SparkFun ESP32 DMX to LED Shield
Englandsaurus Introduction
The SparkFun ESP32 DMX to LED Shield is the perfect way to send and receive DMX data whether it be coming in over the onboard XLR-3 jack or ArtNet, or outputting over the XLR-3 Jack/ArtNet, this shield has you covered. It's the perfect way to get started developing your own custom DMX fixtures, or even adding ArtNet capabilities to a current fixture. It also holds up to the DMX standard which requires electrical isolation between the controller and communication side to avoid ground loops.
In this hookup guide we'll go over the several different ways that the DMX to LED Shield can be configured, go through simple DMX output and input, look at how to use ArtNet input to control arrays of LEDs and even servos using the available poke-home connectors and finally check out how to turn ArtNet input into DMX output to enable ArtNet control on an existing DMX fixture.
Required Materials
To do all the examples, users will need:
- +2 DMX to LED Shields (Controller/Peripheral) with ESP32 Thing Plus -OR- Separate DMX Controller/Peripheral
- XLR-3 Cable
- Addressable LEDs
- Pan Tilt servo kit
- Headers and Soldering Tools
Headers and Soldering Tools
The DMX to LED shield is designed with a Feather footprint. Make sure to choose the appropriate header combo to suit your microcontroller and project.
Suggested Reading
We'd recommend checking out the following tutorials and hookup guides before getting started if you're not familiar with the topics. At the very least check out the DMX related tutorials if you haven't used the protocol before.