NEED HELP wtih iDMX1000 not working correctly

[plasmadrive]

I am running S3 software, one iDMX1000 and some custom LED strips.   I am going to run 4 iDMX units from a Director eventually.. at least it is supposed to work... but I can't even get one to work correctly

 

• Set as regular controller ID #1. 
• I can control all channels via the Console in the HU
•  
• from the Sequence editor I am trying to fade black to white and back over a 4 second time frame.
•  
• Baud rate at 115k I get a lot of packets that are not delivered (so it appears).  I am missing many lights in the middle and some are not coming up white.  I get random stuff but not flicker like noise.
• I can run up to about 24 channels before I start running into issues.
•  
• Baud rate at 57.6k all lights do OK until about 42 RGB pixels then they start getting a bit squirrelly.  More channels equals more issues.  They start to  come up the correct color but no fading.  They snap on and off.

I know the LED system will run just fine from a regular DMX source but I have to run from the Director.  If it won't run from the computer, how the heck am I going to get the director to work? 

 

Any ideas?  I am in trouble as this installed in a commercial installation in 2 weeks.

[bisquit476]

Fading from white to black and back in 4 seconds is probably putting some serious strain on your computer, try it with the director hooked up to a controller and iDMX , it may not hesitate that way. I've been told the controllers work faster than a computer, IIRC.

[plasmadrive]

This computer is plenty fast.  I think I found something I was not hoping for.. at 128 channels it seems OK.. not perfect, but OK.. the fade down has a bit of a snap right at the bottom.. but with 129 channels all bets are off.  The squirrels take over

[plasmadrive]

Well, talking to Chuck, he informs me that it will pass a DMX value thru all the way to 512, but "fades" are considered intelligent functions and won't work passed 128 channels.  So that sucks big time.  After all the questions to LOR before I went this direction I feel they led me a stray.. One BIG "AH SH#T" for LOR.  (Chuck was very nice about it though)

 

So now I have to return all the iDMX units and go another direction.  Money and time wasted! 

 

I am hoping that San Devices can bail me out of this problem...

Edited May 22, 2014 by plasmadrive

[LightORamaDan]

It was Dan not Chuck that you spoke with. In any case I reviewed some of the trouble tickets and it was certainly miss-information on our part that contributed to this. 

 

In addition to a full refund on the iDMX units we will cover the original shipping/return shipping and we will pay for the 3rd party equipment you are purchasing to use in place of the iDMX. 

 

Dan

 

 

[plasmadrive]

Dan, Sorry I was confused, thought you said Chuck.. Please accept my apologies as I was a bit frazzled

 

I have always said that any company can make or contribute to a mistake, but it is how they handle it afterwards that shows what they are made of.  WOW, you step up to the plate like I do for my customers.  Not much of that in the world these days!  

 

With that said, I will accept only part of your offer.  Make me whole on the return parts from LOR and shipping and perhaps the extra cost for Fast freight I needed to get the 3rd party parts so quickly..That I graciously accept.  Other than my time and panic (it happens) that will put me back even.  Time crunched, but even on dollars.

 

I can not accept your offer to pay for those actual 3rd party parts in good conscience.  That would not be right. I have lost some time and hair over the matter, but I will still use the 3rd party parts.. I will get value from them.  I am willing to accept the cost of that expended time in exchange for your offer of generosity.  

 

Please allow me the time to catch up before I contact LOR about returns.  Might be a week or so. 

 

Thanks again...Dan. 

 

Craig

[Trickyd]

Hello Plasmadrive,

 

 

Using the simmilar config, new mp3 director with idmx1000, ( I had two,  but stolen last Christmas ) I wonder if I divide my channels over more than 2 or three or 4  idmx, while the channelcount  remains lower than 128, or even 64, this would work ok? Or were you having troubles with this lower  channelcount also? Would it even help to divide the idmx over the two outputs evenly, e.g. two idmx per mp3 director output?

 

I do not use pixels but the well known 27 channel decoders for dumb rgb strips and floods. so it is more easy to divide controllers over several idmx than pixelstrings will.

 

regards

 

Dick de Wit

The Netherlands

[plasmadrive]

After doing a lot of testing, I tracked it down to working fine on 128 channels.  (I just happen to be using pixels).  When I tried to add channel 129 it all turned bad.  Anything below that number was fine.  I could tell however that at 128 it was taxing the iDMX.  I was performing slow fades of every color.  White was of course the hardest because it took every channel.  Now that was 128 channels out of the 512 available.  So if I ran only 128 at a time, it really didn't matter which 128 I used..

 

I originally went the iDMX route for several reasons. 

• The temp range which I now will get around by putting a small heater (15 watt resistor) in the controller box to keep them from freezing with the newer hardware.
• The size. I have a very limited size that I could deal with.  The iDMX worked in my foot print.
• Bullet proof.  LOR control hardware is almost always tough as nails if used correctly.  These are tried and true old school.
• I had to use DMX because the custom electronics that I am using on the strips.  They are DM412 and interface I used takes DMX. 
• Needed them in a hurry.

If you run less than128 channels on any single iDMX you should be fine.

[Dennis Cherry]

Do you have the latest firmware installed?

[plasmadrive]

You askin me?  If so.. but of course.. especially since they are brand new from LOR.   They just have processor limitations. As Dan said, they are about a 10 year old design..

