Jay Czerwinski Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 I feel like this question must have been asked several times over, but I am not finding it. Sorry if it's a repeat to a life-long question. LOR or Xlights and Pixcon or Falcon. I have been a LOR user for many years exclusively. In recent years, some local pros have taken me to mini-meets where everyone wants to convert me to Xlights and pixels. Although I started last year with some pixels run from Pi3's with a Falcon PiCap on the E131 Network from LOR software, I am not sure what to do with future controllers and sequences, I love LOR and all the the service I have received in the past with my 16 channel AC controllers and the CCR products. Loyal LOR fan! I see how the Xlights might be easier than what I think I can do in LOR software. Like the whole scenes of effects and video. I am not sure how the pixCon products stack up against the Falcon controllers. Which is easier to use? They look to be nearly the same price, and I know the service level I get from LOR. As I did not have a ton of spare time to research these age old questions here in the forums, I'm also concerned about the time I would need to learn all new Xlights software and convert all of my sequences over the years to Xlights. - Does anyone bounce back and forth between the two?? I would love to hear opinions and have people identify blind spots for me. Thank you for any advice you can offer! Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 I have never played with either a Pixcon nor Falcon controller, so no personal use of either one. Yes, the service from LOR is second to none. With that said, I have heard that the Falcon controllers are some of the easiest to setup of any pixel controllers (second or third hand information). Personally I started using SanDevices controllers when there weren't a lot of choices for pixel controllers. I love them and have no plans to switch to anything else - bought another one a few months ago. As for the software, I have never played with XLights, but my understanding is that it is very similar to Pixel Editor (or actually the other way around). As I really don't like Pixel Editor, I don't see any reason to believe that I will love XLights. I am dipping into the Falcon Player world this year because I will be adding a couple P10 panels which will use FPP to drive the panels. However at least so far, planning on driving FPP in bridge mode from LOR. I pretty much do everything in LOR in SuperStar, and AM making the jump to S5 this year. Part of that is because I am making a LOT of hardware changes which is requiring a major "conversion", and switching to S5 would also require a big "conversion" so might as well combine the two "conversion" projects. I'm still not overly thrilled with the SuperStar integration in S5, but it is SLOWLY getting better. It will likely never get to where I can sequence the way I have in the past in SuperStar (which will likely at least double my sequencing time). My two cents worth... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caniac Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 I have used LOR for years but when I started tinkering with Pixels I just had issues with it. In simple terms the LOR software is all about strands of lights (though it supports pixels) and as long as I was doing LOR AC only it works great. xLights lets you program at the model/prop level as opposed to strand of lights (do a color fade on model one starting with green and ending with red), for LOR you have to do that a pixel at a time (I have not used Pixel Editor or S5). xLights has the ability to configure the Falcon controller, function not available with LOR or Pixcon. whether you switch to xLights or stay with LOR has a lot to do with what direction you are taking your show. Last year after the OKC mini I wanted to add a P10 matrix. At that time it was only supported in bridge mode on LOR and I wanted to do more with it than that. xLights was my answer, have not looked at S5 to see how it would handle it. Also I was able to import all my LOR sequences into xLights so I lost none of my hard work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 6 minutes ago, caniac said: xLights lets you program at the model/prop level as opposed to strand of lights (do a color fade on model one starting with green and ending with red), for LOR you have to do that a pixel at a time (I have not used Pixel Editor or S5). Both Pixel Editor and SuperStar do that just fine. I agree that if you are sequencing large amounts of pixels in Sequence Editor, you are torturing yourself. Yes, I know that there are people who do pixels in SE (George for one as I recall), but personally I would not even consider trying to sequence a matrix type prop in SE. Either SuperStar or Pixel Editor is FAR easier (I'm partial to SS). BTW, a string of pixels (for example a fenceline or roofline) may not be too bad in SE, but for example trying to do text on a matrix using SE would take a massive amount of time compared to either SS or PE. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebrown1972 Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 1 hour ago, Jay Czerwinski said: I feel like this question must have been asked several times over, but I am not finding it. Sorry if it's a repeat to a life-long question. LOR or Xlights and Pixcon or Falcon. I have been a LOR user for many years exclusively. In recent years, some local pros have taken me to mini-meets where everyone wants to convert me to Xlights and pixels. Although I started last year with some pixels run from Pi3's with a Falcon PiCap on the E131 Network from LOR software, I am not sure what to do with future controllers and sequences, I love LOR and all the the service I have received in the past with my 16 channel AC controllers and the CCR products. Loyal LOR fan! I see how the Xlights might be easier than what I think I can do in LOR software. Like the whole scenes of effects and video. I am not sure how the pixCon products stack up against the Falcon controllers. Which is easier to use? They look to be nearly the same price, and I know the service level I get from LOR. As I did not have a ton of spare time to research these age old questions here in the forums, I'm also concerned about the time I would need to learn all new Xlights software and convert all of my sequences over the years to Xlights. - Does anyone bounce back and forth between the two?? I would love to hear opinions and have people identify blind spots for me. Thank you for any advice you can offer! Jay I can only speak for the Falcon controllers. I have 5 total and love them. I still use LOR software with the Falcon's. They are super user friendly and support is great. I would highly recommend them. I have over 12,000 pixels in my display and LOR software has handled them fine for me. I am switching to S5 and believe it will be a step in the right direction for LOR. