Sean Meighan

Software => Xlights Setup => Topic started by: fisherman888 on December 14, 2014, 11:28:26 PM

Title: Please help Config problem
Post by: fisherman888 on December 14, 2014, 11:28:26 PM
Im so lost. i am building my first mega tree its 16 strands 134 pix a strand. i have a pixlite 4 controler with 4 universes per spi out. My first 4 universes are fine. the second set of 4 drop down like 10 pixels. the 3rd 4 universes the same and the last dont even show up. my tree starts at universe 2, universe 1 is for lor. i tried to build the tree there as well with the same results.
i have tried rebuilding my model with different start channels to no avail. ANY advice would be greatly appreciated.
thank you

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Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: neil on December 14, 2014, 11:44:36 PM
I think the pixlite 4 is like the sandevices controllers and the last channel is 510 not 512
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: fisherman888 on December 15, 2014, 12:12:58 AM
i have tried it both ways. no luck
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: Lights On Fifth on December 15, 2014, 07:28:52 AM
Your models are not set up properly reconfigure those, do not use 512 channels use 510, make the changes in your set up tab as well.
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: fisherman888 on December 15, 2014, 11:56:10 AM
ok how do i need to set the model up. i have tried a ton of ways and i cant make it come out right.
please let me know where im wrong. i have tried 4 actual strands with 536 channels and 4 strands per string as well i keep changing to no avail. 
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: Gilrock on December 15, 2014, 12:20:25 PM
I think you need to change the setup to list them as 510 channels per universe.  I'm not sure what he was suggesting is wrong on the model because I don't see anything you just have it set as sequential numbering.  What I would try is after you make the change on the setup page to change all the universe's to 510 hit the Save button and also goto the Nutcracker tab and open the xseq file and hit the save icon to force it to reevaluate everything using your new setup.  I'm  not sure if that will help but that's what I'd try.
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: Greg.Ca on December 15, 2014, 01:06:11 PM
The way I'm seeing this is that if LOR is on Universe 1, then your Xlights is also sharing (starting) on Universe 1. that has to be fixed. --Greg--
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: Greg.Ca on December 15, 2014, 01:13:10 PM
Ignore my previous post. Thanks --Greg--
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: fisherman888 on December 15, 2014, 01:40:58 PM
ok so what was happening when i did this last night my last for strings dont work. Only half of string 13 works and 14,15,16 just barley flicker. when i go into test mode on the controller its fine so its got to be a config issue
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: Gilrock on December 15, 2014, 01:52:31 PM
I think I see the problem with the Model that Lights on Fifth was talking about.  There is a gap in channel numbers between the last pixel on Universe 5 and your first pixel on Universe 6 since it starts on a new string group.  So for the start of strings 5, 9, and 13 you gotta skip ahead to the channel number where the associated universe starts.  Do the following:

On the setup tab make all the Universes you are using for the tree 510 pixels.  Then on the Model page you will need to check the box so you can manually change the channel numbers and put these numbers there:
1   513   914
2   915   1316
3   1317   1718
4   1719   2120 <- gap from here to Universe 6 start channel
5   2553   2954
6   2955   3356
7   3357   3758
8   3759   4160 <- gap from here to Universe 10 start channel
9   4593   4994
10   4995   5396
11   5397   5798
12   5799   6200 <- gap from here to Universe 14 start channel
13   6633   7034
14   7035   7436
15   7437   7838
16   7839   8240


Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: fisherman888 on December 15, 2014, 01:56:44 PM
i will give it a try tonight when i get home!! thank you. I will report back tonight
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: Gilrock on December 15, 2014, 02:01:29 PM
Oh and I think there might be an easier way.  Try just changing the length to 510 for all Universes except make 5, 9, 13, and 17 480 and you should be able to leave the Model with the default auto numbering.

Universe Setup
2   510
3   510
4   510
5   480
6   510
7   510
8   510
9   480
10   510
11   510
12   510
13   480
14   510
15   510
16   510
17   480
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: fisherman888 on December 15, 2014, 02:09:18 PM
ill give that a shot as well. thank you!
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: Lights On Fifth on December 15, 2014, 02:09:53 PM
Fisherman I sent you a message
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: sean on December 15, 2014, 02:37:54 PM
I am not following your design. You have 16 strings that u connect to 4 ports on pixlite 4. This means each port has 536 nodes. U there fore can make a model 4x536 with strands per string=4. How are u wrapping this tree. One string goes up, do u bring a wire from the top back to the bottom for the next? If that is true then make a 16x134 strands per string=1. U certainly will need power injection with 20-25 meters of lights connected to one port. Maybe include a picture of your tree
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: Gilrock on December 15, 2014, 02:47:01 PM
Yeah there's actually several ways you can set it up.  I was assuming he did zig zag wiring since he set the zigzag parameters on the controller.  If you do the 4x536 strands per string=4 xLights will automatically do the zig-zag for you so you would need to remove the zig zag setting from the controller.  I'm pretty sure both my solutions for mapping channel numbers to the model are going to work but the second one if probably easier.  You really only run into this when you have a controller that can cross universe boundaries on one output.  In my setup I have 36 universes all set to 512 channels because none of my controllers have outputs that cross a universe boundary and if I ever need to add another element to some unused channels in a universe I don't need to go back and renumber all my models.  I like to config my setup with the maximum capability of the controller even when I'm not using all the channels for each output.
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: fisherman888 on December 15, 2014, 08:35:09 PM
Gilrock,
Ok i tried your config and they all line up execpt the last three strands.they just kinda flash. If i put the pixlite in test mode and select all my channels everything lights fine though.
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: Gilrock on December 15, 2014, 09:24:56 PM
I would use the Test page in xLights and try activating some single channels that are at the beginning of a string and see if the right lights are lighting up.
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: Gilrock on December 15, 2014, 09:26:13 PM
If you can post the first two screenshots again so we can double check the numbers you have.
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: fisherman888 on December 15, 2014, 09:53:26 PM
If i find the start channel of every string i should just put those in my model. right?
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: Gilrock on December 15, 2014, 10:38:40 PM
I'm sorry I messed up earlier.  I fired up xLights and entered your numbers and figured out I confused myself by looking at string 6 for universe 6.  Anyways the key is your starting string in each output needs to match the start channel for that universe.  So Universes 2, 6, 10, and 14 need to start at the same starting channel you have for strings 1, 5, 9, and 13.  So I took a screenshot of the setup that should work.  See how string 5 which begins on Universe 6 starts at channel 2121 and Universe 6 starts at the same channel...that's what you want.  Keep in mind this assumes you have your model setup the same way you originally posted.

(http://www.coppercreeklights.com/images/ChannelSetup.jpg)
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: fisherman888 on December 16, 2014, 06:40:12 AM
ill give it a shot tonight when i get home from work. thank you again
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: fisherman888 on December 16, 2014, 08:00:15 PM
you nailed it!! thank you very much all you guys are awesome. If you want something to ponder.  my spi3 output to universes 9,10, 11,12 was lighting pixels all over. when i would hold the cable it would get better so i replaced the cable. Its a shielded cable by the way and it is grounded. problem stayed the same. i figured i would ground the end closest to the pixel strip to see what happened so i put  put a clamp on the shieth and it got better then i took a wire for testing and connected it to the clamp and everything is good. the wire is just laying in the yard. im so lost but its working so no complaints. just thought i would throw that out there
Title: Re: Please help Config problem
Post by: Lights On Fifth on December 16, 2014, 08:07:15 PM
Fantastic