DiyLightAnimation

Software => Light Show Pro => Topic started by: urthegman on August 22, 2011,

Title: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 22, 2011,
Ok, I have my matrix set up to run off of 1 Hub. On my second Hub that will be daisy chained off of the first I will have 8 Flexible strips. My question is do I start a new Zone for the 8 strips and start with channel 1 all over again(the 8 strips will be programmed differently than the ones on the matrix) or do I leave them on the same zone and just start with the next channel number after the matrix? Thanks for any help you might be able to give on this. George (Posted this on LSPs site as well)
P.S. I will also have a universe of DMX running off of the second Hub.
I'm guessing this is going to have a lot to do with jumper setup on the Hubs, am I correct?
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: smartcontrols on August 22, 2011,
The "daisy chained off of the first hub" sounds like you have 1 Pixelnet universe ( 1 dongle < 4096 channels) .

If this is the case the jumpers on both hubs would be set to universe 1 and your channel numbers would just continue.

If you do have 2 dongles it would be slightly different.

for the DMX it is just a jumper setting on the hub. The channel numbers for DMX are set to certain  blocks of channels. (listed in the WIKI)

Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: taybrynn on August 22, 2011,
More information on what your trying to do and how you currently have it setup would be helpful.  I'm not quite sure what your asking.
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 22, 2011,
A lot of what I want to do hinges on being able to get my hands on an Ether dongle. Off of my first Hub I have 14 SSC's set up to run 14 90 node flexible strips for a matrix. From there I will hook a second Hub to run 8 120 node Flexible strips and one universe of DMX for 10 of Computerized Lightings programmable Snow tubes. From there I will run a third Hub for 2 120 node arches and another universe of DMX for 10 more of Computerized Lightings programmable Snow tubes and finally one more Hub for a third set of 10 of Computerized Lightings programmable Snow tubes that run on DMX.
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: taybrynn on August 22, 2011,
So each of those snow tubes is 48 DMX channels ... wow, you really have big plans!
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 22, 2011,
Yep, makes me nervous just thinking about it! Definitely skating on thin ice!
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: taybrynn on August 22, 2011,
I feel the same way, but I think your probably even more ambitious than me.

When you refer to "zone" or "next zone" ... what are you referring to?
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: caretaker on August 22, 2011,
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A lot of what I want to do hinges on being able to get my hands on an Ether dongle. Off of my first Hub I have 14 SSC's set up to run 14 90 node flexible strips for a matrix.
Some simple math: 90x3=270 channels a strip x 14 strips = 3780 channels  Pixel nets dongle gives you 4096 channels -3780 leaves you with 316 Pixelnet or DMX channels left on dongle 1. 
 
Quote
From there I will hook a second Hub to run 8 120 node Flexible strips and one universe of DMX for 10 of Computerized Lightings programmable Snow tubes.
Dongle 2 to Pixelnet Hub 2 120 nodes x 3 = 360 channels x 8 strips = 2880  Leaving your with 1216 channles left.
Quote
From there I will run a third Hub for 2 120 node arches and another universe of DMX for 10 more of Computerized Lightings programmable Snow tubes and finally one more Hub for a third set of 10 of Computerized Lightings programmable Snow tubes that run on DMX.
You can use a regular DMX dongle for 512 channels of DMX for the third dongle. 
*Or if were really good and keep our rooms clean and eat all our vegetables Santa RJ might have the Ether Dongle out before the end of October and you can do everything of 1 ether dongle. (*the ether dongle will be out when all the beta testing is finished and not a moment sooner!  Clean rooms and vegetable eating will have no effect on this process.)
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: RJ on August 22, 2011,
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*Or if were really good and keep our rooms clean and eat all our vegetables Santa RJ might have the Ether Dongle out before the end of October and you can do everything of 1 ether dongle. (*the ether dongle will be out when all the beta testing is finished and not a moment sooner!  Clean rooms and vegetable eating will have no effect on this process.)

Ha Ha !

The Jokes on you!

He is a EtherDongle Beta tester so he has one!   <yk..

