N4-G4-MP3 Director

[LOR Staff]

G4 Link capability was added in 5.3.0.  It requires a firmware update also released at that time.  Despite what I thought earlier in the year,  we are not going to bring this functionality to any S4 versions (as development on S4 has been halted).

http://www.lightorama.com/help/index.html?whats_new.htm

[Valentin]

Great! Thanks for fast reply!

[rcoaster]

I read that the G3 Director has a internal battery to maintain the clock. The battery is supposed to last 10 years. Does the G4 have the same kind of battery, and after 10 years, can the battery be replaced? 

[Valentin]

3 hours ago, rcoaster said:

I read that the G3 Director has a internal battery to maintain the clock. The battery is supposed to last 10 years. Does the G4 have the same kind of battery, and after 10 years, can the battery be replaced? 

Yes, because of RTC, the G4 has a battery. It's a usual CR2032 3V Panasonic battery.

[FredR]

I am looking for way to incorporate the n4-g4-mp3 into my network. I do have a built in g3-mp3. I would imagine I would need to disable the g3.

[Valentin]

Hi! 

I have a question about N4-G4:

I have about 10000 pixel tree and i want to control it with N4-G4. If i set all 4 ports to "regular" network (not AUX A, AUX B etc.), will it work proper with controllers in my network? Or i should set up each port to it's own network (regular for port 1, aux a for port 2 etc.)

Edited December 16, 2019 by Valentin

[Don]

2 minutes ago, Valentin said:

Hi! 

I have a question about N4-G4:

I have about 10000 pixel tree and i want to control it with N4-G4. If i set all 4 ports to "regular" network (not AUX A, AUX B etc.), will it work proper with controllers in my network? Or i should set up each port to it's own network (regular for port 1, aux a for port 2 etc.)

If you are going to get a multi port Director ... it'd make sense (to me) to utilize the features of it. Personally, I'd be splitting into as many networks as possible, just to keep the overhead to a minimum.

Do you *have* to use multiple networks .. no. You could make them all a single network. (*disclaimer: unless they've really, really changed things in the N4)

[Valentin]

Thanks. But it’s interesting for me and i want to know:

will the pixels work faster in case of using 4 ports all set up to regular network for 4 pixcon16, instead of using one port for 4 pixcons?

Edited December 16, 2019 by Valentin

[Don]

If all 4 ports are on a single network ... then your display will run just as fast (or slow) as if you had it on a single connection.

Why? All 4 ports would be sending out data for ALL controllers on the network. Same amount of data goes out over every port.

If you want to reduce the amount of data going out over the ports (or for those on desktops the USB adapter) then you have to switch over to multiple networks.

[Valentin]

Ok, thanks. Now all is clear for me

[k6ccc]

10,000 pixels on a single network is way too many.  Split into four networks with all running at 1000k speed, and you are right at Max recommended for those network speeds.  With that many pixels, I would recommend using a computer so you could run as many as 16 networks (if needed).  This is particularly true if there are other things that can't run at 1000k speed.

 

[LOR Staff]

16 hours ago, k6ccc said:

With that many pixels, I would recommend using a computer so you could run as many as 16 networks (if needed). 

With the N4G4, you can run up to 16 networks with multiple units.

Remember that the N4G4 has 'Director Link'.  Each director is daisy chained together, so with 5 N4G4 MP3 directors, you can run 15 separate unique networks.  Adding a 6th would allow all 16, as well as 2 additional ports that could be used as 'repeaters'.

We will also have a 2 port G4 director that can be used in Director Link mode (so 1 network is director link, the other is for some LOR network)

[k6ccc]

3 minutes ago, DevMike said:

With the N4G4, you can run up to 16 networks with multiple units.

Remember that the N4G4 has 'Director Link'.  Each director is daisy chained together, so with 5 N4G4 MP3 directors, you can run 15 separate unique networks.  Adding a 6th would allow all 16, as well as 2 additional ports that could be used as 'repeaters'.

Good point Mike.  You could, but at $300 each that would be $1,800 for 16 networks vs $100 - 200 for a show computer plus $512 for 16 USB adapters and less than $50 for some USB port expansion.  I would rather spend the kilobuck on lights or controllers.

Personally I have never understood the appeal of ever using a director.  Using a computer costs less and gives far more capability and less hassle.  About the only place I can see a Director as preferred is if you are running a show in something like a public park there is no practical way to secure a computer (although with micro sized computers, even that is not much of an issue).

 

[TheDucks]

What is the speed of 'Director Link"?  Could these be connected together over a ELL?  That would be a BIG + for a neighborhood show

[Don]

21 minutes ago, TheDucks said:

What is the speed of 'Director Link"?  Could these be connected together over a ELL?  That would be a BIG + for a neighborhood show

Psst. http://www1.lightorama.com/stand-alone-show-directors/#g3

:)

[TheDucks]

11 minutes ago, Don said:

Psst. http://www1.lightorama.com/stand-alone-show-directors/#g3

<slap>  Bookmarked

Thanks

[Valentin]

I have an issue with my N4-G4:

I tryed to run my lights using director (made the SD card via HUB etc). And when i put it to N4-G4, it shows "init", during this pixcons stop flashing red (so they have get the network from N4-G4), then director start the show, but the lights doesn't flash. The status led on the director doesn't flash too. The network settings are the same, like on the PC during writing SD card. And playing sequence through PC (via USB-LOR adapters) goes fine. Could it be broken N4-G4? Or i do something wrong?

3 hours before i've created SD card for other N4-G4, but in simple mode (with 1 network on the board). So, i know how to make SD card via LOR HUB. Maybe i've made any mistake during creating SD card in advanced mode...

By the way: I have 4 pixcons with 1820-1860 pixels in each, 1 pixcon with about 800 pixels and the globe with 2000 pixels. Totally about 10000 pixels. And it goes well in four networks (1 of my networks has 3800 pixels).

[LOR Staff]

21 hours ago, TheDucks said:

What is the speed of 'Director Link"?  Could these be connected together over a ELL?  That would be a BIG + for a neighborhood show

YES.  Director link will run perfectly fine over ELLs and is one of their main selling points.  I always forget to point that out.

[LOR Staff]

21 hours ago, k6ccc said:

Good point Mike.  You could, but at $300 each that would be $1,800 for 16 networks vs $100 - 200 for a show computer plus $512 for 16 USB adapters and less than $50 for some USB port expansion.

I never said it was cheap

I really think it just comes down to personal preference.  Directors make it easy to run 'headless'.  Many commercial customers like them because it is a set it and forget it kind of thing - they stuff the SD card in and at the end of the season just take it all down and put it away.  

It also does take some of the 'geek' away.  It's easier to create an SD card for multiple ports than it is to set up multiple USBs/etc.  

But between you and I, I too would only run from a computer - especially if I had one that is already running 24/7 (like my file server)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb91-j861DI

[Don]

1 hour ago, DevMike said:

Many commercial customers like them because it is a set it and forget it kind of thing - they stuff the SD card in and at the end of the season just take it all down and put it away.  

Yes, there are many commercial customers who would like this. There are times when setting up a computer onsite would be a logistical nightmare. Let's not even talk about getting the network cable back to home base....