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Using rgb pixels


christmascrossing

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Had to write a very fast answer there on my phone.  Are you trying to play something via an intensity file?  if yes, is the network configuration set for enhanced? (yes, it has to be set that way even for the Visualizer to play it right.

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It is set for enhanced but the network config has no port assigned as of yet. I plan to run it from my G3MP3.

Just need to see how I can display it correctly in Visualizer.

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I can't test that from where I am, but assign a port to it.  Just a recollection from the first time I tried to send an intensity file to visualizer.  Even though it would actually be going there, the port needs to be assigned.

 

Disclaimer, I may be remembering that wrong....

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What are you trying to display? Is it dmx channels? If so the comm listener has to be enabled to see it play in the visualizer. Not sure if thats your issue or not.

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Have you used the G3MP3 before? When was it purchased? It seems to me I read a forum on here a while back where several needed to upgrade the firmware on these. I am just completely going off of memory tho on that. I have never used one before. I hope you get it figured out!

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I have had the G3MP3 running for two years. I plan to update firmware on 1/2/16 (after this years show is complete). Hope that will do it. I am also updating firmware in all my other LOR devices so that I can run LOR enhanced mode. I have already upgraded firmware in Pixcon16 and LOR software.

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I did a bit of reading while I was waiting for the New Year to approach.

 

RGB is definitely the way I want to go in the future, but the question for me was what is the best technology.

I think LOR has done a fantastic job making this Christmas light hobby into a commercial, repeatable, and almost creating a standard in how to create Christmas displays.

 

The one thing that has frustrated me was the complexity (or my perceived complexity) going from base LOR to RGB.

 

What I think I know now (based on my all night cramming session), is that LOR created their own proprietary protocol using the RS485 communication link.

And since this proprietary protocol didn't initially handle RGB, as I move to RGB from the base LOR world, I needed to go to the enhanced network, needed to upgrade firmware, needed to upgrade software, etc.

It makes sense to me now that I'd have to upgrade all those pieces of hardware, firmware, software, since the original proprietary protocol didn't have knowledge of RGB.

Basically, the LOR protocol alleviates the network by ensuring that the host software can send minimal commands to the client hardware, and the client hardware has the smarts to do a lot on it's own.

Other open protocols rely on a more dumb client and a smarter host, and increases the usage of the network.

However, I feel, at this time, and current technology, this may not be as big of problem as it was 20 years ago!!

 

So now I know I want to go RGB.  A similar transition I made 10 to 15 years ago going from stand-alone Christmas displays (with individual controllers) to LOR with networked controllers.

At that time, LOR was it, and I didn't really think about what it meant by LOR proprietary protocol.

 

Now, I understand that I don't want to use a proprietary protocol.  I believe that the enhanced LOR network is just another proprietary protocol for RGB that would lock me into LOR.

I have been happy with LOR, their quality and service, but getting frustrated with the fact that I'm tied to them in both software and hardware (competition is good for customers).

 

Therefore, as I move to RGB, I am going to stay away from their enhanced LOR network, and focus on the E1.31 standard (which is an open protocol defined to run over Ethernet).

I like that it is an open protocol, and that it will run over my home network (of course the bandwidth it uses...I'll have to dig into a bit more). However, Ethernet is cheap and readily available and probably easier to network wirelessly.

 

I know there are many others who have blazed this trail before me, and have solved these problems.  I just needed to understand what this enhanced LOR network was...and from my research (unless LOR can provide me the reason why I should use it) I'm going to start to move my display away from RS485 and LOR protocol to Ethernet and E1.31 protocol.

 

At least that will help my future buying decisions.  I guess no more LOR RGB controllers (CCRs, CCBs, etc) because they lock me into their proprietary network.

 

I probably don't have to say this, but please correct me if I have made wrong assumptions here.  I truly just want to make the best informed decision.

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