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Septon Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 Well. Its funny you brought this up. I have recently decided to use xLights, and that was after I recently purchased the PRO s5 Software. This isn't a slight against LOR, but I am switching myself to xLights. *** My 2 cents should only be in reference to Pixels and programming*** I am doing it for several reasons... but now that I learned what Pixels are (a lot of research) I rather use the E131 protocol. A lot more parts at more reasonable rates. At the Sale here on LOR I was purchasing $670 for what i was able to buy from Falcon for $320... and it gives me more power and latitude. I could still use the LOR software too. Second, I can not begin to tell you about the support. If you are like me, all year round preparing, the support is awesome. Every night people login and if you have a question, simply un-mute your mic and ask your question, click share of your computer monitor if you wish. If someone is there, they jump on and help. Right now there are 4 people on. I found myself being on there (like now) and just answered a question I knew the answer too (it was windows based and I helped). On Wednesdays they have training and support. Last Wednesday I was logged in for 6 hrs and learned more than a reasonable guy should expect. 10 people logged in with me going over my stuff, giving me ideas. LIVE. IF i wasn't going Pixels, I would absolutely use LOR. NO QUESTION. Maybe S5 is better than 4, and maybe with LOR I could of gotten there, but my learning curve was drastically shortened in 1 night with xLights. I am also going Falcon, I had a team helping. I am going with the Falcon 48 and some receivers that can do over 16000 pixels (costing $15 a receiver x up to 12 ( i won't need 12), and $200 for the Main Card) <<<NOTE you couldn't do that unless you used 50% brightness but>>> BTW, on ZOOM (xLights) the developer of the Falcon himself was there answering my questions. Recommending things, looking at my house on my computer to advise me. Kind of cool. I tried calling to see if I could stop by LOR, seeing as I was going to be in NY/NJ and, I was pretty much told, no one would be there, don't bother so to speak. I think 1 is eager. One is not so much. 1 Is Microsoft 1 is Apple. Just my 2 cents. I expect this will be deleted. And I wouldn't judge them for it. However, for now I am going all in on xLights. And I am a loyal guy... its hard to lose a person like me. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Septon Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 8 minutes ago, ebrown1972 said: I can only speak for the Falcon controllers. I have 5 total and love them. I still use LOR software with the Falcon's. They are super user friendly and support is great. I would highly recommend them. I have over 12,000 pixels in my display and LOR software has handled them fine for me. I am switching to S5 and believe it will be a step in the right direction for LOR. You know that maybe my ticket too. Use LOR software... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Septon Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 ^^ Oh and I guess my final 2 cents... on the subject, I am in technical sales, I am a software developer who runs a 30 man support team. Support Sells! How xLights is doing it, is simply having a group of fans, not experts, who can communicate with each other. (like the software ZOOM) and login when they are programming... need a hand/give a hand. No real cost. But sure handy. They also have a group of people who get swag to be part of the UBER group. Such as James, K6ccc, Caniac and more they offer products... it helps promote products and helps incentives those who pitch in, like those just mentioned. Just food for thought. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Laff Posted May 15, 2018 Share Posted May 15, 2018 In my opinion if your already using Light O Rama to sequence you should stick with it . I have been using LOR to sequence for over ten years now when I seen Brian's ( Superstar 12 strip CCR tree ) I built one and bought the Superstar lights program before it was part of LOR from Brian. It's great to program with. When pixel trees came I built one six years ago at that time there weren't many pixel controllers to choose from so I went with a Jousha systems p12 controller and at that time the best way to sequence the pixel tree was in X -Lights so I used X- Lights to program but converted the sequence to LOR to run in LOR until the Pixel editor came along in S4 .In my opinion The model setup in S5 is similar to X-Lights and generating effects is done basically the same way . As for pixel controllers I started using Sandevices ,Jousha Systems and Falcon before LOR had there own ,so I only have LOR 16 channel ac and a few 24 channel dc controllers but in my opinion the Falcon is the easiest to setup .I now do all my sequencing in LOR . 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougd Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 Here is how I would decide. Watch a bunch of Christmas videos. Some you know are LOR, some that are Xlights. Then watch some where you are not sure but all of a sudden you can figure out which software it is. Which ever displays you like better, use that software. Hardware, I use Sandevices, simply because they were one of the first to come out with a DIY board. Today they all make pixels blink. Cost is where I would choose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince4xmas Posted May 17, 2018 Share Posted May 17, 2018 I am using S5 and very satisfied. Using all LOR controllers (CTB16, DUMB RGB, PIXCON16 and PIXIE). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Czerwinski Posted May 18, 2018 Author Share Posted May 18, 2018 On 5/15/2018 at 6:42 PM, Dennis Laff said: The model setup in S5 is similar to X-Lights and generating effects is done basically the same way . Thanks for the info! In particular, do the S5 features do those full sweeps across the yard and house like XLights? (like mapping out the yard and applying effects to the whole scene?) Do they have similar effects? Thank you again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Laff Posted May 18, 2018 Share Posted May 18, 2018 yes it does, right now X-Lights does have more effects then S5 but many effects are similar between the two . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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