CCB's on roof line

[mattpatt]

I've been playing around with auto sequencing tonight. I am going to have two CCBs on my roof line. Is there a way to set this up in Superstar so that it knows that they will be in a straight line like they would be on the eve of a roof? Right now, when I do a auto sequence it thinks they are separate and creates different effects for both CCBs. Basically, I would like it treat the two CCBs as one 200 pixel CCB. For example, a chase sequence that starts at the beginning of the first CCB should continue all the way though to the end of the second CCB.

Thanks,

Matt

Edited August 6, 2012 by mattpatt

[BrianBruderer]

I understand what you are saying, it would be desirable to have patterns go across more than 50 pixels at a time. I can't guarantee I will be able to do it this year, but I have it on my list to add the ability to make the sequencing rows be 125 pixels. I would do more, except that is the most I can fit on the computer screen and still have the little squares be big enough to click on.

The other thing I could do is have it so Instant Sequence applies patterns to more than one row. This would require some changes in the way I have designed the code, I'm pretty sure I won't be able to do that this year.

So as I say, if I can increase the sequencing row size to 100 or 125 pixels, it will at least improve over the 50 pixel limit that is there now. Probably will have to wait until next year to do 200 pixels or more.

[mattpatt]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the reply. Do you have any suggestions on how to easily sequence two CCBs setup in a straight line like this? How would you do it?

Thanks,

Matt

[BrianBruderer]

It sounds like you have two CCB controllers and a total of 4 strings for a total of 200 lights. You can create a visualization of the CCBs in the visualizer. In the visualization treat the CCBs as CCRs and when you configure the CCBs, configure them as:

Dual Normal (CCB two unit ID's)

Channel Mode - Triples

Standalone Speed - does not matter

Ribbon/String Parameters - 50 pixels

Num of end-to-end connected CCBs/CCRs - 1

DMX mode - Both macro and RGB channels

Import the visualization into SuperStar and each string of 50 CCBs will be represented by one green sequencing row. So you will have 4 green sequencing rows.

To create a chase pattern across all 4 CCBs you will need to create 4 morphs, one for each sequencing row. They should be place one after another on time scale at the top. If you have not done morphs before it would be best to watch the morph tutorial which is at the bottom of this page: http://www.lightorama.com/S3TutorialLinks.html

If any of the above does not make sense, feel free to post more questions

[mattpatt]

Hi Brian,

I apologize. I'm new to all this and am trying to learn. Good news is I work on computers\networks for a living so I consider myself a better than average computer user. Do I go into the sequencer first and setup my CCBs? Or do I do it all from Visualizer? I have a pic of my house that I have imported into visualizer and then I selected the CCR draw tool and outlined the eve of my house. I double clicked at the end and it asked me to name the fixture. Am I on the right track?

Thanks

Matt

[BrianBruderer]

Yes, you are on the right track. The Visualization is created and modified in the visualizer. SuperStar only has the abitlity to import and display the visualization, it cannot modify it.

Double click on CCRs you have created to look at the properties. Be sure you have a Unit ID assigned. When importing a visualization into SuperStar it gets all of the Unit ID information from the visualization.

[mattpatt]

Good deal. I'm on the right track. Got the visualization imported and did a auto sequence just to test and everything looks good. Now I just need to learn how to do morphs. Thanks for your help. I'm sure I'll have more questions later on. LOL

[Ron Boyd]

Good deal. I'm on the right track. Got the visualization imported and did a auto sequence just to test and everything looks good. Now I just need to learn how to do morphs. Thanks for your help. I'm sure I'll have more questions later on. LOL

http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/20543-morph-tutorial-new-basic-scene-tutorial/

Watch this for morphs

[mattpatt]

Brian,

Now that I've had more time to think, I'm beginning to question if the way I plan to use my CCBs is the best way to utilize them. Tonight I had thoughts of just lining the roof with standard LEDs and use the CCBs in a wedge mega tree much like the one you have. Each string would have 25 pixels and would be 12.5' high which would be perfect for the front of my house. Doing it this way with two CCBs I'd have 8 strings. What do you think?

Thanks,

Matt

[BrianBruderer]

Lining the eves of your house with CCBs is cool, but I do tend to agree that there are a bigger variety of patterns that you could do with 8 lengths of 25 pixels in a tree array as you describe.

[Ron Boyd]

Brian,

use the CCBs in a wedge mega tree much like the one you have. Each string would have 25 pixels and would be 12.5' high which would be perfect for the front of my house.

Thanks,

Matt

I tried this after speaking with Brian through e-mail. I got everything working in Superstar and the visualizer, BUT, when I set up the actual pixels, the sequences were not as I had sequenced them. I'm sure it will work, Brian said it would, but I didn't have something wired right or something. I went ahead and ordered 2 more CCPs in the sale. I got myself behind trying to get it to work properly. The sequence looked great in the software, but, the strings were off. Instead of string 1&2 it might be 3&4. I'm sure it was operator error, but make sure you test the pixels with the sequence.

