# I got my website up - yay!



## DMXtools (Dec 11, 2003)

I got a fixed IP address from my ISP and I'm hosting it on my own Linux server. It's http://www.dmx-tools.com.

As I've mentioned in other posts, I'm basically an electronics engineer with a hobby doing sound and lights for local-band punk rock shows. When I was laid off from my job of 24 years, I decided to start my own business, designing and building some lighting gadgets I needed for my own system - low-cost translators to go from DMX to microplex and microplex to DMX. The website is primarily to promote those gadgets.

However, I'm the ultimate techno-geek. For those with similar geekish tendencies, the "support" section includes pretty good explanations of DMX-512 and of the older mic-cable multiplex schemes. I tried to break it down to where you don't need an engineering degree to understand them. I'll soon be doing a similar analysis of AMX-192, to go with the release of my next product, an AMX-192 to DMX-512 translator.

A subsection of "support" is called "for geeks only." Here I've posted the electrical schematics and calibration procedures for my current products and will shortly be adding "theory of operations" pages. As I release new products, I'll post similar information about them. If you're really into taking stuff apart to figure out how it works, this section is for you. For anyone else, it'll probably be as exciting as watching paint dry.

Anyhow, please check out my website and let me know what you think. I've learned a lot from ControlBooth.com. I want to give something back, so if anyone is upgrading an older system and needs to run NSI microplex, Leprecon, Lightronics, James Lighting or Sunn dimmers from a DMX-512 board, registered ControlBooth members get any of my translators at dealer cost.

John


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## zac850 (Dec 14, 2003)

Cool!!!!

you can also make a bit of money on the side if you host people...if you have your own server and all, and it dosen't seem slow, just load up a few more cpanels and your in bisness!!!


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## wolf825 (Dec 14, 2003)

Nice site & nice toys.. I forwarded the link to a sales friend in the lighting business to investigate...maybe they will want to carry your products and re-sell them for you locally to installation customers..like them being a dealer for your product etc. 

No guarentee's..just passed on the info cause I thought they may be interested. Solutions in lighting are always a big issue for them to promote. 

-wolf


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## DMXtools (Dec 14, 2003)

Thanks, Wolf, for the kind words... and for the plug! Totally unexpected, so appreciated even more  

Next gadget up will be an AMX-192 (also known as SMX - the old Strand protocol) to DMX-512 translator. The last of the parts for prototypes are due in tomorrow (Monday, Dec. 15). If my test and debug work goes well, it'll be out on the market in late January. It'll be the same size and shape as the DMX-MPX translator and in the same price range.

I don't expect to get rich on my little gadgets, but it would be nice to sell enough of them that I don't have to go back to working for someone else. And it's a huge boost to my ego when somebody tells me one of my translators has helped him build up a better lighting system on a tight budget.

John


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## wolf825 (Dec 14, 2003)

DMXtools said:


> Thanks, Wolf, for the kind words... and for the plug! Totally unexpected, so appreciated even more
> 
> Next gadget up will be an AMX-192 (also known as SMX - the old Strand protocol) to DMX-512 translator. The last of the parts for prototypes are due in tomorrow (Monday, Dec. 15). If my test and debug work goes well, it'll be out on the market in late January. It'll be the same size and shape as the DMX-MPX translator and in the same price range.
> 
> ...



you are quite welcome..you may wish to puta "coming soon" section on your website about the strand protocal thing--since the folks I suggested you to are one of the larger Strand dealers & Strand authorized service folks on the eastcoast...

-wolf


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## MrLights (Dec 31, 2003)

*SMX*


wolf825 said:


> DMXtools said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks, Wolf, for the kind words... and for the plug! Totally unexpected, so appreciated even more
> ...


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## DMXtools (Jan 2, 2004)

Thanks, John,
I stand corrected. However, I've seen a couple consoles with a 4-pin XLR-style connector labeled "SMX (AMX-192)." Coupled with a paragraph in the USITT AMX-192 specification which states in part "... the origins of this Standard come from a control protocol originally developed by Strand Lighting (Strand Century Inc.)." and a few other references I've seen that seem to indicate that they were the same, it seems I've repeated erroneous information. Thanks for setting the record straight.

John


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