Dumb RGB Arches with Strobes

[TomL8345]

I am using Dumb RGB for my arches, 3 arches of 8 segments each.  Since each segment is using 3 channels I have added a DC strobe to each segment as well to fill out each set of controller outputs on my 2 RenLSD48's.

When I do my layout using 3 channel RGB XLights is giving me 72 consecutively numbered channels instead of the 96 I want.  If I configure using 4 Channel RGBW I get my 96 channels, but I cannot set the 4th channel in each segment to be a single point rather than the same number of lights per node as the RGB segments.

I have looked at making a custom model, but I don't see that I can mix the types of lights in a single model.  The only solution I have found is to draw my arches using individual straight lines for each segment.

Is there a better way?

[Gilrock]

Don't use the RGBW because when sequencing it only allows W or RGB at any point in time...not a mix of both.
I would probably just create 2 arches...one for the RGB and another to represent the strobes.  You'll need to use individual start channels since it's wired abnormal.  Not sure the exact setup without playing with the program.

[TomL8345]

Gil,

When I use the Arch function, I have tried saying 1 arch, 8 nodes/arch, 12 lights/node, set the string type to 3 Channel RGB.  When I go to set my start channel the Indiv Start Chans option is greyed out.  It is automatically giving me 24 consecutive channels for this arch.

[Gilrock]

Yes I believe we need to implement this issue to resolve that:
https://github.com/smeighan/xLights/issues/294

[TomL8345]

Thanks Gil,

For now I am using single strings and grouping them to complete my layout.  Not as pretty to look at, but it works.

[TomL8345]

In a related/similar issue.  I am doing the same thing with 3 layer star tree toppers with Dumb RGB and strobes in the empty channels.  The program let me set individual start channels for each layer of the star and put the stobes in the unused channel, but when I activate the Overlap Checks Enabled box, the strobes that are within the star channel number range (but not being used by the stars) are showing as RED.

[Gilrock]

As long as you know they don't conflict don't worry about it.  The overlap check probably doesn't try to get that complicated and check every individual range it probably just looks at start and end.