Connecting P10 LED panels to LOR?

[brichi]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/f00a1uzfxjmbd3r/IMG_0485.JPG?dl=0

[caniac]

your right, I got confused:

I control it with universes in xLights.

[Ebuechner]

The second set of numbers is what we refer to is absolute addressing.

This is done to accommodate some older controllers.

If at all possible try to avoid doing the absolute addressing because it will create problems, instead use universe and start channels. 

Also we have Zoom meetings every Wednesday night that you could join and ask questions. 

You can also get one on one help in the zoom meeting from someone. 

This is how I helped Chet out when he was having problems. 

[caniac]

48 minutes ago, Ebuechner said:

The second set of numbers is what we refer to is absolute addressing.

This is done to accommodate some older controllers.

If at all possible try to avoid doing the absolute addressing because it will create problems, instead use universe and start channels. 

Also we have Zoom meetings every Wednesday night that you could join and ask questions. 

You can also get one on one help in the zoom meeting from someone. 

This is how I helped Chet out when he was having problems. 

and he was a great help, I had gotten all confused about absolute addressing to the point I had lots of bleed over on my RGB components (I am a mainframe programmer and have a tendency to overthink things).  Zoom meetings were extra helpful.

[brichi]

3 hours ago, Ebuechner said:

The second set of numbers is what we refer to is absolute addressing.

This is done to accommodate some older controllers.

If at all possible try to avoid doing the absolute addressing because it will create problems, instead use universe and start channels. 

Also we have Zoom meetings every Wednesday night that you could join and ask questions. 

You can also get one on one help in the zoom meeting from someone. 

This is how I helped Chet out when he was having problems. 

I tried using universes and start addresses of 1 but the port wouldn't light unless I entered the absolute address of U2 address 513 even though I have the controller as U2 address 1, weird. I have to play more. Right now im excited that I got the separate DMX port working on one of my DJ DMX uplights, lol.. Plans for the future

[brichi]

actually, I think I just figured it out poking around XLights. I went and did 4 arches and then configured each screen individually in the "offset" part, changed it from absolute to universe number and changed the numbers accordingly

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/88hzvyc43m77mob/IMG_0497.JPG?dl=0

[Ebuechner]

47 minutes ago, brichi said:

actually, I think I just figured it out poking around XLights. I went and did 4 arches and then configured each screen individually in the "offset" part, changed it from absolute to universe number and changed the numbers accordingly

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/88hzvyc43m77mob/IMG_0497.JPG?dl=0

There's plenty of good videos on the setup if you poke around on their website. 

I'm trying hard not to say too much on this forum because last time I did I got warning points issued to me without any conversation beforehand. 

I had to go up the chain of command to have them removed because they were issued without any explanation whatsoever. 

Turns out they were upset about me talking about what they perceived as the competition even though they hired one of the creators and then started to make a copy. 

[brichi]

gotcha!!! makes sense, I am still using LOR full time, just playing with XLights because I like to learn it. No worries LOR, lol

[brichi]

well I am very happy to report that everything is working in XLights as well as in LOR, very happy right now. Now to order 120 more P10 panels

[brichi]

so now I have 2 BBB, I have one set to 10.0.230.200 and one 10.0.230.201

do I still setup FPP exactly the same on both?

x.x.x.200 -  I set FPP to 4 panels, 12 universal, address starts at 1 and ends in 5633

x.x.x.201 - I set FPP to 4 panels, 12 universal, address starts at 1 and ends in 5633

 

in XLights I can get it to work but in LOR I set the 201 address in networking settings to UNIVERSE 13 being thats the next free one and in LOR sequencer I set the new matrix up starting at U13, channel 1 but I cant get it to work. if I set it to U1 in LOR network and LOR preview then it comes up but then the 200 addressed BBB won't work  

 

[Ebuechner]

That setup doesn't sound right.

The panel setup page is one of the exceptions to the rule of using a universe and start Channel. 

You would need to have all your universes defined with unique numbers and have them set up in both of the fpps then you would get your start Channel number from the e1.31 page in the fpp. 

With xlights this is easy because all you do is set up your network with xlights and then you can do an upload to your fpp and controllers to configure them to match.

This is where the zoom sessions work out really well because we can have you share your screen while walking you through things. 

[brichi]

I fixed it, it wasn't right, I didn't realize till I went back into BBB FPP that all the universe were 1-12 on both BBB, I set .200 to 1-12 and .201 to 13-24 and it seems to be working

 

im definitely going to look into the zoom sessions and try and join

 

all in all, the stuff is awesome, so much fun

Edited December 31, 2017 by brichi

[brichi]

wow, uploading directly to the BBB is amazing, choose all 200 IP, uploaded then 201 and uploaded and BBB is completely configured

 

LOR needs to catch up on that end, sorry LOR guys

[Ebuechner]

Still not right.

If we set it up in xlights then with just a couple clicks your fpp is would be set up for you with exact matching numbers.

In fpp your e1.31/Artnet page will have all of your universes defined for your whole Show Network then you use the fpp start Channel as the start Channel in the LED panels page. 

