questions about single color and how it maps to RGB

[Steve Gase]

I'd like to use RGB effects with single-color strings... but I'm not sure that it works the way that I expect.

If I have (15) mini-trees with LED strings...  each tree has a string of 100 red LEDs, each string is controlled by a separate LE channel.  The same trees have a string of blue LEDs...  another channel for each of them... and also green LEDs with another channel for each, and also white LEDs.     ...15 trees, 4 colors each, 60 channels altogether.  In nutcracker I define 4 models that I nearly overlay on each other... the red LED strings are defined with "single color red" etc.

for comparison, i also create a RGB arch with 15 pixels.

In my yard I have RGB arches and use the SingleStrand effect.  I'd like to see the effect used by the RGB arch reflected in the row of trees.

If I have a cluster of blue pixels move across the arch from beginning to end, I'd also like to see the blue move across the trees in the same way.    If i have a pattern of red -- then green -- then blue pixels move across the arch and bounce back, i'd like the same effect on the trees using single color strings.


I'm not seeing it... it seems that describing the string "single color red" does not create an affinity for "red" in the effect.  there seems to be no color affinity at all.

For example, I've attached an animation from NC showing  a string of red (representing 15 trees), below is the green trees, then blue, then white... and below all of them is a RGB arch.  all 5 models are playing the same effect -- a SingleStrang effect with only Red and Green selected.  I would not expect the blue strings, nor the white strings to do anything at all... but all 4 strings seem to glob onto the first channel in the RGB effect regardless of their assigned color.

The whole house effect is also impacted by this when I include all single string models in the whole house model.  If I do a color wash of Red, only the red strings should come on.  the same for blue.  instead they all are treats as if they are red.

Is there a better way to represent this?  I'd prefer not to change the LE configuration around to have channels assigned in triplets... even then I wouldn;t have a solution for the white color.

thoughts?  Is this an enhancement request for 2015?


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[Steve Gase]

The GifCam software seems to have a problem with positioning, so the attached gif does not show the problem well.

Here is what I thought the behavior for single strings might be:

Assuming that a pixel with a (R,G,B) value is produced by an effect, then:


Single String Red[P1] = RedValue(RGB[P1])

Single String Green[P1] = GreenValue( RGB[P1] )

Single String Blue[P1] = BlueValue( RGB[P1] )


...for white, using some method to aggregate the 3 color levels to 'blend' into white might be used.
 i am thinking a MIN function applied to all 3 values... 
it doesn't need to be perfect, but it allows me to say: I want the white strings to be included in the sequence, and be full intensity when a white is requested, and still present with reduced intensity when some other color mix is specified.

Single String White[P1] = Min( RedValue( RGB[P1] ) , GreenValue( RGB[P1] ) , BlueValue( RGB[P1] ) )

[nzlongfellow]

To get an LED to light you need to treat it as WHITE which gives full voltage to them, then the RED will be RED, BLUE is BLUE, WHITE will be WHITE etc.
Sending just RED to RED will not give you anything as you have found.
The RGB pixel creates the colour by the values of R G B from 0 - 255 intensity BUT LED's are the colour so just need voltage.
Try just traeting them as WHITE and see what happens. (BUT they will show as WHITE on Nutcracker.)

[Steve Gase]

If I apply the same effect to a blue, green, red, and white single string...  then any place that has ANY RGB color will cause the channel on the string to go off...  the behavior is as you describe... it doesn't seem to care about the color assignment when I define the single color string in the model.

I'm asking for more than exists, it seems...

since many people have created 'super stings' that combine many single-color strings into a bundle, they will want (as I want) to selectively turn on colors to match what the RGB effect is doing.  if we need to find a way to take a multi-color effect and separate it out into its color components -- only to apply the components to the individual strings, we lose of the value of nutcracker IMO.

The value is that we can easily have multi-color chases on super-string trees and arches, and similar non-RGB models.  this is bringing nutcracker to the legacy lights.

[sean]

Steve; i posted this elsewhere. Single color objects do work with all the effects, you just need to understand what they respond to when Matt created them 2 years ago.


Nutcracker ALWAYS creates rgb effects, even if your entire show is single color props.
Our effect generations have 24bit RGB color values.
The way Matt solved how do you have multi  color effects and single color props?
Create a prop using single color red, single color blue, single color green or single color white. And have that prop respond only to its channel.

Suppose you have a bars effect with red
you have 4 mini trees, single color Red, Green,Blue, White

if you put the bars effect on all 4:
1) The Red tree responds to any value in the red channel. So this will light up when the red bar goes by
2)  The Green tree responds to any value in the green channel. So nothing lights up
3)   The Blue tree responds to any value in the blue channel. So nothing lights up
5) The white tree responds to any time that RGB all equal each other.  it will only light up with a
value like 50,50,50, 120,120,120, 255,255,255 . So since we have red (255,0,0) , it doesnt light up.
If you have 50,50,51 then that is not a pure white (or gray) color and the white tree would not respond to those.

BTW, if you turn on sprakle or have any white color, your Red, Green and Blue trees will respond. they have a channel matching the RGB they watch.

[Steve Gase]

Thanks, sean... that is exactly the behavior that I would like to see!

However, I am not seeing it.

When I use a SimpleString effect where only red and green are selected in the effect -- and apply it to a red, and blue, and green, and white  string -- I see ALL of them work identically.  It almost seems as if they are keying on the red color (the first channel of a RGB triplet).

The gif image in the posting shows this... well a corner of the preview where all 4 single strings and a comparison arch are shown.

I attached the effects xml and animation sequence that demonstrates this.

[Steve Gase]

Apparently the GifCam tool works better on my desktop than the notebook, so I'm attaching a better animated gif.  For some reason, the GifCam is not capturing the color green -- green is shown in the second row and is a color in the arch... it is shifted red in the arch.

Notice that the that the white string lights up along the 15 in the 4th prop.  Since effect does not have white configured, the white shouldn't light on the 4th prop... right?  the same for the 3rd blue prop.  only red and green should be lighting up alongside the arch.



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[sean]

 Please mail networks,rgbeffects xml files to sean@meighan.net

[jnealand]

For my sixteen 3 color mini trees I have multi models including one called mini reds that configured with individual start channels.  I have one for each color which for me is red, green, white.  Now i can chase across these 16 strings using single strand or spirals or bars, etc  Notice that it is not "part of my display" so while I can sequence using this model, the preview uses my other models for each tree.

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[Steve Gase]

Please mail networks,rgbeffects xml files to sean@meighan.net

sean, did you receive my email with the files on 12/12 ?

thanks again for looking at this.

[CoasterBP]

Just putting a bump in here to see if there has been any resolution to this as I'm having the same issue with all my super strands that I have in my display.... just trying to get away from using LOR and NC.... and just focus on NC...

-=CoasterBP

[Steve Gase]

I've hear nothing new from sean.

In my case I have 5-color mini trees, 15 of them.
I have the colors ordered as Red-Green-Blue-White-Purple.

I created a separate model defined as a RGB string that uses the red string channel assignments, without surprise it works just as expected in the effects.  My hope is still that having 3 separate strings (red and green and blue) would behave the same way as a group pulled together in a "RGB string". 

Why not just use this RGB string? ...it doesn't solve my white only string, nor purple string.

[Voltorb]

I have single color LED strings laying across my yard.  Much more hearty when stepped on accidentally, and way less expensive than laying pixels down in the wet.  It would be nice to have the ability to map a custom color to single strands.  I too have Red Green Blue White and Purple (Ravens Territory).