Do I have to run my LOR boxes in DMX to run it in Nutcracker?

[RobertB]

I am becoming increasingly upset by the fact I can't use the LOR visualizer with my new pixel tree (40 nodes high, 24 strings) unless I have the Superstar software. Put in all of the strings by hand (creating and assigning channels) into visualizer and got down to string #22 when the "Reached max of 1050 fixtures" came up. Errrrrrr. 

Running out of time to learn a new software. My plan was to take Nutcracker, create an effect, put it to the clip board in LOR and paste it in. Then use the visualizer to see everything. Wellllll the "Whole House" model may have come at the right time. However I am afraid I will run out of time learning everything. In order for me to use the new "Whole House" module, do I have to convert all of my LOR files to DMX? Kind of hate that because it will cause me rewrite all of my "Shimmers" and "Twinkles" but also have to rewire everything.

I am toying with the idea of just running the visualizer on the pixel tree as a dumb RGB since I will import my old mega tree files into it in addition to new effects from NC. I am just real picky about timing so I use a visual guide often.

Suggestions?
Robert

[Steve Gase]

if you use xlights, you can continue to use LOR dongles and network.

if you move to FPP, then you don't have the LOR protocol option... you'd need E1.31, dmx or pixelnet.

[sean]

if you use xlights, you can continue to use LOR dongles and network.

if you move to FPP, then you don't have the LOR protocol option... you'd need E1.31, dmx or pixelnet.

"if you move to FPP, then you don't have the LOR protocol option"

Steve, that used to be true until the 0.4 release of FPP which added the LOR protocol.

So xlights AND FPP now support
usb LOR Protocol
usb LOR DMX
E1.31
Renard
Pixelnet
D-lights
Opendmx

[Steve Gase]

great news!  ...its hard to keep up with all of the goodness found in nutcracker and FPP!

[RobertB]

Cool....
But do I have to run my LOR boxes in DMX to run it in Nutcracker?

[Lights On Fifth]

Cool....
But do I have to run my LOR boxes in DMX to run it in Nutcracker?

Yes

[sean]

No. Xlights and FPP both support lor protocol and DMX. Dmx is recommended since it scales to higher channels. I also think Dmx may be easier to understand when creating the SETUP tab in xlights

[msiebri]

I believe I have run into the LOR protocol not scaling well issue.  I ran my first sequence in xLights last night, and there were substantial delays on the LOR lights.  I'm hopefully going to get a crossover cable built today or tomorrow so I can try feeding DMX to my 13 LOR controllers.

Martin

[CaptainMurdoch]

LOR protocol doesn't perform well if you have high rates of change on lots of channels due to the overhead in the protocol.  It is more efficient with low rates of change though.  So what works fine for one song/sequence might not work fine with another.

[RobertB]

As far as LOR channels...I only have probably a about 250. I know it is under 300. That would play ok?

[CaptainMurdoch]

It really depends on your sequences.  At 115200, that is an average of 576 bytes available per 50ms timing period, but a LOR update requires 6 bytes of data on the wire so that means you can only update a max of 96 channels per 50ms timing period. If your rate of change is less than that you may be OK.

[msiebri]

I had never looked at the baud rate of my controllers, I am only set at 57.6K.  I know this isn't the right forum, but what is involved in turning that up higher?  I would like to try that before moving to DMX mode.

Martin

[CaptainMurdoch]

I will have to defer to someone else on that question.  The only thing I know about LOR is enough to reimplement the channel data protocol in FPP.

[Dave Nibeck]

I believe it's in the lor networks program. If memory serves,  500k is the highest but you have to have the latest generation boards. Might want to ask on lor's board.

[RobertB]

I have asked on the LOR Forum. No responses :-(