RJ
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: loveroflife96 on August 22, 2011,
He was already on Santa's good list :-)  The rest of us have to sit eating popcorn waiting for Santa and his elves to finish building on this stuff and making sure it's good to go for the masses before we get our addicted hands on it!  Get our your cookies and milk, it could be a bribe maybe.  Santa...I'll be good...I PROMISE!  :-)  Thanks for everything you do RJ and beta testers...cannot wait for the excitement of the new stuff coming out now and in the near future!  Hopefully next year I'll be able to beta test some, but new jobs just tend to take a lot of time out of your schedule.
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: egenoup on August 22, 2011,
Is it done yet???     <yk..     >.d9  <;d

Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 22, 2011,
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I feel the same way, but I think your probably even more ambitious than me.

When you refer to "zone" or "next zone" ... what are you referring to?
In LSP it gives you the option of which zone/network a controller will be on. I thought if I was using multiple dongles that I would set it up with different controllers controlling  different zones. I clearly could be mistaken, that is why I am asking all these questions. I failed to mention earlier I will also be running 144 Animated Lighting channels but that part I already have figured out. So the question is, am I mistaken for putting the controllers on different zones? Thanks, George
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 22, 2011,
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A lot of what I want to do hinges on being able to get my hands on an Ether dongle. Off of my first Hub I have 14 SSC's set up to run 14 90 node flexible strips for a matrix.

Some simple math: 90x3=270 channels a strip x 14 strips = 3780 channels  Pixel nets dongle gives you 4096 channels -3780 leaves you with 316 Pixelnet or DMX channels left on dongle 1. 
 
Quote
From there I will hook a second Hub to run 8 120 node Flexible strips and one universe of DMX for 10 of Computerized Lightings programmable Snow tubes.
Dongle 2 to Pixelnet Hub 2 120 nodes x 3 = 360 channels x 8 strips = 2880  Leaving your with 1216 channles left.
Quote
From there I will run a third Hub for 2 120 node arches and another universe of DMX for 10 more of Computerized Lightings programmable Snow tubes and finally one more Hub for a third set of 10 of Computerized Lightings programmable Snow tubes that run on DMX.
You can use a regular DMX dongle for 512 channels of DMX for the third dongle. 
*Or if were really good and keep our rooms clean and eat all our vegetables Santa RJ might have the Ether Dongle out before the end of October and you can do everything of 1 ether dongle. (*the ether dongle will be out when all the beta testing is finished and not a moment sooner!  Clean rooms and vegetable eating will have no effect on this process.)
Ok, I checked the matrix controllers I added to LSP and there are indeed 3,780 channels and the 316 channels left would let me add one more 90 node strip if I decided. It would not allow a 512 channel DMX universe so I can not run one off of here that is clear and that is why I thought that running it off of Hub number 2 which has 1,216 channels left over as you stated. Off of Hub 3 I will be running 240 x 3 = 720 channels for two 120 node flexible strip arches leaving me plenty of channels for a second 512 channel DMX universe. Hub 4 will only be running the third DMX universe that I need. Or is there a way to run 2 DMX universes from my third hub? This would eliminate my need for a fourth hub and power supply that would be required to run it. I am just trying to get my brain wrapped around this so that I can get everything set up correctly now instead of waiting until the last minute. And I see that RJ let the cat out of the bag, so yes I will be running this off of the Ether Dongle. The math part of this is not my problem(I am a retired gold and silver option broker) It is the physical set up of all this that I am struggling to figure out. To add another dimension to my madness, I might have Madrix run the 30 DMX programmable snow tubes and LSP run everything else. Thanks for any help you can give mapping all of this out and thanks for the laugh I got when I read about eating my veggies and cleaning my room! George
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 22, 2011,
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*Or if were really good and keep our rooms clean and eat all our vegetables Santa RJ might have the Ether Dongle out before the end of October and you can do everything of 1 ether dongle. (*the ether dongle will be out when all the beta testing is finished and not a moment sooner!  Clean rooms and vegetable eating will have no effect on this process.)

