Final Project¶

DMX Lab Tool¶

This is a set of modules for easily testing DMX signals.

The first device outputs DMX according to the movement of the fader.

The second device displays the current DMX value on a monitor in real time.

The third device controls the RGB brightness of NeoPixel LEDs with the DMX value.

These are connected with a 5-pin DMX signal cable.

Details of the production process can be found on the tracking page.

Final project summary slide¶

Final project video clip¶

Questions and Answers¶

What does it do?¶

This is a set of modules for easily testing DMX signals.

DMX signals are output in accordance with the fader movement, displaying the current DMX value on the monitor, and controlling the RGB brightness of the NeoPixel LEDs with the DMX value.

Who has done what before?¶

by SOUND HOUSE

Similar displays have existed before, such as the Lite putter DP-144, but they were mainly simple 3mm bullet-shaped LEDs that blinked or required connecting to a computer, and weren’t very user-friendly.

What did you design?¶

I designed a DMX test and monitoring system consisting of three interconnected devices, including their custom printed circuit boards (PCBs) and enclosures:

DMX output control device: A master controller equipped with a physical fader to generate and send test DMX512 signals.
DMX monitoring device: A single-universe tester capable of receiving a DMX universe, parsing the data using an ESP32-WROOM module, and visualizing the channel status on a salvaged toy LCD screen.
DMX input NeoPixel LED: A receiver node that decodes incoming DMX signals and maps the channel values onto a NeoPixel addressable LED strip.

What sources did you use?¶

FabAcademy class page, Fab Community, Google Search, YouTube tutorials, ChatGPT, and friendly instructors! And I also received various advice from my mentor at the company, Toshihiro Hosoda.

What materials and components were used?¶

Here the BOM

Bill of Materials(BOM)¶

DMX output control device - BOM¶

Component	Material	Description	Qty	Vender	Cost
PCB	Seeed Studio XIAO RP2040	Main MCU assembly for control and signal generation	1	DigiKey / Fab Lab Inventory	Approx. ¥1,200 ($8.00)
PCB	MAX485 Transceiver IC	IC component to convert MCU UART to DMX signal	1	Akizuki Denshi / Fab Lab	Approx. ¥200 ($1.30)
PCB	Slide Fader	Assembled analog fader component for level input	1	Fab Lab Inventory	Approx. ¥300 ($2.00)
PCB	5-pin Connector (Female)	Pre-fabricated connector component for DMX output	1	Sound House / Retail	Approx. ¥400 ($2.60)
PCB	SMD Passive Materials	Raw resistors, capacitors, and resistors for the PCB assembly	1	Fab Lab Inventory	Included in lab fee
PCB	FR-1 Single-sided Board	Raw copper-clad laminate for milling the PCB	1	Fab Lab Inventory	Included in lab fee
Case	3D Printing Filament (PLA/PETG)	Raw filament material for printing the enclosure	1	Fab Lab Inventory	Approx. ¥600 ($4.00)
Case	MDF Board (2.5 mm)	Raw sheet material for laser cutting the under panel	1	Fab Lab Inventory	Included in lab fee

DMX monitoring device - BOM¶

Component	Material	Description	Qty	Vender	Cost
PCB	Freenove ESP32-Wroom	Assembled Wi-Fi/Bluetooth MCU core module	1	DigiKey / Fab Lab Inventory	Approx. ¥700 ($4.50)
PCB	MAX485 Transceiver IC	IC component for single-universe receiver line	1	Akizuki Denshi / Fab Lab	Approx. ¥200 ($1.30)
PCB	LCD Monitor Display	Complete display module salvaged from an old toy	1	Witch or Iris elongated LCD Display	¥10000 (discount take off)
PCB	5-pin Connector (Male)	Pre-fabricated connector component for DMX input	1	Sound House / Retail	Approx. ¥400 ($2.60)
PCB	5-pin Connector (Female)	Pre-fabricated connector component for DMX output	1	Sound House / Retail	Approx. ¥400 ($2.60)
PCB	Passive Materials	Raw electronic elements (resistors, caps, pins) for assembly	1	Fab Lab Inventory	Included in lab fee
PCB	FR-1 Single-sided Board	Raw copper plate material for milling the adapter PCB	1	Fab Lab Inventory	Included in lab fee
Case	MDF Board (2.5 mm)	Raw sheet material for laser cutting the structural box	1	Fab Lab Inventory	Approx. ¥300 ($2.00)
Case	Black Spray Paint	Finishing material for painting the MDF exterior	1	Retail	Approx. ¥200 ($1.30)
Case	Molding & Casting Resin / Silicone	Liquid chemical materials for casting the support feet	1	Fab Lab Inventory	Approx. ¥600 ($4.00)
Case	3D Printing Filament (PLA/PETG)	Raw filament material for small assembly joints	1	Fab Lab Inventory	Approx. ¥200 ($1.30)

