Need help counting channels - resolved (and fast too!!)

[drlucas]

I've created a 12 strand mega tree with flexstrips. I had to cut the ends around the 90 node point. I'm not 100% sure if I have 90, 89, 93 or something else...but it's in that range for each string. To be on the safe side I am reserving 95x3 channels for each controller. 

I'm using the active hub and trying to reserve the first 512 channels for DMX, so my first SSC starts at channel 513, the second one starts at 798 and so on.

When I did a simple test output in xlights a few really strange things are happening. It would look like the first string is on and nothing on after 30 or so lights on the second string. Each string has its own controller.

Is my math/logic wrong, OR, do the flex strings have memory in them? My assumption is when I programmed the SSC the only real value of using lights in the connecton is to look for flashing nodes to confirm the programming happened. Is that an incorrect assumption? Any thoughts on what I have done wrong?

Might be just me being tired. Any help is appreciated as always.
thanx,
Ryan

[smeighan]

I've created a 12 strand mega tree with flexstrips. I had to cut the ends around the 90 node point. I'm not 100% sure if I have 90, 89, 93 or something else...but it's in that range for each string. To be on the safe side I am reserving 95x3 channels for each controller. 

I'm using the active hub and trying to reserve the first 512 channels for DMX, so my first SSC starts at channel 513, the second one starts at 798 and so on.

When I did a simple test output in xlights a few really strange things are happening. It would look like the first string is on and nothing on after 30 or so lights on the second string. Each string has its own controller.

Is my math/logic wrong, OR, do the flex strings have memory in them? My assumption is when I programmed the SSC the only real value of using lights in the connecton is to look for flashing nodes to confirm the programming happened. Is that an incorrect assumption? Any thoughts on what I have done wrong?

Might be just me being tired. Any help is appreciated as always.
thanx,
Ryan

ryan; i am not sure why you are setting the universes to other than 512.

When i had an etd and 3 active hubs i just setvthe setup as 24 universes of 512.

I then programmed each ssc with the start address. it all worked fine. my only issue was crossing pixelnet boundaries of 4096, 8192 .etc.

For those i just started the new string at the next 4096 boundary.

sean

[drlucas]

Thank you Sean - That was indeed the problem.

My thinking on this one was that I had to align the channels on the mapping column over to the SSC. That appears not to be the case. I now have 8 universes of 512 and it works nicely...all 6 of the strings I have SSCs on are acting properly now....well, 5 of the 6 are. I also did a bad job crimping a cable apparently so need to redo a patch cable.

Can't wait for tomorrow evening...I should have all of my SSCs setup and my star at the top of the tree mounted. Will share pics when done. Then if the stars align I can get up to the roof on Sunday and start my roof outlines.

WOHOO!!

[jnealand]

Last year when I was getting wierd results when playing nutcracker files on pixel tree it turned out that I had programmed the SSCs wrong and I also had the start channel at the bottom left when nutcracker used the bottom right.  Sean had me create a short sequence that turned on all the channels that I thought were at the bottom of the tree as green and all the channels that I thought were at the top of the tree red.  The problem was immediately obvious.  You could also create a simple sequence that turns on channels 1, 50, and 85 with each being a different color.  Then you just have to count how many channels are after the last lit led to know what the channel count is for each element.  I have a similar situation with my four identical window frames where after I mounted the lights the node counts came out different.  I program as though every frame has the largest actual count and no one can tell that the node counts are not identical.  Esp when light are blinking on and off at 50ms.