Chauvet D-Fi XLR Wireless Dongle

[Cerbertech]

I am looking for a low cost wireless DMX to enable us to be able to operate our band rig from anywhere in a venue rather than having to run cables.

 

Been looking at these : https://www.gear4mus...ASABEgLNsPD_BwE

 

Chauvet D-Fi XLR Wireless Dongle

 

They are rechargeable but also have a USB inlet, as we may use them for longer periods of time can they be powered from this socket?

 

Has anyone here used them?

 

Chauvet instructions and the web are not very forthcoming and everyone we asks wants to sell us the charger, but rather not buy it unless we really have to.

[Robertdazzler]

Have you considered building your own ?

Prebuilt transmitter/receivers with aerials are available on the net at around £8. You will need a pair of identical units, 5V power supplies and 3/5 pin DMX plugs with leads.. A pair of small boxes completes the job and very little soldering is needed.

The end result worked well with each unit establishing its roll automatically and transmitting comfortably over 40metres. the whole thing cost me about £22( power supplies came free from garage scrap)

There remains the need to DMX cable the units at the receive end together however but this a small inconvenience considering the cost compared with what you have looked at.

[Cerbertech]

I could go the self build route but like the compact size of the ones I am looking at and already have USB power available built into the hard power to each stand so would only be one extra cable per location, each stand is already short DMX links.

[sandall]

I've used the generic Chinese ones but not in a room full of wireless hotspots, where even much more expensive WiFi DMX systems can fall over. If the receivers revert to being transmitters when they lose signal you could end up with an interesting light-show.

[Cerbertech]

The ones I am looking at are separate receivers and one transmitter but I do get the crowded Wi-Fi band risk, these will only be deployed in small pub gigs and small outdoor stages in fields.

[dmxlights]

I have used cheap chines ones and stopped using them as Sandall said they could go into transmitter mode and you will lose control. I have had this happen. I have units from thoman that are not made any more, which have a switch on them to put them in transmit or receive mode. I have even stopped using them as there is so much using the 2.4G band now.

I have even seen slow down in or a lag in the DMX when using wireless units.

 

If you could get some to try and out first before buying would be better as one of the tests I would do with them is use a back to back on the receiver and plug it into the lighting desk to see if it will go into transmit mode if it does I would not use them. I has happened to me with the cheap chines ones where one light when nuts and started spitting out it own DMX and I loss control on till I powered down that light

 

[Simon Lewis]

Chauvet D-Fi XLR Wireless Dongle

 

I have used the USB version of D-Fi with Chauvet Slim Par Pros which have the corresponding USB socket. Transmitter was the small D-Fi hub.

 

Generally, they work very well indeed. I had an application where a bunch of fixtures were used in a listed building, and running DMX to each one was problematic from an access and cable management perspective.

The wireless DMX controlled the fixtures well, and saved lots of hassle.

 

However...

 

There was an occasional glitch which would either cause one fixture to turn off for a second or so, or sometimes to flash. If the wireless system had been used on a gig or DJ set with the usual lighting changes, it may be that this would hardly ever be spotted, but our application was effectively house and architectural lighting, so the drop outs were pretty noticeable.

We tried scanning the wifi environment (- a city centre, so a little busy but not overly so) and we changed channels and altered the venue's wifi transmitter channel. We tried different desks, relocating the D-Fi hub, and even tried it on channels 15&16 (ssh!!).

Even with some very good support from the manufacturer, we weren't able to eradicate the issue, so in the end we went with wired DMX.

 

I cannot say whether the D-Fi units you are looking at would ever show this problem, but can state that there's been no problems at all on the described system with wired control.... I guess this is pretty obvious stuff, but that's the risk you get with wireless DMX.

[alistermorton]

We use RC4 wireless and they're pretty damned good. City Theatrical are also good. But the general rule is to only use wireless when it literally is impossible to use wired, because even the best wireless can have problems that you just don't get with a cable.

[Cerbertech]

Thanks for all the feedback and comments, I understand the risks but a couple of our regular venues have made changes to layouts due to covid that will make cable runs more difficult to where we will now have to operate from.

 

The bike rallies we do are in remote fields so less concerned there.

 

Our get ins / outs are always time restricted as well meaning putting straps round pillars etc to support cables is not that practical.

 

These are a dedicated transmitter and receiver based system, my main concern is if you need the charger or whether they can be powered in use, I guess if nobody here has used them we will have to buy a pair and try them out.

[Edward- Z88]

Hi Cerbertech,

 

What lighting controller are you using? Potentially another approach, is to leave your DMX cabling going to the console somewhere out the way, and then remotely control the console using the console's remote applications? These will likely be designed to sit on Wi-Fi, and means if there is a temporary connection drop out, fixtures don't lose DMX.

 

Edward

[Cerbertech]

For these small gigs the controller is a generic DMX controller similar to the Stairville DMX-Master MK II ENC so no remote control option

[Don Allen]

Can you use a transmitter with an antenna to give you better range and better signal to noise ratio which may help improve reliability. Is it possible to use receivers with antenna ? The Chauvet D-Fi Hub use an ac adapter so can be run off batteries, but it increases set up time.

[Cerbertech]

We have ordered a pair to try out will report back on how they go and whether they run from plugged in cable as well as internal battery.

[Cerbertech]

To close this off they have arrived and will operate whilst charging from the usb socket, yet to try them out in the wild but they work through walls with a router and 2 hotspots enabled next to them.

[Richard CSL]

City Theatrical are generally the best, we used them on cruise ships in highly wifi promenade areas never had a failure.