Ha Ha !

The Jokes on you!
 Doh! And I was doing my darnedest to not let the cat out of the bag!!!!! <fp.

He is a EtherDongle Beta tester so he has one!   <yk..

RJ
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 22, 2011,
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He was already on Santa's good list :-)  The rest of us have to sit eating popcorn waiting for Santa and his elves to finish building on this stuff and making sure it's good to go for the masses before we get our addicted hands on it!  Get our your cookies and milk, it could be a bribe maybe.  Santa...I'll be good...I PROMISE!  :-)  Thanks for everything you do RJ and beta testers...cannot wait for the excitement of the new stuff coming out now and in the near future!  Hopefully next year I'll be able to beta test some, but new jobs just tend to take a lot of time out of your schedule.
You don't have to sit eating popcorn, get on over here and help me figure all this out! LOL I'll give you all the cookies and milk you can handle!!! AND you too will get a sneak peek!!! I can't imagine doing all this if I wasn't retired, although I used to get a LOT of programming done while I was at 'work'! LOL
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 22, 2011,
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Is it done yet???     <yk..     >.d9  <;d
We didn't even get the boards yet.
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: jeffcoast on August 23, 2011,
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Or is there a way to run 2 DMX universes from my third hub? This would eliminate my need for a fourth hub and power supply that would be required to run it. I am just trying to get my brain wrapped around this so that I can get everything set up correctly now instead of waiting until the last minute.
I don't think it is possible with the hubs as designed. But would that be hard to add to the PCB design to give that option? an extra rj45 I know would be needed, but what else and how much would it add to it. I don't need it myself, but see as some of the people that have very high DMX count display, that want to get into adding pixelnet and won't need more than 1 hub might like that.
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: tbone321 on August 23, 2011,
Remember that creating a DMX universe out of pixelnet is a conversion process.  First it would need a processor to read the pixelnet stream and perform the conversion needed to create the DMX outputalong with a set of jumpers to tell it where in the pixelnet stream to pull the DMX from.  Then you would need another RS-485 chip to generate the output signal to the RJ-485 jack you were talking about to connect to the DMX devices along with the rest of the support circuitry for these chips.  The problem is that these components take up space which would mean a new board design, and the expenses from that along with more protyping and beta testing.  To me it's not really worth it. 

What I would suggest if the need becomes great enough is a separate DMX only converter board that would plug into one of the active hub ports and only contain the DMX conversion circuitry and a single DMX output. 
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: taybrynn on August 23, 2011,
Yes, you want a 'zone' for each physical interface you are using ... so if your using 3 pixelnet flashed dongles, each with a pixelnet universe ... then 3 zones sounds right.

From a wiring perspective, you might combine with pixelnet combiner into a single cable to ss hub1, then ss hub2, then ss hub3 ... breaking off a universe at each.

You can't get more than 512 channels of DMX from a single SS Hub, but you could just use a regular DMX dongle (and no ss hub) if you just need one additional DMX universe ... and I guess that would add yet another 'zone' in your LSP output section.

