Which to program with?

[Franke]

I am looking for the easiest avenue for setting up and programming using DMX control of 48 channels + 36 channels for 12 RGB + 140 pixels = 504 channels. I will mainly have concentric circles and 16 spokes. I have 4.0.38 Pro and SS for 600 pixels.

 

I don’t really like trying to draw using the SE Animation. Lines are easing but circles not so much. Sequencing the normal channels is super easy and I do like that.

 

The Visualizer doesn’t really let me draw even concentric circles or let me do the DMX channel addressing the way that I am used to doing after 20 years working on commercial DMX systems. I want to pack all of the channels into 1 universe and pretty much max it out before I start in on a 2^nd.

 

The PE Preview Design I absolutely love. I laid out everything in under an hour with all channels and settings made. But…. I am aware that there are issues as I have seen one or two myself. Things lagging, locking up, time line indicator creating hundreds of horizontal lines on the screen when the sequence is playing back.

 

If I could have the preview layout and system/channel settings ability of PE with the Effect Generator alongside the sequencing ability of SE and be able to use both types of programming in one spot I would be one happy camper. I will be doing one of those flashy/blinky things I have heard mentioned. Fast chases are what I mainly want.

 

Because of the PE Preview Design I am leaning towards only using the PE to program sequences and then run them through SE. I tried setting up a 1 track 1 channel(DMX channel 505) SE sequence with audio and timings to build off of in PE and run with whatever I do in PE.

 

I don’t have all of my equipment yet to actually see anything irl but I am feeling around to see which way I want to go with things. I’d rather not have my programming split up between two programs with some channels on one and the rest on another. That might just be me stuck in my old school ways.

 

The equipment list:

LOR Pro 4.0.38 + SuperStar for 600 channels

1 - ActiDongle (using RJ45 between all devices)

1 - CTB08D V4 (110V)(Firmware recently updated)

1 - CTB16D V5 (110V) (Firmware recently updated)

1 - CMB24D V6 (12V)

1 - 32 channel DC DMX board (12V)

1 - DMX WS2811 Pixel Controller (12V 510 channels for up to 170 pixels)

1 - 30A Variable Voltage Power Supply (12V for CMB24D, RGB & EL Wire)

1 - 350 watt computer PSU (25A 5v & 13A 12V for Pixels & Pixel controller)

140 - WS2811 Pixels (12V)

21 - EL Wire drivers (12V)

176’ - EL Wire (on 21 channels)

32’ - 5050 RGB (12V)

6 - Blue LED strobes (110V)

1 - R/G laser (110V)

1 - small LED effect (110V)

 

This is what I came up with in PE Preview Design. It will be 7' wide.

 

ETA: I just learned a couple things which now changes the game plan. The EL Wire is useless for fast chases. The drivers hold power and slowly drain it. I had never played with any of it before so I just saw that in testing out my solder connections. Back to the drawing board for those channels.

Edited July 24, 2015 by Franke

[Franke]

I decided to add 3 more CMB24D and change all of my rings and spokes to RGB with the 4 CMB24D and 2 old LOR boards on a LOR universe with only the 140 pixels on a DMX universe.

 

I'll use the SE for the 2 old boards and PE for all of the RGB and pixels.