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Lag when running 2 Pixie 16 controllers


XmasSteve

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Hiya everyone,

 

I added a second Pixie16 controller to my network and have noticed some network lag on my lights,,, mainly motion effects not running as smooth last year.... Here is my current setup:

1st Pixie16 = Mega Tree - 16 strings of ribbon lights - 800 total lights

2nd Pixie16 = Mini Trees - 16 strings of 100 count bullet lights - 1600 total lights

I have both of the Pixie16's running off the RS485(red) USB network plug from my laptop with an enhanced 500k speed selected.

 

From the research I have done so far in the forums it appears to be a data throughput problem.... can only shove so many 1's and 0's through the USB to both controllers.

Do you think the lag would diminish if Instead of daisy chaining one Pixie16 to the other if I separated them and have 1 on a regular network and move the 2nd Pixie16 to Aux A network?

My show laptop has 2 USB ports and I have a spare USB485(backup) sitting in a box that I can plug into the 2nd USB port on the laptop.

Any ideas if this would work to remove the lag?

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That's 2400 pixels.  Too much for a 500K Enhanced network.  That most likely would work if you upped the network to 1000K speed.  If you split that into two networks, I would still plan on running the 2nd Pixie 16 on it's own network at 1000K speed.  The limitation is not the USB, but the LOR network.

 

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I run 2 pixie 16s (mega/arches) without any problems.  I have 3 120v panels as well on same network.  I have the red high speed adapter. Works fine. 

Edited by HADESWRAITH
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5 minutes ago, HADESWRAITH said:

I run 2 pixie 16s (mega/arches) without any problems.  I have 3 120v panels as well on same network.  I have the red high speed adapter. Works fine. 

But the question is, how many pixels were you running on those two Pixie16's? The OP is running 800 on one and 1600 on another so they are bordering the limit for a 1000K network.

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And how much change you send down the wires at any given time.  For ME 😳 , your rig would be fine. I have VERY simple. 

For most of the Vids I have seen her. Each Pixie 16 on Individual RED on 500K minimum 😛

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8 minutes ago, HADESWRAITH said:

800 on the 16x50 mega tree...and 400  I believe on the 4 arches.

Big difference between your 1200 pixels and the OPs 2400 pixels.

 

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Thanks for the assistance everyone.... bumping the network speed up to 1,000k did the trick and removed the lag from my mega and mini trees.  I guess the reason I never selected that fast of a speed was due to the system saying only the PixCon16 could use that speed but my Pixie16's are really benefiting from the speed boost. YAY!

 

So this leads to the next question.... The plan is to order another Pixie16 and 1600 lights when Light-O-Rama does their April sale...At that point would I need to start a 2nd network(Aux A) using my 2nd USB port or do you think I could daisy chain a 3rd Pixie16 off of the 1 USB port?

 

This also brings up a great question of all these homes that I see on TV that are just covered in pixels.... They are running way more pixels than I would ever dare trying but how do they do it and keep their lights from lagging? Is there additional hardware that I should consider purchasing that would keep my motion effects smooth as I keep stacking on controllers and Pixels?

 

Thank you again for all the assistance..... This forum has saved my booty a few times just from all the great tips that everyone provides and DibbleJrs setup guide for the Pixie's is a masterpiece.

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1 hour ago, XmasSteve said:

Thanks for the assistance everyone.... bumping the network speed up to 1,000k did the trick and removed the lag from my mega and mini trees.  I guess the reason I never selected that fast of a speed was due to the system saying only the PixCon16 could use that speed but my Pixie16's are really benefiting from the speed boost. YAY!

Until the Pixie series of controllers came out, it was only the Pixcon 16 that could operate at 1000K speed.

1 hour ago, XmasSteve said:

So this leads to the next question.... The plan is to order another Pixie16 and 1600 lights when Light-O-Rama does their April sale...At that point would I need to start a 2nd network(Aux A) using my 2nd USB port or do you think I could daisy chain a 3rd Pixie16 off of the 1 USB port?

At 1000K speed figure 2400 pixels, so I would not add another 1600 pixels to one of the existing networks.

1 hour ago, XmasSteve said:

This also brings up a great question of all these homes that I see on TV that are just covered in pixels.... They are running way more pixels than I would ever dare trying but how do they do it and keep their lights from lagging? Is there additional hardware that I should consider purchasing that would keep my motion effects smooth as I keep stacking on controllers and Pixels?

I would assume that most of the REALLY high pixel count shows are using E1.31 (DMX over Ethernet).  Personally I have over 21,000 pixels running via E1.31.

 

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