DiyLightAnimation
Hardware => Lynx EtherDongle => Lynx Conductor => Topic started by: RJ on August 29, 2011,
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Well progress has been fast and furious on the Conductor. I got it to the point of being able to show it for the Lone Star Academy and since returning I have made much progress on the finishing details of it.
It now has a full scheduler in hardware, Handles mp3's tested currentlly all the way up to 192Kps files.
Works with standard fat32 systems so you drop you files into it from your computer.
It can operate under the Pixelnet or DMX firmware. This is for those that are not using Pixelnet you can still take advantage of it's feature with just a limit on the channels to 2048 DMX channels not the 16,384 you get with PixelNet.
And a few other feature you will have to wait to see.
Matt Brown from xLights is working on the utility software to create the schedules and show files for it from LOR and Vixen.
David from LSP already asked for the file info so he can start work on the ability to create the files from inside LSP.
I have a couple of people picked out to do beta of it over the season this year so we will be ready to coop the conductor after christmas. We will be using a conductor and slave in our show this year. I am adding another house across the street so it will be a prefect chance to test that part of it.
I have the prototype running 48 multi seqence shows a day every 30 minutes at the moment and it runs like clock work.
It has been an extreme amount of work but to see it operational and what it can do it has totally been worth it completely.
RJ
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So cool! Awesome work RJ.
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<res.
Thanks for all of your hard work.
Millions of smiles served.
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Awesome!!!! <wd..
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Incredible RJ!
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Sounds really good. Cannot wait. well I guess I'll have to.
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Soooo Coooooooollll !!!!! >.d9
Thanks RJ!
Congradulations.
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Dittos! Very good work.
I would like to get the file format too so I can incorporate it into Olive. Thanks.
--Matt
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Sounds great what kind of sequence triggering does it have from the network or switch closures?
KEN
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Can't really talk about that yet.
RJ
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Do you know relatively on how much it will cost yet, when there is a coop?
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I am very excited! I got pointed out by a user that Xlights new verision has the conductor convertor in it. So I gave it a try and was able to convert a vixen seq directly to the conductor and play it!
Man this is a great break through Matt did a great job! Worked the first time out of the gate!
Once we get LSP compatibilty we will be on to beta as the scheduler utility is all but ready to beta. One concern the member asked about was file size. The issue is we equate file size to proformance and lag. But with the Conductor the files will be large and this makes them profrom and have no lag. The system does not calculate out the data it is precomplied so the file is large but this means no lag, no wait to start, and allows the large 16,000 + channels. there is enough storage for hours of show so do not let the files size worry you.
RJ
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Do you know relatively on how much it will cost yet, when there is a coop?
I will not speculate at this point other than say it is not bad. Remember it is an add on to the etherdongle so that is the main hardware.
RJ
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I am very excited! I got pointed out by a user that Xlights new verision has the conductor convertor in it. So I gave it a try and was able to convert a vixen seq directly to the conductor and play it!
Man this is a great break through Matt did a great job! Worked the first time out of the gate!
Once we get LSP compatibilty we will be on to beta as the scheduler utility is all but ready to beta. One concern the member asked about was file size. The issue is we equate file size to proformance and lag. But with the Conductor the files will be large and this makes them profrom and have no lag. The system does not calculate out the data it is precomplied so the file is large but this means no lag, no wait to start, and allows the large 16,000 + channels. there is enough storage for hours of show so do not let the files size worry you.
RJ
This is so great to hear. Can't wait! Thank you RJ.
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That's awesome!!! I put my etherdongle into service last night and went without a hitch! Tonight it fired right up no problems! I happened to look out site as some thing caught my eye and the show had started! Talk about completely automated!!!! :) No worries about the USB dongle not connected like it's been doing randomly! Frees up a USB port and now I can use any computer anywhere for the show! This is great! Working like a champ! Can't wait for this add on so I can eliminate the show computer completely! All we need now is and FM transmitter add on and that will put the icing on the cake! lol
Dean
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So will LOR controllers have to run in DMX mode?
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It should work off of dmx with the right firmware;such as, the way the lor controllers are running off of a regular dongle.
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Is there a appox cost on these just trying to guesstimate my budget for this year. Thanks.
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Is there a appox cost on these just trying to guesstimate my budget for this year. Thanks.
I have seen not too much ::)
Its too early to say, the board has not even been beta tested yet and could change IF a problem shows up in testing. But since its a daughter board to the EtherDongle then I would think most of the cost is already with the ETD.
Rick R.
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so what is the estimated in production kit date
i really look forward to trying one
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No one knows yet. I don't even think its been beta tested yet.
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Is there a appox cost on these just trying to guesstimate my budget for this year. Thanks.
I have not did the math but figure around $60 I think.
RJ
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so what is the estimated in production kit date
i really look forward to trying one
Biggest hold up at the moment is getting the LSP support to crete the file for it. Some of the beta testers are LSP users so it is no good to send it to beta with out that.
The hardware is ready and I do have one bug in the firmware I should have resolved by in a week or so but that is all that will keep us from the beta. I know the testers are biting at the bit to get their hands on them.
RJ
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the testers are not the only ones biting at the bit :)
Thank you RJ for developing these cutting edge devices.
