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Can CCR II ribbons act as 1 long strip?


Eric walls

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I hope no one posted this question as I had looked and couldn't find the answer.  I'm thinking about getting the CCR II to replace my 2 dumb strips I run on the outline of my house.  The outline is close to 30 feet so the 2 strips will be just perfect.  I plan on putting the controller in the middle between the 2 strips.

My question is how can I get the 2 ribbons to program or behave as one long 30 foot strip?  For example I want to to a chase scene from one end to the other across both strips. When I program in Superstar it will do that for one strip and then I basically get the strips doing the same thing but not as one long strip. The only other way I see is going into the sequence editor and doing each pixel chase by had, and I can't imagine doing that. I'm using SE 4.4 if that helps.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!!

Eric

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That's just a matter of how you set up your visualization file that is use to configure SuperStar.  As long as you set up your visualization file to match reality, it should work.

For example, this is the grid in SuperStar from the last year I sequenced in S4.  About half way up is the longest horizontal line.  That is my roofline and is same concept as you are trying to do.  The far right 26 pixels are fed from the far right end (the red arrow), and the rest are fed from a point 42 pixels from the left (the yellow arrow).  Data flow is in the direction of the orange arrows.  The lime line indicates the break point between the pixels fed from red arrow feed and the pixels fed from the yellow arrow feed.  At the yellow arrow location, there are four controller outputs - upper left, upper right, lower left, & lower right.  So essentially I am doing what you are trying to do twice - once for the upper row and one once for the lower row.

SuperStar_grid_for_Eric.png

BTW, the roofline is not straight.  I don't have a screen capture of the S4 visualization that shows the roofline lights, but here it is in my S5 Preview.  The S4 Visualization looked similar (except there are some things added that were not around when I was using S4).  In order to get it to work right both for the somewhat accurate view and also to work right into SuperStar for he grid layout, I had to produce two Visualization files that are both imported into SuperStar.  One gets the grid to display right, and the other the display.  The one for the grid specifies the location on the grid for every single prop.  Tedious to set up, but only needed to do it once.

S5_Preview_Editor.png

 

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Yikes, that looks like a nightmare and may be beyond my skills. From the description of the product it looks like the ribbons are 100 pixels? So would I create a visualization using 200 pixels? The controller will be in the middle and I think the hardware utility can set that up. 

Do I just create a straight line of pixels in the visualizer and import it into Superstar? How do I program it to continue the chase (or whatever effect) to the next ribbon?

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1 hour ago, Eric walls said:

Yikes, that looks like a nightmare and may be beyond my skills. From the description of the product it looks like the ribbons are 100 pixels? So would I create a visualization using 200 pixels? The controller will be in the middle and I think the hardware utility can set that up. 

Do I just create a straight line of pixels in the visualizer and import it into Superstar? How do I program it to continue the chase (or whatever effect) to the next ribbon?

What controllers? 4.4.4 is much easier to use and you can either make a visualization or make an animation within SE.

What my friend Jim is showing Iii is his set up in SuperStar and is pretty much the same in S5.

The controller you choose will be the key.

The pixie16 or any pixie series is the simplest LOR controller for smart pixels.

You can view my tutorial in the General Hardware section or PM me directly.

JR

 

Edited by dibblejr
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23 minutes ago, Eric walls said:

Yikes, that looks like a nightmare and may be beyond my skills.

OK, that was my entire 11K+ channels at the time.  Far more complex than your immediate needs.

25 minutes ago, Eric walls said:

From the description of the product it looks like the ribbons are 100 pixels? So would I create a visualization using 200 pixels? The controller will be in the middle and I think the hardware utility can set that up. 

That is not likely the case.  More likely they are 50 pixels per string.  Post a link to what you are looking at.

Yes, at least with the original CCPs you can set it that way.  I assume the new ones can as well.  The is part of the setup for my CCPs where the controller is in the middle with a 50 pixel arch in each direction.  The first string is set up Reversed so that for both arches, the left end is treated as pixel 1.

HU-3.png

The controller is under the trash bag.  The physical strings are fed from the end of the arch nearest the controller.

2014_2_arches.jpg

Here are a couple composite images of sequencing both scenes and a morph in SuperStar.

Eric_Scene-1.png

----

Eric_Scene-2.png

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Eric_Morph-1.png

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Here is what I'm looking at: http://store.lightorama.com/cococoiiwi2c.html

I'm hoping LOR will do a summer sale? 

