Sizzler Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 Ok I've been pulling hair trying to figure this one out, and think is a bad pixel? When there is a fast command sometimes only the first 17 light up. And also I noticed that when doing a random strobe or twinkle the nodes after that are sometimes different color then should be, or after fast command some pixels after the first 16-17 get stuck on. I'll include some pictures trying to blue tooth video from phone to laptop, taking forever....lol I post video later, it works well 80% of the time. I was also thinking of maybe just maybe switching pixcon16 off fast to slower if that wold work or not? I'll have video up soon I hope...lol opps I have to resize... Ok link o files coming real soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 What brand/type of pixels are you using? How many total do you have connected? How many networks are you using? What do you mean by "switching pixcon 16 off fast to slower"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kk6ou Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 Not sure if this is relevant but I was having problems with sections of lights in my sequence not coming on at times. I was also getting error msgs about the DMX commands in comm listener. I found that my PC could not keep up. Switched to a faster PC and problems and error messages went away. I was running a LOR CTB16PC using RS-485 and an Alphapix16 using E1.31 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebuechner Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 Making the assumption that your not running Lor pixels here's a few things you can try. 1. 12V pixels run best at 11.8 volts. 2. If you have more than one universe running on an output split them up. 2811 pixels have a fixed clock speed and the longer the Run of Lights the harder it is to keep up. 3. If you can switch outputs for the pixels and see if the problem follows the output or the pixel string. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sizzler Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 (edited) Sorry for delay in getting back. Had some issues with a 40 amp D.C. Breaker for part of display. Anyway George they are Ray Wu technicolor ( ones with straw hat led not the 5050) total connected are 1950 nodes, but the one channel/strip having the problem with is universe 10 with a total of 146 nodes. Problem is after pixel 17. Using e1.31 network to single pixcon16 then only using 1 DMX universe off that controlling only 80 DMX channels. I have 3 server ps linked with current sharing for total off 147amp @12v DC. I am using 10awg 189 strand oxygen free sound stream wire to distribution blocks with no more then 20 amp load off either 10wire run for injection points with voltage sensors so I get a smooth 11.93 at any point(this is what I do for living). I know it's not a power issue. The pixels are spaced at 8". I have the same but with more pixels(156) on soffit universe #11 with no issues, so I switched my cables and universes around ( roof does same on different universe and different cable ) what's weird is sometimes it will be fine for an hour or more then it acts up again. It's doing more frequently not so I believe is a bad ws2811 chip, but is it the one that lights or the first one with a problem lol. I'm going to cut out both just sucks cause I have them in a aluminum channel to keep out of weather I'll post pictures of that also. PC is core i7-6900k with 20gigs of memory, so I know is not even close to an issue, I had it running other things plus browsing online running quad gigabyte network (yes I do networking-very large buildings racks of patch panels,lol) being that is more profound now I am pretty sure is pixel. Please check video and comment.Thanks https://www.dropbox.com/l/scl/AABvpbFXoxnQXy6jMxiqkek2CTwWOyS4OJQ Edited December 9, 2016 by Sizzler Spell check Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sizzler Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 (edited) watch upper left roof first 16-17 pixels are fine Edited December 9, 2016 by Sizzler Hate iPads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wbaker4 Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Check how you mapped those pixels. They may be duplicated. They appear to go on the same time as the left side of the eves. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sizzler Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 They are sequenced to go along with bottom. If I just try to light the one 37 bulb long string only the first 16-17 come on. If I do a repete on it then all 37 will light. Like I said what's weird is that when first turn on cold they work fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sizzler Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 All the spots where you only see 16-17 light up the whole roof is supposed to be on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sizzler Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 Just have to add I hate iPads and Dropbox. There I feel better..:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saxon Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 in 12 days of Christmas song it looks like a bad/intermittent pixel around the 16-17 mark. Especially at the very beginning. I could be wrong but that's the direction I would go. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sizzler Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 10 hours ago, George Simmons said: What do you mean by "switching pixcon 16 off fast to slower"? Forgot to answer that one. I forget exactly how it's stated, but when in pixcon setup screen where you pick your spi output type. There I remember some kind of check box for fast? I can log into the setup if needed to read again if no one can comment on remembering what it said. I hate going into that menu because twice before by accident I click some check box without realizing (you only need to single click, and sometimes I double click so it checks box in menu before it appears. What like no one else did it? Lol) anyway using xlights so if one number anywhere changes I have to rerender all the sequences. Every time I add something or move it, have to rerender all. But it is still faster I think then lor. Right now. I've been up to my ears redoing all my sequences to new plat form. Then a hardware issue takes away from my only time to sequence. Have maybe 12 done now and hope to do maybe 4-5 more till I quit for this year. I feel like a crazy man at times with this. Just want to relax and enjoy like I use to. Before I switched over to all pixels..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sizzler Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 (edited) https://www.dropbox.com/s/fy8zsggjglojtsk/Photo Nov 21%2C 10 36 54 AM.jpg?dl=0 this is what I have them in 16' long tied with elastic rope every 10'. to make install fast. Have to lift enough to slide nodes out to solder and dual wall heat shrink. Now on to top it off. When I pooped breaker on one of the ps outputs I had the voltage sensors after breaker which caused 14.8 volts which appears as I watching video that burnt out my arches. It doesn't end. Maybe I'll get lucky and find something stupid. I had the whole thing apart then back real fast maybe a wire came off the little green Phoenix connector. Fingers crossed Edited December 9, 2016 by Sizzler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebuechner Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 I just looked at the video that's most definitely a bad pixel. I've had the same thing. remember to change the last pixel that works as well as the first one that doesn't. you don't know if it's the last pixel that works that is just sending out bad signal or if it's the next one in line that's acting up 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sizzler Posted December 10, 2016 Author Share Posted December 10, 2016 Ok changed out #16/17 nodes and now all is good.? Finally the sequences look like they are supposed to. I didn't realize how much they weren't working till now. I just figured was a bug in sw. And I was going to fast at times. They now all keep up and no more sticking or out of color pixels. Bad part is for whatever reason output15 on pixcon is not outputting data. Have power but no data? Switched to my empty number 16 and all works now. Will look more into non working universe 15 in January. Fuse is good. I'm done fixing for now. Had super strong winds today and very cold. Standard soldering iron(40 watt) could barely melt low temperature solder. And forget about how many lights I tried to shrink 8 pieces of dual wall. I had to bring full sized rework station on roof. It went nice and fast as soon as had right equipment up there. This summer getting full spare sets for roof. I have plenty more of the channel I used. Going to have sets made to section sizes so can do a 5 minutes switch of whole section next time and fix other in nice warm garage. lol my mega tree is holding nice . Have about 10 pounds pull on each strip with about 12" of bungee on bottom. Nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebuechner Posted December 10, 2016 Share Posted December 10, 2016 It's nice that you got it fixed. but next time don't use a soldering iron you use a 3M gel filled scotchlok the red ones that'll be good until you take your lights down, then you can solder it properly without risking falling off a roof. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0076AY1PC/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I don't want to be hearing about Christmas lights for sale in somebody's estate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sizzler Posted December 10, 2016 Author Share Posted December 10, 2016 Ebuechner, Whats more funny is that I have at least 6-7 boxes of them yellow and red. I use them on phone wires usually at the d mark.. Never though of using them for that. Would be messy, and would need to separate the ribbon wire more. I like to stagger the 3 wire by 1/4" solder about 1/8" to 1/8" exposed metal(not sure what metal the Chinese use, I can tell you is not copper) I use a small dual wall over the individual wires followed by a larger over all them. I like to make sure the can be submerged. Being in the field where I do this stuff for a living. there is no other way to do it without a possible call back...Lol my roof has a 4-5 pitch, so its not bad as long as no ice. if were ice i'd just leave them on simple color wash or single color till I was able to get to them. Agreed on safety first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebuechner Posted December 10, 2016 Share Posted December 10, 2016 What I do is cut the wires off close to the pixels I'm going to toss, and have the wires a little long on The Replacements. You can use the scotch lock for a temporary field repair. then when you take things down you can go through and do a proper repair. Agreed on The " metal " that's in that Chinese wire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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