Arduino TinkerKit DMX Master Shield T140060

The shield is pretty well made, you have to solder the 2 dmx connectors on yourself (and buy a 5 pin to 3 pin converter if you don't already have one). The box it came in had a few different websites printed on it, but none of them actually existed. It also had a paper about a limited warranty in it, but nothing to actually help you use it.I found the dmx library for this shield at http://code.google.com/p/tinkerit/wiki/DmxSimple. You can just import it into your arduino program after you download it. It's outdated and will not validate unless you go into the dmxsimple.cpp file (you can do it in notepad, make sure you are editing the file in the right location, I put the .zip file in the arduino libraries folder and then extracted it in the program and it put it in a totally different location, just follow the path in the error log) and change line 11 #include "wiring.h" to #include "Arduino.h" then it should work fine.Writing code for it is easy. You just set a value for each channel. Say you're using lighting fixtures, you have to look up the manual for the lighting fixture you have to see what each channel controls and then specify what each of the dmx channels value should be (0-255). Here's an example of what I did with a 7 channel fixture (it sets a color with rgb and then makes it fade up and down). #include <DmxSimple.h>void setup() { DmxSimple.usePin(3); //3 pin fixture (had to get an adapter) DmxSimple.maxChannel(7);}void loop() { int brightness; //brightness variable for (brightness = 0; brightness <= 255; brightness++) {//sets brightness to 0 goes through adding 1//to the value each time, then restarts at 0 after it maxes out DmxSimple.write(171, 120); //red (these are the functions of each channel in the fixture) DmxSimple.write(172, 20); //green DmxSimple.write(173, 180); //blue DmxSimple.write(174, 0); //macro DmxSimple.write(175, 0); //strobe DmxSimple.write(176, 0); //programs DmxSimple.write(177, brightness); //dimmer delay(10); //if you don't add a delay it strobes }}

What's in the box:- One shield- Two loose female 5-pin DMX connectors (you have to solder them on yourself, no big deal if you know how to solder)Performance:I bought this and connected it to my Arduino Uno board - perfect fit.I wrote to the company TinkerKit several times asking for technical support and product documentation. No response. Their website does not provide any documentation. If you go to their website, click on the modules page and scroll all the way down to the DMX Master Shield it takes you to a page with very little information and a mile of comments from other frustrated consumers who are also trying to figure out how to make it work. At a minimum their website should have a board schematic and perhaps a "How to use your wonderful new DMX Shield" users manual.Overall:Nice looking shield! Great design. Appears to be a quality build.BUT... the manufacturer provides no documentation.The shield works, give it a try.UPDATE - July 31, 2014:I finally received a response from the supplier! So, they may not be quick, but eventually they will get around to responding to your inquiry.

It works perfectly, but the D+ and D- pins, at least on the OUT screw terminals (not sure about other places) are LABELED IMPROPERLY. If you want to send DMX out of/through the arduino, you need to screw in the D- wire from your DMX line to the D+ port, and the D+ line to the D-. Ground is properly labeled.

I will add a fith star when I get it working. Ok so here is what I found in [...] It looks to be some of the original software and manuals. Or at least a close knock off maybe called Tinker it but it has some good info and a video. This might help some of you codies to get some good info. If you do, I am trying to use the Toni Merino deskkontrol artnet dmx node code to create an artnet node to control one universe. I hope this helps somebody!

It does work. I have two and have been trying to get these to work with my xbees and can't get the code right. But as a shield, I can attest I was able to turn a couple channels on using dmx protocol. I don't know however if these are isolated with opto or dc iso chips. I can't find hardware info for it. The website doesn't work. Read the reviews to use this.

Works exactly as it should, has a good library for arduino that makes it very easy to write DMX output code for. I actually used this unit to replace a lighting amplifier that used the arduino's PWM outputs through a mosfet amplifier, to modify the code all i had to change was my analogWrite() to DmxSimple.write().

Note to everyone: These are no longer supported by the manufacturer and most of the code out there is many years old.

Wish there were a bit more instructions as other people have stated, difficulty getting it to function as desired. However it is a well built and constructed product so that pleased me.