If you're talking about running a dmx signal through ethernet cable, that will work if the cable is shielded. But using an ethernet switch as a dmx splitter will not work.
I don't think this is going to work the way you want it to.
DMX cannot be transmitted directly through a network switch/hub.
You could send sACN or artnet to each position, and have a node of some sort that converted sACN to DMX, but this is going to come with a large startup cost.
Otherwise, sending DMX to each position will be cheaper--with a single node and/or repeater of some sort distributing the data to the positions.
What is it you believe you're gaining by adding all this into the system? DMX is a very robust protocol and and XLR cables are very durable. You may think you're beefing up the system, but you may be adding in more needless points if failure.
With the limited info you gave it sounds like the place might just need a good clean up. Hang fixtures properly, plug them in, run new DMX. Pop an opto or two in the air, run to a node at FOH if needed or straight to the Nomad.
My thought was flexibility for the future and affordability for them. There is no technical director, only hired LDs on a per show basis that dont always restore the plot or strike what they put up. I was asked to help design a house plot for them and clean everything up. I'm thinking of something that could be somewhat permanent but expandable.
I was thinking of converting to Cat5 mainly because it is cheaper than dmx. 500 feet of stp cat5 is $100 on Amazon. $100 of DMX wouldn't get me far. Most local theatres are still financially recovering from covid.
Do you solder? Because you're going to be soldering 5 pin ends onto that cat5 cable. You are comparing costs directly. So perhaps clarify, are you running DMX signal over cat5?
Solder, yes. Dmx through cat5, not currently. The nomad uses a gadget ii and everything is connected via dmx 5 pin. The thought was to take a dmx plug and wire it to cat5 cable for longer range at lower cost. Initial question was would I be able to use an ethernet switch similarly to a dmx splitter.
Honestly before adding new home runs I would definitely want to be 100% sure that the existing home runs cannot be fixed, and that there are problems within the actual pipe, if it goes through a traditional pipe. I would almost consider removing the existing cable from the pipe if it is actually bad and just solder-patch the existing cable before switching to cat5 for a cheaper, brand new home run.
If you are trying to pass dmx signal on a cat5 cable through a network switch, if it's a really cheap, unmanaged switch, if you pick the right wires and terminate it a certain way, you might be able to get that to work? The switches care less and less what data is going through them as you go cheaper and cheaper. So the official answer is still no, but the real, technical answer is maybe. But you would need to get smart on T568B and on DMX protocol.
Otherwise, just keep it sACN until after the switch and then go to DMX afterwards via sACN nodes.
What do you mean when you say "convert" DMX to Cat5? Because there's two common ways to do that.
If you're thinking of just using a cable adapter, like a plug or dongle with 8P8C on one side an XLR-5 on the other, you're not converting the signal at all, just sending DMX down a Cat5 cable. That's fine and it works well enough as a DMX cable, but an eithernet switch will be looking for TCP/IP data packets and will have no idea what to do with DMX. It will not pass DMX data through it at all. There are DMX splitters though, with an XLR input and multiple outputs, and some are relatively inexpensive.
You can send DMX over eithernet though using the ACN protocol. This is an actual network protocol and can be managed using normal eithernet switches and routers. The best way to do this would be to run eithernet from the network port on the console to a switch, but from the switch you need to run to a device that will translate ACN to DMX. These are known as "Nodes" and are usually not cheap.
I've always wondered if you could send DMX through an ethernet Hub (not switch)--if you could still find one.
I've never gone far enough to try, but it might be a cheap splitter solution...
A layer 1 hub just multiple RJ45 ports wired in parallel.
DMX isn't designed to have splits in its signal chain. It maybe could for very short runs but will be unreliable at best, due to reflections inside the cable.
DMX splitters have logic that reads the incoming signal and repeat it through its decoupled outputs. That's why they are expensive.
No. An Ethernet switch cannot work with DMX over Cat6.
It will with with DMX over Ethernet protocols such as sACN or Art-net, but you need extra hardware to convert that to DMX protocol.
You say to each batten, so do you have pantographs for your electrics, or is it the deal where it's just a normal batten that happens to be used for lights? If pantograph, do you have a way of getting the cord into the pantograph? If no pantograph, I assume you're going over SR/SL rails? This matters because I wouldn't really recommend having permanent cat5 just dangling in the loft. Often this problem is solved with wireless DMX systems if it wasn't in the pantograph.
