Is there a maximum # of CC devices per network before it lags?

[ajfelice]

I have the original CCR's for my tree and I ran them (12) on a separate (fast)  network. Last year  I bought and used the newer CC-II with a 16 pixie controller. This year I would like to add back the original 12 CCRs to make a matrix, 4 more old CCRs for circles and another  new

CCR-II with a pixie2D controller for my arches. At this point I am only using USB outputs and have a  rs485 adapter for my basic controllers and the rs485-HS for the CCR's. I have a few questions:

1) is there a maximum number of CCR's one can run on a high speed network before there is lag? 

2) Can you run multiple networks in S4 through the same rs485-hs adaptor or do I need another using a different USB port?

3) Do I need to consider investing in a san device or similar using  E1.31 as the show grows?

 

Thanks

[dibblejr]

6 minutes ago, ajfelice said:

I have the original CCR's for my tree and I ran them (12) on a separate (fast)  network. Last year  I bought and used the newer CC-II with a 16 pixie controller. This year I would like to add back the original 12 CCRs to make a matrix, 4 more old CCRs for circles and another  new

CCR-II with a pixie2D controller for my arches. At this point I am only using USB outputs and have a  rs485 adapter for my basic controllers and the rs485-HS for the CCR's. I have a few questions:

1) is there a maximum number of CCR's one can run on a high speed network before there is lag? 

2) Can you run multiple networks in S4 through the same rs485-hs adaptor or do I need another using a different USB port?

3) Do I need to consider investing in a san device or similar using  E1.31 as the show grows?

 

Thanks

1- Better to run additional networks to prevent the lag (if you have to many). However with what you said above you will not have lag

2- Get yourself a USB hub adapter for under $30, plug it in to your USB port and plug your RS485's into that. I run 8-10 networks depending Halloween or Christmas

3- "Need" no. IMHO

Will not have good results if you intend to use your old strips and new strips to make the matrix. If using the pixie16 to control them remember all ribs or strips should be from same mfg and same date. (color difference) and you do not have the option of advanced settings for color order per string.

JR

[Mr. P]

To caveat dibblejr.

1) there is not a set number of channels before you see lag but You may start seeing it around 5,000 channels or so, many factors come in to play.

2) One network per adapter.

3) Personally, I prefer E1.31 for pixels and I have all my pixels on E1.31. LORs RS485 is great for distance and things can be spread out but it is very slow, this is why you run into lag. E1.31 is much, much faster but the distance is a lot shorter, 300' feet max which is plenty far for most users.

[k6ccc]

24 minutes ago, ajfelice said:

1) is there a maximum number of CCR's one can run on a high speed network before there is lag? 

Depends on how high speed.  The old rule of thumb when 115K speed was six CCRs per network (or a little under 1000 channels).  With 500K networks that should increase by quite a bit.   1000K obviously makes it faster, but very few devices can use 1000K speed.  Using Enhanced networking also increases the number of channels that can used on a single network.  I have never seen an "official" new rule of thumb for the faster networks, although I think it was DevMike said at Expo last year they were running 2,400 pixels (7,200 channels) on a single network - I assume it was 1000K speed Enhanced.

24 minutes ago, ajfelice said:

2) Can you run multiple networks in S4 through the same rs485-hs adaptor or do I need another using a different USB port?

Each LOR network requires it's own USB adapter.  As JR said, if you run out of USB ports, get an external USB hub.  I HIGHLY recommend a powered hub rather than one that is taking power from your computer USB port.  IMHO, only buy the Red High Speed adapters even if you are not going to use them fast.

24 minutes ago, ajfelice said:

3) Do I need to consider investing in a san device or similar using  E1.31 as the show grows?

Need?  No.  Running E1.31 vs LOR vs DMX networking is your own choice.  Each has their advantages and disadvantages.  For REALLY large, E1.31 is the only way to go.  You can do that with the PixCon16 controllers if you want to stay with LOR hardware.  Personally I'm running several SanDevices E1.31 controllers, but I got into them years before LOR had a E1.31 controller.  I will have six SanDevices controllers in use this Christmas.  Except for six strings of CCPs, all my pixels are E1.31.  This year I will have about 130 universes of E1.31 (108 of that for the P5 matrix and the P10 matrix).

 

Edited August 28, 2018 by k6ccc

[LOR Staff]

Sorry if someone said this in a prev message.  

• We recommend NO MORE than 2000-2400 pixels PER LOR NETWORK at 500K using ELOR protocol for AVERAGE sequences.
• If you are using slower speeds or normal LOR protocol, those numbers go down.
• We can not give an absolute number because different sequences can have radically different bandwidth needs.

[4hoogies]

DevMike,

So just to clarify, I have 7 regular controllers (LOR1602) on one regular network (57.6k), have a 12 ccr tree on a second network (500k) but wanted to add to this second network a Pixel Tree kit (16 strips of 25 pixels = 400pixels) as well as a pixie16 (16 strings of 100 pixels = 1600 pixels). So I have already hit the 2000 pixel mark not even including my ccr tree. I have 2 RS485 adapters (one high speed) for when I am setting everything up on my computer but I use a G3mp3 director to run the show. Am I pushing it having this much connected to my second (500k) network? Thank you for your help.

 

[k6ccc]

You MAY be pushing it - depending on the complexity of your sequencing..  If it were me, I would be adding a third network, however you are using a director and I don't' think the directors support more than two networks (I have never used a director)..