S4-S5

[racerc20]

OK all I built a 20x48 rgb matrix and plan on adding an rgb prop or 2 to my small show this year.  I have a cpl questions.

1. Can I use my old sequences from last year and just ADD the intensity file for the matrix and props.  I want to utilize all the work I did last year with the AC stuff and the Flood stuff in the sequences?

 

2.  Do I do this in S4 and PE.  If so is what are the simple steps.

 

3 Do I migrate to S5  I have the pro license now for S4.  Migrate my S4 AC files over to S5 and begin working from there?

 

Your Expert Opinions are Always appreciated.

 

Carl

Phone convos can be done if explanations are too long for here.

TIA

 

 

 

 

[k6ccc]

6 hours ago, racerc20 said:

OK all I built a 20x48 rgb matrix and plan on adding an rgb prop or 2 to my small show this year.  I have a cpl questions.

1. Can I use my old sequences from last year and just ADD the intensity file for the matrix and props.  I want to utilize all the work I did last year with the AC stuff and the Flood stuff in the sequences?

Yes, you can use your existing sequences for your pre-existing props.  If you use Pixel Editor or optionally if you use SuperStar for the matrix, they can add an Intensity file to the existing sequence.  I HIGHLY recommend saving the pre-existing sequences with a new name so that you retain them intact.

6 hours ago, racerc20 said:

2.  Do I do this in S4 and PE.  If so is what are the simple steps.

You can do this in S4 and use PE or SS for the matrix (or even SE if you are into self torture).  I never used PE in S4, so I can't really answer that part.  If you decide to use SuperStar with S4, I CAN help you there.

6 hours ago, racerc20 said:

3 Do I migrate to S5  I have the pro license now for S4.  Migrate my S4 AC files over to S5 and begin working from there?

You can also migrate to S5 which makes the PE integration easier.  I AM doing that, so I can help you with that.  Moving to S5 is a bit of a learning curve, but it is something that you will likely eventually do, so you might as well start.  There are a number of us that can help you with moving to S5.

6 hours ago, racerc20 said:

Phone convos can be done if explanations are too long for here.

More than happy to chat on the phone.  PM me a phone number if desired.

Welcome to the world of RGB!

 

[dibblejr]

Carl

 Not sure if your matrix is new, or larger than last year.

Just in case I forgot and you had a smaller matrix last year, in SS you can make the matrix larger in about 1 minute including SS load time.

No help with PE from me.

Best of luck

JR

[racerc20]

Thanks guys.  I loaded up S5.  Backed all the files up and did a test with my current adaams family seq.   Added the matrix and ran some test images and patterns.  Looked good and was easy to program.  Will know more after more playing.  Looks like I may be starting to decorate early to run full scale tests.   Living room is too small to appreciate the matrix.   

Oh. One question about technical stuff.  I had a bad pixel.  No big deal. Strings were 50 counts.  Only used 48. 2 extra on the beginning.  Wacked offn1 extra from first string. Replaced the bad one.  All good.  Except the first string is out of order by one pixel.  Any ideas on a quick programming fix.  Or do i buy a string and use them for repairs and just insert it back in the beginning and make it 50.

Carl

[dibblejr]

14 minutes ago, racerc20 said:

Thanks guys.  I loaded up S5.  Backed all the files up and did a test with my current adaams family seq.   Added the matrix and ran some test images and patterns.  Looked good and was easy to program.  Will know more after more playing.  Looks like I may be starting to decorate early to run full scale tests.   Living room is too small to appreciate the matrix.   

Oh. One question about technical stuff.  I had a bad pixel.  No big deal. Strings were 50 counts.  Only used 48. 2 extra on the beginning.  Wacked offn1 extra from first string. Replaced the bad one.  All good.  Except the first string is out of order by one pixel.  Any ideas on a quick programming fix.  Or do i buy a string and use them for repairs and just insert it back in the beginning and make it 50.

Carl

You can do either , never hurts to have a test string. I have one that I accidentally cut so I use it for testing controllers.

JR

[k6ccc]

2 minutes ago, racerc20 said:

Oh. One question about technical stuff.  I had a bad pixel.  No big deal. Strings were 50 counts.  Only used 48. 2 extra on the beginning.  Wacked offn1 extra from first string. Replaced the bad one.  All good.  Except the first string is out of order by one pixel.  Any ideas on a quick programming fix.  Or do i buy a string and use them for repairs and just insert it back in the beginning and make it 50.

That depends on what you did in software and configuration with the two extra pixels.  Potentially also depends on what the failure of the bad one was.  If the bad one was simply not illuminating, but otherwise working (meaning that it correctly passed data to the downstream pixels), you could simply put it in place of the one you took out.  In other words, simply swap the bad and extra pixels.  That won't work however if the failure mode was that the failed pixel was outputting full white to all the downstream pixels (a somewhat common failure mode), or no longer driving the downstream pixels at all.

If you have the two idle pixels as part of your programming, but never lit, you don't have much choice but to either get a pixel in there or re-sequence.  I HIGHLY recommend AGAINST re-sequencing, as then you are having to do something different on that string for all eternity.  Although a custom sequencing adjustment is possible in SE, if you use SS or PE, it becomes more of a problem to work around a non-standard string.  If the two extra pixels are set in your pixel controller as Null Pixels, if you can set that one string to one Null Pixel instead of two Null Pixels, that would be a solution (provided you don't NEED both Null Pixels because of wiring length).

 

[dibblejr]

Let me add just in case- If you happen to have Pixie controller the "null pixel" option is off the table. Pixies do not support the advanced settings option.

JR

[racerc20]

Yes using pixie,   no bad pixel wouldn't control rest of string forced them all white.  guess I need to buy a single strand of 5v or cut off all the extras and then set them all to 48 count strands,   I may do that...getting some new 3 wire connectors may redo them

 

Carl

[k6ccc]

15 minutes ago, racerc20 said:

Yes using pixie,   no bad pixel wouldn't control rest of string forced them all white.  guess I need to buy a single strand of 5v or cut off all the extras and then set them all to 48 count strands,   I may do that...getting some new 3 wire connectors may redo them

Unless there was a really good reason for leaving the unused pixels at the beginning of the string, I would remove the extra two pixels on all your strings.  That would also give you a fistfull of spares for WHEN you need them...

 

[racerc20]

Thanks Jim that's probably what I am going to do.