Play CCB Animation Sequence

[cam308]

Hi There,

I'm trying to run a test animation sequence from my computer with a set of CCB's connected to COMM3.  Using the HU, I configured the CCB set to Unit ID 01.  I've created the animation sequence TEST using the SE.  Defined 1 channel leaving "no device type".  Opened TEST in PE, created prop with these settings:

- Lights: RGB Pixels
- Shape: Lines-Connected, 2 Segments, 100 Nodes, Start Left
- Channel: LOR, Max Circuit 150, Unchecked Individual Start & Separate Unit, Network Regular, Unit #01, Start Circuit 1, End Circuit 150, Carry Over 150

Then added effect, turned on effect through length of track.  I then saved the TEST file, saved intensity data file.  Went back in SE.  I see the squiggly blue lines appear under the channels.  In network preferences checked the box "enhanced lor network" for Regular.  Played Show on Demand and nothing is lighting up.  What am I missing??  Any help is appreciated.  Will this type of show only work off an SD card through the GEN3/MP3 Director?

Thanks!

[k6ccc]

Do you have the LOR control panel running? It must be running if you are running S4 software.

Sent from my Droid Turbo via Tapatalk, so blame any typos or spelling errors on Android

[Dennis Laff]

In network settings do you have the enhanced mode selected for that controller?

[cam308]

Thanks for responses.  Yes, the LOR Control Panel is running.  That is what I'm using to initialize the Show on Demand.  And yes, I've enabled the enhanced mode for the controller in network settings in SE.  It's REGUALR on COMM3.  Is that what you are referring to?

Are all settings correct for the prop listed above?  Also, is there a way to load the animation sequence to the SD card through the HU?  Right now I've been using Simple Show Builder as the HU only seems to work with musical sequences.

[k6ccc]

Following the steps you described in the first message, I think I see your problem.You created an animation sequence and are trying to play it as a Show on Demand, but you never created a show.  Let's stay out a show for the time being and try to first inspect the intensity file in SE to make sure it has the channels you are expecting.  Of course you can't see the actual data, but you should have the blue line that says "Pixel Editor and SuperStar Props".

Under that you should have a line that starts with + sign at the left and then a blue bar that says something similar to "PE Props" (I only know the wording for SuperStar Props because I don't use PE).  If you click the + sign, it should open one of more lines under that with the types of channels.

In this case I am using my Wizards In Winter file from last year.  In this case, there are regular LOR controllers, CCPs,and DMX universes in the intensity file.  You wont have all these.  If you click on on of those lines, it will bring up a window with some details about that section.

You can see that under Cosmic Color Devices, I have six controllers.  They are all on my LOR Aux B network and have controller IDs of 21 through 26, and each one uses channels 1 through 150.  This allows you to verify that the controllers correctly were setup in the intensity file.

Assuming that part is right, the next step is to play the sequence from Sequence Editor.  A couple things to check.  First make sure that the Hardware Utility is NOT running.  Make sure the control panel IS running, but shows are NOT enabled.  You can tell that the show player is not enabled because "Enable Schedule" can be selected, whereas "Disable Shows Gracefully" and "Disable Shows Immediately" are greyed out.  BTW this screen capture was from my show computer, and I had to disable shows in order to get this capture.  Yes, I did remember to Enable Schedule so my landscape lighting show will run this evening...

If you have the CCB controller box open, the red light should be on solid.  If the light is blinking, you are not communicating with it.  Under the "Play" menu item, make sure the line for "Control Lights" is checked - the Red arrow.  (Sorry, not as decent a quality screen shot because the Windows Snipping Tool wont let you capture an active dropdown menu - had to take photo with my phone   )

 

Then select the "Start This Sequence" at the top of the Play menu - the green arrow.

Once you can play the sequence from the Sequence Editor, we can worry about playing it from a show.  If you can't play from the sequence Editor, we can work on why not.

 

Edited August 27, 2016 by k6ccc

[Dennis Laff]

Quick test in pixel editor of your props and controllers , turn on controll lights in pixel editor and if you have your controllers and lights connected go to effects generater click on one of your props and select effect like (bars) and lights should come on.

