Need someone to speak slowly as I'm a bit thick headed.

[bblumka]

OK, alot think headed.

Anywho this is my first year with the blinky flashy thing. I did a couple of years with the all in one box from Lowes, but this year I stepped it up a bit with 112 channels.

Next year I want more. Looking at two pixel (smart) mega trees. As if right now i only have the demo version of superstar. Not really wanting to put out the $300 for the non demo version. Would rather use that on the lights.

How do I program smart pixels? There is a thread down there somewhere called "E1.31 and LOR S3" not sure if that is where I need to start digging (I don't see anything in my LOR software package that says E1.31) or if the Superstar demo will work for me or even Nutcracker. I don't think nutcracker is the way I want to go as I want to be able to do my own effects and have it go to the music. I'm thinking Nutcracker just plays effects with no regard to the music.

Any help as to how I should be programming this would be greatly appreciated.

[WilliamS]

This will vary from person to person. Smart pixels can be programmed in SuperStar or Sequence Editor, I did 100% in Sequence Editor. You program them as you would any other channel. Remember each individual pixel is 3 channels so you let Sequence Editor create an RBG channel for those. You setup the same way as you would any element, for example you have 112 channels now. I assume some are say mini trees. Again for example sake say you have 10 of them. So its only logical you have them in sequence editor in a row, so tree 1, tree 2, tree 3 etc. If you want to chase end to end, you click you on or fade tool and chase them as you normally do. Same with pixels, say you have a single strip of 50, and you want to chase blue end to end. You choose your color tool for pixel 1 (rbg channel 1) and turn it blue, then use your chase tool to the end of the strip.

BobO makes some tools for pixels, Sean makes some tools for pixels as well.

With props again for example my windows on my house. They have 4 sides like every other window. I have RGB channels 1-17 in a group, then I have RBG channels 18-26 in a group, then RBG channels 27-43 in a group, and lastly 28 to 34 in a group. Now if I want to chase the whole window I start on group 1 which if your not familiar with groups you have some reading to do. Regardless start in the first group, pick pixel 1 for this example and choose a color or effect (shimmer, twinkle or fade) on that channel, then use the chase tool from that channel through to the last group of the window. Now that effect chases just like mini trees would. I get to pick the color, where on the window it starts and where it ends.

The hardest part of the sequencing at this point, is laying out all the channels and grouping them in an order that makes the most sense for you when you sequence.

[bblumka]

THanks WilliamS

What about the Visualizer? How do I make that element up in there? What I am looking at doing is starting to sequence my songs I have now with the added display elements. I don't have any of the hardware yet . . . but I figured I can at least start to get the re-sequencing done now.

[WilliamS]

If you are using DIY pixels like some of us are, you draw them 1 pixel at a time. Use the bulb tool, click where your first pixel will be, setup the attributes for the pixel, 3 color RGB device and its channels. It becomes extremly tedious. The trick to that is download the props from http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/15271-official-s3-lor-visualizer-props-and-fixtures-attachments/

and manipluate them to do what you want. There are plenty in there to play with so you can copy and paste them, then change the channel and color atttributes. Its takes a few minutes to get into the swing of things of how to make it work smoothly.

If you are using a LOR device such as a CCR, they have a much easier tool that you can layout a CCR or CCB within the tool all 50 pixels at a time.

[-klb-]

E1.31 is available in S3 v 3.5 and higher, with an advanced license. It is the way to get multiple universes out ot the display, without multiple DMX dongles. It is also a way for a single controller to drive multiple universes of pixels without taking multiple DMX cables in. For example, 16 strands of 85 pixels takes 8 universes of data. It is a lot easier to plug in 1 ethernet cable, than 8 DMX cables.

I'm using E1.31 to drive Madrix, then Madrix drives the tree in turn. A 16 universe Madrix license makes the $300 superstar package look cheap. But Superstar wasn't even an option for me, since the geometry of 32 strands of 85 pixels is bigger than Superstar currently supports.

From what I understand, nutcracker just builds effects. It is up to you to place them in your sequence in a way that works with your music, and your show.

[WilliamS]

E1.31 is available in S3 v 3.5 and higher, with an advanced license. It is the way to get multiple universes out ot the display, without multiple DMX dongles. It is also a way for a single controller to drive multiple universes of pixels without taking multiple DMX cables in. For example, 16 strands of 85 pixels takes 8 universes of data. It is a lot easier to plug in 1 ethernet cable, than 8 DMX cables.

From what I understand, nutcracker just builds effects. It is up to you to place them in your sequence in a way that works with your music, and your show.

100% correct. Nutcracker is an easy way to do effects on megatrees, matrixs, and single strands. You build it in Nutcraker, then you have to paste it into sequencer at your timing marks.