 

[Ebuechner]

2 minutes ago, brichi said:

wow, uploading directly to the BBB is amazing, choose all 200 IP, uploaded then 201 and uploaded and BBB is completely configured

 

LOR needs to catch up on that end, sorry LOR guys

You can do the same thing to set up non Lor controllers as well.

Just a couple of clicks and everything is configured and you know it's correct.

 

[brichi]

yeah I uploaded all the info and then just went back to FPP .201 and left the universes all the same (169-335) but changed the address to 1,513,etc.... 

 

im going to screencast everything , maybe that will clear it up

[Ed K]

On 12/31/2017 at 10:25 AM, brichi said:

yeah I uploaded all the info and then just went back to FPP .201 and left the universes all the same (169-335) but changed the address to 1,513,etc

brichi,

Thanks very much for taking time to post your P10 experience here.  I've read through this thread, and it appears you have P10 panels that you now can control using LOR S4 or S5 software.  Is that correct? 

I use only LOR 4 (both PE and SS) to sequence all my lights (about 95% smart pixels), using  five E1.31 controllers (four of which are AlphaPix controllers).  Though I'm far from being an expert, I know how to set up E1.31 controllers and LOR to control my pixels (e.g., Network Preferences, SE, PE's preview design, Visualizer, SS).

Is your P10 panel assembly now just another prop in your S4/S5 sequences.  For example, did you set up your P10 prop in PE's preview design?  Did you set up your P10 prop in Visualizer for SS sequencing?  Both PE and Visualizer make adding a matrix prop pretty easy.  

How have you physically attached the P10s and BBB (and other req'd hardware?) to the E1.31 controller?  Off of a DMX port on the E1.31 controller?  Or, do you connect your P10 prop with a Cat 5 cable to the PC you use for your show?  These questions really expose how little I know about adding a P10 prop to my LOR show.  :-) 

I'm trying to understand how to include the P10 prop as just another prop in S4, so that I can then sequence it's addressable pixels just like I do for every other pixel prop.  That is, I don't want to run my planned P10 prop independent from my other pixels.

Hopefully, other PE and SS-only users will be helped from your solution.

[k6ccc]

10 minutes ago, Ed K said:

How have you physically attached the P10s and BBB (and other req'd hardware?) to the E1.31 controller?  Off of a DMX port on the E1.31 controller?  Or, do you connect your P10 prop with a Cat 5 cable to the PC you use for your show?  These questions really expose how little I know about adding a P10 prop to my LOR show.  :-) 

The Beaglebone or Raspberry Pi connects to your E1.31 ethernet network (just like your Alphapix controllers).  It will have an IP address that is set in Network Preferences (assuming you are using Unicast for those universes - you should).

Reference several of your comments, the P10 panel is just another prop in the LOR software packages - it just has A LOT of pixels!

 

[brichi]

Yes, Like k6ccc said, The P10 gets added as a DMX universe, each panel takes up 3 universes for a 16x32 pixel panel. The panels all plug into a BBB with an Octoscroller on it and they run the falcon player. In LOR you set the DMX universes to the IP address of the BBB so it communicates and then the rest is configuring it as a normal prop

 

issue is,  once i added my first 54 panel prop to LOR the program was unusable so I'm waiting to hear back from someone from LOR on when and if this can be fixed. Right now LOR cannot handle this many DMX universes, mine right now is 162 universes and i plan on doubling that with a second screen so when i add 324 universes LOR just dies so i have been using XLights to play with the panels since it runs perfectly BUT i need LOR being all my songs have been programmed in there and theres no way to switch to any other company right now unless i want to reprogram all my songs

Edited January 12, 2018 by brichi

[Ed K]

16 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

The Beaglebone or Raspberry Pi connects to your E1.31 ethernet network (just like your Alphapix controllers).  It will have an IP address that is set in Network Preferences (assuming you are using Unicast for those universes - you should).

Reference several of your comments, the P10 panel is just another prop in the LOR software packages - it just has A LOT of pixels!

Thanks for the quick reply.  Unicast-only guy here!!   

Given your response, a P10 prop is sounding more doable for me, because the E1.31 networking part of a pixel prop (e.g., P10 panels connected as a single matrix) is the part I understand.  I only want to build an 8 panel P10 prop for a message/Tune To sign, so 16 X 32 X 8 panels = 4,096 smart pixels.  That's only 25 universes:  4,096 pixels / 170 pixels per universe, rounded up.

If I use a Pi (ignoring the Pi learning curve for me, which is fine), you cleared up something key for me -- I can, and will need to, assign a unique IP address to the Pi.  

To clarify for me:  In LOR S4 Network Preferences, I must identify every universe that I want to assign to the Pi's unique IP address (e.g., my planned P10 prop will require 25 universes).  Correct?

If I properly configure the Pi (big assumption for me), is the Pi the only substantive equipment I need between my PC's Ethernet port (ok, via a network switch) and the first P10 panel?   

I know I also need some supplies, such as: a power supply for the Pi, a power supply for the P10 panels, wires/ribbon to connect the first P10 panel to the PI's GPIO connector, a ribbon between each panel, etc.