[LOR Staff]

I'm the person who initially told you that there would not be a problem using the iDMX.  Sorry about that.   I was not completely up on the Specs of the iDMX, and that was my error.

 

Please be sure to eMail Dan or re-open that initial ticket so we can take care of you.  Dan doesn't read the forums a lot, so I don't want him to miss anything.

 

-----

I had Dan tell me the tech specs of the iDMX and how it relates to 'intelligent' commands.  Here it is in a nutshell-->

 

The iDMX can control all 512 channels of a DMX universe, at the same time, all day long.  What it can't do is run more than 128 intelligent  commands at one time.

 

An intelligent command is ANY command in the sequence that is not a pure ON (at any intensity) or OFF.  Fades/Ramps/Twinkles/etc are all considered 'intelligent' commands to the iDMX.

 

The iDMX has 128 'slots' that can be allocated to intelligent commands.  Those 128 slots can be assigned to any channel, but the pool is fixed at a total of 128.  Each time a channel is using an intelligent command, one of these slots is reserved for the channel.  When the channel no longer needs the slot, for example the channel is now on or off at a steady state, it is returned to the pool can can be used on another channel.

 

Once you exhaust the pool, that is to say that you have 128 channels that are all simultaneously doing intelligent commands, any additional intelligent commands that come in are replaced with a plain vanilla ON/OFF at the ending value.  For example, if you attempt to send a 129'th intelligent command to some channel, the channel is immediately set to the ending value.  If you were doing a ramp from 20% to 80%, the channel would simply 'pop on' at 80%.

 

It is possible to 'simulate' ramps and fades in your sequence without using intelligent channels, but it is a lot of work.  First, you are going to be limited to the resolution of the sequence.  For example, if you want a ramp from 0 to 100% over 1 second, and are using .1 spacing, you'll only be able to use 10 'steps' 10%/20%/30%/.../100%.  That may look too 'block-y', and certainly wouldn't look as good as a processor controlled ramp.

 

Second, you are going to need to do it by hand for each channel using ONLY on/off commands.  Again, if you want a 0-100% ramp over 1 second, you could divide the time period into say 50 segments (.02).  But in each cell you will be doing an ON command and remembering what value needs to be put it.  First 2.  Then 4.  6,8,10.......  

[plasmadrive]

Hi Mike,

 

I have been able to recover with other equipment but the time is still dogging me.. I will get there some how.  I have to ship everything to Canada on Friday so I have no choice but to get it done.

 

Pretty much been working 12-16hrs a day to catch up.  I still haven't fired up the Director yet.  That is on my list of things to do tomorrow.  My programmer is way behind as well, so the time crunch is pretty hot (programming has nothing to do with the DMX issue). 

 

Anyway, I will reopen a ticket once I get everything shipped out and before I take off for the installation. Thanks for the tip.  I figured he didn't have time to read the forum a lot..

[plasmadrive]

UPDATE: 

Many people have asked me if this actually came true..(I was surprised at the level interest). So to answer all at once, the answer is not really.. BUT...

 

Dan has backed up a bit on this offer it seems, but actually for good reason.  I got the info from LOR that caused me to buy and rely on the iDMX units to do what they would not do.  However, I bought them from Wow Lights (an certified LOR dealer) because they had the Director in Stock on the west coast and LOR did not.  I needed that Director in a big hurry.

So the bottom line is that I did not purchase these iDMX1000 units directly from LOR.  They were shipped directly from LOR to me and all the info came from LOR, but separating the distributor from the factory never even crossed my mind, (perhaps it should have). It was not something Dan was aware of either.

LOR has issued a RMA, I have returned the iDMX units to LOR and they have contacted Wow and dealt with whatever is needed for a refund. Wow is supposed to issue the refund so we will see how that goes.  I am thinking that is most likely as far as it will go.  The offer for covering the costs of the 3rd part equipment (which I mostly declined anyway) I don't think will happen. 

 

I do not feel Dan is reneging on an offer.  I think he made the offer genuinely, and it was quite an offer!  However, it appears Dan was not in possession of all the facts at the time.  I do appreciate LOR's work to facilitate the return.  As well,  Dan's original offer shows what kind of customer service LOR is famous for.  

 

I still expended a lot of time and money to deal with the misinformation, but I am strangely OK with how it turned out. No malicious intent or hidden agendas or dropping of the ball was present from LOR.... just a few mistakes in understanding of how something did or did not work.   It is called being human I think.

 

I am still a LOR fan.

 

What I wound up using was an eLOR and a 6 port E1.31 converter.  Those two allowed me to use all the channels in the universes with all the LOR intelligent effects. 

 

I hope this answers everyone's questions...all at one time. 

 

Craig

[LightORamaDan]

Craig,

 

Other than telling folks here at LOR to give you the full refund, etc... I have not followed this so if anything I promised is not happening please send me a PM and I will make sure that it does. And although you originally declined the offer to pay for the 3rd party replacement equipment (other than shipping costs) that offer is still open. 

 

I did not know that WOW lights was involved in the purchase so you will be seeing refunds from them and directly from LOR... (just a little more complicated than I thought)... 

 

Dan

[plasmadrive]

Dan,

 

PM sent.. I still decline, even shipping this time, but I do thank you for the offer.   I completely forgot that Wow was where I bought them from.  It was the farthest thing from my mind at the time. 

 

Thanks for taking care of the refund with WOW for me.   

 

Craig