Author Topic: Start Channels  (Read 1491 times)

Offline DonFL

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Start Channels
« on: July 20, 2015, 03:45:54 PM »
I've just started to work with nutcracker, planning to decide if I want to switch to it as my sequencing tool for this season.

I've worked thru creating models, and gotten comfortable with the sequencer, last night I connected some hardware for further testing.

One issue I have run into has me confused. As I understand it, the "start channel", when I create a model, is the mapped xlights channel, and the output is the line for that controller on the setup screen.

I tested an AC controller I'm using that is universe 1, starting with dmx channel 1, so the channels map the same (dmx  equals xlights) and it works fine.

I then did some testing with a pixel controller that is output 8, and per the setup screen, the start channel for that particular universe is xlights channel 3585. The actual dmx channels for that universe start, of course, with channel 1.

However..and I duplicated this multiple times, thinking I was making some stupid fundamental mistake, I can only get those pixels to function if I use a start channel of 1...3585 gives me nothing but darkness.

If I go into the test tab, it works fine...channel 3585 and beyond for the assigned channels works just fine. Its only in the sequencer/model that I'm having an issue. And that confirms my setup config should be fine, controller is fine, etc. And the effects, as set up in the sequencer, work fine...

I moved to the next universe, the next output, same issue--only the raw dmx start channel would work. 

Either I'm not understanding how start channels are set, or, I'm making a very stupid mistake.

Any suggestions?

Offline Gilrock

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Re: Start Channels
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2015, 04:26:28 PM »
You probably changed the From Output to 8.  If you do that then the numbers for that output start at 1.  If you leave the From Output at 1 then you can use the 3585 value.

Offline Gilrock

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Re: Start Channels
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2015, 04:28:44 PM »
And to add to that we didn't used to have a From Output box so everything started at 1.  The new From Output box allows you to reference things from 1 at the beginning of an output which will be the universe if your outputs map to the universes.  The only thing I think we need to change is the channel display on the right doesn't roll over when you cross universe/output boundaries but it will still work so I hear.  I don't use that method.

Offline DonFL

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Re: Start Channels
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2015, 06:47:59 PM »
You probably changed the From Output to 8.  If you do that then the numbers for that output start at 1.  If you leave the From Output at 1 then you can use the 3585 value.
Yup, that was it. I (think I) recall reading that as the proper approach in another post in this forum, but very well could be wrong.

From your comments, sounds like either approach will work; are there any reasons to use one method over the other? I do kinda like being able to match dmx channels, seems less likely for error.



Offline Gilrock

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Re: Start Channels
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2015, 08:37:08 PM »
I like the idea of matching the universes also but what I didn't like was when I assigned a pixel tree I saw channels like 2:4096 and there aren't that many channels in a universe nor that output.