Boater227 Posted September 29, 2018 Posted September 29, 2018 I am a Newbee, so if this is a stupid question, consider the source... I am getting a new message when I want to enter a new sequence in the Pixel Editor. It says: "The display drivers on your computer are too old. Sequence playback will be disabled" What drivers does this warning refer to, and how can I update them? Many thanks.
TBS99 Posted September 29, 2018 Posted September 29, 2018 Well we need more info to help you. We need to know about your computer. What software are you using, Windows XP, 7, 8, 10 or something else? How old is your computer? Is it up to date? Lots of things could be causing this. Tom
PhilMassey Posted September 29, 2018 Posted September 29, 2018 Since you are using Pixel editor, I assume you are using S4, but please fill out your software version and licence level, in your profile. It helps us to help diagnose your issues. How old and what type computer are you using and what version of Windows. Pixel editor needs a certain level of video card performance to work properly and a computer and/or video card which is too old may not work. You should look in Device manager and see what video card you are using and see if there are any updated drivers available. If Win 7 or later, right click on the start button and open Device Manager. Click on the Display driver and choose properties, and go to the Driver tab. Choose update driver and cross your fingers that there is a newer version available. If not you can try the display driver website as a last resort, just Google for the device name drivers , and it should get you close. Sequence Editor is a little less demanding than PE so that should be working, but, it may just be time to think about retiring an older machine.
Boater227 Posted September 29, 2018 Author Posted September 29, 2018 Thanks much. You guys are really on the ball. Really appreciate the help. Using version 4.3.26 Pro of Pixel Editor. Computer is 2012 era running Windows 10 Home version 1803. Using PC with AMD A8-5500 APU at 3.2 GHz. 8 GB RAM. Display Adapter is AMD Radeon HD 7400M series. Search update driver in Driver Tab indicates I have the latest version dated 11/4/2015. Search of AMD website seems to confirm that driver has not been updated since 2015. Does this mean new PC time?
PhilMassey Posted September 29, 2018 Posted September 29, 2018 If this is a desktop machine you can just upgrade the video card even if the current graphics chip is embedded on the motherboard. Most any new video card will work, but I would suggest a mid range or higher if the budget will allow. However it may be more cost effective in the long run to just let it go. If it is a laptop and it sounds like it is, you will probably will need a new machine. A sequencing computer should be a fairly high spec machine to get the best results. The show machine can be much less capable and your current box should play a show fine. Sorry, but 6 years isn't bad. It's 5 years since I did a serious rebuild to my desktop, and I hear a Ryzen 7 calling my name.
Orville Posted September 29, 2018 Posted September 29, 2018 (edited) 40 minutes ago, Boater227 said: Thanks much. You guys are really on the ball. Really appreciate the help. Using version 4.3.26 Pro of Pixel Editor. Computer is 2012 era running Windows 10 Home version 1803. Using PC with AMD A8-5500 APU at 3.2 GHz. 8 GB RAM. Display Adapter is AMD Radeon HD 7400M series. Search update driver in Driver Tab indicates I have the latest version dated 11/4/2015. Search of AMD website seems to confirm that driver has not been updated since 2015. Does this mean new PC time? Not necessarily. I am using an older computer and I mean OLDER too, a Dell Inspirion 530. I had issues with a driver that Pixel Editor needed to run. I was constantly getting an error, but it told me the driver that was causing the issue, but I can't recall the name, but it needs a certain driver to work. I went to the ATI website and download the ATI Catalyst Control center for my system, I'm using Windows 7 32-bit Home Edition and my graphics card is ANCIENT, it's a Radeon x800 series and no driver updates were available for it. I download the ATI CCC software, installed that and also updated my FTDI drivers at the FTDI website. I had to download a version for Vista to work with my computer, but I have seen Windows 10 versions that aren't that old, and one of them should work for your system. Just know after finding the correct ATI Catalyst Control Center, changing graphics card settings in there and updating the FTDI drivers, the PE now works on my system, but I've yet to quite understand how to make PE work, but it does load and allow me to load sequences, play them back and save them I'm just not up to speed how to set things up in it yet. Too late this year to learn all that for me, so I'll see about figuring that out next year in 2019. But hope this may help you get your PE working on your system. Here's where to find the latest FTDI drivers: FTDI Driver Website And here is where you can look up your graphics card and find the correct ATI catalyst Center for it: AMD {ATI} Support Driver Page Hope these may help. Edited September 29, 2018 by Orville
Boater227 Posted September 29, 2018 Author Posted September 29, 2018 Thanks Orville and PhilMassey. This is an Asus desktop, so the expedient thing sounds like just to get a graphics card. I assume even a person with lesser PC skills can install it. Any recommendations for specific graphics card? I would pay the extra $$ if better functionality comes with it. Again, much appreciated.
Orville Posted September 29, 2018 Posted September 29, 2018 1 hour ago, Boater227 said: Thanks Orville and PhilMassey. This is an Asus desktop, so the expedient thing sounds like just to get a graphics card. I assume even a person with lesser PC skills can install it. Any recommendations for specific graphics card? I would pay the extra $$ if better functionality comes with it. Again, much appreciated. Even if you do get a new graphics card, you may still need to update the FTDI drivers, they are an integral part of how the software communicates with the dongle from the computer to the controllers. And having the newest FTDI drivers is highly recommended. You just download and run the installer, it pretty much takes care of itself, no additional input from the end user is required to install or initiate it.
Boater227 Posted September 29, 2018 Author Posted September 29, 2018 Thanks Orville. Sounds like sage advice. I'll update FTDI drivers as well and get a new graphics card. This is quite a learning experience to ultimately get to controlling those Christmas lights!
PhilMassey Posted September 29, 2018 Posted September 29, 2018 A high end graphics card would be wasted on an older machine. