Author Topic: Strobe firmware  (Read 3535 times)

Offline zwiller

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Strobe firmware
« on: November 15, 2013, »
Next year dreaming... 
After seeing some folks using 1W leds for strobes and some discussion about the MR16 being able to run constant current/raw leds I wondered how time consuming would it be to develop firmware (pixelnet?) for the MR16 with a strobing function.  It would really cool, if say, the channel intensity controlled strobe rate. 
Sam, who is happy he flashed his etherdongle with newest firmware!

"Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."

Offline combustionmark

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Re: Strobe firmware
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2013, »
The mr16 doesn't use the pic chip to control the pwm to the outputs, so this is not possible.

I have been playing with the strobes as well, and think this could work with something like the dsc.
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Offline rm357

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Re: Strobe firmware
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2013, »
Mr16 vs DSC for strobing... The closest you can come with either one is programming in a very short pulse - like one or two frames of on time.

Since both are driven by the same frame rate, the results would be very similar.

As for making custom firmware, you would need RJ's permission since both devices are his design. For what it's worth, the mr16 would probably be easier to program since the PWM is controlled by a well designed 16 channel PWM controller, where on the DSC, you are doing the PWM in your code...

RM
Robert
Warner Robins, Georgia, USA

Offline zwiller

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Re: Strobe firmware
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2013, »
Thanks guys.  I am not a coder, just a dreamer...  I have been putting off strobes for some time and now with leds at the price they are I am hoping to add some next year.
Sam, who is happy he flashed his etherdongle with newest firmware!

"Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."

Offline tbone321

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Re: Strobe firmware
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2013, »
I guess that my question is what exactly do you intend to implement a strobe effect in firmware?  I would think that this would be much better implemented in the sequencing software. 
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Offline zwiller

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Re: Strobe firmware
« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2013, »
I guess that's the rub.  Device or sequencing.  Myself, I would just like to be able to turn a controller on and have 16 channels of strobing and not have to setup channels and program them.  I've tried to sequence strobes at random and it is not easy.  Even tried a random number program to help.  That said, the reality of a strobe controller is not happening and have to sequence is sinking in...  I am confident the MR16 in CC for some 1W leds is the way to go. 
Sam, who is happy he flashed his etherdongle with newest firmware!

"Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."

Offline tbone321

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Re: Strobe firmware
« Reply #6 on: November 17, 2013, »
You may want to look into some of the effects that much of the sequencing software has.  Perhaps Nutcracker can be set up to provide a strobe function.  Once a function is created, all that should need to be done is lay the function into the track assigned to the channel controlling the LED's.  That would make life much easier for everyone using strobes.
If at first you don't succeed,
your not cut out for sky diving

Offline chrisatpsu

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Re: Strobe firmware
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2013, »
for mine, I'm using 3watt rgb leds, (1 watt each color) and controlling it as a smart sting, attached to a SSC.
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