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Channel 2 no twinkle or shimmer


George Cotton

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In putting my Halloween display together again this year and adding a few new elements, I've noticed that on some songs my "lead vocal" on channel 2 no longer twinkles or shimmers as it did last Halloween and Christmas.

Using the Hardware Utility, the channel does ON, twinkle and shimmer. It's just in a sequence that it does not. I have not noticed any other channels exhibit this behavior, but I don't use all the effects in every channel. After Halloween, I will check this out.

All controllers are running the latest firmware and the latest software is on the PC.

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What happens when the sequence reaches a twinkle or shimmer? For example, perhaps it turns the channel on? Or perhaps it does nothing?

Does that channel behave appropriately at all other points in the sequence (i.e. where it's not supposed to be twinkling or shimmering)?

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Hello Bob:

Yes, the lights for channel 2 go steady ON when a twinkle is programmed. It seems to be just the twinkle as best I can determine. I've changed channel 2 to shimmer and that's fine. That effect is OK and all other functions seem to work OK.

The Hardware Utility operates channel 2 just fine in any mode.

Speaking of the HU, could the software writers put in a choice selection to reload the last complete set of events as well as the times? It would sure save a lot of clicks when just a small change has been made. Plus it might save creating an error especially on the days and times.

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Could you please send me (bob@lightorama.com) a copy of the sequence, and tell me exactly what channels and times to look out for? Thanks.

As for the suggestion about the Hardware Utility, I'm afraid I don't understand it. Could you please rephrase it? Thanks.

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The Hardware Utility comment.

Open HU and select LOR MP3. When that screen opens, have a check box to "remember these settings" available. If checked it would now remember everything entered on this screen, including the "when show plays", "how show plays" and "MP3 showlist" choices.

Of course the HU would have to actually reload the sequences and not just the list to get any updates. This could be done when the "create" button is clicked whereas now it's partially done after you have finished with the "add seq".

I may make several minor tweaks a night. Each time I have to go through the same process of clicking, changing the default times and such, all of which are subject to my error, especially the times. If you needed to rearrange the sequences, add or delete, you would be right there ready to do that. I would think that almost everybody uses the same basic settings each time they use the HU for a particular seasonal show. If they wanted to adjust a start or end time, it would happen and then be reflected the next time HU >> LOR MP3 was opened.

This would appear to me to be a great timesaver. Just my thoughts to streamline the process a bit for those of us that can't use the SSB any more. With the suggested "remember these settings" box unchecked, the HU would operate as it does now.

On the twinkle problem, I will try to get that sequence off to you tonight.

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What version is the controller firmware? Is it possible that you are using a fading shimmer or twinkle with the old firmware? I don't remember the expected incorrect behavior, to know if it lines up, but it might be worth checking.

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All firmware is current as of v2.8.12. The controllers were already at 4.32, CMB16 is v1.30, but did update the DC-MP3 from v3.3 to v4.2 after v2.8.12 came out.

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Bob:

Apparently the twinkle times have been greatly increased in a recent update. In playing around with the sequence (actually created a new one), it does twinkle, but at a much slower rate than earlier versions. I just left everything at shimmer and it was all good.

BTW, my DC_MP3 was updated to v4.10 before Halloween. I just looked in my firmware folder and saw v4.20 was there and assumed it was what I had loaded, it was not. I had just put it there so I would find it the next time I went to update the MP3. See my other post on BootLoader and Polling errors on updating to v4.20.
http://lightorama.mywowbb.com/forum72/23767.html

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Actual LED's in display prob 80% of time is on and 20% off as a twinkle. Shimmer is about 50/50 on and off.

Channel buttons sorta follow the twinkle as does the animation to a lesser amount. Enough difference to indicate it is a twinkle occuring that is different from the shimmer.

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George Cotton wrote:

Actual LED's in display prob 80% of time is on and 20% off as a twinkle. Shimmer is about 50/50 on and off.

Channel buttons sorta follow the twinkle as does the animation to a lesser amount. Enough difference to indicate it is a twinkle occuring that is different from the shimmer.


We have not made any changes to the twinkle speed in some time. We did speed it up a little about a year ago. We will look at the firmware and see what we can find.

Dan
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I think I noticed the same thing with the twinkle being slower.
The channel seemed to be on more than off.
Maybe it's just me.
I'm using S2 Version 2.8.12 and Firmware Version 4.32 on CTB16 controllers.

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