Candy Canes?

[Santacarl]

Hey All,

I'm playing with candy canes and have a question.... To simplify......If I'm looking at adding 1 node that controls 3 lights (9 pixels)...  I notice there's a place in NC Layout to enter "Lights per node"....  Do I enter 3 or 9?  Also....what does changing that number actually do?  I see that it doesn't change channel count......is this a power related issue?

If someone could educate me I'd appreciate it.....

Thanx,

SC

[Gilrock]

Enter 3 and 3.

[Santacarl]

Enter 3 and 3.

Thanks for the response Gil..... Sorry to be so anal but does that mean for 3 nodes enter 3 lights or for 1 node enter 3 lights?   

[Gilrock]

I couldn't really tell what you have.  You said "1 node that controls 3 lights (9 pixels)".  So that doesn't make sense to me cause I don't know what you're calling a pixel.  For nodes you enter how many actual controllable nodes there are so it should be your number of channels / 3 if we are talking RGB nodes.  Lights per node is how many nodes light up when you control each node.  So for those typical 30/30 ribbon strips that have 150 led modules but only 50 controllable channels I enter 50 nodes and 3 lights per node.  You can easily see what it draws on the screen so trial and error could show you the answer.  Just create something and try to sequence it.

[jnealand]

If I recall correctly the lights per node is to assist in making your on screen layout look more realistic and has nothing to do with actual lights.  The manual only says that it is normally 1.  I agree with Gil to create something and try it.

[Santacarl]

I couldn't really tell what you have.  You said "1 node that controls 3 lights (9 pixels)".  So that doesn't make sense to me cause I don't know what you're calling a pixel.  For nodes you enter how many actual controllable nodes there are so it should be your number of channels / 3 if we are talking RGB nodes.  Lights per node is how many nodes light up when you control each node.  So for those typical 30/30 ribbon strips that have 150 led modules but only 50 controllable channels I enter 50 nodes and 3 lights per node.  You can easily see what it draws on the screen so trial and error could show you the answer.  Just create something and try to sequence it.

Thanks Gil.... I was thinking of "Node" as the chip that controls the 'lights'...So I have 1 node controlling 3 'lights' and each light has separate a R, G, and B what I call pixels ......the 50 and 3 lights per node example you gave cleared it up.....

I had already done as you suggested and created a set of canes and sequenced them....but couldn't see that the number of lights made a difference in the look no matter if I entered 1 or 3.....

[Gilrock]

You should see 3 dots light up when you turn on one node.  I have my candy canes setup that way because they have those rectangular modules in them.

[Santacarl]

You should see 3 dots light up when you turn on one node.  I have my candy canes setup that way because they have those rectangular modules in them.

Yup....thanks for confirming Gil..... BTW....is there a particular effect to give the alternating red/white traditional candycane look?  Just tinkering with it I've gotten close but can't seem to nail it so that it looks 'clean' with every other node a different color....there's always a blank or something to disrupt the pattern....

[Gilrock]

I usually use the Marquee effect and then change the buffer style to single line.  Only issue I've had with that effect is the slowest speed is still a little too fast sometimes.

[dkulp]

Yup....thanks for confirming Gil..... BTW....is there a particular effect to give the alternating red/white traditional candycane look?  Just tinkering with it I've gotten close but can't seem to nail it so that it looks 'clean' with every other node a different color....there's always a blank or something to disrupt the pattern....

The SingleStrand/Skips effect can do this.

[Santacarl]

I usually use the Marquee effect and then change the buffer style to single line.  Only issue I've had with that effect is the slowest speed is still a little too fast sometimes.

Yeah I played with marquee and like you said I couldn't slow it down....or 'stop' it.....

I went back and played with some fine tuning tweaks and got a pretty good looking model to work....Red then white across the whole cane and it doesn't move.....Saved it as an effect so I can pull the rabbit out of the hat when needed......

[Santacarl]

Yup....thanks for confirming Gil..... BTW....is there a particular effect to give the alternating red/white traditional candycane look?  Just tinkering with it I've gotten close but can't seem to nail it so that it looks 'clean' with every other node a different color....there's always a blank or something to disrupt the pattern....

The SingleStrand/Skips effect can do this.

Thanks....I'll give that a try....

[Gilrock]

You couldn't stop Marquee?  I thought setting speed to 0 was obvious.

[Santacarl]

You couldn't stop Marquee?  I thought setting speed to 0 was obvious.

Yeah....my bad....it wasn't Marquee....I had tried several others and forgot which one wouldn't stop....  I went back and retried Marquee after you mentioned it and it stops just as you said....   Sometimes I get so immersed in trying different options I forget which combination of effects/sliders etc. did what...  But that's a good thing...you guys have given us a tremendous tool box to play in....