Messages

1

Do You Need Help? Post it here / Spotlight addition

« on: September 05, 2023, 10:38:53 PM »

Have decided to add a few spotlights but don't know where to grab that model from to drag onto my house layout.
Am using Ray Wu 10W type

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Do You Need Help? Post it here / Re: Xlights to Falcon F16 data loss

« on: November 19, 2016, 05:46:21 PM »

Sorry. It's a F16v2. Ethernet to switch to falcon. No more than 30 metres. Have new computer running windows 10. But all is fine on the bench.

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Do You Need Help? Post it here / Re: Xlights to Falcon F16 data loss

« on: November 18, 2016, 08:39:38 PM »

Forgot to mention that I do have a LAN cable tester and the 2 new leads that I made up are all OK.

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Do You Need Help? Post it here / Xlights to Falcon F16 data loss

« on: November 18, 2016, 08:30:53 PM »

Hi all
I have had computer, Xlights connected to my Falcon F16 board for a few months on the bench to a number of strips and all works fine. I now have moved the Falcon board to its final position which is about 30 metres from the computer and I can not get any data from computer (Xlights) to the Falcon. I have put it back on the bench and it works fine with the short 1 metre data lead. I made up another 30 metre data lead (even tried Cat6) and connected it on the bench and the data is lost. I can not log into the Falcon board with this lead but all is well on the short 1 metre data lead.
What am I doing wrong.

5

Do You Need Help? Post it here / Re: Zig Zag on strips for mega tree

« on: October 25, 2016, 06:01:59 AM »

Thanks Jim. Worked perfectly. Now if I can only solve my instability with the data cable from controller to strips. About 8 metres. I have used cat 6 cable and used one of each of the 4 pairs for data and grounded the other 4. Seems stable at present but not convinced. The problem with the strips without signs zagging showed up instability with data cabling. Makes me worry about building arches with a couple of metres between each arch.

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Do You Need Help? Post it here / Re: Zig Zag on strips for mega tree

« on: October 24, 2016, 09:10:08 AM »

Thanks for reply. Does this mean that the second strip is then effectively mounted upside down (data running in the same direction from node 1 to 100)? Making the two strips in series totalling 100 pixels?  I want all strips to start from the bottom of course.
So if I get this right - I run strip 1 with data starting at bottom and finishing at top and strip 2 data starting at top and finishing at bottom. In Xlights prog tree for 100 lights per string and 2 strands per string.

7

Do You Need Help? Post it here / Zig Zag on strips for mega tree

« on: October 24, 2016, 07:50:20 AM »

Hi. Zig Zag query. Am building a 16 pixel strip 50 node per string mega tree. I will only use 2 pixel strips per output on the FalconV16f2. This will use up 8 outputs for the mega tree. How and where do I program the zig zag effect so that on the top (end) of strip 1  the data goes directly into the top of strip 2 and so on for the other strips. Appreciate your help.

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Do You Need Help? Post it here / Re: Where to prog DMX channels?

« on: September 15, 2016, 06:33:53 AM »

Hi Gil and Babybear,
Many thanks for your response to this question of mine. It turned out to be the DMX board doing some strange things. However I also did not have a full grasp on the method of programming DMX outputs and with both of your help I now understand it and have set up the first 512 channels as my DMX channels and all work fine.
Many thanks for help and patience.

9

Do You Need Help? Post it here / Channel assignments

« on: September 15, 2016, 06:25:57 AM »

I am using a falcon F16v2 with expander and have 320 channels over 32 outputs available but do not want to use every channel in each output.
Is it okay to use only part of the available 320 ch of each output and not the full 320. The reason is that I want to assign one element to each output on the one cable (re service issues) with the channel numbers starting at that ports/output first available channel number - eg. First output is CH 1 to CH 320 but my star is only 160 CH which will be assigned as starting at CH 1 and finishing at CH 160. That will leave me with 160 of unused (spare) channels on output 1.
My next output (2) from CH 321 to CH 640 will be an element of 150 pixels will then have a start of CH 321 and finish of CH 471 leaving me with 169 spare channels on output 2 and so on for the other outputs.
I have more than enough outputs and channels for this years first display and would prefer to split them up to individual outputs to make wiring and service issues easier to identify and keep in control.
Appreciate your thoughts.

