Messages

1

Do You Need Help? Post it here / Re: Twinkly strings on a real tree

« on: November 19, 2023, 01:58:08 PM »

You could try the "Create Custom Model" option in xLights/Tools.

You put the lights on your tree in whatever pattern you like, connect the controller, then video tape the test sequence it will play.

I've never used it but it has been in xLights as an option for years.

2

Lights / Re: Hoping someone can help me out with a distance issue with lights

« on: April 09, 2022, 08:36:52 AM »

I have 27 of the Boscoyo 48 pixel snowflakes on my roof. 12v WS2811.
I use 3 (350watt) power supplies because I run them at 70% power and it needs it.
I also have 180 C9 pixel perimeter lights surrounding all the snowflakes. They are at 100%
One power supply is at the controller (Falcon F16v2).
The other two are on the back side of the roof with RayWu T-connectors coming down the roof.

I don't cut the 12v Positive lines like some recommend, so I power inject "both directions" from my T-connectors.
There is a ground wire between all 3 supplies. No flicker.

3

Do You Need Help? Post it here / Re: New to xLights Need E1.31 setup help.

« on: February 25, 2022, 01:12:32 PM »

One of the things I changed a few years back was a reduction in the number of Remotes I used. 5 years ago, I ran every FPP based controller as a Remote. There were 9 of them, all getting their Sync packets via WiFi.

There were a few too many times where I noticed some of them being just a bit behind, then catch up, and not always at the same point. It annoyed me to the point that I rethought my layout.

Now, I only have 3 Remotes, mostly based on the Area of the display they are in. One of those Remotes drives a very large P5 panel (48 panels) so it does nothing else. The other 2 remotes don't actually have any Pixels attached. Their job is to output E1.31 or DDP information to the controllers in their area. This has resulted in a much better synchronized display.

Oh, and those Remotes use CAT5 inputs, using a Gigabit switch in the garage. I've don't use WiFi except for testing. I don't mind cables in the yard. It impresses the people who see it in daylight. 

4

Do You Need Help? Post it here / Re: How do you choose which models appear on top of the others in the preview pane?

« on: December 29, 2021, 01:24:40 PM »

Glad that helped. The Z value was something added when I played with the 3D layout for awhile. I moved the Megatree out and that created the value.

5

Do You Need Help? Post it here / Re: How do you choose which models appear on top of the others in the preview pane?

« on: December 28, 2021, 09:21:42 PM »

My megatree has 2 things set that may help.

First is in the Size/Location parameters. I set my tree to a Z of 60. The things behind it have a Z of 0.

Also, my megatree has a "Black Transparency" of 100 which means that when it is not active, it is transparent to anything behind it.

6

Enhancement Requests / Re: UI Batch Render and FPP Connect Upload Status

« on: December 28, 2021, 04:23:13 PM »

I would just like to see FPPConnect as a standalone function so that I could go back to the sequencer and work on the sequence while it was uploading the last one.

I think this would be a nice improvement, too. Having it re-discover my FPPs each time becomes a waste of time once everything is up and running. I have many "Player" FPPs that don't need to be discovered in the first place.

The recent update to remember the Sorting (for me, by date) was a very welcome change.

7

Enhancement Requests / Re: Waiting for a Render All - could it go "DING" when finished?

« on: December 28, 2021, 09:15:40 AM »

If you script it you could have it play hallelujah

In my case, Hallelujah would be appropriate.
I had Dan compare my render time for the latest XLAW sequence (Gwen Stefani) from my Windows PC (Win 10, 64gb RAM, SSD, 4ghz Ryzen processor) with his  M1Max MacBook Pro.

My Render time - 253 seconds
His Render time - 27 seconds

FSEQ file is 623,377kb (v2/zstd)

8

Enhancement Requests / Re: Waiting for a Render All - could it go "DING" when finished?

« on: December 18, 2021, 09:03:54 AM »

As long as it isn't the "You've Got Mail" from AOL

9

Do You Need Help? Post it here / Re: How to output a test sequence from Xlights

« on: December 17, 2021, 03:22:27 PM »

My favorite Test is to create an Animation, default length of 30 seconds.
All Models
On any model with pixels, create at 10 second Red, a 10 second Green and a 10 second Blue.

When you play this, it tests all your pixels and ensures you have the correct RGB setup (which you can then fix if they aren't all the same).

10

Enhancement Requests / Waiting for a Render All - could it go "DING" when finished?

« on: December 17, 2021, 02:21:35 PM »

A few sequences take awhile to finish. I may nod off while waiting but a nice DING when it finishes rendering that FSEQ file would be nice.

11

Do You Need Help? Post it here / Re: Only 50 Pixels?

« on: December 12, 2021, 02:19:03 PM »

I will order a Falcon and play with that as well, unless there is a better one you recommend?

There may be a very few "equal" controllers but none better than the Falcons.

12

LOR / Re: LOR to Xlights crossover cables

« on: December 05, 2021, 05:42:43 PM »

This is how I made my own using Keystone Jacks (purchased from Lowes or Home Depot many years ago).

If you connect "standard" DMX in, you get "LOR" DMX out.
The same converter will then convert "LOR" DMX to standard DMX.

13

Latest xLights/Nutcracker software / Re: FPP Connect - Sparse file calculation question

« on: December 05, 2021, 05:03:06 PM »

Ok, it was the possibility of "ranges" being left out of the sparse FSEQ that made me ask in the first place.
To be safe, I'll always rerun FPP Connect when I reactivate a channel output.

14

Latest xLights/Nutcracker software / Re: FPP Connect - Sparse file calculation question

« on: December 04, 2021, 03:40:51 PM »

If I'm understanding, the FPP responds with the "first channel" and "highest channel" and the FSEQ is created based on that.

In my specific case, the outputs were in the middle so they wouldn't be a problem.

I'd only be concerned if I de-activate the Highest or Lowest channel outputs.

Thanks, Dan.  I absolutely love the Sparse/ZSTD option in FPP Connect.

15

Latest xLights/Nutcracker software / FPP Connect - Sparse file calculation question

« on: December 04, 2021, 08:18:04 AM »

Love the ability of FPP Connect to create "sparse" FSEQ files for each receiving FPP controller.

But, have a question related to how it calculates. When FPP Connect reads the channel configuration (range of channels from low to high), does it look at ALL the entries in the Channel Output screen or just the ones that are marked as Enabled (big Active check box in FPP Version 5, anyway)??

The reason I ask is that if I have a controller being "worked on" and temporarily uncheck the Active box, will FPP Connect still include its data in the Sparse file or will it leave it out? i.e., Will I have to Resend any files once that controller is back online and their box is checked?

I have a RasPi 4 Remote with 11 outputs to devices (2 are E1.31, 9 are DDP). That is the one I am asking about, if I disable one or more of those 11 outputs temporarily to avoid sending data to a controller that is not online.