Leaping Arches wiring/Setup

[poporacer]

I have some leaping arches that are in a line (I also have some mini trees so this will apply to them as well) I am going to use an F16V3 to control a MegaTree (1600 pixels), 7 Mini Trees (100 pixels each) and 4 leaping arches (100 pixels each).

The arches are all in a line with a space of about 12" from the end of one and the beginning of the next. I was curious if I were to daisy chain them, how do I set up the models in Xlights/Controller or will the Universe/Channel designation automatically work? 

I would like to use one port on the controller to control the arches. If I use the Arches Model with 4 arches, the sequence doesn't work correctly because there is no gap between the arches in the model.

I was planning on using 8 strings of 200 pixels (power injected) for my Mega tree but if I have to wire each arch/tree to a separate port, then I will have to increase the string length on the Mega Tree to 400 pixels.

Thanks!

[keithsw1111]

For your arches set the start channel as the first channel after the prior arch ... eg >Arch 1:1 and set all their controller connections the same.

For your megatree set strings to 4, pixels per string to 200 and strands/string to 4. Set controller connection for the first strings controller port then use the next 3 ports in order.

Your mini trees can be set up similar to the arches on one or two ports.

[poporacer]

Thanks a million!

[poporacer]

That brings up another question. I have several different roof lines and I had them set up with the channel for the second roof line to start after the first, etc. But the roof line is going to be controlled by two different controllers. I think it might be better to set up the models start channel based on the controller connection?

For example, controller 1 will control Right Roof Line, Center Roof Line and 2 Chroma Flakes, and controller 2 will control Entry Roof Line, Right Roof Line and 3 Chroma flakes.
So I think if I have the Start Channel for Entry Roof Line (controller 1) to start after Center Roof Line (controller 2) I will have to do some serious set up changes in the Controler in the Absolute Addressing?


I hope to totally grasp all of this soon!

[poporacer]

After watching Keith's video again (for like the 3rd time LOL), he suggested to start each element on their own universe number. I think this will resolve some of my issues, and he addressed the mini tree issue. I think I need to watch all of these videos 5 times before I post a question....

Am I on the right track?

If elements are daisy chained, should I treat them as one element?

For example, if I have a Roof Line (Universe 200) daisy chained with another Roof Line (Universe 201) and then daisy chained to a Chroma Flake (Universe 202) and I have one controller set up to handle all of Universe 200 series. If I set the controller connection for all 3 elements to port 1 is that the correct way? Or would it be better to start the Roof Line on Universe 200 and then the next roof line start channel number to follow the first Roof Line model and then the Chroma Flake channel to start after that?

[Gilrock]

That's really personal preference because I differ in opinion from Keith on that aspect.  I like to just set the starting universe on a controller and then let the channels/universes flow throughout.  In xLights I only have to set one universe per controller and then I just daisy chain the start channels for all models on each controller.

[poporacer]

I realize that there are probably as many opinions on the correct way to do things in XLights and I am too new to have an opinion.... but just wait.... LOL
I am still a little confused, so you do your layout and use the Relative numbering method for all the models that will go on each controller? You stated one universe per controller? Did you mean one "group" of universes, enough to handle all the lights?
Then when you go to the next controller do you start the first model with whatever the next available universe is?
And when you do this, how do you handle a model that will start on one port, but end up on another?

[Gilrock]

I meant I only have to type in the first universe for each controller in the start channel for the first model on the controller.  Of course it uses several universes.

I don't necessarily always go to the very next universe for the next controller.  It doesn't matter what you use as long as it doesn't overlap.

Not sure what you mean about handling a model that ends on another port.  It's just a contiguous block of channels.  In xLights the model only needs to know where model starts.  In the controller I just define each port to start when the one behind it ended.  I use 512 channels for all my Falcon controllers.  I've had ports that start on channel 512 before Falcon handles it just fine.

I don't use the configuration upload its just too easy to configure the controllers myself in 10 minutes.

[poporacer]

Sorry for not understanding. But I think I got it. The models in Xlights will have the relative addressing but for each "string" (series of models) you will identify the port on the Controller. So if you are daisy chaining any models, you will use the Relative Addressing but all those Models will be assigned to the same controller port and the next model in the Relative Addressing will just be assigned the next port on the controller?

[Gilrock]

My setup is even more simplistic than how you describe it.  Look at the attached image.  That is a block of models assigned to one of my controller.  Notice how only "Arch 1" has a universe assigned to it.  Every other model chains to the one above it.  And every one of those models has its own port.  So why I say its so simple is I go in the controller setup Port 1 and tell it that it starts at universe 26, channel 1 and there are 72 pixels.  The controller page shows me that the end channel is univ 26, chan 216.  So then I goto port 2 and type in univ 26, chan 217 and 50 pixels.   And I keep looking at the end channel to know what channel to type in on the next port down.  I already know how many pixels are on all my props so when I setup the controller the only info I need is what universe I'm starting with and I can type up the entire setup in a couple minutes.

[poporacer]

I think it is sinking in! So in this case if the Star Pixel Tree were the last Model on this controller then the next Model would have a Start Channel of Universe 33, Channel 1! Or would you just keep chaining and Start at Universe 32 channel 193 in the Controller set up?

Lets see if I get this part...

And if your Arches were daisy chained, then all of the Arches would be assigned Port 1 in xLights and in the Controller set up, Port 1 would be set up for the Start Channel to be Universe 26 Channel 1 and the number of Pixels as 172 and Port 2 would be set up with the Start Channel to be Universe 27 Channel 5?

[Gilrock]

That all sounds right.  Where I would have started the next controller is a choice.  Yes I would choose channel 1 on another universe so that none of my controllers receive the same universe.

[poporacer]

Thanks a million! It is sinking in. Now if I can fix my errors in XLights, I should be close to getting my show ready...