LightHouse_Papa Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 Hi I can’t use S4 this year for anything fancy like others have – VERY steep learning curve. My partner is trying to help get S4 running some simple stuff. I have allot of hardware to design and assemble between our two homes. I started using S4 w/a CTB16PC controller. This decision was due to the multitude of 120v lighting I already have. A desire to keep the electric bill down. And the plus is some rather neat effects that can be done. It’s great seeing the grandkids’ faces light up when all the blinky/flashy is going on. I have an established E1.31 network and pixel controllers I started using a few years ago. I’ve coded the software on a AVR for these devices over sACN. I might have reconsidered this S4 venture had I known of its tendencies in advance. You can’t output anything unless you have a license and only at advanced level does sACN become supported. Correct? The problem BECAME NOTICED when LOR CTRL PNL is running and I use da e1.31 to change colors on a dumb RGB spot – after a second or two – LIGHTS OUT! HUH?!?! I would LIKE to use S4 for sACN along with the LOR-DMX but if it shows all sorts of sequence errors and do things no other software would do, it is highly unstable and un-useable. There is NO SHOW running – thusly should be NO OUTPUT. Not an unreasonable expectation. I have already researched changing things up to unicast. However, ONE controller does not allow for such a selection. It accepts multicast and unicast – it doesn’t care. That sort of puts a damper on the “use the IP” thing. I send it lighting packets that I want to stay ON and it will only last a second or two if LOR CTRL PNL is running. The thing is when I go ahead and PAINT a string of pixels I want to keep ‘ON’ I can’t have something else tell it to turn OFF or think it is the only one on a network. HOW DO I STOP THIS?? I will run some animations this year. Next year music will be added into the mix. By next year I would hope to have S4 do something more for what it was intentionally designed to do. Time is shorter than I had hoped. Thanks for any help! Happy Holidays! Make it BEAUTIFUL! Make it SAFE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 First of all, yes, you have to buy a license to control lights using any LOR software. In order to use E1.31 you do need an advanced or Pro level license. Also note that if you sequence in the Pixel Editor module in S4, it outputs in intensity files which requires the Pro level license. The same is the case if you use the SuperStar module and output in the new intensity file format. You do not need the Pro level license to output from SuperStar in the older legacy format. I'm gathering that are using some software in addition to LOR?Do you have LOR and something else trying to control the same universes at the same time? If that's the case it certainly is NOT going to work right. You have conflicting commands being sent from different sources. I'm curious what controller you are using that will accept unicast or multicast without it being specified. The only controllers I have used (SanDevices E682 and E6804) require specifying the data type to accept. I use E1.31 every day of the year so I should be answer most any of your questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightHouse_Papa Posted November 23, 2015 Author Share Posted November 23, 2015 (edited) Hi Jim, Web Link: http://www.advateklights.com/pixlite-control/ 5440 pixels / 32 universes + 4 DMX universes - 36 total I've been in contact with Advatek Lights in regards to setting unicast and multicast - they said it doesn't matter - so THAT in itself created my problem with IP assignment. I still haven't cleared it up completely IF it starts with unicast does it stay only accepting unicast. Unicast is the only way to access all 36 universes so my DMX channels are protected from multicast. I will let U know what I discover when I get the board back - it had a software issue and I missed the update - long story. I have some ideas that are taking form. MIDI to sACN using an Arduino - so far it is working and can use DMX512A hardware and RDM protocol. I made a minor adjustment for my needs but several Arduinos run aspects of my lights including floods, strobes, RGB strips and 2 primary 120v power distribution panels. That's just the beginning of my 'smart' controllers using the Arduino platform. Still looking to use the Atmel MPU as a stand alone. I use Atmel Visual Studio to handle the programming chores b/c I am used to Visual C & Visual Basic IDEs. I've been using computers since 1974 and worked at UPS as a programmer in NJ. I have a background in mainframes and PCs along with 10+ yrs of tech time. What I need to do is simple - try to get sequences up and running - sync'd. Might have music but don't have the FM transmitter and live on a MAIN STREET with a reasonably high traffic flow during the day - nights are a bit slower but people pulling over to LISTEN to the music could have people winding up in my ditch out front. Told the missus - sure - that'd be OK ... $50 before 9pm and $75 after to pull 'em out! Yeah, she didn't think that was too funny. Heck, it'd cost at least $100 for the local tow truck to show up. I'm working at a CUT RATE! Anyhow - the URL is up top so you can read for yourself. when the board gets back here, if you want to keep up w/this .. lemme know. Happy Holidays! Eddie Edited November 23, 2015 by LightHouse_Papa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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