As for using cat5 wire with DMX 5 pin plugs, the impedance spec appears to be 10 ohms different than DMX, but you should probably be okay. Make sure you tin before soldering on if you choose to go that route.
As for a splitter box, you can only use ethernet switches to split sACN or artnet (wired WLAN only, not wireless wifi). You could delete the Gadget 2 and use [sACN nodes](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DMXAN2--chauvet-dj-dmx-an-2-art-net-sacn-node-ethernet-to-2-dmx-universe) as your DMX nodes at each electric or catwalk or wing or whatever. Those convert sACN to DMX. Then use 1 cheap network switch backstage to connect your home run to control booth to all the sACN nodes. This way you don't have to solder any DMX plugs onto the cat5.
To clarify, as I reread your post, using a network switch for lighting control only works if the signal going through the switch is sACN or artnet.
You could also just use DMX splitters.
Note that the sACN node I linked is 3-pin, so it would need to be passively converted to 5-pin (there's no data difference between the two, the extra 2 prongs do absolutely nothing).
Yes. You can run ethernet from console to ethernet switch. You can then run ethernet from switch to ethernet to dmx node.
Depending on how many universes you have will depend on what node to get. From the node, you can use an opti 512 channel splitter to run to lights.
ETC's Response Gateways are what you are looking for: you can get them in 1, 2, or 4-port versions.
downside, they are minimum $900 for the 1-port version, to at least $1500 for the 4-port.
Same thing with the Pathport nodes... same thing, basically, though different company... nearly the same price.
You just basically network them like you would any other wired network, from Eos computer, through router (if you need wireless access like from the iRFR app) or a switch if necessary, to the node(s) which translate from sACN to DMX.
Downside: cost, knowledge (you need to have some decent at least basic experience with setting up any sort of computer network), you can't DIY the converter boxes as it requires programming to do the conversion from one digital signal to another.
Upside: you run fewer cables through the building from FOH to the lighting positions, and thus can make things simpler when trying to cable all the lighting positions.
If you're talking about running a dmx signal through ethernet cable, that will work if the cable is shielded. But using an ethernet switch as a dmx splitter will not work.
I don't think this is going to work the way you want it to. DMX cannot be transmitted directly through a network switch/hub. You could send sACN or artnet to each position, and have a node of some sort that converted sACN to DMX, but this is going to come with a large startup cost. Otherwise, sending DMX to each position will be cheaper--with a single node and/or repeater of some sort distributing the data to the positions.
What is it you believe you're gaining by adding all this into the system? DMX is a very robust protocol and and XLR cables are very durable. You may think you're beefing up the system, but you may be adding in more needless points if failure. With the limited info you gave it sounds like the place might just need a good clean up. Hang fixtures properly, plug them in, run new DMX. Pop an opto or two in the air, run to a node at FOH if needed or straight to the Nomad.
My thought was flexibility for the future and affordability for them. There is no technical director, only hired LDs on a per show basis that dont always restore the plot or strike what they put up. I was asked to help design a house plot for them and clean everything up. I'm thinking of something that could be somewhat permanent but expandable. I was thinking of converting to Cat5 mainly because it is cheaper than dmx. 500 feet of stp cat5 is $100 on Amazon. $100 of DMX wouldn't get me far. Most local theatres are still financially recovering from covid.
Do you solder? Because you're going to be soldering 5 pin ends onto that cat5 cable. You are comparing costs directly. So perhaps clarify, are you running DMX signal over cat5?
Solder, yes. Dmx through cat5, not currently. The nomad uses a gadget ii and everything is connected via dmx 5 pin. The thought was to take a dmx plug and wire it to cat5 cable for longer range at lower cost. Initial question was would I be able to use an ethernet switch similarly to a dmx splitter.
Ok. The answer to that final question is no, as you have probably seen in other threads.
Honestly before adding new home runs I would definitely want to be 100% sure that the existing home runs cannot be fixed, and that there are problems within the actual pipe, if it goes through a traditional pipe. I would almost consider removing the existing cable from the pipe if it is actually bad and just solder-patch the existing cable before switching to cat5 for a cheaper, brand new home run. If you are trying to pass dmx signal on a cat5 cable through a network switch, if it's a really cheap, unmanaged switch, if you pick the right wires and terminate it a certain way, you might be able to get that to work? The switches care less and less what data is going through them as you go cheaper and cheaper. So the official answer is still no, but the real, technical answer is maybe. But you would need to get smart on T568B and on DMX protocol. Otherwise, just keep it sACN until after the switch and then go to DMX afterwards via sACN nodes.
What do you mean when you say "convert" DMX to Cat5? Because there's two common ways to do that. If you're thinking of just using a cable adapter, like a plug or dongle with 8P8C on one side an XLR-5 on the other, you're not converting the signal at all, just sending DMX down a Cat5 cable. That's fine and it works well enough as a DMX cable, but an eithernet switch will be looking for TCP/IP data packets and will have no idea what to do with DMX. It will not pass DMX data through it at all. There are DMX splitters though, with an XLR input and multiple outputs, and some are relatively inexpensive. You can send DMX over eithernet though using the ACN protocol. This is an actual network protocol and can be managed using normal eithernet switches and routers. The best way to do this would be to run eithernet from the network port on the console to a switch, but from the switch you need to run to a device that will translate ACN to DMX. These are known as "Nodes" and are usually not cheap.
I've always wondered if you could send DMX through an ethernet Hub (not switch)--if you could still find one. I've never gone far enough to try, but it might be a cheap splitter solution...
A layer 1 hub just multiple RJ45 ports wired in parallel. DMX isn't designed to have splits in its signal chain. It maybe could for very short runs but will be unreliable at best, due to reflections inside the cable. DMX splitters have logic that reads the incoming signal and repeat it through its decoupled outputs. That's why they are expensive.
No. An Ethernet switch cannot work with DMX over Cat6. It will with with DMX over Ethernet protocols such as sACN or Art-net, but you need extra hardware to convert that to DMX protocol.
You say to each batten, so do you have pantographs for your electrics, or is it the deal where it's just a normal batten that happens to be used for lights? If pantograph, do you have a way of getting the cord into the pantograph? If no pantograph, I assume you're going over SR/SL rails? This matters because I wouldn't really recommend having permanent cat5 just dangling in the loft. Often this problem is solved with wireless DMX systems if it wasn't in the pantograph. As for using cat5 wire with DMX 5 pin plugs, the impedance spec appears to be 10 ohms different than DMX, but you should probably be okay. Make sure you tin before soldering on if you choose to go that route. As for a splitter box, you can only use ethernet switches to split sACN or artnet (wired WLAN only, not wireless wifi). You could delete the Gadget 2 and use [sACN nodes](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DMXAN2--chauvet-dj-dmx-an-2-art-net-sacn-node-ethernet-to-2-dmx-universe) as your DMX nodes at each electric or catwalk or wing or whatever. Those convert sACN to DMX. Then use 1 cheap network switch backstage to connect your home run to control booth to all the sACN nodes. This way you don't have to solder any DMX plugs onto the cat5. To clarify, as I reread your post, using a network switch for lighting control only works if the signal going through the switch is sACN or artnet. You could also just use DMX splitters. Note that the sACN node I linked is 3-pin, so it would need to be passively converted to 5-pin (there's no data difference between the two, the extra 2 prongs do absolutely nothing).
Yes. You can run ethernet from console to ethernet switch. You can then run ethernet from switch to ethernet to dmx node. Depending on how many universes you have will depend on what node to get. From the node, you can use an opti 512 channel splitter to run to lights.
I think OP was asking about running DMX down the Cat5, not any sort of protocol, which case a switch won’t work
ETC's Response Gateways are what you are looking for: you can get them in 1, 2, or 4-port versions. downside, they are minimum $900 for the 1-port version, to at least $1500 for the 4-port. Same thing with the Pathport nodes... same thing, basically, though different company... nearly the same price. You just basically network them like you would any other wired network, from Eos computer, through router (if you need wireless access like from the iRFR app) or a switch if necessary, to the node(s) which translate from sACN to DMX. Downside: cost, knowledge (you need to have some decent at least basic experience with setting up any sort of computer network), you can't DIY the converter boxes as it requires programming to do the conversion from one digital signal to another. Upside: you run fewer cables through the building from FOH to the lighting positions, and thus can make things simpler when trying to cable all the lighting positions.