DMX control of gears/servos

[ekul1978]

Not sure if this is the right place to post so feel free to move is needed.

 

Im almost positive this has been covered before but cant seem to find it anywhere. Im looking to be able to control some servos/motors via DMX for a stage set ive been asked to design and make near christmas, however Im not sure what hardware is needed to convert the signals. Any help pointing me in the right direction would be great.

 

Cheers Luke

[TomG]

This link has two DMX server controllers, both also look to be prebuilt, it would be a case of adding some power and a servo motor and your all set: http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/search/browse.jsp?N=411+2005+205865&Ntk=gensearch&Ntt=DMX+servo&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial

[timsabre]

This link has two DMX server controllers, both also look to be prebuilt, it would be a case of adding some power and a servo motor and your all set: http://cpc.farnell.c...matchallpartial

These are actually Milford Instruments products, I would buy direct from them unless you have a cpc account. http://www.milinst.co.uk/

[ekul1978]

Cool. Thanks Guys.

 

 

[kitlane]

Please remember to consider any necessary safety measures. If there is a risk of injury from the moving item striking someone or something then appropriate safety devices such as E-Stops need to be considered.

[timtheenchanteruk]

Id give milfords a call anyhoo, unless account holders get better prices from CPC, the couple of bits I have wanted recently are cheaper direct from milfords, even after adding P&P.

[timmeh2]

Please remember to consider any necessary safety measures. If there is a risk of injury from the moving item striking someone or something then appropriate safety devices such as E-Stops need to be considered.

 

You shouldn't even be using DMX on anything that would require an E-Stop.

[timsabre]

Please remember to consider any necessary safety measures. If there is a risk of injury from the moving item striking someone or something then appropriate safety devices such as E-Stops need to be considered.

 

You shouldn't even be using DMX on anything that would require an E-Stop.

 

It would be hard to injure anyone using a radio control servo, unless you try really hard.

[timmeh2]

 

It would be hard to injure anyone using a radio control servo, unless you try really hard.

 

Unless you're moving set with it, which is what the OP is implying.

[Smallsy]

If your wanting to control something like set movement or gears then you'll probably be wanting to buy a DMX Relay box, again from Milford.

 

There really nice and very easy to approach.

 

Let me know if you need any help as I've just been using Milford's DMX to 8 server outputs board on my latest project.

[timsabre]

It would be hard to injure anyone using a radio control servo, unless you try really hard.

Unless you're moving set with it, which is what the OP is implying.

I rather got the impression it was for gadgets on a set - maybe like the rose petals someone was making. R/C servos just don't have enough umph to move anything big. But maybe the OP could describe in more detail what he's doing.

[kitlane]

Please remember to consider any necessary safety measures. If there is a risk of injury from the moving item striking someone or something then appropriate safety devices such as E-Stops need to be considered.

 

You shouldn't even be using DMX on anything that would require an E-Stop.

 

Arguably, true. How about a device with a dead-mans handle as well?

[cedd]

Yeah, I read this as being props and small pieces, rather than moving set - in which case you'll be wanting far more than RC car servo's.

 

I was the rose petal man. A few tips when using the Milford card that caught me out;

 

Because I didn't have the card till late in the project, I set up all the servo's using an RC car controller. I later discovered that the sweep of the servo when connected to the Milford card is different to that of an RC controller - angle of rotation, etc.

The card requires 2 different supply voltages and it took me ages to find a PSU capable of giving both (I forget the numbers, 7V and 9V maybe). It seemed pretty fussy about the supply - Other items on the higher voltage (non servo) supply such as in my case, quite a few LED's, seemed to cause the unit to reset when you used them on (I guess causing a brief voltage dip). This happened when running on batteries or the PSU.

 

I also went direct to Milford after a stock issue with CPC left me desperate for the part in a rush - Milford were only too happy to help.

 

Chris

[bigclive]

You do get VERY beefy RC style servos with extremely high torques. They're used extensively in the animatronics/FX industries. Not the sort of thing you'd want to get your fingers trapped by.