Zeus Intro

[gjbankos]

If the Zeus controller combines an active hub with ssc's wouldn't that make the current active hub obsolete? Or are there shorter limitations on cat5 runs to the smartstrings or some other reason to keep selling separate active hub/ssc combos? Especially given the lower cost estimate of the Zeus controller. Also if the ssc is incorporated into the Zeus controller does that mean each port would be assigned a certain channel range so if something happens to a port you just can't move the smartstring to another empty port without reconfiguring the board?

I have the same question - I'm in on the active hub coop to do a mega tree in my show this year.  I'm thinking this Zeus controller is the better, more cost effective way to go.  Will this also pass DMX through it?  My show will be a combo of pixelnet for the mega tree and DMX for the rest of the house this year.  I'm a bit unsure what to do now...

[RJ]

The Zeus will have the same limitation as other multi string controllers. The lights can not be a long distance away from it unless you are going to run lights all the way ever do far and use the nul node feature to repeat the system. Keep your plans to say 15 feet or less. so for mega trees and few places this will work well. Other places that have distances between them the SSC's will work better. As I said Smart Strings is a complete system not a controller. At the academy this year I will be showing something that will even make it more interesting as we continue to add pieces to the system.

It is not going to replace the Hub, I think people misunderstand that the Smart Strings system is just that, A System. I did not come up with a controller and then try to figure ways out to do other things. I standed with a design that included single string SSC devices and higher channel count controller for Mega Trees etc. I can only create and put out so much at a time so we add new parts as time goes along.

The Zeus does not output DMX, we have a member finishing a small pcb that will take in pixelnet and output DMX. So I did not see a reason to add cost to every Zeus when some people will not need the output. those that do can get it from a active hub or one of the boards coming out that just do this and are cheap.

The hubs are not really controllers. They are a clean way to do power injection. one of the ways the pricing you see posted on the different systems get skewed is that they include the hub on SS but do not include the cost to inject power on the other systems. the hub does this for you in one wire.

It replaces the switches that they do not include in their cost to build, and it includes the connections ect you will need to inject the power into there systems. The SS system does this with a hub and then you only deal with the one cat5 wires.  build a complete show and the real cost will show. Every time you add a controller the price goes more in favor of the SS system. 

RJ

[chrisatpsu]

the pole of my mega tree is pvc pipe,

i was thinking of using a reducer to make a section at the top of the tree wider to fit some electronics inside.

If i added a zues, then the outputs for all the strings in the mega tree would start at the top, and each string would be close to the controller. (to eliminate the 16 or so wires from the bottom of the strings to the center where my hub was.

this would make a much cleaner loo, as i can also run my power, and data line into the side of the pole at the bottom, then run up inside the pole to where the electronics are.

[clydel]

I'm interested to hear what is currently happening with the Zeus project.  I'm a 5 year LOR user and disappointed in their cost to add RGB to my show.  I was referred by a fellow decorator and am curious if this could an alternative to the Showtime / Nutcracker software?  If so, when is it expected to be released (for those of us who can not go to the Academy).

[rrowan]

Hi cydel,

Not sure what you mean but Showtime / Nutcracker software. Zeus is hardware only.

RJ won't give out details of Zeus until the Academy. I don't even know much about it besides what RJ has posted on the forums.

Besides that Zeus is just another part of RJ's Smart String system. It starts with the Etherdongle (Ethernet to Pixelnet) then Pixelnet devices like the Zeus or Hubs then Hubs to SSC or DSC (two different types of RGB nodes (smart nodes that have a pic in each node for individual colors or Nodes without pics that the whole string is the same color but can be almost any color). There are a few other things like a PC power supply, cat5 etc But that gives you a general overview.

Rick R.

[rdebolt]

I'm interested to hear what is currently happening with the Zeus project.  I'm a 5 year LOR user and disappointed in their cost to add RGB to my show.  I was referred by a fellow decorator and am curious if this could an alternative to the Showtime / Nutcracker software?  If so, when is it expected to be released (for those of us who can not go to the Academy).

Welcome to DLA clydel. No Zeus is not a replacement for showtime or nutcracker. Nutcracker is a nice addition to all of the softwares available. If you are looking for Sequencing software then you can purchase Lightshow Pro, or use some other free softwares like Vixen or LHS. Nutcracker does an awesome job with RGB as that is it's design, but most use it as an add on.


clydel you might want to move this question to the Porch area for further discussion as this thread is for the Zeus.

[clydel]

My bad fellas!  I meant to say if Zues can be controlled by Light O Rama (showtime) or Nutcracker software.   If so, does it communicate thru E1.31.  The posts in this thread do not address that.  But as you can tell I am new.    I will take your suggestions and begin learning about the Smart String system.  I do not have an Etherdongle but I do have the E1.31 Bridge (found on DIY LED express dot com). 

Off to Drill!  Long day ahead and I'll be busy till 1800 or so!

[taybrynn]

LOR s3 advanced works fine with the e1.31 ether dongle which then uses pixelnet to either a smart string hub or a Zeus.   On the LOR side it appears as a bunch of DMX universes .   You can generAte rgb stuff in nutcracker and paste into LOR or other if you want.

[CW]

Question about Zeus.
I assume the controllers built in are all separately addressable for start channel and number of nodes, is that correct?
Thanks,

Craig

[rdebolt]

Question about Zeus.
I assume the controllers built in are all separately addressable for start channel and number of nodes, is that correct?
Thanks,

Craig

Yes that is correct. You will be able to set each string individually with all color combinations.

[joshuashu]

So if I get one of these? What else do i need for pixel net? New dongle?

[rdebolt]

What dongle are you using? If Lynx you can just reflash for pixelnet, but you will need an active hub to convert back to DMX for your DMX channels....Making assumptions here.

[Made2Rock]

I have a question concerning the numbers of channels the Zeus will be able to handle and I really have seen this point addressed yet.

If the hubs can only handle a universe and a universe is 4096 channels it would make sense to me that the Zeus would have this same restriction (judging by the pics I see the same type jumpers).

So I'm planning a Megatree with 16 strings of 100 LEDs. That puts me at a node count of 4800 which exceeds a universe. So in a case like this would I have to plan on a the Zeus handling only 4096 channels and using something else like a second Zeus to handle the additional channels?

Thanks
Joe

[dcwehw99]

I have a question concerning the numbers of channels the Zeus will be able to handle and I really have seen this point addressed yet.

If the hubs can only handle a universe and a universe is 4096 channels it would make sense to me that the Zeus would have this same restriction (judging by the pics I see the same type jumpers).

So I'm planning a Megatree with 16 strings of 100 LEDs. That puts me at a node count of 4800 which exceeds a universe. So in a case like this would I have to plan on a the Zeus handling only 4096 channels and using something else like a second Zeus to handle the additional channels?

Thanks
Joe

Joe,
You are correct; Zeus will only handle 4,096 channels total.  Each string can be independently configured from 1 to 128 nodes.  For the Zeus 16 you could have 85 nodes for each of the strings, i.e. 85 nodes * 3 channels per node * 16  strings = 4,080 channels of the 4,096 possible.

In your case of 100 nodes/string the Zeus 16 could handle 13 string of 100 nodes (100*3*13 = 3,900 channels) and a Zeus 8 could handle the last 3 strings or 3 SSC's could handle the last 3 strings.

Denny

[txag2008]

The Zeus does not output DMX, we have a member finishing a small pcb that will take in pixelnet and output DMX. So I did not see a reason to add cost to every Zeus when some people will not need the output. those that do can get it from a active hub or one of the boards coming out that just do this and are cheap.

Did this board ever come out to convert pixelnet to DMX?