I spent the better part of Saturday creating a 3 second xlights sequence (attached) that recreates the memory problem I have encountered.
My setup for playback is xschedule (or FPP) for Show Control and "FPP Connect" to update (4) Pi Controllers with 480x270 output to a video wall, plus all of my WS2811 lights. My Whole House Layout is a Top View because I have lights in the Front & Backs Yards as well as the Living Room.
The attached "Test-Lights_Flash 3 sec" file works perfectly until I add an additional Image Effect (200KB or greater) to the 4th Matrix Display. At that point, all my WS2811 lights flash and all the Matrix Displays are garbled when played back from xschedule or FPP Player. If I delete the 4th matrix image effect, Purge Cache and Re-render then "FPP Connect", things go back to normal.
The interesting thing is when I run "Display Testing/Sequence" Locally on the Pi with the "FPP Connect" downloaded file, the same garbled video is displayed, so it appears the problem is occurring in the "xlights Render" and transfer to the FPP Player (Remotes).
Playing the same file out of xlights, seems to work fine except there is an "all lights flash white" on the Whole House Display at the start of the Playback.
I wish there was a way in xlights to MultiSync Player (Remote) Mode FPPs. This would allow a true rehearsal after render instead of having to transfer to xschedule to trigger all the Player (Remotes).
I have checked and double checked my Controllers and Layout and there is no overlapping.
The only problems listed on a "Check Sequence" are as follows:
1. WARN: Multiple outputs (17) with same universe/id number 64001. If using #universe:start_channel result may be incorrect. -- not sure where I find this "id number 64001"
2. Many - WARN: Effect Color Wash ends at 2:40.050 after the sequence end 0:03.000. Model: '_Fountains - Pool - Spa' Start: 1:20.100 -- even though there are no longer any Color Wash Effects in use.
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To Re-create the Flash Problem:
Setup:
1. setup a small matrix to 192.168.3.74 Universe 275-278 or adjust the Controller File to match your Matrix Display accordingly. Mine is a real time Matrix (not Player (Remote) that displays my "Render Version Number". This Matrix is 44x11 for text. This Matrix starts to flash (as well as my other lights) when the problem occurs.
2. The "media" folder contains the (4) 480x270 image files. When the 4th Matrix Display Effects includes an image that exceeds 200KB the problem occurs. When the Matrix 4 image is less than 200K, everything seems ok.
Steps:
1. Unzip "Test-Lights_Flash 3 sec"
2. Copy the attached "Stills 480x270" file folder to the "My Sequences" directory. This will give you an assortment of image files of different sizes to test.
3. Load xlights and change the show directory to the unzipped My Sequences file folder.
4. Open the "Test-Lights_Flash 3 sec" under the "__Test Sequences" directory. Expand the displayed "_Matrix Group" to view the Matrix 1-4 Effects. Then, Purge the Cache, Render and Save the file.
Run: Sequence on xlights
Result: Everything appears OK but sometimes "All lights will Flash" in the House Preview window.
Run: "FPP Connect" or just run the sequence in xschedule
Result: ** Version Matrix Display flashes as do Matrix Displays 1-4 **
3. Delete the Effect on Matrix 4, Purge Cache, Render and Save file
Run: Sequence on xlights
Result: Everything runs OK but there still is an "All Lights White Flash" in House Preview display
Run: "FPP Connect" and run Sequence in xschedule
Result: everything runs OK
Notes:
1. If Matrix 4 has an Image Effect that is lees that 200KB, everything seems to run OK.
2. If Matrix 4 has an Image Effect greater than 250KB the problem occurs. Use "TV-4 Stream.jpg" in the 480x270 directory.
3. When a new sequence is created, and Play in xlights is initiated, there is never an "All lights will Flash" in the House Preview window. Once I load the Matrix 1-3 with Image Effects and Play in xlights, the "All lights will Flash" in the House Preview window starts to occur.
All the best,
Doug
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Equipment in Use:
Intel I9-10850K w/Asus ProArt Z490 & 64 GB 3800MHZ DDR4 Ram
Xlights: Version 2021.12 64GB Ram
Xscheduler: I7 32GB Ram Dedicated Controller
(3) F16v3 Controllers
(1) F4V3 Controller
(5) Raspberry Pi 4 VirtualMatrix 480x270 Controllers
