How to match superstar sequencer pixels to physical pixel nodes

[hoosierdoc]

I made a star using 75 pixel nodes, 15 each side. How do I tell Superstar that this is how to arrange the pixels? All I've found is to set it to CCR and "full" string length which gives me 50 pixels. Do I have to click DMX to be able to change the number of pixels?

Of course I did a minute of sequencing before thinking about this issue.

Still trying to wrap my head around the various programs involved here. I watched the tutorial on how to export SS sequences to SE, but is there a way to send the prop to visualizer as well? I built a star in visualizer but same issue with assigning where each pixel is. Argh!

[k6ccc]

To do much of any arrangement other than a tree in SuperStar, you need to use Visualization mode.  Then create a visualization using Visualizer and import it (or them) into SuperStar.  For example, here is mine (from last year - but I already the image on my server):

The star (last year) was 360 pixels.

And the grid:

 

[BrianBruderer]

I echo what k6ccc said, plus in the case a a star like yours you need to decide how best to map the pixels to a sequencing grid. You can have 5 rows of 15 pixels, or you can have one long row of 75 pixels. I would think you would probably want one long row of 75 pixels.

In the visualizer you can create a star using the "CCR draw wizard" tool if it is an LOR string that uses unit IDs. Or if the pixels use DMX addressing then use the "Draw Pixel String" tool.

You can draw the star large at first and then when you are done you can shrink it. The star will look better if you do that.

Save the visualization

launch superstar

click on the File menu and select "Import visualization"

In the "import visualization dialog box" set the sequencing grid "max Length" to 75 so there is enough room to put the 75 pixels all on one long row.

If you need help let me know

[k6ccc]

8 minutes ago, BrianBruderer said:

I echo what k6ccc said, plus in the case a a star like yours you need to decide how best to map the pixels to a sequencing grid. You can have 5 rows of 15 pixels, or you can have one long row of 75 pixels. I would think you would probably want one long row of 75 pixels.

Thank you Brian.  I would agree for a single ring star, to use a single long row on the sequencing grid.  In the case of my star, each ring of the star is a row - it's the flat top pyramid sort of shaped think starting in the 18th row in the screen capture above.  In my case, the rings of the star are 80, 70, 60, 50, 40, & 30 pixels and then there is a center fill area that is the top row of 30 pixels.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Awesome, thanks guys

[hoosierdoc]

I was getting very frustrated trying to draw a freaking star with equal sides in the visualizer. Then it dawned on me... just grab a clipart star as the background and trace it. Eureka! That should make future props easier. Especially since I'm cutting them out of coro using the same clipart. 

Anyway, I'm still learning pixels and am not familiar with DMX yet. I plan to run them off a pixie 4, so will this be DMX?

Edited December 16, 2017 by hoosierdoc

[BrianBruderer]

If you are using a Pixie 4 you will be using unit IDs. In the visualizer you should use one of the two CCR draw tools. Even though you aren't using CCRs, you treat them as if they are CCRs in the visualizer.

[hoosierdoc]

OK, got it working in visualization mode representing the star correctly (assuming I'm limited to 50 pixels per strand). It drew it as one CCR of 50 and one of 25, if I'm using a pixel string of 75 will that work just fine or do I need to create the star using two separate strings tied to the controller?

Edited December 17, 2017 by hoosierdoc

[BrianBruderer]

If it is a 75 pixel string then as you saw in the Visualizer, it assumes that CCR strings are limited to 50 pixels. With your current visualization the workaround is to create a Pixie device in the sequence editor and define it as using 100 pixel strings.

The exported file from superstar will have a 50 pixel string and a 25 pixel string. You would need to copy past them one string at a time into the Pixie device you added.

Alternatively, in the visualizer you can create your star as a 75 pixel DMX string using the Pixel Tool. When you export a sequence from superstar it will have DMX addressing, but you can copy/paste it into a Pixie device and it will take on the addressing of the pixie device.

Hope the above makes sense.

[hoosierdoc]

Thanks again Brian. I think it sounds easier to do as DMX and then paste in. You've been an awesome help in stopping me from throwing my hands up and quitting . This has led to a lot of downstream sales for the vendors here 

i haven't looked into creating the pixie's yet but I'm sure it'll sort out and make sense then