How are you going to keep Madrix and LSP in sync together?
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 23, 2011,
Ok, This is what I have derived from reading the Wiki regarding the DMX outputs and my setup. Please let me know if you agree with this set-up or what would be a proper and/or better setup for my combined Pixelnet and DMX set up.
EtherDongle to Hub 1, jumper goes on Pixelnet Universe 1 and controls 14 of the 90 node Flexible strips for 3,780 channels. Channels 1-3,780
Hub1 - Hub2, jumper goes on Pixelnet Universe 2???? on Hub2 and controls 8 of the 120 node Flexible strips for 2,880 channels. Now is it channels 3,781-6660 or 4,097 to 6,976????    For the DMX Universe according to the WIKI, I would put the jumper on DMX Universe 7 and my DMX Universe would be channels 7,169 - 7,680
Hub2 - Hub3, jumper would go on Pixelnet Universe 3???? on Hub3 and controls 2 of the 120 node Flexible strips for 720 channels. Would it be channels 7,681-8400 or 8193-8912????
For my second DMX universe according to the WIKI, I would put the jumper on DMX Universe 3 and my DMX channels would be 9,217 - 9,728
Hub3- Hub4, jumper goes on Pixelnet Universe 4????, I have NO pixelnet channels on Hub4. For my third DMX Universe according to the Wiki, I would put the DMX jumper on DMX universe 1 and my DMX channels would be 12,289 - 12,800
I put a question mark and a confused smiley where I am really not sure and I am completely open to suggestions on the entire set up. Thank you for your time and any help you can give, George
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 23, 2011,
Taybrinn, I didn't see your post before I posted my guestimated set up. I am about to go out for a run to clear my head a little. I will read it when I get back. Quick answer to your question Madrix has a M2L option where it will use the waveform to enable specified effects to go to the beat of the song. OR I think I can set up a DMX channel that will allow me to put saved or created effects into the song wherever I include them on the channel and control the snow tubes like that.
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: taybrynn on August 23, 2011,
I think your universe assignments need to be complete, not partial.

So your first pixelnet universe is PN ch# 1-4096 ... you would use 1-3780 and have 3781-4096 as unused

Your second pixelnet universe if PN ch#4097-8192 ... you would use 4097-6976

Your third pixelnet universe is PN ch#8193-12288 ... you would use 8193-8912

You don't really need a fourth pixelnet universe, so you either just use a Lynx DMX Dongle for that 512, or try to use spare DMX channels from the other 3 DMX universes.

Did you forget to add a DMX512 to the first ss hub ?  Even if you only used part of the 512 channels for DMX, you can still use them for pixelnet ... it outputs to both PN and DMX on those channels.
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: caretaker on August 23, 2011,
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A lot of what I want to do hinges on being able to get my hands on an Ether dongle. Off of my first Hub I have 14 SSC's set up to run 14 90 node flexible strips for a matrix.

Some simple math: 90x3=270 channels a strip x 14 strips = 3780 channels  Pixel nets dongle gives you 4096 channels -3780 leaves you with 316 Pixelnet or DMX channels left on dongle 1. 
 
Quote
From there I will hook a second Hub to run 8 120 node Flexible strips and one universe of DMX for 10 of Computerized Lightings programmable Snow tubes.
Dongle 2 to Pixelnet Hub 2 120 nodes x 3 = 360 channels x 8 strips = 2880  Leaving your with 1216 channles left.
Quote
From there I will run a third Hub for 2 120 node arches and another universe of DMX for 10 more of Computerized Lightings programmable Snow tubes and finally one more Hub for a third set of 10 of Computerized Lightings programmable Snow tubes that run on DMX.
You can use a regular DMX dongle for 512 channels of DMX for the third dongle. 
*Or if were really good and keep our rooms clean and eat all our vegetables Santa RJ might have the Ether Dongle out before the end of October and you can do everything of 1 ether dongle. (*the ether dongle will be out when all the beta testing is finished and not a moment sooner!  Clean rooms and vegetable eating will have no effect on this process.)
Ok, I checked the matrix controllers I added to LSP and there are indeed 3,780 channels and the 316 channels left would let me add one more 90 node strip if I decided. It would not allow a 512 channel DMX universe so I can not run one off of here that is clear and that is why I thought that running it off of Hub number 2 which has 1,216 channels left over as you stated. Off of Hub 3 I will be running 240 x 3 = 720 channels for two 120 node flexible strip arches leaving me plenty of channels for a second 512 channel DMX universe. Hub 4 will only be running the third DMX universe that I need. Or is there a way to run 2 DMX universes from my third hub? This would eliminate my need for a fourth hub and power supply that would be required to run it. I am just trying to get my brain wrapped around this so that I can get everything set up correctly now instead of waiting until the last minute. And I see that RJ let the cat out of the bag, so yes I will be running this off of the Ether Dongle. The math part of this is not my problem(I am a retired gold and silver option broker) It is the physical set up of all this that I am struggling to figure out. To add another dimension to my madness, I might have Madrix run the 30 DMX programmable snow tubes and LSP run everything else. Thanks for any help you can give mapping all of this out and thanks for the laugh I got when I read about eating my veggies and cleaning my room! George
Opps, forgot about the 2 120 node arches... you could add those to hub 2 which would take care of your Smart String/Pixelnet part of your show. Since you are going to be using a Etherdongle you will be all set 2 channels of the etherdongle for your smart strings/ pixelnet and 2 channels for DMX.  As far as numbering channels go, I would keep all your DMX channels together and all your Smart String/ Pixelnet channels together.  So say channels 1 through 512 etherdongle port 1 for DMX universe 1, Channels 1 through 512 etherdongle port 2 is DMX universe 2, Pixelnet channels 1 through 3780 will be etherdongle port 3 and Pixelnet channels 1 through 3600 will be etherdongle port 4.   I sure others will chime in and correct me if I am getting something wrong here which is the great thing about this group. One thing that may help you is if you draw out your display on paper and as you put in each element put down channels numbers for the element too.
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 23, 2011,
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I think your universe assignments need to be complete, not partial.

