Author Topic: Can two computers talk to one ED at the same time  (Read 1901 times)

Offline jnealand

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I have been thinking about this for a couple of days, but have not tried it.  My ED is on my house network along with my show computer and also every other computer in the house.  I just got my pixel tree up today, but still do not have effects integrated within my sequences.  What would happen if I start playing effects back from my sequencing computer while the show is running on the show computer.  Will the ED recognize both computers?  I realize I could mess my show up, but I have two universes of pixel net.  One running the pixel tree and the other everything else.  I am thinking I could run some pixel tree effects from my sequencing computer while the show is running and they might both run.  If I can ever sit still long enough in one spot I will try it, but wondered if anyone else has tried this or thought about it.
Jim Nealand
Kennesaw, GA

Offline rm357

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Can two computers talk to one ED at the same time
« Reply #1 on: December 06, 2012, »
The EtD really doesn't know or care about where the packets are sent from. There is a sequence number in the spec that would prevent two sources from controlling the same e1.31 universe, but I don't know if RJ bothered with implementing that check.  If one computer is talking to pixelnet universe 1 and another to pixelnet universe 2, it should work with no issues. Each e1.31 block has a different multicast IP address which determines which address range it controls - each e1.31 packet has 512 bytes of channel data. The IP address it is sent to determines the overall address. 255.239.0.1 = 1-512, 255.239.0.2 = 513-1024, ...
Robert
Warner Robins, Georgia, USA

Offline Jeffl

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Re: Can two computers talk to one ED at the same time
« Reply #2 on: December 06, 2012, »
I play my show from one computer using LOR S3 and an ED.  When it's done I stop the com listener on the production box and can start the com listener on my laptop and test away even as the laptop is connected wireless to the router.

This is very sweet.  What happens when they are both talking I don't know and hope I don't find out by mistake when my show is running.

Offline JonB256

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Re: Can two computers talk to one ED at the same time
« Reply #3 on: December 06, 2012, »
Remember the lesson we all learned from Ghostbusters. Don't cross the streams!

but, I'd agree that as long as you didn't duplicate a Universe, you should be fine.

I have duplicated a Universe when I ran xLights on one PC while LOR S3 was running a sequence.
It worked, but flickered a LOT from the conflicts.

Offline sielbear

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Re: Can two computers talk to one ED at the same time
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2012, »
Be mindful of how the systems send data as well. With lsp, constant chatter is generated regularly. This can cause flashes / glitches if you're streaming from another PC AND lsp is running with output enabled. Just be aware of it.

Offline jnealand

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Re: Can two computers talk to one ED at the same time
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2012, »
I have not tried two computers with one EtD, but today without thinking about it I had two computers with two EtDs on the network simultaneously.  I was trying to test some dumb strings in my basement workshop using my backup EtD and the show computer with the production EtD was still on the network upstairs - no show running.  I would turn on one channel and it would come on and immeadiately go off.  turn on a different channel and it would come on and then go off.  Finally I woke up, went upstairs and powereed down the production EtD and all my tests in the workshop worked great.  So two EtDs on the same universe with two computers connected does not work.

I am not using LSP, but Vixen and xlights.

On another note, it makes me glad that I still have two USB dongles, so I can use them for testing without conflicting with the production system.  I have 1 USB DMX and 1 USB Pixelnet.  So for folks who say don;t buy a USB dongle I think they are totally wrong.  They have a very good use even after converting over to EtD fpr the show.  Without them testing duriing a show season becomes more complicated than it needs to be.
Jim Nealand
Kennesaw, GA