DiyLightAnimation
Software => xlights => Topic started by: Steve Gase on May 12, 2012,
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I've had problems using the Lynx Address Utility to set addresses, first for Aether2s, and recently MR16s.
I used the xLights and the procedure below to program the MR16 and it worked the first time!
http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=8532.msg122545#msg122545
What is the new feature? ...well, xLights could be made more usable to program channels (something it was never intended to do. :) )
Thanks, Matt!
You can use vixen to do it. Just set all channels off then set channel #1 to the chanel number you need. If is is greater than 255 then set the 1st channel to 255 and the second channel to a number that added to 255 will get you the start channel you want.
Then have VIXEN repeat so it sends it out over and over and do the programming. They just are looking for the values of channel #1 and #2 and using them to set the address.
RJ
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I've had problems using the Lynx Address Utility to set addresses, first for Aether2s, and recently MR16s.
I used the xLights and the procedure below to program the MR16 and it worked the first time!
http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=8532.msg122545#msg122545
What is the new feature? ...well, xLights could be made more usable to program channels (something it was never intended to do. :) )
Thanks, Matt!
You can use vixen to do it. Just set all channels off then set channel #1 to the chanel number you need. If is is greater than 255 then set the 1st channel to 255 and the second channel to a number that added to 255 will get you the start channel you want.
Then have VIXEN repeat so it sends it out over and over and do the programming. They just are looking for the values of channel #1 and #2 and using them to set the address.
RJ
It's not just about usability as it turns out. The DLA programs have problems setting the starting channel, but xLights is able to cleanly perform this action for starting channels 1-255.
Read this posting:
http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=8532.msg122556#msg122556
The problem is that xLights cannot be used to set starting channels from 256-500 as it currently works through the UI.
My (unsolicited) suggestion is to have a "Set DLA channel number tool". The tool takes a decimal value from 1-512, and sets intensity to 0 for all channels -- except for 1 (and 2?) using the logic in the thread above. I am guessing that the programming is easy, but the follow-up questions for a new feature -- and the firmware/hardware that is and is not supported with this method. But with a you-get-what-you-get feature, it would still be GREATLY appreciated!
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Good suggestion. I will keep it in mind for the next version.
Matt
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The problem is that xLights cannot be used to set starting channels from 256-500 as it currently works through the UI.
Actually, you should be able to do this using the RGB test. Select the first 2 checkboxes in the channel list, set the test to "Background Only", then set the first 2 background sliders to the appropriate values.
Matt
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Is anyone else having this issue with the address utility. I use it all the time, and it has been used for years. When did it become a problem?
RJ
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I finally got it to work late last year myself. Quite on accident. It's been sporadic at best for me. I just gave up and went to the boards and programmed that way. Seemed easier and less of a hassle.
I'm wondering if it's the way I was doing it. And right now I can not remember. I'd have to break out some of the equip. and try to duplicate it again but it's all buried at this time.
Dean
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Is anyone else having this issue with the address utility. I use it all the time, and it has been used for years. When did it become a problem?
RJ
I think it stems from the different way different boards have to be programmed. Sometimes it works with the primary directions and sometimes it works with the secondary directions. For example programming a Lynx Freestyle can be a PITB to make it take an address change. You just have to do it over and over until it takes. That frustrates some people.
IMHO When you design a product you can use it better than anybody else because you know the exact process you went through to design it and how each different associated product programming process works. That gives you a little leg up on other users who are not quite so technically oriented.
After I got used to using the program it does become a useful tool.
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Is anyone else having this issue with the address utility. I use it all the time, and it has been used for years. When did it become a problem?
RJ
I have also used it for many years without issue.
Bill
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I have 8 MR-16's. The first set of 4, I could not get to work with the utility. The second 4, if I followed the instructions EXACTLY (can't remember whether it was the first or second set of instructinos) it worked fine. Not doing things in precisely the right order resulted in failure.
Matt
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My request was in part to have a solution that works with both USB dongle and etherdongle.
