vixen cursed

[WWNF911]

The reason I am using xlights to run my show this year. Not one com port error.

Its small learning curve but even for beta software it running smooth so far

Rick R.

yup

Reason my show is running with xlights this year

Its starts and stops when its suppose to.

Cheers

Rick R.

Not really sure,... but I think Rick's trying to tell us something.

Don't hold back buddy,... just say what you feel.     

[rrowan]

Hi Folks,

Since WWNF911 gave me the floor.

I really do like and use Vixen to sequence with. The problem I see and had for two years + was what I think is Vixen's weak link is the scheduler. You have to set it up perfectly to run and have some luck (I lack any good luck).

I have been though the process of trying to get the show to run each night, wondering if it will start at the scheduled time. Being so frustrated when it didn't, coming home to a dark house when I know the lights should be on. So when I started looking at xLights in mid November I decided to give it a try (Of course I still had vixen scheduler setup as a backup). After a few issues (mostly my lack of understanding of the program). I have a show that runs each night without any hiccups. Not one com port error or router plugin thingy.

It works, its mostly simple to use and I believe it will get even better over time. Try it you just might like it.
My thanks goes out to Matt and Csf

Cheers

Rick R.

[jnealand]

I can say the the Vixen scheduler has worked just great for me it always runs as expected.  But like rrowan having to learn xlights, the vixen scheduler also has to be learned.  The biggest problem seems to be having conflicting profiles.  I think that everytime I had a failure when learning the scheudler it was by copying my profile from the development computer to my show computer and they use different comports.  Also need to learn to detach sequence from its profile and do not flatten the sequence on the show computer.  Why learn something new if the original is not broke.

[rrowan]

Jim to each his own.

I think the scheduler is broken and two years of frustration was enough. I know how to setup vixen and trouble shoot it. I move on with scheduler to the xlights camp and I am better for it. Its easy, it works, I am happy.

Currently I still use Vixen for sequencing.

Cheers

Rick R.

[cBell]

Also need to learn to detach sequence from its profile and do not flatten the sequence on the show computer.  Why learn something new if the original is not broke.

After detaching the sequence do you then "use a profile" within the program, or do you just use "each sequence's plugin setup"?

[jnealand]

Also need to learn to detach sequence from its profile and do not flatten the sequence on the show computer.  Why learn something new if the original is not broke.

After detaching the sequence do you then "use a profile" within the program, or do you just use "each sequence's plugin setup"?

use a profile within the program.  Also if you got back to rework a sequence, i.e. program changes in the sequence you may need to reattach the profile on your programming computer.  I don't always detach mine profiles but I never flatten them and it seems to work good.

As Rick say to each their own.  Just wanted folks to know that just because one (or several) person has problems does not mean everyone has them.

[warspyder]

I had problems the first few nights with the program stopping, from com port errors. Now its been running without any trouble. (knock on wood)

I am glad I read this thread, I was about to try the crossfading!

[tmtfield]

Bryan;

I had the same issue and it was never consistant. One night it would be fine and the next night it would not go past the first song. It seemed like it would act up anytime I had more than one program scheduled per night. The computer stays on all of the time an is not touched by anyone but me. (guess I can't blame anyone for messing around with it)

Any how; the only way that I could get around it was to add all of my sequences to one program. I added a few filler (fade)sequences between songs to stretch the program to 29 minutes and 59 seconds. I just set it to come on at 4:30 PM and let it repeat all night.

I know that this is not a legitimate fix, but it gets the show running reliably every night.

Good Luck
Tim

[blearning]

vixen may seem cursed but let's look a little deeper. How much memory does the show PC have. 

what timing is set in the sequence. 

although you can edit the sequence flatten it, remove add modify a profile it likely isn't that.  In fact with testing this  found no difference in ,making those changes. there is a change that will definitely impact the PC running.

Here is what I found.

I had a machine with 3 meg of ram on it winxp with the latest updates and virus stuff.  one night no problem another nothing but headaches. So I didn't change the profile, I didn't change the show, and didn't change the schedule so it has to be something else.  It has to be windows.
 and it was as windows hums along nicely with nothing running auto stuff starts amdmost often doesn't stop correctly

here is what I did, I got a machine with 4meg I know that winxp can't use 4 meg .. so be it, but a machine with 3 meg  had a little less memory.  I Know it is a memory issue I am dealing with now.

then I uninstalled everything that I didn't need for the show PC leaving basically some antivirus software and Vixen.

No more issues except when windows starts it auto crap, way too technical for here. so every once in a while (couple of days) I go in using task manager to turn off stuff that doesn't need to be running.

I run 50 songs in the program and it is 137 minutes long. Each sequence  has been edited to use the biggest time slice 100. I bet you could use a bigger time slice setting but this works for me.  I use one profile only.

It really is the size of the sequence file.

to see the difference set the time setting to say 10 and save the sequence you will see that at the setting the Sequence file is 4 to 6 times larger then when the setting is at 100 or larger     

I edit and sequence with a finer time slice and when I am done I just set the time slice (event period length) to 100

problem solved

[WWNF911]

Personally, I run a show computer. By saying that I mean just that. My "show computer" is a dedicated machine that does nothing else. It's not on ANY network, it doesn't surf the web and as such there is no need for any virus anything at all.  The only thing I have on it is Windows XP, Vixen, and my show stuff. Thats it.
In my opinion having antivirus software or having your show computer attached to the web period is just inviting these little "weird" issues no matter what software you're using. Its only a matter of time.
I can't tell you enough how many times I've seen people complaining at work about slow computer and weird things happening only to find oiut it was all caused by these antivirus programs.

2 cents

Leon