Xlights & Renard TR24 Plus

[rmaddox]

I'm using a Renard TR24 Plus to drive some AC lights in my display.  They are C9 LED's & a strobes.  I'm sequencing with Xlights and I'm using a Falcon F16v3 & a Holiday Coro AlphaPix16 to drive my pixels.  My question is how do I set up the TR24 in Xlights and also how do I physically connect the TR24?  My thinking is to connect the TR24 to one of the RS485 jacks on the Falcon and then in Xlights I would set it up on the layout tab with it's own universe and with the same IP address as the Falcon.  Will that work or is there another way?

[keithsw1111]

It should work. It doesn’t even need its own universe but most people do allocate one because it is clearer.


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[rmaddox]

OK  Thanks!

[rmaddox]

I'm still having trouble getting this to work.  Basically, I think my Falcon and my Renard aren't communicating and I don't have my settings in FP & Xlights correct.  I have attached screen shots of my set up in the Falcon interface and my set up in Xlights   

[Ebuechner]

This might require a crossover cable.
Rj45 pin 4 is data-  pin 5 is data+

[Ebuechner]

Also in your Falcon you have DMX set for your output protocol.
What did you program your Renard's to accept?

[rmaddox]

I'm not sure about this.  Mac Macmillan built the controller for me and I'm  not sure how it is programmed.  I've sent him a message and waiting for a reply.  As soon as I can find out I'll post it.

[Ebuechner]

You only have 2 protocol options Renard or DMX
If you have communication between the falcon and your Renard board your green RX TX will be blinking rapidly and the red heart beat LED will be blinking every few seconds.
In order for your Renard board to work with the falcon you will have to make a custom cable between the two.
The two jumper output configurations available on the Falcon will not work with a straight through cable.
Take a look at the assembly instructions on the Renard site and towards the bottom of the page will show you the data connections for making a crossover cable.

[rmaddox]

OK, thanks!  I did find out that it is setup to receive the Renard protocol with a 57.6K baud rate. 

[rmaddox]

Also, how do I set this up in Xlights?  What port do I use and what connection?

[Gilrock]

If the TR24 is being run by the Falcon then you just setup a universe in xLights like any out output on the Falcon.  Sounded like you already suspected that was the right way in the very first post.

[Ebuechner]

OK, thanks!  I did find out that it is setup to receive the Renard protocol with a 57.6K baud rate.

Okay, those settings are done in the Falcon serial output page.
Once you have a cable made, and have communication between the Falcon and the Renard board with the universe set to that serial output, xlights is easy.
And don't panic if the test mode from the Falcon doesn't do anything with the Renard board there's a bug in the Falcon serial output during testing that I'm not sure is fixed yet.

[rmaddox]

Ok, thanks all!  I'll try getting the cable made and set everything.  I wouldn't be surprised if I don't have other questions.  I'll let you know if everything works out.

[rmaddox]

I've been looking at the crossover diagram on the Renard TR24 manual.  My first thought is that I need to modify a Cat 5 cable so that the W/Blue wire from first end of the Cat 5 would connect to the W/Orange wire on the other end; the Blue wire from the first end would connect to the Orange on the other end; the W/Orange wire from the first end would connect to the Brown on the other end and the Orange wire from the first end would connect to the W/Brown wire on the other end.  The first end would be the Renard end and the second the Falcon. None of the other wires would matter. I would need to label each end to keep it straight.  Am I thinking correctly?

[Ebuechner]

Renard uses pins 4 & 5 falcon uses pins 1 & 2.
Renard side pin 5 White and blue connect to falcon side pin 1 white and orange.
Renard side pin 4 blue connect to falcon side pin 2 Orange.
Connecting the ground is optional
Make sure you label the different ends and set the jumpers on the Falcon to DMX.