I'm a middle school teacher working form home so I have a few months to do this. Thought during this time I would change some of my dumb strips to smart strips.  As soon as I got my stimulus check my wife said I can't spend it all on lights, so I am on a strict limit!

I just want an easy way to see it in the visualizer or on Superstar, the two strings appearing like they are one long 30 foot ribbon.  I plan on using the instant sequencing to insert effects. a few sections of the songs I may do a simple chase or other effects.

Thanks for everyones help!!

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42 minutes ago, Eric walls said:

Here is what I'm looking at: http://store.lightorama.com/cococoiiwi2c.html

I'm hoping LOR will do a summer sale? 

I'm a middle school teacher working form home so I have a few months to do this. Thought during this time I would change some of my dumb strips to smart strips.  As soon as I got my stimulus check my wife said I can't spend it all on lights, so I am on a strict limit!

I just want an easy way to see it in the visualizer or on Superstar, the two strings appearing like they are one long 30 foot ribbon.  I plan on using the instant sequencing to insert effects. a few sections of the songs I may do a simple chase or other effects.

Thanks for everyones help!!

They are actually 50 pixels each ribbon.

You have a couple easy options.

1- connect more than one ribbon together making them 100 and setting the pixie 2 up to run 100 pixels

2- Sequence them  both 1-50 and when you want strand two to start you don’t have strand one sequenced.

In visualizer you are limited to 50 pixels so only 50 will show up but you can add string 2 as a different prop and do exactly what I mentioned above.

A chase is not that difficult in SE using the chase tool.

Let me add that my tutorial linked above will also help with your pixie2. As I initially recommend “turn off all dip switches and manually set the unit ID up in HU”.

JR

Edited by dibblejr
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Perfect!  I thanks you for your help! I knew someone here would know how to do that. I'm still learning.

Would it be worth my while to upgrade to SE version 5, or stick with what I know in version4?

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1 hour ago, Eric walls said:

Perfect!  I thanks you for your help! I knew someone here would know how to do that. I'm still learning.

Would it be worth my while to upgrade to SE version 5, or stick with what I know in version4?

I am mixed on the answer.

I have to remain in S4 for sequencing. However I started using S5 for shows during my covid/ graduation show.

There are a lot of nice features - tons- especially if you are up for something new or just getting started.

It may be worth it for you.

In order for James and I to sequence and share our work S4 it is. If we sequenced S5 then S4 and below users would be left out.

S5 users can use the older versions so everyone is covered.

If you need help with the vis let me know.

JR

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4 hours ago, Eric walls said:

Would it be worth my while to upgrade to SE version 5, or stick with what I know in version4?

Eventually, yes.  Now, maybe.

There is a pretty substantial learning curve to S5, so I generally recommend that people start learning it right after they take their show down for the year.  That gives a few months to figure most of it out before needing to be seriously sequencing with it.  I'm now getting pretty serious with sequencing for the 2020 season, so you may want to wait until early next year.  I'm sure a lot of people are trying to get 2020 show work accomplished during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

In the long run, you are going to be better off with S5.  For example, the 50 pixel limit on CCRs in S4 Visualizer is fixed in S5.  There are people who can help you, and currently Don is doing a series of free webinars on S5 as he learns the details.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

well since I have so much time I bit the bullet and upgraded to S5. I installed it on a newer computer so I still have S4 and all my sequences (which really aren't many) all on a thumb drive.

I just started S5 up and I got this message "Unable to connect to Regular on Com1." 

Should I dismiss this message and continue with my preview visualizer? On the preview should I create a line of 100 pixels or use the Cosmic color 2 tool? Sorry if I'm making this complicated.

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3 hours ago, Eric walls said:

I just started S5 up and I got this message "Unable to connect to Regular on Com1." 

Ignore it.  I never have a USB adapter plugged into my sequencing computer, so it can never find it on this computer.

3 hours ago, Eric walls said:

On the preview should I create a line of 100 pixels or use the Cosmic color 2 tool? Sorry if I'm making this complicated.

I would do it as a line (or lines).  I essentially never (S3, S4, or S5) use the controller type settings.

 

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Okay that makes sense. Once again thank you. I like the look of this new S5. Will probably spend some time converting my old sequences, but it's nice not to have everything cluttered.

Have a great Memorial Day!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I need help again!!!!  In S5 I have my CCRII/pixie 2 set up. I used superstar do make an instant sequence.  In the preview when I play the sequence it sows both stands on each port playing, but only 1 port is actually working when I'm controlling the lights. I looked in the hardware utility and I don't see anything wrong. Can't figure out why the other port wont play.

 

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