changing channel numbers (and channel count?) year after year...

[nutz4lights]

I read through the Wiki quickly and tried to do a search, but came up empty.  If someone has a link that covers this, feel free to send it along and I will read up...

I came up with a question as I sit here and ponder what my roof layout is going to look like this Christmas... and debating about getting going on sequencing before having that roof layout established...  What do folks do year over year as they make changes to elements of the display?  Example:  let's say you have a large tree in your yard that you have filled with 1,000 pixels (3,000 channels) and you have a custom model drawn in xl/nc4, then the following year, you up that count to 1,500 pixels?  All of your sequences are done from the first year, do you just update the pixel count in that model and re-render?  What if the channels end up spreading out more, does that process flow still work?

As I said, the reason I'm asking is that I would like to start sequencing, but I am not finalized on what I am doing on my roof this year (largely because I have had two straight years of Technicolor C9's getting wrecked by weather).  I don't know what orientation the strings will be going quite yet, how many pixels there will be, etc.

Can it really be as simple as updating the model with the correct number of pixels and re-rendering?

Thanks,

-Louie

[flyinverted]

For the most part Louie, updating the models, and re-rendering is all that's needed.

I have found that there are a few effects that will need fine tuning when the model size changes like "Spirals"  Make a 1000 pixel tree and a 1500 pixel tree and see the difference with the same effect. It's a just an ever so light change needed if you want them identical.

The beauty of Nutcracker is the effects are model centric and not channel centric.

[sean]

all our effects are auto scaled to the model.

say you create a sequence to

megatree 8 strings dumb rgb, 50 lights each. so 8x50 megatree
arches single color, each string 40 lights

second year you need to move the models starting channel and you want to change the string type
megatree 16 strings rgb, like ws2811's. 100 lights each each string folded. megatree is now effectively
32x50
arches you change into rgb and increase lights to 100 per arch.

What do you need to change in all your sequence files? Nothing!
The only thing you do is modify the models (starting channel, number strings, type of strings)
.Caveat, be sure to keep the same name.

this is one of the cool things about xlights, we really are hardware agnostic. all your sequences are created against a model.
this is why it is easy to share sequences among other users.

[nutz4lights]

Ok, that sounds great.  So it sounds like I can go ahead, create the model(s) and associate them with straight lines that I think will make up the roof.  Then get on with sequencing and if I decide that line/segment #xx is going to have 85 pixels instead of 75 pixels its not biggie.  That roof is really my only concern... my mini trees, twig trees, mega tree, wreaths, palm trees, and ornaments are pretty well established... I guess I am switching over all of my bushes, small palm trees, and our one oak tree from dumb to pixel this year, but I think I've that pretty well figured out...

Let me know if that doesn't make sense...  thanks again.

-Louie

[dkulp]

Starting in 4.0.32, there is also a new way to set the start channels that can make things easier.   You can set the start channel for the 1st channel of the 4th output.   If you then need to add some channels to the first three outputs, it would automatically "move".    If you need to add some more outputs, you can increase the first part and not have to worry about figuring out how much to add to the start channel.

[nutz4lights]

Oh that sounds cool.  I haven't made it into the 30s yet, but will soon...  I'm assuming you have to inform the model of the controller number, the output number, and the start and max channel count of the particular output (since the different controllers have vastly different capabilities)?

Thanks

Louie

[sean]

Our models know nothing about controllers, they are separated by design. Sequences go to models, models go to channels, channels go to SETUP tab . It is in the SETUP tab where u specify USB Reynard, e1.31 e682, etc. so last year your megatree might have been 2400 channels of USB Reynard. This year you change to be 2400 channels of e1.31 driven by an e682. The model doesn't change. Models just specify a block of channels. The Only thing that would change is the SETUP tab

[dkulp]

Oh that sounds cool.  I haven't made it into the 30s yet, but will soon...  I'm assuming you have to inform the model of the controller number, the output number, and the start and max channel count of the particular output (since the different controllers have vastly different capabilities)?

Just the output number.   Basically, which "row" of the Setup page it's on.   For those of us using all DMX and/or e1.31, if you number the universes starting at 1 and going up without skipping, it could also be considered the universe number.  :-)

[nutz4lights]

I'm definitely in the group of all DMX & e1.31 at this point, and now I see your reference to the setup page and how that would work.  Thanks for the clarification.

Louie

[nutz4lights]

Thanks for the clarification, Sean.  Makes sense.

Louie