e-Dongle VS p-Dongle

[MrChristmas2000]

I am trying to setup a new infrastructure.

I first setup this configuration

Computer -- e-Dongle -- Active Hub set to have the DMX jumper set on 8. I have a Lynx Express connected to the DMX out and set for DMX address 0. (The e-Dongle was connected directly to the PCs ethernet port)

This  would give me a DMX universe at the end of the Pixelnet block.

The testing results was the same whether it was on Pixelnet 1 or 2. I also have 2 active hubs and the results was identical with both. I checked the PIC coding on both.

When I started up xLilghts 2012b and opened up the network test and selected the last Pixelnet block related to DMX output and selected the first 8 channels
.
When I selected the 'Chase' mode I would observe that if I slowed down the xLights output speed down to around 25 or less that I would get a fairly consistent output of channel 1 2 3 4 5 6 etc although there were glitches occassionally. I had 8 lights connected to the first 8 channels of the LE HOWEVER if I raised the speed above the 50 level that the output would be erattic skipping and jumping groups of lights kinda like 1 4 5 7 8 1 2 4 6 7 etc.

If I replaced the e-Dongle in the above with my p-Dongle and ran the same test again that the output was smooth and it didn't matter what test speed I used in the xLights test there was no skipping or jumping of the lights.

Any thoughts or suggestions would certainly appreciated.

[RJ]

A lot of variables in this. Can you try it with vixen to see if it acts the same? This will tell us some stuff that would help.

RJ

[MrChristmas2000]

The problem is that I will be using LSP and xLights to run the show.

I'll try something with LSP which I can do much faster.

[RJ]

I understand I not saying use vixen for the show, I just need a reference point on it. I know how the output from vixen works and can test it if the behaviour is the same with vixen.

RJ

[MrChristmas2000]

Ok, I'll have to go figure out how to install and configure the e-dongle in Vixen. Shouldn't be too much different that xLights.

[dowdybrown]

Was the e-Dongle directly connected to your computer, or was it on your home network? If on your home network, was the PC running xLights connected wirelessly?

If it was on your home network, you might try disconnecting your PC/notebook from your home network and try a direct connection to the e-Dongle. The e-Dongle should work great either way, but this test might help isolate the issue.

Matt

[rm357]

This is a problem that I identified some time earlier this year. If e1.31 block 1 of the pixelnet universe is not being updated, the other universes do not update smoothly coming out of the etherdongle. Put something down in the first 512 channels of the pixelnet universe that is changing and the other e1.31 blocks will update smoothly.

I'm just guessing that there is something in the firmware that triggers the transmission of the pixelnet universe when the first e1.31 universe is received. If e1.31 universe 1 is not transmitted by the controlling software, the etherdongle seems to only transmit the pixelnet universe about 5 times a second, regardless of how many updates are received to the other 7 e1.31 universes in the pixelnet universe.

I hadn't heard anything in a while and figured it was back-burnered with the conductor and dumb string controllers being priorities...

RM

[Steve Gase]

good info!  we definitely need to tag this problem and solution.

[MrChristmas2000]

Was the e-Dongle directly connected to your computer, or was it on your home network? If on your home network, was the PC running xLights connected wirelessly?

If it was on your home network, you might try disconnecting your PC/notebook from your home network and try a direct connection to the e-Dongle. The e-Dongle should work great either way, but this test might help isolate the issue.

Matt

I actually tried to connect the e-dongle directly to the PC but it didn't matter whether it was a straight through or null cable I couldn't get the data light on the e-dongle to come on. So I connected the PC to the e-dongle through a small ethernet switch. That worked and I got a link light and data transmission.

It looks like I may have come across an old problem. In xLights you can't send data out two blocks simutaneously.

Before I go through the Vixen setup and test I might just try sending DMX data via block 1 and look at the results.

[RJ]

Yes this could be the problem. It is on my list of things to look into but have not made it yet.

RJ

[MrChristmas2000]

Guess I'll have to run my July 4th show with my p-dongle. Darn. 

I was hoping to test the e-dongle in a live show. Oh well . . . . . . . . . .

[JonB256]

I'm betting that if you used the 1st Universe for DMX out instead of the 8th Universe, you wouldn't see the problem.

[MrChristmas2000]

That might solve the problem.

You want to volunteer to rework all my sequences? Just kidding.

The p-dongle so far seems to do the job ok.

[RJ]

If this is the issue just having some stuff (data being updated) on the first universe will fix it. you do not need to redo the whole thing. At least this is the way I understood the issue as it was explained to me.

RJ

[rm357]

If you are using xlights, i think you can just rearrange the e1.31 universes so that .1 is the 8th in the list, then change the jumper to use DMX universe 1.