Software > Vixen+

Is anyone still working on Vixen+

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Rich Renn:
You are not allowed to view links. Register or LoginIf you are going 100% RGB, you might want to look at either Vixen3 or XLights.  XLights is completely geared to RGB and has lots of built in effects for them making it easier to sequence in full RGB setups.  Its show files can also be directly fun from FPP. If it has a real downside it's that it has limited support at best for sequencing with standard AC controllers.  Vixen 3 also has been geared to work with RGB setups and makes sequencing them far easier than Vixen 2 or even Vixen+.  It doesn't have quite the number of built in effects that XLights has.  Another positive is that it still works well with single channel strings and AC controllers and IMHO, is the best choice if you are using a combination of RGB and single channel props like wire frames and blow molds.  Its show files will not run directly in FPP but it does have a converter which will create a FPP compatible file.

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When it comes to sequencing AC channels in Xlights I can tell you it is faster and easier than sequencing them in LOR, vixen, LSP. A bunch of the effects will work when sequencing AC channels alone. I sequence 300 AC channels and a friend sequences close to 500 AC channels using Xlights. if any one needs any assistance in learning how to do this with ease feel free to contact me. video shows what some of the sequencing can look like.


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tbone321:
I was referring to the lack of effects available for single channel items.  Even something as simple as a candle flame effect does not exist,  Sure, it has a fire effect but that is another RGB matrix effect and does not appear to be usable for a single channel prop.

smeighan:
tbone; i dont think you understand how xligfhts works with ac lights. every rgb effect will work on ac lights. fire works fine on ac lights. You need to understand how xlights creates effects. we create 24 bit rgb effects with every effect. When you build an ac model you pick what color lights it has, say red. Now if you drop a bars effect that has red, white and blue the ac lights will react to the red component of the effect. If you drop a fire effect on ac lights, the red color will cause it to flicker.

Putting a video on an ac light will work, but will not be of much use. So although every xlights effect work, some dont make much sense (like text).

Here are the effects that work well on ac lights: on, off, colorwash, fire, strobe, twinkle, shimmer, spirals, bars, ramp up, ramp down, curtain, fan, marquee, pinwheel, single strand. so about half of our 40 effects work well.

Whole house effects work fine with ac lights. if you do a chase or bars fro left to right, models will turn on based on their location in your yard.

There are a number of people who have used LOR for 5 -10 years and only have ac lights. I have been told that they prefer sequencing ac lights in xlights. If you are having issues with ac lights I or others would be happy to help.

tbone321:
Sean, I will be the first to admit that I am unclear on how XLights works.  Don't get me wrong, I think that you have an amazing product with a lot of fans and I have seen some pretty good shows created with it but it also has a rather steep learning curve, especially with all of the new capabilities.  Even in your example, how do you create an single channel model?  I went into the layout area of the software and saw a selection of various models but did not see anything called AC lights or even single channel.  Once you figure out how to create this AC light model and select a color, you then need to drop a bars effect on it and then overlay the flame effect on top of that just to create a candle effect.  How would a newbie ever figure that out and even though you told me how, I am still rather lost in the sauce.  Both the Bars and the Flame effects have parameters that make no sense to a single channel device.  This is the point that I am trying to make.  In XLights, you really need to know your stuff to adapt its all RGB everything to single channel use.  In Vixen 3, you can create a single channel model simply by selecting it.  Then you can call its color white (or any other color) and name it candle.  If you want it to flicker, you can simply apply one of the single channel effects like the candle to it.  Even a complete newbie to the software (like me) can figure this out without much effort. 

smeighan:
"I went into the layout area of the software and saw a selection of various models but did not see anything called AC lights or even single channel."

Every model we have (Megatree, arches, windows, single lines, stars, .etc.) can be made of rgb, dumb rgb or ac lights.

The model shape is what you build with, you then specify what kind of lights it will be made of.

Just by dropping all your models on your yard you can also have a whole house effect, do sweeps left/right, expanding circles. All of this works with ac lights also. Your entire front yard could be made of rgb lights, you could then go and just change the light types to ac lights. Yard looks the same (arches, eaves, .etc.) but now the models respond to a single channel. Further if someone made a sequence for Wizards in Winter , their house is all RGB your house is all ac. Their sequence will work on your house.

I do believe that Vixen3 has an easier user interface from what i have seen. Use it if it feels easier and intuitive.

My point was there are dozens of people doing large ac shows (300-500 ac channels). After they learned how xlights work they have become very productive. Any sequencer will require an investment in time to learn how it works. Developers undervalue that amount of time.

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