DMX input NeoPixel LED - BOM¶

Component	Material	Description	Qty	Vender	Cost
PCB	Seeed Studio XIAO RP2040	Main MCU assembly for parsing and	1	DigiKey / Fab Lab Inventory	Approx. ¥1,200 ($8.00)
PCB	MAX485 Transceiver IC	IC component to receive differential DMX signals	1	Akizuki Denshi / Fab Lab	Approx. ¥200 ($1.30)
LED	NeoPixel Addressable LED Strip	Assembled LED strip component for visual output	1	Amazon / Fab Lab Inventory	Approx. ¥1,200 ($8.00)
PCB	5-pin Connector (Male)	Pre-fabricated connector component for	1	Sound House / Retail	Approx. ¥400 ($2.60)
PCB	5-pin Connector (Female)	Pre-fabricated connector component for	1	Sound House / Retail	Approx. ¥400 ($2.60)
PCB	SMD Passive Materials	Raw electronic components for the LED decoder	1	Fab Lab Inventory	Included in lab fee
PCB	FR-1 Single-sided Board	Raw fiberglass board material for milling the PCB	1	Fab Lab Inventory	Included in lab fee
Case	3D Printing Filament (Diffusive PLA)	Raw filament material for fabricating the	1	Fab Lab Inventory	Approx. ¥500 ($3.30)

Where did they come from?¶

Look at the BOM

How much did they cost?¶

Look at the BOM

What parts and systems were made?¶

DMX output control device¶
- Custom Main Controller PCB: A custom-milled circuit board fabricated in-house using an FR-1 substrate, integrating a Seeed Studio XIAO microcontroller with a MAX485 transceiver IC to convert UART signals into differential DMX512 signals.
- DMX Generation System (Firmware): Embedded software logic that handles the analog fader input and accurately packages it into the DMX512 protocol, including precise BREAK and MAB timing generation.
- 3D-Printed Enclosure: A custom-designed handheld shell with precise cutouts optimized for user accessibility to the fader control and the XLR interface.
DMX monitoring device¶
- Custom Receiver and Adapter PCB: An in-house fabricated FR-1 breakout and signal adaptation board that routes incoming DMX signals safely into an ESP32-WROOM module.
- 1-Universe Parsing and Rendering Engine (Software System): Embedded software for the ESP32-WROOM that intercepts a single universe of DMX data stream in real time and handles visual output for a salvaged display.
- Hybrid Structural Enclosure: A painted black enclosure constructed from laser-cut MDF panels, interconnected using custom 3D-printed joints.
- Molded Support Feet: Dedicated stabilization feet produced using molding and casting fabrication techniques.
DMX input NeoPixel LED¶
- Custom LED Decoder PCB: A dedicated receiver board combining a MAX485 line receiver with a high-current 5V power routing network to safely drive the addressable LED strip without damaging the microcontroller.
- DMX-to-LED Mapping Logic (Software System): A firmware system that listens to assigned DMX start addresses, extracts the corresponding data slots (e.g., Ch1=R, Ch2=G, Ch3=B), and translates them into a single-wire NeoPixel data protocol in real time.
- LED Diffuser & Holder Enclosure: A specialized 3D-printed mounting frame structured to safely hold the LED strip while diffusing the point-source light evenly.

What processes were used?¶

2D Design¶

Monitor Case, bottom cover of each devices.
3D Design¶

Slide fader case Neo pixel controller case
Additive process¶

3D printing of Slide fader and Neo pixel controller case
Subtractive process¶

Molding and casting of silicon foot parts Laser cutting of Monitor case
Electronics design and production¶

Two pcb with XIAO and a couple of pcb to connect output signal lines.

One pcb with ESP32 and LCD connection with DMX receiver of MAX485.
Embedded microcontroller design, interfacing and programming¶

Program to PCB with XIAO (slider input control by DMX to control Neo pixel on XIAO)

Program to PCB with ESP32 (Outputting a graph of DMX signals to the LCD)
System integration and packaging¶

The wiring has been converted to connectors and bundled with cable ties. A shake test was performed on all devices to confirm that they were functioning correctly after the test.

What questions were answered?¶

It is possible to create changes in the DMX and visually observe the movement.

What worked? What didn’t?¶

What I accomplished:¶

I was able to monitor the movement of DMX signals. I created a control device that outputs DMX signals. I was able to create a device that operates using DMX signals.
What didn’t work out:¶

Many parts could not be implemented due to poor time management.

I attempted to create a monitoring device for 4 channels, but ran out of time and only managed to monitor 1 channel.

Since the control device only has one slide fader, it was only possible to control all 512 channels simultaneously.

The DMX-operated device lacks a channel setting section, so channel changes cannot be made without rewriting the program.

How was it evaluated?¶

It will be perfect if all devices are connected and the changes follow the fader movements.

What are the implications?¶

This project will make it easy to create original DMX devices using digital fabrication.

To allow many people to use this project, I have decided to release this work under CC0 1.0 Universal.

License¶

Creative Commons zero

This work is marked CC0 1.0 Universal

Design Files¶

Final Project¶

DMX Lab Tool¶

Final project summary slide¶

Final project video clip¶

Questions and Answers¶

What does it do?¶

Who has done what before?¶

What did you design?¶

What sources did you use?¶

What materials and components were used?¶

Bill of Materials(BOM)¶

DMX output control device - BOM¶

DMX monitoring device - BOM¶

DMX input NeoPixel LED - BOM¶

Where did they come from?¶

How much did they cost?¶

What parts and systems were made?¶

DMX output control device¶

DMX monitoring device¶

DMX input NeoPixel LED¶

What processes were used?¶

2D Design¶

3D Design¶

Additive process¶

Subtractive process¶

Electronics design and production¶

Embedded microcontroller design, interfacing and programming¶

System integration and packaging¶

What questions were answered?¶

What worked? What didn’t?¶

What I accomplished:¶

What didn’t work out:¶

How was it evaluated?¶

What are the implications?¶

License¶

Design Files¶

1. DMX output control device¶

2. DMX monitoring device¶

3. DMX input NeoPixel LED¶