I am trying to build a lightning rig controlled via OSC to a Raspberry Pi running PD.
Then I want to output dmx from the Raspberry Pi to my Enttec Enttec DMX Usb Pro.

Does anyone know a way to do this? The website does say it is supported by Raspberry Pi but I do not know how to communicate with it from PD.

https://www.enttec.com/product/controls/dmx-usb-interfaces/dmx-usb-interface/

Would be super happy for all help

@kristofferlislegaard You need [comport] at least and the patch I posted here (dmx.zip) will do it....... https://forum.pdpatchrepo.info/topic/12016/led-dmx-lighting (extended and vanilla I think)
The OSC messages are simply " /x value(0-255) " where x is the channel number.

It talks to the Enttec DMX Pro through a port.
The USB Pro is a pretty dumb device that just talks over a virtual serial port through USB.
It works fine on a laptop in Windows etc.
I had it working on a RPI2 under Jessie. I am pretty sure I installed OLA to get the FTDI driver working properly but I can't remember.
I am halfway through trying again on my RPI3 under Stretch.

There are problems to solve.....
The PI reserves the serial port (even for USB devices I think) for a TTL console..... and that must be disabled in the config.
Under Stretch the Bluetooth grabs the serial ports and that has to be disabled or "swapped".
David.

@whale-av
Thank you for your very good answer. Would this be a lot easier with a dmxinterface that uses artnet instead? So one with an ethernet port?

@kristofferlislegaard I have not researched that properly yet, but ArtNet introduces even the possibility of using Wi-Fi without any extra adapters https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.litux.art_net_controller&hl=en
You probably will not get more useful information than from the lighting engineer community on OLA....... https://www.openlighting.org/ola/
David.

Hi, I have a question about receiving DMX to PureData... anybody have experience on this?

I had many problems in the past, my only success was using Enttec Usb/dmx pro and this solution. But it was not working with other dmx iunterfaces (like eurolite USB-DMX512-PRo MK2 or usb/dmx cables).

How about receiving dmx to pd?

@60hz You might well need to get OLA involved..... but Windows has been left out in the cold.
This...... https://github.com/kronihias/ola2pd states that it can communicate both ways between Pd and OLA.
You will need to compile it as it is 32-bit.
You will probably have to use the Enntec, DMX-King or JESE for that as they DMX-in capable...... unless there are others but I haven't seen one.
The OLA site might have some pointers..... they are very active in all things DMX... https://www.openlighting.org/ola/

If you can get an interface to send data directly to comport that might be cleaner....... and this...... http://www.dmx512-online.com/dmx512_packet.html will be useful in that case.

For OLA see @Octopoulpe here https://forum.pdpatchrepo.info/topic/11463/communication-between-puredata-and-ola-open-lighting-architecture-for-dmx-control/6

And then...... I guess Artnet..... being a UDP protocol.... would be simpler still....... https://musa.poperbu.net/
In fact, I should sell my Enntec dongle and switch to Artnet.
David.

Thanks @whale-av
I already tried ola2pd under MacOs for test as there is a compiled version from github, but it crash pd as soon as I click open message.

I was worried about compiling it on raspberry Pi as I never used flex... And it's old project, I thought that it might open another series of issues and scared me a bit when reading the install file.

Another solution, involving less old object compilation issues might be to use this kind of hardware maybe? But I am not sure it can easily convert to dmx in / out actually... and I need to do all the dmx to network message jobs...

@60hz Yes.... should be a good, and a more modern solution.
My last link above continues to https://github.com/poperbu/pd-artnet
Abstractions.... using pdstring (moocow sub library) and MrPeach libraries so possibly needs a little work to reach 64-bit compatibility... but maybe not.
So the Artnet encoding work is done without externals and the decode should therefore be simple.
David.

@60hz Better stillllll...... I forgot that I had these...... Vanilla.... artnet.zip
David.

Yes thanks! I already checked exactly all those libs and abstarctions @whale-av.
But, it's for send only and I need to also receive DMX on Raspberry Pi...

It looks like both solutions have their issues. The one with DMX-AN2 box need to invest on some hardware and I prefer to avoid buying stuff if nobody tried before as I don't even know if this hardware could work...

Edit: It looks like it could hmmm... https://www.chauvetdj.com/products/dmx-an2/

@60hz Are you handy with a soldering iron? I built a DMX receiver on Arduino and can post the details if you're interested. The hardware is nothing more than the connector and an RS485 driver chip and I found an easy-to-use library. It was about 5 years ago though.

thanks @jameslo
It looks like it's easy to make one, but I can also use an arduino dmx shield for that I guess.

My project is to connect a network of sensors in a huge room that should activate 25 dmx switch powering 220v sculptures depending on the number of visitors... I could do all using arduino's, but the scenario is getting a bit difficult and I prefer to use pd as it's easier to deal with timed events...

@60hz What I've done in the past is to use the Arduino as a bridge to the serial port and let Pd take over from there. In that case I was just reading raw digital inputs, but it could also work with DMX. The DMX thing I built uses a serial port for DMX so you'd have to get one with 2 serial ports. But this takes you somewhat far away from what you originally asked about

@60hz @jameslo I have always been a fan of dedicated hardware..... especially since I bought my first RPI because there was no other way to solve my problem at the time.
It depends.... but the RPI rapidly becomes as expensive as a second-hand laptop once extras are added..... probably more given the current price of a 3B or 4.... and when the hardware solution catches up the RPI goes back in the for sale bin until the next impossible project arrives.
Always useful to have.... but......

And as noted above..... Artnet gives you the Wi-Fi option.
David.

yes @whale-av, but we already have a Pi-400 and dmx-shields for this project... so if I could find a way to receive the sensor's data from 2 arduino+dmx-shield from it, that's ok!

Otherwise I could try to do all using arduino, but really, the code becomes crazy as soon as I check the scenario full of conditions and timed events triggered by the numer of visitors...

Finally I succeded receveing data values from an Enttec dmx-usb Pro inside Puredata, checking at the comport receive outpurt in console.... (exemple in the picture).

I have another issue... If I send a frame to [comport] in order to output value on DMX chanel, then it stop receiving data! So how to make both receiving and send? Is it the right way to do?

@60hz Pretty sure the DmxPro is either input OR output mode...... not simultaneous.
It seems it will change to output mode when you send data in, but how to return to input mode?
There might be a FUDI message that will change mode without using the manager, but you will have to ask Enntec...... I cannot find any reference to that.

David.

Wow, incredible... so this hardware cannot send and receive at same time!
So when using DMX, input is fowarded to the out and that's all?

It seems it will change to output mode when you send data in, but how to return to input mode?

-> after a few time when I try to send data and reading with comport, my dmx device go crazy.

I don't understand the use of 2 channel on such a device then... Maybe I need to have another universe and another DMX interface...

Here is what I did:

@60hz What are you trying to achieve? You have an input capable device (dmxpro) and an output device (shield) that you could talk to through another port at the same time.
Where is control? Is it Pd or something else?
Or are you trying to interrupt and modify another controller?
David.

I am trying to read sensor data from 2 arduino, then send them far away on different DMX channel to puredata. Pure Data patch will then make some process and sound and finally control motors on the DMX switch.

@60hz Can you not send the sensor data in its original format to Pd over Ethernet? Then do just control for the switch by DMX from Pd.
I mean.... does the Arduino device have to send DMX? (I know nothing about the Arduino).
David.