Arduino DMX/RDM Shield from DFROBOT

Descriptions:

The Arduino DMX Shield from DFRobot is certainly one of the more unique Arduino Shields that we’ve chosen to stock, and is designed to give an Arduino project DMX512 protocol capabilities. It allows you to connect your Arduino-driven lighting, artwork and theatrics to DMX512 networks, and is capable of acting as both a slave and a master, as well as an RDM transponder.

The shield is driven by the MAX485 chip, and each shield is provided with a unique RDM device ID as well, making it unique compared to other RDM transponders in the world, ensuring that it will never run into the problem of clashing with other similar devices on various networks. It features both a male and a female NEUTRIK XLR 3 Pin connector, and also includes onboard jumpers that allow you to define the mode of operations and even disable the shield without ever having to unplug it from the Arduino Board. These jumpers also offer the convenience of being able to choose whether to connect to the TX and RX via Digital Pins 3 and 4, or whether to connect via Serial UART.

Please remember that you will need to disconnect any power sources from the DMX/RDM Shield before plugging in or unplugging the shield or peripherals. This will keep your shield and components safe from unnecessary damage, and will avoid any unexpected short circuits or other problems. Fortunately, the jumper configurations help to reduce the need for plugging and unplugging the shield, which of course reduces the chances of damage in case of mistaken unplugging while the power is connected. This is also incredibly helpful when uploading new sketches, as you can simply change the jumper into “NOT EN” mode to disable it instead of unplugging the entire shield.

Additional Resources:

• DMX Library
• DMX Arduino Playboard
• DMX Library & Wiki (SourceForge)
• Brief User Manual