So your first pixelnet universe is PN ch# 1-4096 ... you would use 1-3780 and have 3781-4096 as unused

Your second pixelnet universe if PN ch#4097-8192 ... you would use 4097-6976

Your third pixelnet universe is PN ch#8193-12288 ... you would use 8193-8912

You don't really need a fourth pixelnet universe, so you either just use a Lynx DMX Dongle for that 512, or try to use spare DMX channels from the other 3 DMX universes.

Did you forget to add a DMX512 to the first ss hub ?  Even if you only used part of the 512 channels for DMX, you can still use them for pixelnet ... it outputs to both PN and DMX on those channels.
I might be over thinking all this but here goes. I don't think I can add the 512 DMX channels to the first hub. If you look at the WIKI page here :http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=5120.0;attach=6009
there is a list of channels that correspond to one of the set of DMX jumper pins that are numbered 1-8 on the hub.
I did think of all the empty channel assignments and I'm not sure if it matters or not. I think that whether it is full or empty 4096 channels of info will be sent. I'm sooo confused right now.
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: tbone321 on August 23, 2011,
One thing to remember is that the DMX output of a hub has no effect on the PixelNet output.  The hub will still distribute the full 4096 channels of PixelNet regardless of what range the DMX jumper is set to.  If you have lets say 150 channels at the end of a PixelNet universe that you wan to use for DMX, then set the DMX jumper on the hub to 8 and set the starting DMX address on your first controller to 363 and you are good to go.
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 23, 2011,
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One thing to remember is that the DMX output of a hub has no effect on the PixelNet output.  The hub will still distribute the full 4096 channels of PixelNet regardless of what range the DMX jumper is set to.  If you have lets say 150 channels at the end of a PixelNet universe that you wan to use for DMX, then set the DMX jumper on the hub to 8 and set the starting DMX address on your first controller to 363 and you are good to go.
So I can do what Taybrynn recommends and fill in the unused channels?
Man, this is difficult!
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: tbone321 on August 23, 2011,
Yes you can and it's easier than you think. 
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: taybrynn on August 23, 2011,
Yes, you can.

It's actually not difficult, its just extremely flexible (as RJ designed it). 

The hard part is making all the decisions along the way.
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: dmoore on August 23, 2011,
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Consider that you don't have to "use up" all of LSP's "virtual" channels.  When I setup seperate universes I use the following ordering that links LSP's channels to physical addresses:

Universe 1 (1-512 DMX) = LSP 1001-1512
Universe 2 (1-512 DMX) = LSP 2001-2512
Universe 3 (1-512 DMX) = LSP 3001-3512

