Lag using xlights over power line Ethernet

[mms]

I'm using power line Ethernet adapters to get get signal to the EtherDongle which is outside.  All of my sequences worked fine when playing through Vixen.  I've converted the sequences to xlights and set up a schedule, etc.  When the show runs there is a lag.  Thoughts?

[Mickpat]

What file format are you using?  Convert from vixen to xlight format and retest.

[mms]

I have already converted from vixen to xlights.

[injury]

When you played them through Vixen were you going through the Ethernet Over Powerline to the yard testing, or in the same room?

Reason I asked is Ethernet over Powerline is highly dependent on your wiring. Junction Boxes, seperate circuits, and the like can all mess with them. I remember when they first came out there were pretty bad. I checked some recent reviews and such to see if it was any better nowdays, looks better but still not great. Higher latency seems to be a common thing (20-40ms or so) and getting roughly 25-50% of advertised speed seems common too (some of that due to marketing shenanigans on the speed advertised as with anything).

[frankr]

That is a very good point.  You may want to check the round trip ping times at different locations of the power line adapters.  If you are seeing the round trip times increase by more than 25ms at different location in your house then chances are that the powerline adapters are introducing extra lag.

[mms]

Sequences played through Vixen were also done via powerline ethernet.  The only variable is xlights. 

I find the Vixen Scheduler not very user-friendly and I like Matt's interface.  I had no problems last year - but the show was only 25 DMX channels, and that was done wirelessly.

[frankr]

does vixen have a minimum timing setting? If so you may want to set that to 50ms before converting to xLights.

[taybrynn]

I'd be curious of a direct cat5 (instead of the wireline) ethernet connection would make any difference.  I really want to hear the resolution to this because I had lag last year also, but on a SSC v1. and no wireless and the old USB DMX dongle.  I blamed most of it on running LOR, which was lagging real bad but on a different dongle than everything else.

[peteandvanessa]

I did some testing of the DLA Etherdongle with a test tool from another developer, my set up was this:

I have DLA Etherdongle. I connect to my lights in the following way:
 
PC connected via Cat 4 ethernet -> Router -> Etherdongle -> 16 Port Active Hub - > Smart String controllers -> LED Flexstrip
 
The Etherdongle supports upto 16,384 channels and I'm using it in Multicast mode
 
I used a E131Test file that basically stresses the Flexstrips, Etherdongle and hubs. The test program sends Multicast E1.31 packets to the lights at different speeds and can vary the number of universes to see whether we have bottlenecks in the Software (I'm using Light Show Pro 2.5)
 
The test starts with the default rate of 26mS multicast, to the first 4096 channels cycling through chase, ramp, ramp fast, shimmer. The chase, ramp, fast ramp and shimmer are tested at different speeds, the testing revealed that LSP 2.5 cannot generate the effects fast enough to keep up with the sequences and hardware. The Etherdongle, hubs and SSC can run at full speed at 26mS framing with a full 4096 channel count.

Here's the results below:
 
I selected all 8 Universes (4096 channels)
 
All respond correctly:
 
8 Universes at 26mS
All effects working ok and respond exactly, at all speeds (26mS, 52mS and 78mS)
CPU Utilization <1% (can't even measure it)
Network Utilization 1.6%

8 Universes at 10mS
All effects working ok and respond exactly, at all speeds (26mS, 52mS and 78mS)
CPU Utilization <1%
Network Utilization 4%

8 Universes at 5mS
All effects working ok and respond exactly, at all speeds (26mS, 52mS and 78mS)
CPU Utilization <1%
Network Utilization 7%
 
8 Universes at 1mS
All effects working ok and respond exactly, at all speeds (26mS, 52mS and 78mS)
CPU Utilization <1%
Network Utilization 22%
 
Based on extrapolation, if we are running 32 Universes ( or 16,384 channels) at 26mS, I'd expect the network utilization to be around 7% or so, so even with overheads, the network traffic would probably be less than 15%

[Steve Gase]

Great info!  Thanks for sharing, Pete!

