Better late than never I actually had the exact same problem as you, I couldn’t get the DMX USB connection to work with the Arduino clone I had lying around.
The important feature that the microcontroller needs to have is a FTDI chip (a type of USB/Serial connection) that is required for the OP-Z’s DMX connection. The original Arduino Nano (not the “Every”) has this chip. I actually found another Arduino Nano clone on ebay that has the FTDI chip:
Time to show off my setup: I integrated a LED strip into my case with the OP-Z, a Keystep and a Digitone. The LED strip is controlled by an Arduino Clone. Everything is connected with a USB Hub.
Works quite well! (sorry for the sound, using the OP-Z’s internal speaker)
I can get some lights to light up, when connecting them to the Decoder, but nothing seems to actually be controlled by the USB DMX.
I am a complete noob, when it comes to electronics…and my experiments of just plugging random cables somewhere probably aren’t safe. I’d really like some help and someone to walk me through it. Would be willing to pay for it!
I am also interested in this, but also a noob It also got frustrated trying to find practical information on this online. I got the vanilla version working at least (op-z > nucleum usb hub > enttex usb pro > Stairville 240/8 LED RGB bar - works like a charm, but I would like to build DIY fixtures eventually). How did you connect everything? Maybe some photos or diagrams would be helpful.
Hey everyone! I’m sorry I fell off the face of the earth but I’m back and I’ve made a new update. I’ve implemented a wireless Dmx (artnet) system using the Op-z and a sparkling ESP32 Thing microcontroller. I’ll be posting a tutorial in the coming days but ultimately I’d like to make lighting using the Op-z as simple as possible and hopefully make it easier for others to take things even further. I’ve mostly been shooting in the dark on the lighting side of things but with this new implementation, I’m hoping it makes it cheaper and easier to put some visuals to sounds.
In this video:
OP-Z is connected to a esp32 thing which acts as a artnet host.
Each string of LEDs acts as a wireless battery powered artnet node. Each strip is set up to act like 4 segments of LEDs, matching the 16 LEDs on the Op-z. The strings/strips of LEDS are connected to a microcontroller running WLED Which receives and interprets the DMX data over wifi
I actually had the exact same problem as you, I couldn’t get the DMX USB connection to work with the Arduino clone I had lying around.
It also got frustrated trying to find practical information on this online. I got the vanilla version working at least (op-z > nucleum usb hub > enttex usb pro > Stairville 240/8 LED RGB bar - works like a charm, but I would like to build DIY fixtures eventually). How did you connect everything? Maybe some photos or diagrams would be helpful.
