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DMX Lynx vs ACx16

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Slinkard View Drop Down
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  Quote Slinkard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Feb 2010 at 12:53pm
Do you these require SSR's? or can you ren ext. coords directly to the board like the D-light boards?
If SSR's are required there is an additional cost that definatly needs to be work into the equation. The SSR and housings is why I originally switch over to the to the D-light boards. At that time it was a wash so I figure why am I doing all this soldering when I could be syncing.
 
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  Quote Slinkard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Feb 2010 at 12:58pm
nevermind just read prior posts - Has everyone taken those ssr's into account. When I was doing it they added 2.50 per channel - then the outlet - hardware ... I could see it adding 4 dollars a channel easy.
 
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  Quote HarleyHaynes Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Feb 2010 at 8:03pm
Be sure not to confuse the lynx freestyle with the lynx express.  The Express is for lack of a better expression a copy of the LOR/D-light ac controllers. To assemble one with enclosure and cables, think (platinum version of D-light) I think was $97.  
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  Quote Bigindian Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Feb 2010 at 8:18pm

The Lynx Express and the Freestyle are two different animals.  As HH said above the Express is a 16 channel controller that is essentially the same type controller as an AC16.  The freestyle is a 128 Controller only.  To be complete, it requires the SSR modules at each location where control is required.  Each SSR4 is a 4 channel device capable of controlling 4 channels at any one spot in your show.  The idea behind this controller is you can tie each SSR4 to a specific area in the show and have 1 central controller for all 128 channels.

 
 
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  Quote Pony_God Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Feb 2010 at 8:07am
So... I'm back to why D-Light or LOR when the Express is 1/2 the cost  and all functionality is in software instead of hardware?
Ya-know, I'm not trying to be anti-DLight here. I'm just trying to see if I'm missing something.
Is it the same type of difference between D-Light/LOR and Animated Lighting? So Is Animated Lights to D-Light as D-Light is to Lynx?
Of course this could be half the problem since the Lynx site is just a forum, and there's really no product page comparing or explaining the product.
 
Also, I do understand that the Freestyle is a ... header for multiple other SSRs (controllers) and do nothing themselves, could be nice if there's some compact and complex display. Possibly a 64 channel tree so instead of putting 4 controllers there, you could use a single Freestyle and 4 SSRs, but even that doesn't seem to make too much logic. Can each SSR handle more amperage?


Edited by Pony_God - 24 Feb 2010 at 8:15am
Fine. You're so smart you rig up the lights.
D-Light users Unite!
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  Quote deweycooter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Feb 2010 at 8:33am
Just to clear up a minor detail - Each SSR controls 4 channels, so you're looking at 16 for a freestyle. Nevermind, I assumed SSR4 instead of SSR16.  I don't see the advantage with SSR16s over the LE.

Actually, I think of the advantage of a Freestyle is when you have elements that are really spread out.  For each SSR (group of 4 channels), you can trade using 4 extension cords with 1 (potentially longer) and a cat5 run.  Cat5 is cheaper to run than extension cords.

Amperage - I think it's limited by the triac, so unless there are beefier triacs on board, I'm not sure there'd be a difference.


Edited by deweycooter - 24 Feb 2010 at 8:38am
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  Quote cstrang Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Feb 2010 at 2:08pm
Don't forget another advantage of the Freestyle being that you can expand as needed.  The full system consists of one freestyle controller and 32 SSR4 modules, but you only need the controller and 1 SSR4 module to turn on 4 strings(or groups) of lights.  The SSR4's are "cheap" in the sense that each (pcb and parts) is about 12 bucks.  The controller is close to 80.00 and for less than 100 you have a 128 channel capable system with 4 channels.  add SSR's as you get funds...   Star
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  Quote Rod R Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Feb 2010 at 2:46am
Keep an eye out looks like RJ is going to do another Coop on the Lynx Express in the next week or two.  The last one over 500 LE were ordered.
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  Quote RJ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Feb 2010 at 1:00pm
Maybe I might know enough to help?
 
   It is hard to compare the Freestyle (FS) to the commercial controllers. The seperate SSR from the controller is a hang on from the DIY world. Many of the DIY users were use to the two being seperate and keeping the controller (Brain part) in the garage and the SSR in the yard. You can control a lot of channels from just one board if it is only the controller part since power is not a limiting factor. Think of a 128 channel full unit like a LOR or Express. Man how would you feed it 512 amps to meet the capacity it could handle and how big would the circuit board traces have to be to handle it, and the board would be HUGE!
 
So back to the comparison. They all do the same thing, dim lights. They all have 16 channels. They use different protocols to talk. We use DMX which is supported by almost everyone now. The stuff about fades and twinkles is not an issue. The reason D-light and LOR did this in the hardware was because the communication they used was slow enough that at large amounts of channels you could overload the pipe. So they offloaded it to the hardware so they could tell it what to do for the next few seconds and not tell it each step of the way. DMX runs fast and you will always get 512 channels updated all the time so there is no problem up to 512 channels and then you simply start a new DMX "Universe" to get another 512 channels. The user does not know the difference in other words. You mark a ramp and the software handles telling the controllers what to do.
Here is one of our users that uses LOR and Lynx stuff and he has a video talking about it. http://www.christmasonmanor.com/2009video/LYNXandLOR.wmv
 
If the issue that seems wrong is the cost and what are you giving up for it then it is simple, you have to solder it, No one is in bussiness and so we do not have employees to pay or rent on the building, profit we must make, ect. We do not have warranty to take care of you built it you fix it. We do have great support and have always been able to help anyone needing it. The units even can do things other can't, like custom normilized curves per channel to allow you to mix and match lights and make the dim and ramp all at the same linear rate. Push button programming with a display and built in test mode with the ablitity to turn the lights on and off at the unit while you setup.  Cheap wireless that while one poster here had issues with range many used it without issue. We have even created a ver 2 that is in beta that outputs 2 - 3 time the signal. Now it is line of sight so you have to stay within its limitations but for $20 a controller to be wireless it is worth doing so. Setup and tear down becomes so easy with out the data cables to worry about.   
 
The last thing is the comment about us not having a page to use to compare. I think the problem is you must be looking only at the forum. We have a WIKI for this very reason with everything you want to know.
 
Check out this link :
That takes you to the equipment page but the wiki as a whole has a lot of information in it.
 
Remember any controller that works for you and makes the light blink is the one to have. My stuff is just another option and I never tell people they are better than XYZ units. Cause I can't whats better for any given person they have to make those calls themself. We all have different needs.  
 
Hope I helped and did not intrude in your thread unwelcomed.
 
RJ
 
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  Quote deweycooter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Feb 2010 at 7:23pm
Thanks RJ - good to see you here.  :)
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