Current Status for DMX Inputs

[hindenboat]

I am working on a light controller design and I would really like to use the Raspberry Pi version of QLC+.

Currently what I am looking to do is simple convert existing DMX512 into E1.31. My friend has a DJ controller that can output DMX signals generated by SoundSwitch. I would like to take these signals and send them to a number of wireless lights controlled by WLED using E1.31 and connected to a WIFI hotspot on the Pi (I would use the WLED E1.31 Effect mode).

The future goal is to use QLC+ as lighting controller that can override/modify the DMX signals(I though there was DMX mixing tools but I cannot find them in the docs), or simply act as a standalone/sound reactive lighting controller. (Virtual Console, MIDI input etc)

I have been reading the docs and this forum to see what I can use to get a DMX input and I am a bit confused.

I found this compatibility page
https://www.qlcplus.org/discover/compatibility

And the input options are limited. The off the shelf devices like the Nodle R4S are out of my budget currently. The other option is the DiscoHAT, but the shop is down, and the last forum posts are from 6 years ago. (I contacted the creator so lets see)

The BitWizard could also work, however it is only marked for output. The following forum posts indicate that it only works for output, but the use case was for input/output not just input.
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=8894
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=13770&p=57959&hilit ... DMX#p57973
viewtopic.php?t=14223

Does anyone know if I can use the BitWizard just as an input? What software settings would I need?

I also found this post that uses a driver chip and the GPIO pins to output DMX
viewtopic.php?t=11616

Would it be possible to make this an input?

Finally I would ideally like to use one of these isolated RS485 HAT for the Pi.
https://www.waveshare.com/product/2-ch-rs485-hat.htm

If I am reading it right this sends the RS485 signals to the Pi vis the SPI interface. Can I set this up as an input? Output? Both? If SPI is not supported can I use OLA as an interface. OLA supports SPI but the docs only mention it when referring to driving LED pixels.

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

[mcallegari]

You can use one DMX USB device with input support and passthrough to sACN

[hindenboat]

You can use one DMX USB device with input support and passthrough to sACN

Thanks for the response, do you know of any DMX USB devices that not ~180Euro? Looking at the compatibility list only the Enttec DMX USB Pro and Nodle R4S support input and are not discontinued. Unless I'm missing something?

This is why I was going down the custom route with Pi HATs. maybe this is the wrong idea though.