Hardware > Lynx Smart String

An illustration of Smart String Layout

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ptone:
Here is an illustration and some notes about my understanding of smart string layout.  Corrections welcome, but hopefully this will help clarify how this works for some.  I'm keeping this updated with improvements and corrections in an effort to improve the understanding of those trying to learn - constructive criticism welcome.



Wiki information on PixelNet:
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PixelNet Universe = 4096 Channels =~ 1365 Nodes (R,G,B channels per node)
128 nodes per string (Max) = 384 Channels
1 Hub = 16 SSC = 6144 Channles which is > 1 PixelNet univers, so not possible to saturate a hub.
1 PixelNet Universe might support:

* 1 hub, 16 strings of 85 nodes each = 4080 channels
* 2 hubs, 5 strings of 100 (1500ch) in 1 hub and 16 strings of 50 (2592ch) in another hub for a total of 4092ch
* 8 hubs with 10 strings each of 17 nodes = 4080ch
Note that these numbers are illustrative and do NOT account for hybrid mode channels.  But they help illustrate the basic idea of what quantity a PixelNet Universe is.

1 new dongle supporting 16K channels, will support 4 PixelNet universe with single Cat5 output. 1 universe for each pair of the Cat5.

rrowan:
Hi Ptone

I am not sure you got it all correct.

Example: You should not combine DMX and Pixnet. ie: 384 Channels = 1 DMX Universe per SSC.


Plus RJ created basic diagrams in the What is a smart string topic. I copied the diagrams to the wiki for easy lookup later.

Rick R.

ptone:
Rick,

I've clarified that bit in the original - they are mixed, as RJ has stated that the SSC takes PixelNet as in input, and outputs DMX.  So PixelNet can be seen as a Protocol for "packing" multiple (partial) DMX universes into one serial stream.  This will be useful from a software point of view and a familiarity point of view where lights and channels are assumed to live in DMX universes.  Another angle on this, if there were no power limitations on a string, then the max number of nodes would probably be 170, as the limit of 512 DMX channels per string would then kick in.

My point of doing a new illustration is that there continues to be much confusion about hubs and ssc layout, so I figured another angle couldn't hurt.  Also the "what is a SS" thread is so massive - many are no longer bothering to wade through it.

-P

rrowan:
The Pixelnet is the (converted) dongle, hub, SSC at the moment.
The hub can take up to 512 channels from the pixelnet to be use for DMX devices we already have. The hub has one dmx output rj-45. The other 16 rj-45 is still pixelnet.

RJ45 Connectors is a total of 19 on the HUB
1 - Pixelnet Input
1 - Pixelnet Output (daisy chain to other Hubs)
16 - Outputs for the SSCs
1 - DMX output

Rick R.

tbone321:
You are not allowed to view links. Register or LoginRick,

I've clarified that bit in the original - they are mixed, as RJ has stated that the SSC takes PixelNet as in input, and outputs DMX.  So PixelNet can be seen as a Protocol for "packing" multiple (partial) DMX universes into one serial stream.  This will be useful from a software point of view and a familiarity point of view where lights and channels are assumed to live in DMX universes.  Another angle on this, if there were no power limitations on a string, then the max number of nodes would probably be 170, as the limit of 512 DMX channels per string would then kick in.

--- End quote ---

Where exactly did you see RJ state that the SC converts pixelnet to DMX?  Early in the "what is pixelnet" thread he indicated that the SSC does not use DMX and is free of the 170 node DMX break penalty.  

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
My point of doing a new illustration is that there continues to be much confusion about hubs and ssc layout, so I figured another angle couldn't hurt.  Also the "what is a SS" thread is so massive - many are no longer bothering to wade through it.

-P


--- End quote ---

While the illustration you provided is nice, it is a bit misleading and innaccurate.  You are showing a single 12V source powering all of the hubs and altough you may be able to do that, it is not the recommended method and may be misleading.  You are also showing the upper two hubs being controlled by seperate Lynx dongles.  That would only be needed if each hub is on a seperate pixelnet universe.  The hubs can be daisy chained if on the same universe using the Lynx dongle and you should show that.  You are also showing a pixelnet dongle seperatly connecting to the bottom two hubs and that is incorrect.  The pixelnet dongle connects to the first hub and the rest daisy chain from the first.  The universe that any hub is working with is selected by jumpers on the hub and all 4 universes are passed along the line so the order of the hubs in the chain has nothing to do with the universe it is working wth.

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