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Pixcon 16 daisy chaining


vdipaola73

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I asked LOR directly and read the manual but I'm going to use two controllers and am debating on the Pixcon 16 just because it would be easy to hook up with LOR protocol. I am wondering if two can be daisy chained successfully? The answer from LOR was that due to high channel counts it's best to go e1.31. I definitely won't have an excessive number of channels. But I guess I could always try it both ways.

Edited by vdipaola73
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I'm planning on using one for a pixel tree. 16x50. The other for the house window frames. 6 total none of which will have more than 90 pixels.

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With how easy it is to set up E1.31 I wouldn't try messing around with the pixel tree on the LoR network. Less chance of issues that way I would say

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There are a couple of things to remember when using a Pixcon16 on an LOR network:

 

1 - The network MUST run at 500K or 1000K (1000K is new speed coming with next release.  The only thing that will support 1000K is the Pixcon16).  Pixcon16s in LOR mode do not support the slower speeds.  G3 controllers can run at 500K, but older controllers can not and will need to be on their own.  At 1000 only Pixcon16s can be attached to a network.

 

2 - It MUST run on an ENHANCED LOR network.  That means you need S4 PRO, and the net must be set to enhanced.

 

SO...

 

If you want to run at 1000K, ONLY Pixcon16s can be connected to the network.  ELOR mode is a must.

If you want to run at 500K, G3 devices that can support ELOR mode can also be attached, but you will need to watch your channel counts.

 

Please remember that at even at 1000K, you will only be able to drive a MODEST pixel display, and probably won't have any success with more than 1 Pixcon16 per network.  My best guess is that you'll be able to run approx 2700-3000 pixels at 1000K and ELOR mode, using an average sequence.  You'll want to pack the addressing to reduce the number of total unit IDs used - that means you will want 170 physical pixels per port, 1 UID per port, 16 total UIDs.  That will be a single fully loaded Pixcon 16 with 2720 pixels (16 * 170) - Approximately 8,000 to 8,500 channels max.

 

At 500K, expect to cut those numbers in half.  Approx 4,000 to 4,500 channels max. That sounds like doom and gloom, but it is not.  That positions the Pixcon16 to be the ultimate PIxel Tree/Pixel Matrix controller that can run along side existing G3 hardware.  A 16x50 pixel tree/matrix/whatever + existing G3 controllers would (most likely) be fine at 500K.  16x100 + existing G3 controllers would probably be on the edge, if not slightly over.  

 

Another way to think about it:  You could replace 16 CCR controllers + 16 CCR Power Supplies with a single Pixcon16 and a power supply that can handle the amperage.

 

If you decide to keep upping the stakes, the Pixcon16 is also at home as an E1.31 controller as you grow.  You can then fully load that puppy with almost 5500 pixels, and network till your eyes bleed... Well....  I've never actually figured out the theoretical maximum you could push on a GB network with good switches, but it would have to be high.  The software itself has an absolute ceiling of 169,000+ pixels (999 universes * 170 pixels), but I don't know if you will saturate the network (or the programs) before that.

 

No, I don't know if/when controllers other than the Pixcon16 will support 1000K, if AT ALL.

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<snip>

 Well....  I've never actually figured out the theoretical maximum you could push on a GB network with good switches, but it would have to be high.  The software itself has an absolute ceiling of 169,000+ pixels (999 universes * 170 pixels), but I don't know if you will saturate the network (or the programs) before that.

 

 

Each universe takes about a quarter Megabit per second, so 999 universes should be about a quarter Gigabit per second.  You should be good to go on a single Gigabit network (at least from a network capacity standpoint).

 

Gee, I was planning on that many next year...

NOT!

 

OK, maybe 25 next year...

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Each universe takes about a quarter Megabit per second, so 999 universes should be about a quarter Gigabit per second.  You should be good to go on a single Gigabit network (at least from a network capacity standpoint).

 

Gee, I was planning on that many next year...

NOT!

 

OK, maybe 25 next year...

 

999 universes, what an awesome display you would have, Jim!

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I have been waiting for the LOR Pixcon 16 controller to come out so I could compare it to other controllers. Now that it is out, I need to make a decision on what controller to buy. This year I am only going to be controlling an 8 ft. rgb tree with 400 pixels. The Pixcon is reasonably priced and would fit with my other LOR controllers, but I would also need to upgrade my software. In your opinion would I be better off buying a 6804 sandevice and using xlights to program or should I go with the Pixcon? I am just looking for the most cost effective way and easiest way to program rgbs. I appreciate any help you can provide.  This is my 1st time using pixels.

Thanks

Rick

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I have been waiting for the LOR Pixcon 16 controller to come out so I could compare it to other controllers. Now that it is out, I need to make a decision on what controller to buy. This year I am only going to be controlling an 8 ft. rgb tree with 400 pixels. The Pixcon is reasonably priced and would fit with my other LOR controllers, but I would also need to upgrade my software. In your opinion would I be better off buying a 6804 sandevice and using xlights to program or should I go with the Pixcon? I am just looking for the most cost effective way and easiest way to program rgbs. I appreciate any help you can provide.  This is my 1st time using pixels.

Thanks

Rick

Why would you only use Xlights with the SanDevices 6804? The controller makes no difference to which program you use to sequence.

 

Why not run the Pixcon16 in E1.31?

 

You would only have to upgrade to Advanced if you don't already have it, but could go up Pro for the pixel editor. You could just use Xlights. I don't think I will be upgrading to the pixel editor until 2016 now, as Xlights is fine for me, and hopefully by then the Pixel Editor would have been improved to have more effects than Xlights, which it doesn't have now.

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I have just ordered a pixcon 16 and power supply and plan on changing my two arches from my 16 channel LOR controller to four arches using pixels. I am running G3 controllers. If I use the pixcon and connect it to my 16 channel LOR controller via cat5. Will this work in lieu of using the pixcon 16 in e1.31 mode?

 

Thanks

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From what Dev Mike said above, it must be connected to an "Enhanced" network if you are going to run it via RS485. I would suggest E1.31 instead.

 

I too purchased one this morning and will see what limitations it has when I receive it. Never mind, they posted the instructions online so I've downloaded them already

Edited by dgrant
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I bought 2 Pixcons and from everything discussed here it seems the E1.31 route is the best wat to go.

 

Don't forget, if you use E1.31 you need to have a FIRM grasp of networking and routing technologies.  

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I bought 2 Pixcons and from everything discussed here it seems the E1.31 route is the best wat to go.

 

Don't forget, if you use E1.31 you need to have a FIRM grasp of networking and routing technologies.  

I have a decent grasp which I hope will get me through. If not, there's always this forum. A friend of mine teaches networking at a local college. He may be able to help me out in a pinch. Then I would have to explain all this insanity.

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dgrant

 

I am a simpleton and not up to date in the local jargon. (Enhanced), I don't know what that is. I have all G3 controllers that I run on 500 speed. I have 8 ccp controllers running as aux. 1 I have 2 holidaycoro pixlites running on univ. 1 and 2. I would like to know if the pixcon 16 can be connected to my last LOR G3 controller via cat 5. I plan on using the pixcon 16 to create 4 arches with no more than 100 pixels per arch.

 

 

 

Thanks

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I think the release of the Pixcon 16 will be followed by an increase of people destroying COMMS busses and network chips by plugging the wrong thing in the wrong hole.

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