[mms]

I'd be curious of a direct cat5 (instead of the wireline) ethernet connection would make any difference.  I really want to hear the resolution to this because I had lag last year also, but on a SSC v1. and no wireless and the old USB DMX dongle.  I blamed most of it on running LOR, which was lagging real bad but on a different dongle than everything else.

I'm going to try a direct line tonight - also going to try the Vixen scheduler.

Any thoughts on a wireless router outside?  Would I run into the same problem?

[peteandvanessa]

I'd be curious of a direct cat5 (instead of the wireline) ethernet connection would make any difference.  I really want to hear the resolution to this because I had lag last year also, but on a SSC v1. and no wireless and the old USB DMX dongle.  I blamed most of it on running LOR, which was lagging real bad but on a different dongle than everything else.

I'm going to try a direct line tonight - also going to try the Vixen scheduler.

Any thoughts on a wireless router outside?  Would I run into the same problem?

I know I get better results going wired verses wireless, I had some issues in earlier testing with wireless (but that was back in March of this year)

A question I have, say you are connecting to them via a Laptop connected wirelessly to a wireless router, with them connected to the Etherdongle (either wirelessly or wired), would the broadcast channel in the router be affected by other wireless routers broadcasting on the same channel?

I believe that by default wireless routers broadcast on channel 6 by default.  So if your wireless router is set to channel 6 and so is your neighbors wireless router set to channel 6, aren't you sharing the total bandwidth available on that channel?

Wouldn't it be better to select a different channel than channel 6 to broadcast on that's not being used by others close to you?

[mms]

I'm not sure what channel the router is set for.  I know that I set up a "faux" network using a wireless router so that I could remote control some stuff through my iPod for my brother's wedding reception - when you're the best man and the MC it's hard to do everything!

Anyway, using wifi from a laptop with the EtherDongle hooked to the power line ethernet is REALLY slow.  I'm willing to bet that I'll be wired for the Christmas show.  (One of the reasons I do Halloween - to test setups, etc.)  And since he's following this post, dad, I'm going to need a long ethernet crossover cable.   

I may not be able to test different configs tonight since we're supposed to get 1-3" of snow by morning.

[rm357]

So lets see, you are wireless to your router, then to the power line adapter to the EtD.

Many possibilities for signal degradation...

1. Laptop to router via wifi.
    The further you are from the router, the slower your data rate. Walls and other objects in the direct line of sight also cause interference.
    You need to find out if you have neighbors on the same wifi channel. Channels 1, 6, and 11 are the only three that do not overlap... I.e. channel 3 overlaps both 1 and 6...
2. The router... How old?... Good brand?... Look online for technical evaluations...
     You do not need a crossover to hook the EtD to your router. I would try that if possible to see if the laptop/router combination is causing the lag.
3. Wireline thingy...
   Most people do not realize that their house has two hot legs (phases, 0 and 180). If the adapter at the router is on the opposite phase from the receiver at the EtD, the signal has to go through the transformer either on the power pole or in the big green box. If you can find two outlets that are on the same phase, the signal will be much stronger and faster.
   Nix the power strips with circuit protection... All of that protection hurts your data signal.

How to tell if your outlets are on the same phase? Easiest method uses the long extension cord and an AC voltmeter set on the 400vac range. If the voltage between to two hots (small blade hole) is close to 0, that's the same phase, if it is around 240, you are on opposite phases. If you see something close to 120, you are measuring between the hot and neutral. Just be careful...

[injury]

I'd be curious of a direct cat5 (instead of the wireline) ethernet connection would make any difference.  I really want to hear the resolution to this because I had lag last year also, but on a SSC v1. and no wireless and the old USB DMX dongle.  I blamed most of it on running LOR, which was lagging real bad but on a different dongle than everything else.

I'm going to try a direct line tonight - also going to try the Vixen scheduler.

Any thoughts on a wireless router outside?  Would I run into the same problem?

Personally I'd try a Wireless G Bridge Outside if'n it were me and I couldn't run a cable. But then again I have the hardware for that on hand so if I didn't deem it acceptable I'd just put the bridge back into my entertainment center where I got it