Pixel Problem

[JeffreyJMoore]

Greetings,

This is my first couple of weeks starting to get comfortable with smart pixels, so I’m down toward the bottom of the learning curve and need some help.  I don’t plan on deploying any smart pixels this Christmas, but taking the opportunity while my normal LOR 1602Wg3/E1.31 network is up and running to play with the Pixie16.  I have a new LOR Pixie 16, LOR ver 4.3.34 Pro and a LOR factory made string of 100 12V pixels.  The string of pixels is where I think I need help.  Using the Hardware Utility I can only get the first 50 pixels to light-up.  I have the Port set to 1 and the Pixels Per Port set to 100. Starting the Chase Sequence, the first 50 pixels cycle through but 51 thru 100 don’t light.  First question: Should the Hardware Utility be Capable of cycling through (and lighting) all 100 pixels? I see the same problem with a short animation I created in both PE and SE where the second 50 don’t light. Second Question: Could the string of 100 be defective after the first 50 pixels?  Is there some other way to check them, besides purchasing another string?  I need 15 more by next Christmas anyway   Thank for any light anyone can shed on my quandary.

Jeff.

[k6ccc]

JRDibble is the resident expert on the Pixie controllers.  He should be able to help you with Pixie setup.

Also note that in the S4 Visualizer, you are limited to 50 pixels on a LOR network.  This DOES NOT affect the ability to sequence and control 100 pixel strings, but it does affect the ability to see the pixels when using the Visualizer.  That limitation has been fixed in S5, and I recall that LOR has said that they do not intend to fix that in S4.  The reason in case you are wondering is that when S4 came out, there were no LOR controllers that had more than 50 pixel strings.  This should not be an issue for you now, but AFTER this year's show, you may want to switch to S5.  S5 has a lot of differences so there is a learning curve.  That's why I recommend waiting until next year (start as early as possible so you're not trying to figure out S5 next September)...

I don't know if the S4 HU is similarly limited to 50 pixel strings on a LOR network.  Everything I have is S5 now, so I can't check for you...

 

[TheDucks]

My S4 HU did fine with strings of 100 on a Pixie4 (2 @ 50's end to end)

The strings should use the same chip, same voltage. If part of a string lights, it could be either low voltage (excessive drop) or a bad chip(LED) in either the last Lit (has no Out) , or the first dead one)

[JeffreyJMoore]

Problem solved.  I’m a little higher on the learning curve after a little more poking around.  Even though I had the Pixels Per Port set to 100 in the Hardware Utility I failed to go into the Configuration/Pixie Configuration Sub-Menu and also set the Pixels Per Port and Logical Resolution to 100 there too.  After that adjustment the HU, PE and SE all display the full 100 pixies.  Thanks to all for guiding me along the curve.