USB-DMX512 Python Module

This python module supports actual the following USB-DMX interfaces (FT232R chip based):

• EUROLITE USB-DMX512 PRO Cable Interface (Link)
• EUROLITE USB-DMX512 PRO Interface MK2 (Link)

Requirements

• Python ≥ 3.6
• numpy
• pyserial

Note: Tested on Windows 10, amd64, Python 3.8
Should also work on Linux, MacOS and on AARCH64 devices (ARM devices like Raspberry PI).

Installation

Make sure to have git, python and pip in your environment path or activate your python environment.
To install enter in cmd/shell:

git clone https://github.com/monzelr/dmx.git

cd dmx

pip install .

Alternative with python:

python setup.py install

Example Code Snippets

If you want to dim 4 channels up and down:

from dmx import DMX
import time

dmx = DMX(num_of_channels=4)
dmx.set_data(1, 0)
dmx.set_data(2, 0)
dmx.set_data(3, 0)
dmx.set_data(4, 0)

while True:
    for i in range(0, 255, 5):
        dmx.set_data(1, i, auto_send=False)
        dmx.set_data(2, i, auto_send=False)
        dmx.set_data(3, i, auto_send=False)
        dmx.set_data(4, i)
        time.sleep(0.01)

    for i in range(255, 0, -5):
        dmx.set_data(1, i, auto_send=False)
        dmx.set_data(2, i, auto_send=False)
        dmx.set_data(3, i, auto_send=False)
        dmx.set_data(4, i)
        time.sleep(0.01)

If you want to add your own adapter or multiple adapter by serial number:

from dmx import DMX

dmx = DMX()
my_device_serial_number = dmx.use_device.serial_number
del dmx

my_device_sn = dmx.use_device.serial_number
del dmx

dmx2 = DMX(serial_number=my_device_sn)
dmx2.set_data(1, 100)
dmx2.send()
time.sleep(1)
del dmx2

Technical notes

to EUROLITE USB-DMX512 PRO Cable Interface / EUROLITE USB-DMX512 PRO Interface MK2 :

• uses chip FTDI232R (like EUROLITE USB-DMX512 PRO Interface MK2)

• the FTDI FT232R updates the DMX automatically - you do no need to refresh the DMX universe by yourself

• if you only have 4 channels, set them at the DMX address start (1 to 4), thus sending updates to the FT232R chip is faster

• 250000 baudrate for the FT232R is a must

• needs 5 start bytes: [0x7E, 0x06, 0x01, 0x02, 0x00]

  • byte 1: signal start byte 0x7E
  • byte 2: TX DMX packet: 0x06
  • byte 3 & 4: LSB of DMX length (in this case 513 -> do not forget address 0): 0x01 and 0x02
  • byte 5: address 0 of DMX signal: 0x00

• supports only label 6: TX DMX Packet

• needs one end byte [0xE7]

Building the documentation

Go into the dmx root folder (where setup.py is) and type in the following command in the cmd/shell:

python setup.py build_sphinx

The documentation can than be found in dmx/build/sphinx/html.