Why I perfer this method is becuse it not only tells me, without looking at a spread sheet, which universe but also which DMX channel in that universe it is in.  Combine this with LSP's channel printing tools, and you don't have to keep track of your channels anywhere but in LSP!  Of course this applies slightly different to pixelnet but I believe the concept remains the same - you don't have to use up all the channels as LSP's "channels" are just references, not actual addresses.
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 24, 2011,
So it as simple as making each hub its own universe, setting up the channels however I wish without gaps and making sure I have a DMX pin in my hub that will cover the DMX channels? Or should I set the DMX channels first as Dmoore suggested and fill in my Pixelnet channels around it? I was setting my channels up the way I was to spread the power load on my Corsair 850,750 and 650 power supplies. Thanks, George
Note: I am also trying to keep my Hubs and power supplies in close proximity to the physical location of each element.
Also forgot to mention all three DMX universes will be doing the same thing.
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 24, 2011,
Anyone?
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: taybrynn on August 24, 2011,
Yes.

Each SS Hub is a Pixelnet Universe, or handles one.  Thats a zone in LSP, whether you physically get there using 4 cables, or using a pixelnet combiner to deliver all four universes on one cable.

You set the DMX jumper on each SS Hub to determine which pixelnet channel range will OUTPUT to the DMX OUT (512 channels).

To your display items, its always DMX 1->512 coming off each SS Hub DMX-OUT ... but to LSP, your just sequencing to 100% pixelnet channels.  It just happens that some of them are also being emulated (or tee-d) to the DMX-OUT (and Pixelnet Out, but don't use both Pixelnet and DMX unless you want to do that).  But you can assign all or just portion of the DMX-OUT per SS Hub to DMX stuff, and the rest is Pixelnet by default.

Again, yours only sequencing to Pixelnet as far as LSP is concerned. 

If you setting up your DMX stuff all the same, off each DMX-OUT on each SS Hub ... then you would use the same DMX channel assignments (for those tubes, say) ... and they would different pixelnet channels, but might show up as 1->480 pixelnet for each set of 10 snow tubes (assuming 48 per tube x 10 tubes).

Just remember that whatever you set the SS Hub DMX jumpers to will just change the pixelnet channel range that also emulates into DMX 1-512 on the local SS Hub DMX OUT.  So many people here talk about using the jumper for the first 512 channels for DMX ... so the first 512 of each Pixelnet Universe would also be going to DMX if you want to use it for DMX.  If you only used 480 (for example), then on Univ#1 ... PN1-480 would go to DMX1-480 and you could use 481->4096 for PN still.  On Univ#2, assuming same jumper setting on that SS Hub, PN ch#4097->4578 would go to DMX1->480 and you could still use PN ch#4579->8192 for PN still.

You can see that to LSP ... your just sequencing pixelnet channels ... but because of how you configure you SS Hubs (DMX jumper) ... you emulating DMX512 to the snow tubes on DMX ch#1-480 every time ... but your never really sequencing to DMX directly, but just to Pixelnet.

Again, I'm just giving a 480 ch DMX snow tube as an example, but you might be doing other stuff with your DMX ...
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 24, 2011,
Thanks Taybrinn,Tbone,Dmoore,Smartcontrols,Caretaker,RJ and Jeffcoast I think I get it. Let me put it on paper before I start celebrating!!! LOL
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 24, 2011,
Ok here goes:
Ether Dongle ----> Hub 1 Pixelnet Universe 1 Channels 1-3,780 for 14 of the 90 node flexible strips (leaving channels open for a possible 15th 90 node strip)
Hub 1 ----> Hub 2 DMX jumper on DMX Universe 1 for 480 DMX channels 4,097-4,576 (note: skipping one channel for possible Madrix DMX commands), Pixelnet jumper on Pixelnet Universe 2 for 2,880 channels 4,578-7,458
Hub 2 ----> Hub 3 DMX jumper on DMX Universe 1 for 480 DMX channels 8,193-8,672 (note: skipping one channel for possible Madrix DMX commands), Pixelnet jumper on Pixelnet Universe 3 for 720 channels 8,674-9,394
Hub 3 ----> Hub 4 DMX jumper on DMX universe 1 for 480 DMX channels 12,289-12,768. Pixelnet jumper on Pixelnet Universe 4.
Will this work? I know I have channels open, can I save them for expansion next year or will they cause problems this year? Thanks for your patience as I fumble my way through this.
 
