Wireless DMX

I'm helping out a theatre purchasing some new lighting equipment. Given that they tour from 2 different cities across the state multiple times a year I thought that it might be helpful for them to get a couple of showbaby wireless dmx devices. Some that stay, some that go, some that are in box trucks.

Any whom...this is only helpful if they are bringing LED lights with them I'm realizing. I'm curious to know what other ways that wireless dmx transmitters can be useful. Otherwise I will just get a pair to stay at their home theatre.


Thanks
 
Oh yes. I am aware of RC4. That is a bit beyond their scope here for what they need. I will be purchasing a RC4 system this year for my school in California. I want to play with lights in props. So many possibilities.
 
Oh yes. I am aware of RC4. That is a bit beyond their scope here for what they need. I will be purchasing a RC4 system this year for my school in California. I want to play with lights in props. So many possibilities.

I’d love to discuss this directly. We have lots of options to consider for any application. Cost is pretty much the same, same size, or options for smaller receivers, plus longer range and more robust secuity. Consider a 900Mhz system in particular.

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Jim
RC4
 
Wireless DMX isn’t just for leds.

You could stick them anywhere a dmx line would go.

Dimming Rack
On the Rig for Led lines
On the Rig for the ML Lines
On the Rig for SFXs

I mean you still have your PD Soca runs for power.

And you will still have dmx from fixture to fixture but you will save on the home runs. If the rig stays together fixtures and all then wireless will add some efficiency in setup time but generally most people know how to plug in a DMX cable if they are working for ya.
 
I agree, 900Mhz is the way to go as 2.4Ghz is super crowded.
In general, I never design something mission critical and use wireless DMX. Sure, practicals or mounted pencil hazers, but for a whole truss? hell no.

Even in practicals, I'd rather wire a switch than trust wireless. Had far too many bad experiences where the wireless is great on PM shows but for some reason doesn't work during blue hair matinees...
 
I agree, 900Mhz is the way to go as 2.4Ghz is super crowded.
In general, I never design something mission critical and use wireless DMX. Sure, practicals or mounted pencil hazers, but for a whole truss? hell no.

Even in practicals, I'd rather wire a switch than trust wireless. Had far too many bad experiences where the wireless is great on PM shows but for some reason doesn't work during blue hair matinees...

I know it's hard to believe, but the problems you've had were because you were using the wrong wireless system for the job, or there was a problem somewhere in the setup or configuration. Our RC4 gear comes out of the box with what is usually the optimal configuration. People use it for entire trusses all the time. One annual summer festival we're part of every year runs the *entire show* through wireless links -- there are no options on the grounds. And there are no problems in the show, any time of day or night.

We would be happy to loan you something for a week to see for yourself.

Jim
RC4
 
I know it's hard to believe, but the problems you've had were because you were using the wrong wireless system for the job, or there was a problem somewhere in the setup or configuration. Our RC4 gear comes out of the box with what is usually the optimal configuration. People use it for entire trusses all the time. One annual summer festival we're part of every year runs the *entire show* through wireless links -- there are no options on the grounds. And there are no problems in the show, any time of day or night.

We would be happy to loan you something for a week to see for yourself.

Jim
RC4

Jim, you and your company build great gear, you really do, but as an old fuddy duddy, I would still recommend hard wired over WiFi DMX when it’s practical to do so. Especially if you are running power anyway. It’s just generally easier to control the data environment with wires then WiFi.
 
I 'm a fuddy duddy, too. Wireless is great when it's needed, but wired is better when it's not needed. This for the same reason I don't like wireless mics for live broadcasts, unless there's a compelling reason. We've all seen wireless systems work flawlessly for months, until that one show that matters most....
 
I'm next to dog-pile. WIRE works. Chances are if you can get power to the fixture you can get wired DMX there, too.

While I have great respect for Jim and RC4 products, I'm still on the copper path unless an RF solution is the sole, only, exclusive way to get a signal to a device.
 
You guys are totally correct! All the way back to when I started designing wireless products for entertainment, I often said, "Use wires whenever you can. And now we have wireless for all the other cool stuff!"

Today, the risk/benefit line has moved somewhat (and over time it has moved both forward and backward for various reasons). Today, there are quite a few applications and situations where you could use wire, but wireless offers advantages worth considering. We may not always agree on exactly where the risk/benefit line is drawn, but it's a discussion that deserves consideration and re-consideration from time to time.

My primary objective is to ensure that those who will benefit from wireless are considering all the options and choices (including options that don't come from RC4 -- it's a big world out there).
 
One project I'm currently working on had the misfortune of having wireless DMX spec'd when it was completely unnecessary, that's the only thing I hope to dissuade others from doing. Permanent installs, theatre and events when cables have to run anyway.
I remember my first show backstage on running crew and I had to move a 2 story house about a dozen times. It was acrobatics how to rotate and move DS while having a 3rd person wrangle the pin and dmx cable ready to plug in within seconds of starting the shift. Good times.
 
I use a mix of wired and wireless DMX depending on what the customer needs. Especially for shows the tour wireless is really nice. I've spent way more time in a harness trying to track down the one damaged DMX cable than I have troubleshooting wireless.

Hey porkchop — tell us which wireless dmx systems you’ve used. I don’t care which ones they are or who made them. Let people know that this technology can work if they use the right stuff. :)

Jim
RC4
 
One project I'm currently working on had the misfortune of having wireless DMX spec'd when it was completely unnecessary,

Does "unnecessary" include budget considerations? Working primarily on primarily new installation, wireless can be more economical sometimes.
 
I use a mix of wired and wireless DMX depending on what the customer needs. Especially for shows the tour wireless is really nice. I've spent way more time in a harness trying to track down the one damaged DMX cable than I have troubleshooting wireless.

Totally agree. Tracking down bad data in a bundle of soca or mixed in with fiber is a PITA. All I gotta say is spare spare spare.
 
Hey porkchop — tell us which wireless dmx systems you’ve used. I don’t care which ones they are or who made them. Let people know that this technology can work if they use the right stuff. :)

Jim
RC4
Honestly I've used most of the big names and I don't really have any complaints. When I was touring we used W-DMX.

I've worked in houses in Vegas that used SHoW DMX, W-DMX, and RC4 Wireless all with success. While running shows I've seen several DMX cables that were originally connected and disconnected during the show replaced with wireless because it was actually more consistent and faster than basing the timing of the show on the quality of the stagehand that happens to be rotated into that track tonight.

Now that I'm doing more designing and building I go for RC4 first because I have the most familiarity with that line of products, but I've also integrated items I've build into SHoW DMX systems with no complaints. The other manufacture that I've heard plenty of good things about, but have no hands on experience with is LumenRadio. If I was spec'ing a touring rig and could get all fixtures with their wireless radios built in that would be a very attractive option for me.
 
Totally agree. Tracking down bad data in a bundle of soca or mixed in with fiber is a PITA. All I gotta say is spare spare spare.

"Copper is cheap; people are expensive."
-- me

If you're doing any kind of install at all, even temporary, you should have at least one spare run in each bundle of that type of cable. Two if practical.

Labor costs more than materials, and *after-work* labor costs 3-5 times as much as that.
 
Playing devils advocate:

If you’re running multiple spare cables per bundle, how reliable is the copper in first place? Seems to defeat the argument against wireless data transmission.
 
@egilson1 the issue is the professionalism of the tech crew. Unthinking and uncaring folks can break anything and cables/connectors are chief among them. They'll break the wireless stuff, too.
 

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