to appropriate DMX faceplate connectors, but wouldn't you do that as part of the original design ?

Or you would be sending DMX out of a rack/iso splitter but would it start as a Cat 5 ?, or would it all be 5 pin ?. If it's a switch it's still going to be Ethernet ?, correct ?.

Puzzled......

 

[JD]

Cat5 is fine in conduit. Outside of conduit, not so much.

1) Solid wire, doesn't take to flexing too well.
2) Case is not too durable.
3) It is not shielded. (The conduit serves as the shield.)

Will it work? For a while. It's just the wrong animal.

 

[RickR]

Cat5 is fine in conduit. Outside of conduit, not so much.

1) Solid wire, doesn't take to flexing too well.
2) Case is not too durable.
3) It is not shielded. (The conduit serves as the shield.)

Will it work? For a while. It's just the wrong animal.

If all you mean is the cheapest blue stuff sure. However, category X cable is just a data rating. Cat 5 & 6 rated cables come in shielded and stranded varieties, even jacketed for exposed or portable use. Using category cable does not make it ethernet or DMX. It's all in what you wire it to!

SteveB I see this all the time. Lots of architectural fixtures are RJ45 and they aren't all hardwired. There's a splitter made with all RJ45s, so when you want to plug in a console for easy programming... For details I recommend Recommended Practice for DMX512: A guide for users and installers, 2nd edition available for free at http://tsp.plasa.org/tsp/documents/published_docs.php

 

[SteveB]

SteveB I see this all the time. Lots of architectural fixtures are RJ45 and they aren't all hardwired. There's a splitter made with all RJ45s, so when you want to plug in a console for easy programming...

.

Are you stating that these fixtures receive DMX and use RJ45 connectors as the connection ?. That would seem odd. And annoying. Or are talking about some other protocol being used ?

 

[theatricalmatt]

SteveB, I see that arrangement all the time with LED drivers, and occasionally OEM chips for a variety of purposes. The RJ45 is a pretty light connector, and won't put as much strain on a circuit board as a DMX jack.

 

[SteveB]

SteveB, I see that arrangement all the time with LED drivers, and occasionally OEM chips for a variety of purposes. The RJ45 is a pretty light connector, and won't put as much strain on a circuit board as a DMX jack.

Oh, OK. so architectural mostly. I was thinking of the every-day on-stage applications, where the lack of robustness of the RJ45 can be an issue and where even a 3 pin XLR would be preferred (GASP !).