That being said, be sure you get everything set up properly, do a sequence or two, and test with the actual pixel strings.

One other thing, my tree is 10' instead of 12.5'. that got the pixels closer together and it looked pretty good.

I'll try this again for next year and maybe have a 16 string tree or 2 8 string trees, but it's not gonna happen this year.

[BrianBruderer]

In the previous release SuperStar was not handling wedge trees correctly. But the most recent release (v3.6.0) handles them correctly. Also, the most recent release allows the option to have vertical sequencing rows when importing a visualization. This works well if you are primarily sequencing a vertical tree.

Also, the next release will have a "wrap around" mode that is designed to make it easier to sequence 360 degree trees. It makes it easier to do effects that cross the boundary between the start and end string of lights. I am working on a prototype 12 ft tree that is made of 24 half strings of CCPs. Hopefully will have a video by the this weekend.

[mattpatt]

Brian,

How does superstar handle CCBs? Does it treat one CCB as a whole 100 pixel unit or does it treat each 50 pixel string individually? Is there an easy way to simulate two CCBs with each 50 pixel string folded in half? I see the setting for CCR half strings but I don't think that's what I need. The way I did it was similar to how you told me to do the CCBs on the roof line. I used the tree wizard in visualizer and told it I had CCRs since there is not selection of CCBs and that I wanted 8 legs 25 pixels in length. It created the prop and everything looks good. I assigned unit IDs and imported into superstar. It looks good but it thinks I'm using CCRs which are much shorter than CCBs.

Thanks,

Matt

[BrianBruderer]

Good question. If you configure your CCBs for "Dual Normal" then you can treat them just like CCRs. When you configure them in the Hardware Utility, use the following settings:

Dual Normal (CCB two unit ID's)

Channel Mode - Triples

Standalone Speed - does not matter

Ribbon/String Parameters - 50 pixels

Num of end-to-end connected CCBs/CCRs - 1

DMX mode - Both macro and RGB channels

In Dual Normal, when you assign a Unit ID to the CCB controller it will assing that Unit ID to the first string and it will assign the next Unit ID to the second string. For example, in Dual Normal if you assign a Unit ID of 08 to the controller, it will use Unit ID 08 for the first string connected to that controller, and will use Unit ID 09 for the second string connected to that controller. Even though when you look at that controller in the Hardware Utility it will just say that it has Unit ID 08.

If you have your CCBs configured as "Dual Normal" then you can treat them like CCRs as far as the Visualizer and SuperStar are concerned.

[mattpatt]

OKay, I think I understand now. Right now I have visualizer setup with 8 CCRs each of them 25 pixels long to represent the CCBs. From what I understand this is okay as long as I configure the CCBs as explained above? I don't have the CCBs yet so I'm just playing around in visualizer and superstar right now.

[BrianBruderer]

Yes, it sounds like you are doing it right. In the Visualizer there is no option to create CCBs, so you have to create a visualization for CCRs. And as mentioned, if you configure the CCBs in to be "Dual Normal" then each string of 50 CCBs will be treated like a CCR as far as the software is concerned.

When you import the visualization into SuperStar, click on the sequencing grid and se which dots get selected in the visualization. Confirm that it mapped things out in a reasonable way.

[greywolf]

in a related ? if i'm able to get them this yr on the new CCB's will they work with the basic level software of will i have to consider a higher level software to use them on 1 pc controler

[BrianBruderer]

The Basic level software supports up to 2 controllers. One CCB controller configured in "Normal" mode will count as 1 controller. So if you have 1 CCB controller you could control it and one other controller. If you configure the CCB controller in "Dual Normal" mode then the software will see it as 2 controllers because each string will have it's own Unit ID. So if configured in "Dual Normal" then the Basic level software would control the 2 strings of CCBs and that is all you could control.

[greywolf]

thanks for the info

i know now how to go with them when i do

plan ahead with the version of software to CCB's and controllers

[RocketCitySanta]

Hope it is not to late to get in on the CCB discussion. I configured my CCB controller per the setup instructions and then built my channel configuration accordingly with a single Unit ID and channels 1-157 an 161 - 314 to control the two strings. I have been using HLD to build and test my design but since I added CCB's which it doesn't support, I tried the visualizer. That is when I started have problems addressing channels 161-314. I read this about configuring as Dual Normal but can't figure out how to do that. I thought it would be in the Hardware Utility when you flash the controllers Unit ID but unless there is a magic drop down or button, I can't find it. I checked Sequence Editir, Super Star and Visualizer and find nothing on Dual Normal. I have searched the documentation with no luck. I have changed the channed configuration in the sequesnce editor to have a different Unit ID for each set of 50 lights and built my display in Visualizer that way and it work but this isn't the real controller and pixels. Somehow I have to be able to assign the Unit Id to the controller so it knows that it is two and not one. How is that done?