Grant
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This sounds awesome, RJ. Thanks for the hard work. ;D
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well, get cracka lackin on that bug in the firmware!
j/k hey!, i needed a few more posts for my daily quota! >:D
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This sounds phenomenal. Can't wait. >.d9
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When it becomes available as Beta at that point would the hardware be firmed up or could there be changes that would require and replacement of the addon board?
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<pop..
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I believe the standard policy is that the hardware isn't firm until the beta is compete. The point of the beta is to thoroughly test and point out bugs and issues after all, and it is possible that addressing those issues could require a parts change.
-Rimist (via Tapatalk)
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This sounds phenomenal. Can't wait. >.d9
X2
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<~~~patiently waiting and already converted his vix sequences into conductor format
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Anxiously watching this thread!
Currently in the Etherdongle COOP, waiting for testing and delivery of conductor, but also an LSP user that would love to see that piece work easily!
Mike.
<pop..
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would like one to go into production any ideas when it will be released
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Anybody have a beta picture of the conductor to get appetites drooling a little more?
>.d9
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This is the best I can do.
I hope it helps the drool factor
Rick R.
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<la.. <la.. <la..
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX1ljYx3g3k
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<fp. OYE VEY! <fp.
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Sorry my patience is running out. <fp. Somebody tell us about the conductor and your observations from the academy. How did the mega tree look? Is it ready for prime time?
Grant
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Greetings,,,
It works... It slices, it dices, it juliannes fries...
Seriously, it's working well for a prime time sequencing output...
Keith
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Sorry my patience is running out. <fp. Somebody tell us about the conductor and your observations from the academy. How did the mega tree look? Is it ready for prime time?
Grant
It is oh so close... only final sign-off from the beta testers is left.
RJ demonstrated the conductor with a simple, yet creative mega tree. Using 16x 8' 2x1" strips of pine, he attached flex strips with wire ties. only 8 of the forward-facing legs had flex strips, the back 8 legs were there for support. the 1/2 tree still looked fantastic!
the sequence(s) were created by nutcracker and converted into the conductor format with xLights.
fyi: with a few hours of work during the talks, Sean was able to add conductor support to the Nutcracker software. The LSP 2.5 release will ALSO have support for the conductor format.
The elegance of the demo: with a single 110v power connection leading to the tree, the conductor/hub/sscs connected to the strips and you had a self-sufficient tree running scheduled (and beautiful!) sequences every 15 minutes.
the problems that I've had with sagging paracord and pixels pointing in all directions were simply addressed with that flex strip on cheap pine strips. it looked GREAT! it was Walter Monkhouse's ColorMotions tree on the cheap, and with 1/100th of the time invested in sequencing, cost, and time!!!
(http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/5994/20120615083646.jpg) (http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/6881/20120615164631.jpg)
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I think he mentioned building in a selectable delay between songs as they run immediately one after another right now. And he was asking for a volunteer to write an app for phones to control the conductor.
Sent from my Thunderbolt using Tapatalk 2.
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I think he mentioned building in a selectable delay between songs as they run immediately one after another right now. And he was asking for a volunteer to write an app for phones to control the conductor.
Sent from my Thunderbolt using Tapatalk 2.
...and if he had to write it himself, it would be an Android only app - nothing for smartphone or ipad!
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I think he mentioned building in a selectable delay between songs as they run immediately one after another right now. And he was asking for a volunteer to write an app for phones to control the conductor.
Sent from my Thunderbolt using Tapatalk 2.
...and if he had to write it himself, it would be an Android only app - nothing for smartphone or ipad!
i'm an android guy myself, but i heard it a different way:
RJ was looking for someone who could write a smartphone app to control the conductor, it could be iphone/ipad and/or android. if he has to do it himself, it will be android.
i don't think it was a 'dis on iphone with 'nothing for iphone' but a statement that he had android and that was his first choice.
that was my interpretation of those comments.
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let me clarify, I am looking for people to write it for both. If I have to write it then it will be android because that is what I use.
RJ
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I think he mentioned building in a selectable delay between songs as they run immediately one after another right now. And he was asking for a volunteer to write an app for phones to control the conductor.
Sent from my Thunderbolt using Tapatalk 2.
...and if he had to write it himself, it would be an Android only app - nothing for smartphone or ipad!
i'm an android guy myself, but i heard it a different way:
RJ was looking for someone who could write a smartphone app to control the conductor, it could be iphone/ipad and/or android. if he has to do it himself, it will be android.
i don't think it was a 'dis on iphone with 'nothing for iphone' but a statement that he had android and that was his first choice.
that was my interpretation of those comments.
Um...you read my comment in a different way.
I agree. RJ was looking for help from someone to write the app. If he had to do it, he could/would only do it in what was familiar or needed for his environment. He was depending on others to open it up to other platforms. I think he would rather not have to do it at all but if no one jumps in, he will do what he can.
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Just so folks know, to develop for the iPad/iPhone, you have to do it on a Mac. While the development environment is free, you have to join the developers group, which is $100 a year. The good thing is that includes everything you need to market through the app store - free, subsidized by ads, or paid.
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That happens but you can delete the extra posts.