Do you recommend this

[ahocknul04]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/USB2DMX-JMS-USB-Inte...#ht_7354wt_1137 I am thinking of buying this product but I thought I would turn to you guys to see if anyone has used and would like to give some feedback on this product, thanks

 

Moderation: Title updated - please try to use descriptive thread titles rather than just "Do you recommend this" - especially when you don't actually say what "this" is in your post!

[paulears]

You can't get excited over a DMX dongle for £50 when it's the software that matters that drives it.

This topic shows a neat way of getting a proper control for a very small outlay - and in my humble opinion, knocks spots of the free software on offer, and detailed in the ebay ad.

[Dodgecaliber]

You would be an idiot to pay that much for it.

 

Why do you need it?

Do you have the software to run it?

Do you have the experience to know how to use it?

 

This product is mainly for disco DJ's who want to play with DMX. The cable might be, but the software is NOT pro kit.

 

Dodge.

[Jivemaster]

WHY do you want to pay ebay that much when we have been discussing on the forum for a MONTH a £10 dongle with a very good software coming FOC.

 

If you can't be bothered to read than please don't bother posting.

 

http://www.blue-room.org.uk/index.php?showtopic=40679

[dbuckley]

Pick software first; then find the hardware to match.

[musht]

Looks like its based on Open DMX USB, according to listing

 

>>Many free Open DMX software on the Internet.

 

Guessing its just like the Enttec dongle and would probably run MagicQ as well, if in doubt ask the dongle vendor.

 

Same price as UK delivered Open USB dongle from Enttec rougly so no advantage there really.

 

Enttec Pro dongle uses on board hardware DMX timing but cost well over 100 quid.

 

MagicDMX dongle also uses hardware DMX framin, takes load off your laptop, costs a tenner with downside of 5 hours between reboots.

 

Experience is something can only gain by using, 2 LED pars

 

http://www.thomann.de/gb/stairville_led_pa...warz_bstock.htm , which must make it the cheapest DMX controlled item that emits light available, TBH another 8 quid a unit gets a more usuable LED 56.

 

and a MagicDMX dongle

 

http://www.magicdmx.com/

 

comes in at much same money as eBay dongle and it may be more use to learn a more advanced desk, unless your ambition really is to be supesrtar DJ at the Dog and Duck ...

[Modge]

Pick software first; then find the hardware to match.

+1 for that.

And the software is free normally to download, so download it see if you can get to grips with it and whether it can do what you want. Then source yourself the relevant dongle.

[ahocknul04]

I use DVC2 on my pc but at school we only have Zero88 Jester 24/48 I feel limited with this desk as I'm getting scanners within the next six weeks I would need somthing that can drive movers but not to much, somthing like Zero88's Leap frog but I not sure where I can buy one from.

[pritch]

somthing like Zero88's Leap frog but I not sure where I can buy one from.

 

Just Google it. I'm sure you'll find somewhere.

 

I must admit I'm amused at the thread starting with a £50 dongle, and ending up on a desk costing 600 times as much, though!

[skdean]

As I read the eBay page for this DMX dongle I got bored as the ad went on for to long. This is no different from other DMX dongles out in the wild. I recently got the really cheap Chamsys MagicPC dongle and I am really pleased with it. And I don't need an adaptor to connect it to my dimmers or moving lights. With the JMS I would need to buy a 3 to 5 adaptor to use with genuinely DMX compliant devices. And all the software they mention is freeware or open source.

[neilalexrose]

I use DVC2 on my pc but at school we only have Zero88 Jester 24/48 I feel limited with this desk as I'm getting scanners within the next six weeks I would need somthing that can drive movers but not to much, somthing like Zero88's Leap frog but I not sure where I can buy one from.

 

 

Perhaps you should start again, and ask some more sensible questions - rather than "do you recommend this DMX dongle?"

 

If I may:

 

"At my school we currently have a Jester 24/48, which is fine at the moment, but very soon we will be adding some scanners to our rig. What would you guys recommend as the best way to control our newly updated rig? I use Daslight virtual controller 2 on my PC at home, should I try and buy an output dongle for this program, or is there something else that someone could recommend. I've found this DMX dongle on ebay. Has anybody used it in a theatre context, and can advise me as to how they got on with it?"

 

I have made the assumption that it is your school that is getting the scanners, I suspect I may well be wrong and you might be buying some yourself, and adding taking them into your school to use on your shows.

 

So. If it's school equipment, then the school needs to investigate upgrading the control. As you have a jester 24/48, why not suggest they look at the jester ML moving light wing? To start with you could hire one, and see if everyone at your school who might use it will get on with it. (if it's school equipment, then it's not just about you. It's about those who will come along after you leave, and it's also whether your educators are able to use it too.)

 

If they are your own scanners that you are buying, and looking for control for your own purposes, then why don't you investigate the daslight dongle, if you are familiar with the software. I personally have never used daslight. I'm not a DJ. But if that's the look you are after, then it may work for you.

 

As others have suggested, Chamsys MagicQ is the software of the moment. It's free to use, outputs Artnet straight off, will output DMX with one of their £10 dongles. I've used it in both theatre context and disco context, and can say that it performed well and met my needs in both situations.

 

In answer to your question about where to buy a leap from, usedlighting are probably the best place to buy from at the moment. But hire company's sometimes sell off their hire stock, so search for stage electrics and whitelight amongst others.

 

Does that help you? Perhaps you could elaborate on the situation a little more, and we might be able to help you further.

 

Neil

 

 

EDIT: to fix ebay link

[ahocknul04]

Basically, I have bought two abstract scanners off my uncle (forgot the exact models) and I belive after using daslight using faders would be a little difficult to control scanners I've used different modes on DVC2 and I found one way quite easy, but expensive. Now to make this more simple and perhaps more sensible, I would like to find some soft of controller with mover controls on to hook up to the jester via DMX in because I rather like zero 88 Jester's cue stacks, does anyone know what I could do?

[themadhippy]

I would like to find some soft of controller with mover controls

chamsys as many people above have already mentioned

[smalljoshua]

I've not replied to this one as of yet as so many other people have been giving good advice. However, seeing as you still don't seem to quite get it, I'm going to try and simplify it.

 

Download the MagicQ software from here.

 

Buy the MagicDMX dongle from here.

 

Read the MagicQ tutorials found on this site.

 

Enjoy.

 

Josh