The other reason is for aether2 support... I had problems getting one programmed, it programmed once but later attempts to change the channel failed, even after reburning the firmware.
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The other reason is for aether2 support... I had problems getting one programmed, it programmed once but later attempts to change the channel failed, even after reburning the firmware.
I don't like piling on...just trying to give honest feedback.
I've had this same problem with the Aether1s.
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I had one "problem" MR16 that just wouldn't seem to accept the address (using the Lynx utility)
I reflashed the PIC. (erased it first, then programmed)
It has been very cooperative since then.
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Actually, you should be able to do this using the RGB test. Select the first 2 checkboxes in the channel list, set the test to "Background Only", then set the first 2 background sliders to the appropriate values.
Matt
Looking at that screen right now. Channel 1 and Channel 2 are checked on the left side.
Background Only radio button is selected.
The first (left most) slider is set at 30, the middle slider is set at 1.
That "should" give me a programmed start value of 286 ? (256 + 30)
(ps, you must use the Up/Down arrow keys to do small slider adjustments)
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Just chiming in out of left field here but i think ch1 needs to be 256 and ch2 would need to be 31 or is it ch1 - 255, ch2 - 32?
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The Intensity Value is a single byte... A value of 0-255.
So, for a channel of 286 you'd need 255+31.
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I want to thank Steve for his start channel procedure with Xlights he provides above. At first I thought I had hardware issues until I found RJ's test firmware in another post (I pmed rrowan because I didn't see it in the wiki). All 3 units worked fine with the test firmware. So it would most likely be a start channel problem. I don't know why rrowan's new start channel program didn't seem to work with my etherdongle. You can't tell from the white flash because mine would always flash whenever I turned the switch on my Aethers to run mode even if I wasn't sending a signal. One thing I didn't notice at first though is that at least with this version of Xlights the test program always starts on universe 8 instead of universe 1. And since the channel numbers start at 1, I didn't realize I was on the wrong "channel 1". Thanks also to dowdybrown for Xlights. I now have 3 working Aethers. >.d9
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Strange the start channel program is not working for a few people. I had a person beta test it for me since I don't own a Aether
There could be a bug with the program. Has anyone done a log of the output to see a difference?
Sorry for the hijack
Rick R.
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over the next couple weeks i will building out a few more (...ok, several more ;) ) aethers and I will try the other config tools.
i'll provide feedback at that time.
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Strange the start channel program is not working for a few people. I had a person beta test it for me since I don't own a Aether
There could be a bug with the program. Has anyone done a log of the output to see a difference?
Sorry for the hijack
Rick R.
I didn't see a log file. I answered 4096 channels for 1 etherdonge with 1 hub. Should I have chose 16384? The application didn"t give any errors. The start channel just didn't change. I don't use Vixen so I probably didn't do that one right. The Xlights was the easiest once I realized it was on universe 8 instead of 1.
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Sorry about that. I met a wireshark log file.
Rick R.
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SSC addresses only range from 1 to 4096. Which pixelnet universe you have selected on the hub determines which block those addresses will respond to.
For pixelnet
Universe 1 - 1 to 4096
Universe 2 - add 4096
Universe 3 - add 8192
Universe 4 - add 12,288
.
.
.
Universe 254 - add 1,036,288 no firmware for that... Yet...
Currently i believe there is firmware available for the etherdongles for pixelnet universes 1-4, 5-8, and 9-12.
RM
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SSC addresses only range from 1 to 4096. Which pixelnet universe you have selected on the hub determines which block those addresses will respond to.
For pixelnet
Universe 1 - 1 to 4096
Universe 2 - add 4096
Universe 3 - add 8192
Universe 4 - add 12,288
.
.
.
Universe 254 - add 1,036,288 no firmware for that... Yet...
Currently i believe there is firmware available for the etherdongles for pixelnet universes 1-4, 5-8, and 9-12.
RM
I was refering to the "channels" question rrowan's start channel tool asks during its initial configuration. I was assuming it was needing to know how many smart hubs were being driven by my etherdongle.