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Do You Need Help? Post it here / Re: Where to prog DMX channels?

« on: September 01, 2016, 08:41:18 PM »

I am using a Hanson Electronics DMX2 18 board for the first time.

11

Do You Need Help? Post it here / Re: Where to prog DMX channels?

« on: September 01, 2016, 07:43:18 PM »

Hi Gil
I do appreciate your help and what you guys have done with XLights and the time that it takes to deal with computer illiterate dinosaurs like me. I have a 15 hour time difference to you so it may appear that I am slow getting back to you.
Anyway I would like to resolve my problem as I really would like to have a my first pixel display  this year and only a handful of homes here have them
  I am not conversant with taking screen shots and where to attach them. If u can kindly ask for your help on this it would be greatly appreciated.
Babybear, thanks for your input also and I have tried all of your suggestions. My gut feeling is a dud DMX board  but will try all suggestions until I receive another one.

12

Do You Need Help? Post it here / Re: Where to prog DMX channels?

« on: September 01, 2016, 04:30:13 AM »

Thanks Babybear and Gil.
 I have done that but still no go. I will buy another 9ch board to see if that is the problem.
The strange part is that the output will flash the 2 wire LED string intermittently coinciding to some of the effects for my mega tree which is set to start at CH 513 on universe's 2 to 6. This indicates that some data is passing from Xlights to Falcon to DMX board but from the wrong Universe and Channel number.
I have set up an effect of a line in red in Xlights on CH1, Universe 1 and tried the 9ch board to all 4 comms ports on the Falcon but mostly on Comm port 1. The Falcon ports are DMX ports and the Falcon is set up Output 1, DMX, Start CH 1.
Time to surrender.

13

Do You Need Help? Post it here / Re: Where to prog DMX channels?

« on: August 31, 2016, 08:02:35 PM »

Okay, It looks like I was confusing myself and it makes more sense now after reading the feedback and manual again.
As I am trying to get an old 2 wire single colour LED string to work - I have set up a single line of 1 String, 1 Light, to start on Ch1, Universe 1, Single string, red colour. The Falcon board has Comm port 1 as starting on CH1 and Universe 1 is set up as 1-512. I am coming out of the Falcon board Comm port 1 and feeding into my other 9 channel board with the string connected into Output 1 of my board. Still won't work.
I have read the manual over and over and must obviously be missing something.

14

Do You Need Help? Post it here / Re: Where to prog DMX channels?

« on: August 30, 2016, 10:31:38 PM »

Hi again,
Thanks for the help so far and I do have a better understanding now BUT still will not work.
For any DMX stuff I selected up Universe 20 being Ch 9729 - 10240. I made an element of a straight line and set it up as Start CH1, Universe 20. Now is where I get confused - As it is an old 2 wire LED string I want working, how do I set the rest up. I dragged the DMX icon onto the timing gap required and then it asks for the setting up of CH1,2,3??. What is required here.
I set up the element as Strings 1, Nodes 1, Lights/Nodes 1, Channel 9729, Universe 20, Start Ch 1 and wired it to Output 1 of the DMX board.
Still wont work. Obviously something I am doing wrong.
My apologies for the lack of understanding and appreciate your help.

15

Do You Need Help? Post it here / Where to prog DMX channels?

« on: August 30, 2016, 06:55:18 AM »

Newbie - This is my first year at pixels and am having a bit of trouble. I have  Xlights linked to a Falcon F16v2 board and out of Comm port 1, I connect to a DMX board with 9 outputs. Am having trouble understanding where the DMX channels are programmed and how to set them up. Xlights is communicating to the Falcon and DMX panel and is testing the pixels and LEDS from the Xlights and Falcon boards okay. So I assume communication is fine but channel assigning is not.
Where do I program the DMX board on Xlights? and on what channels. I want to use this board to utilise my old 2 wire LED strings.
I have pixel mega tree, stars and arches etc that work well with the channel programming commencing on CH1 universe 1 and then I have let Xlights assign all the other models channels - all are pixels and work fine.
But I can not get the 9 outputs of the DMX panel to assign correctly to the led strings. Strangely these 9 outputs will randomly switch ON when certain channels of pixels come on.
Appreciate your help.