SnowVision Tubes

[Jay Czerwinski]

I would rather share a setup file than to type in and set up 480 channels manually as instructed by their PDF file. Please let me have a copy of your file....

If I don't get a reply offering the file by the weekend, then I will have manually entered it myself and I will be happy to share the file I created with you if you are finding this message in a search.

Thank you.

I have an iDMX on the default E0 running 10 SnowVision tubes.

[ItsMeBobO]

Jay Not sure it can be shared that way.
What do you see when you try InsertDevice? S3 Beta has insert DMX option but I cant recall if that is new or S2 had it.

Where can I see the snowfall PDF instructions?

[Jay Czerwinski]

The file is at http://www.showvisionled.com/snowvision-config.pdf


I'm just looking for the file made from following these directions so that I can save a ton of typing....

[Jay Czerwinski]

I got a response from My Sales rep. Guess there is no way to skip Step 7! I will do this and if anyone reads this in the future and has their iDMX address at the default E0, I will share my file with you.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ticket status: New

Department: General

Subject: SnowVision 10 tubes and LOR software map

Hello Jay,

Thank you for contacting us. We do not have a basic .lcc file for the SnowVision tubes as everyones DMX configuration is different. For example someone my have the tubes on universe 1 and someone else may have them on universe 2. Additionally, the start channel may be completely different from one person to the next.

In my videos I'm show how to use LOR as the timing for MADRIX. Creating complex effects in LOR is not easy as you have to program all of the pixels in the timeline. With MADRIX all of this work is done for you and it allows you to create effects that would just be impossible to create in LOR. Unfortunately easy of creation and advanced effects does come at a price, $400. But what is your time worth and how spatular of effects do you want to create?

If you want to manually control the tubes you will need to do the following setup:

1. create a new sequence with a single channel
2. right click that channel and select Insert RGB Channels > Insert Multiple RGB Channels Below
3. Enter 160 (10 tubes x 16 pixels each)
4. You now have 160 RGB pixels channels
5. Click on the first one
6. Name it, Select device type as DMX, pick your universe and start channel
7. Do this for each pixel

Hope this helps.

Brad Boyink
CLP



Sincerely,
Computerized Lighting Productions, LLC

[ItsMeBobO]

If you have not gotten too far. I was able to generate it for you.

http://itsmebob.com/Christmas/2011/SnowVision10.lcc

Create a new sequence and use this as the config on the create form.

[Jay Czerwinski]

OOHHHH MYYYYY GOSSSHHHHH Bob!!!!!!

That is AMAZING!!!! I fell asleep last night typing in those numbers and never finished!!! I woke up with my face practically smashed in my keyboard to see your message and thought I was just too tired to be reading it right. But I just got up now and tested your file out and it works perfectly!!!!! THANK YOU!! YOU ARE TOO KIND!!! Really!!

I owe you some sequencing time if you ever need a little help!

WOW - speechless now....

[ItsMeBobO]

You are welcome. That was really juicy but it sure let me know you appreciate it.

The code was already written for when CCRs were introduced. 3 years ago I had to generate my own config.

Only had to change two lines for you. Here it is if you want to tell your vendor not to scare people into buying Madrix.

Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Dim Pixel As Int32, index As Int32, circuit As Int32, Unit As Int32, unitcount As Int32, units As Int32
        Dim chanxml As String, UnitTrackxml As String, AllTrackxml As String, MacroTrackxml As String
        UnitCount = CInt(TextCount.Text)
        If UnitCount < 1 Then UnitCount = 1

        Unit = Convert.ToInt32(TextUnitHex.Text, 16)

        index = CInt(TextIdx.Text)
        chanxml = "" : UnitTrackxml = ""
        AllTrackxml = "" & vbCrLf
        MacroTrackxml = "" & vbCrLf

        For Units = 1 To unitcount
            'circuit = 0                             <--------- commented out this line so channels would be consecutive across tubes
            UnitTrackxml = UnitTrackxml & "" & vbCrLf

            For Pixel = 1 To 16                      <--------- changed this from 50 for CCRs to 16 for tubes.
                circuit = circuit + 1
                index = index + 1
                chanxml = chanxml & "" & vbCrLf
                index = index + 1
                circuit = circuit + 1
                chanxml = chanxml & "" & vbCrLf
                index = index + 1
                circuit = circuit + 1
                chanxml = chanxml & "" & vbCrLf
                index = index + 1

                chanxml = chanxml & "" & _
                "" & vbCrLf
                If Pixel = 1 Then MacroTrackxml = MacroTrackxml & "" & vbCrLf
                AllTrackxml = AllTrackxml & "" & vbCrLf
                UnitTrackxml = UnitTrackxml & "" & vbCrLf
                'index = index + 1

            Next Pixel

        Next units
        AllTrackxml = AllTrackxml & "" & vbCrLf
        MacroTrackxml = MacroTrackxml & "" & vbCrLf


        TextChannels.Text = chanxml.Replace(Chr(39), Chr(34))
        TextUnitTracks.Text = "" & vbCrLf & _
                        MacroTrackxml.Replace(Chr(39), Chr(34)) & _
                        UnitTrackxml.Replace(Chr(39), Chr(34)) & _
                        AllTrackxml.Replace(Chr(39), Chr(34)) & _
                        ""
    End Sub

[zman]

The only input I have here, is to get your iDMX ID to something other than E0. The 0 (zero) forces the iDMX into a LORs limited DMX mode (256 channels). Setting the ID to end in anything besides 0 (zero) will allow the iDMX to operate in DMX512 mode. Since it looks like you have 480 channels, this is going to be important.

My iDMXs are ID'd A1, A2 etc...

[Jay Czerwinski]

OK, I've done my tests and wanted to share my feedback for others.

First I found the fastest way to create the file needed for the channel mapping of 480 channels to make 160 RGB channels was to:
1. Start with a new animation/sequence with one line or got to the end of an existing file.
2. Right click on the last channel button and INSERT DEVICE, INSERT DEVICE BELOW.
3. SETTIGS: Device = iDMX1000, Native Mode, Set Unit ID (as suggested by zman I did a unit number not ending in zero - I chose 51), and then 480 Channels.
4. Click OK and BAM - DONE!!
5. Then to make RGB Channels, right click on the first newly created channel and CONVERT TO RGB CHANNEL
6. Check the box for ALSO DO THIS FOR THE FOLLOWING CHANNELS and enter in a number that is a multiple of 3 and equal to or less than the number entered in step 3 for channels.
7. Click OK and BAM - DONE!!!

Now the only part is to go back and rename the channel buttons, but you may only want to rename a couple that are at key points - like I only need to rename 10 spots at the first of each 16 channels saying Tube 1, Tube 2, etc.

Also, the file I got fromm ItsMeBob began to give me problems for some reason when I started to save versions of animations, sequences, or export channel configs. Don't know why... just in case someone else uses the link, check saving operations before putting a lot of time in to a sequence. It might just be a random glitch for me.

Thank you guys for your input and guidance. On top of your wisdom, it is a great feeling to not feel alone in this exploration.

Cheers,
Jay