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: taybrynn on August 24, 2011,
Looks right to me.

Just map out the pixelnet channels you need in LSP and don't map out the channels you are not using.  You can track them in a spreadsheet or something on the side if you want.

If you add the controllers into LSP as 'display elements' (as dmoore calls them) ... then your mapping out the PN channels you are using  for each display element ... and the ones you don't use don't get in the way (because they are not mapped out).  So your kind of adding a controller per display element, in a lot of cases.  Its all up to you.  FOr your snow tubes, you might have one controller per ... but have a single channel controller for the optional/expansion Madrix control.

You will all be in a single LSP output "zone", since with the etherdongle you can get all 4 PN universes on a single interface .... you lucky dog!
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 24, 2011,
I really can't thank you enough, very kind! I will set this up tomorrow unless UPS delivers the dongle parts first. LOL If you're ever in New York, dinner is most definitely is on me. Well, lots of work setting up channels on LSP to do, I'll keep you posted on how all this pans out. George
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 25, 2011,
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Remember that creating a DMX universe out of pixelnet is a conversion process.  First it would need a processor to read the pixelnet stream and perform the conversion needed to create the DMX outputalong with a set of jumpers to tell it where in the pixelnet stream to pull the DMX from.  Then you would need another RS-485 chip to generate the output signal to the RJ-485 jack you were talking about to connect to the DMX devices along with the rest of the support circuitry for these chips.  The problem is that these components take up space which would mean a new board design, and the expenses from that along with more protyping and beta testing.  To me it's not really worth it. 

What I would suggest if the need becomes great enough is a separate DMX only converter board that would plug into one of the active hub ports and only contain the DMX conversion circuitry and a single DMX output.
Not really knowledgeable about all this, but I am learning an awful lot as I progress here so please excuse the insane question I am about to ask. But could I run a V2 dongle off of my final hub to control my third and last Universe of DMX?
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: smartcontrols on August 25, 2011,
The V2 dongle would not accept the Pixelnet input. If it would work for you, you could run the V2 dongle off a second USB port from your show computer. Or

In post 161 you mentioned that all your DMX universes are doing exactly the same thing. If that is still true you could think about putting a DMX splitter after your 3rd hub and sending the same data to both your 3rd and 4th DMX locations. They would both get the same data, so they would both have too be doing the same thing.

 
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: smartcontrols on August 25, 2011,
One more thought. Your concern about the 4th power supply if you do decide to run a 4th hub. That 4th hub would only be running your DMX and would not have any lights powered by it. Therefore you would only need a small amount of power to power the electronics on it. If you put the 12 volt input option on it you could power it off of  the 12 volt output from one of the other hubs. The same way the 4 port passive hub can be powered.

Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 25, 2011,
What type of DMX splitter would I use? My next headache is setting up the controllers for the DMX programmable snow tubes. I guess the easiest way for programmings sake would to make three sets of 10 16 channel RGB controllers with the appropriate channels that I listed earlier.
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: taybrynn on August 25, 2011,
There is a Lynx DMX splitter in the WIKI.  There was a recently a COOP for it.  It take DMX in and puts like 4 DMX signals out.   That might work if you want exactly the same thing on all sets of snow tubes.  Then you would sequence to just one DMX universe, then use the DMX splitter to replicate to everything connected to it.  Not sure thats what you want to do, but would simplify things if thats what you wanted to do anyways.
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 25, 2011,
That definitely sounds like it would make my life a lot easier. Let me post it under wanted and see what happens. If I don't get a bite I will get a board and buy the parts from Mouser. Thanks once again, George
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: rrowan on August 27, 2011,
Normally stuff posted in the beta area is not suppose to be posted in the pubic forms

Just saying to be careful

Cheers

Rick R.
Title: Re: Setting up Channels on LSP
Post by: urthegman on August 27, 2011,
Consider it removed.