DiyLightAnimation
Hardware => Lynx Smart String => Topic started by: rrowan on July 12, 2011,
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Hi Folks
As per the DLA Conference Call from June 9th 2011. A member requested to add Null Nodes to the SSC firmware and other members also wanted it. So RJ has updated the SSC firmware along with the SS Utility program to add the null nodes if needed.
Null Nodes allows you to use the String Nodes as repeaters but they don't light up. So if you want the 5th node as the first working node then you set the SS Utility to Null nodes as 4. Your Sequence software doesn't even know there is a difference.
Of Course the new software is in the wiki at the SS/ PixelNet Hardware http://www.diylightanimation.com/wiki/index.php?title=Equipment#Pixelnet_Hardware
and Pixelnet Library http://www.diylightanimation.com/wiki/index.php?title=Equipment#Smart_String_.2F_Pixelnet_Library
Hope that helps and makes sense
Cheers
Rick R.
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Rick, thanks to both you and RJ for making this happen - it will really help!
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how about a scenario where this would be used. Just trying to wrap my head around this idea as I might need it in the future....
Thanks
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I created the Smart Strings to have a cheap controller that controls one string so this would not be an issue since the controller would always be on the end of the string. But a few members still felt they needed it so we made it happen. To answer the question it would be needed if you wanted to have your first node more than 6 feet from your controller for some reason. The limit of distance prevents this. But if you want to go 12 feet you can wire your first node 6 feet away and the next node six feet away and set the SSC to have one null node. The first node in the string would never light and would not be a factor in your software. The second node acts as the first on the string and the null node (first node) would just be used as a repeater to realy the data to the second. This does not have an effect on the 128 node limit as the null nodes never light and never really use power. So you can have a 130 node string if you have 2 null nodes ect.
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Does the distance apply only to the SSC (little chip in the PVC pipe bomb) from it to the first node, or does it apply to pixel net. If my dim memory serves you (RJ) said you used some 100 ft or more cat5 cables for pixel net info.
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the 100 feet was from hub to SSC. There is a about 6 foot limit from the ssc to first rgb node
the two don't interact for the length
Rick R.
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Rick is dead on. Pixelnet is the protocol from the dongles to the ssc. It can go about 750 feet. But then we inject power at the hub. This limits the distance from the hub to the ssc because of voltage loss. How far.your cat5 can be from hub to ssc depends on how many lights and what type is hooked to the ssc.
I was able to run 60 nodes of the pixels on 100 feet of cat5 for testing with no issues. If you are pulling more current you may have to limit it to 75 ft or 50ft.
I tried 128 nodes on 25 ft and it was no problem and I expect 50 ft at this is likely fine.
Once you leave the SSC you are no longer pixelnet and the distence is limited.to about 6ft from the SSC to the first node and then from node to node.
Hopefully I explained well enough to make it clear.
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RJ
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does this update change anything other than adding the capability of null nodes?
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Thats all.
The new vixen plug in fixes issues.
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RJ