USB to DMX - 1 fits all for Freestyler Chamsys QLC

[IainB]

Looking at playing around with DMX (albeit with 'older' lights) and a couple of hours reading the forum has Freestyler, QLC and Chamsys as the front runners (and probably in the order that I will try them in).
Thinking about hooking these up to a windows 10 'tablet' (currently on offer from Tescos, other supermarkets are available) and it looks like the one im looking at has a full size USB slot.
Is there a 1 fits all option for a USB to DMX interface? Looking on the Bay of E gives options between £13 - £64 or indeed will the Chamsys MagicDMX Basic work on all 3?
Thanks

[IainB]

Ive gone for the Chamsys MagicDMX Basic on the 10" Tescos windows tablet... all in cost so far under £110, if it doesn't work out I have a tablet I can repurpose, if it does 'happy days' as the manual controllers Ive been looking at have been in that ballpark, but with more limited options.

[Creature]

FreeStyler is the way to go and is the easiest to use and has great forum support.

Also I found freestyler uses far less recorses than any other softwar, important if like me my laptop of choice is nearly 10 years old.

I used one of those usb to dmx and it worked great for small light shows, then i upgraded to a box which got rid of the lag and works great with my large 2 gantry stage show

the usb to dmx lead is in my laptop bag as a spare or small shows, so still gets fair amount of usage

[IainB]

Chamsys nearly got thrown in the bin as I couldnt get it to work (on my old laptop) that was... until I ran it under Administrator mode
So far have managed to run it under 'Technician Test Fixture' to get my old Mojo Spinmaster 3 working, but couldn't get my Abstract Futurescan 1CE to fire up though then realised pin 2 is hot for them, so quick out with the soldering iron and... up it pops
Now to work on getting my head around DMX programming
I WILL get my head around this

[Imagine]

I WILL get my head around this

This time last year, i was where you are now. It seemed like one hell of a steep learning curve until something suddenly clicked in my limited number of brain cells.

I'm using Freestyler via an OpenDMX dongle (which is also fudged with a WiFi output on it), and it just works for me. I've even got to the stage where I stripped the original gubbins out of my acrylic LOVE letters, added new LEDs and a DMX decoder with WiFi so I can make those part of the show as well.

I only have three main shows programmed up, plus I programme up the first dance show to match colour schemes if needed. I find it works for me and keeps everything under control (although it's nowhere near the type of lightshow you'd see at Wembley Arena). I've also now got just about every fixture I own into each of those shows (although they never go out at the same time). This means I can happily mix and match fixtures dependant on the venue and type of party and they all fit together nicely

The main reason I went for Freestyler is that you can send the beat grid through to it from Virtual DJ, meaning the lights are actually in sync with the beat of the music (much like sound to light...which you can also use via the laptop's internal mic if you want). I prefer this to just having lights flashing, albeit to a set pattern, but with no correspondence to the music being played. Unfortunately with Chamsys, you have to spend a lot of money to be able to do that on another bit of equipment which it what put me off

[IainB]

The main reason I went for Freestyler is that you can send the beat grid through to it from Virtual DJ, meaning the lights are actually in sync with the beat of the music (much like sound to light...which you can also use via the laptop's internal mic if you want). I prefer this to just having lights flashing, albeit to a set pattern, but with no correspondence to the music being played. Unfortunately with Chamsys, you have to spend a lot of money to be able to do that on another bit of equipment which it what put me off

Freestyler will be the next one I try, so far my total outlay has been circa £15 for the Chamsys USB (I still have yet to install it on the tablet I bought for the purpose) but like you will have 4 (or so) programs set, which I need a LJ for and a white out for first dances.
Im running CDJs so will have to see if I can fudge something for sound to light (bar the above for-mentioned LJ)
Ive even got to the stage where im considering sending myself on the Chamsys training course so I can really see how powerful it is, this stuff is addictive