 

 

[cam308]

First off, thank you guys so much for the awesome support here!!  Great community.

k6ccc - I followed everything you outlined above.  I did leave out the Show Editior step in my original post, but we can worry about that later as you said.  Below is a screen shot of my prop in PE.  You can see how I have that configured.

 

This screen shot is what the prop looks like back in the SE:

 

So I believe the intensity data file is transferring over everything correctly.  With schedule play off in the control panel, I tried to play the show using the SE.  I checked the control lights box, and hit start this sequence.  I am still unable to see the light turn on.  There is a solid green light on the control board of the CCB controller connected to COMM3 on my computer.  What else should I be looking at to get this to work through the SE?

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DENNIS - I followed your suggestion using the PE to run a quick test and the lights did come on and run the assigned effect.  So that was promising to see some response there.  I just now need to get this to work over in SE and then ultimately build and run a show.  What else should I be looking at?  Is the data transferring correctly as seen in the images above?

Thanks!

Edited August 28, 2016 by cam308

[cam308]

Update,

I went back and continued to play around to see if I could figure this out.  What I had to do was resave the intensity data file once I enable the "control lights" option in PE.  I then went back into the SE, reopened the file after the fresh save, enabled "control lights" from the play menu and then hit "start this sequence".  The show is now playing from the SE.  So thank you guys so much for helping me get there.  It seems like it was the "control lights" option that needed to be enabled in both the PE and SE.

I then went ahead and built a show using the SHOW EDITOR.  Placing my sequence in the background section.  Then saved and titled the show.  Then went to play "show on demand" from the CONTROL PANEL.  The lights came on and the show is running.  So everything seems to be working now.  Thanks again!!

One final question, back to the SD card and GEN3/MP3 DIRECTOR.  Is there a way to load an animation sequence to the SD card using the HU?  I seem to only be able to load a musical sequence to the card using the HU. Currently, I have to use the SIMPLE SHOW BUILDER (SSB) to load the animation sequence.  Would going this route allow the show to play on the GEN3/MP3 DIRECTOR with the enhanced network options, or will the SSB not transfer everything that the CCB's need?

Also, when should I be using the AUX A, AUX B networks?  Or should everything run off REGULAR?

Edited August 28, 2016 by cam308

[k6ccc]

I don't use a director,so I can't help you with that part, however, I can give some insight on multiple networks.  The general reason for multiple networks is so many commands that the show (or portions of it) have lag.  There are some general rule of thumb type numbers that I will give you.  Back in the old days when 115K was the fastest network speed, the general rule of thumb was not to exceed six CCRs (900 channels) on a single network at 115K speed.  In more recent years, many of the controllers can run at 500K speed which should increase that number by a factor of three to four.  Even more recently was the addition of enhanced networks which will also allow more commands to be sent in a given time than a non-enhanced network,but I have not seen anything from LOR on what the improvement percentage is.  If I remember the numbers right, the display that LOR had at Christmas Expo this year had 7200 channels on a single network.

The second MAJOR reason to use multiple networks is the inability of some controllers to operate with the newer or faster features.  For example, if you have Generation 1 or 2 controllers, they can't run at 500K network speed or on enhanced networks.  If you are using Easy Light Linkers (ELLs) for wireless connectivity, they are speed limited due to the radio spectrum that they are using.  If you are using inputs on controllers to trigger interactive sequences or a trigger to start your show, those can't be on an enhanced network.

In my case, I run two LOR networks year round, and add a third for Christmas.  For my year round landscape lighting, I make extensive use of interactive triggers, so I have my Regular network that only has a single InputPup that runs non-enhanced at 56K speed.  The two AC controllers, and three DC controllers are on my Aux A netowrk which is running at 115K speed and is enhanced.  For Christmas, my Aux B network gets added for six strings of CCPs.  Aux B runs at 500K speed and is also enhanced.  It's just convenient from a cabling standpoint to put the CCPs on a separate network. 

 

[cam308]

Thanks so much! Appreciate the detailed response.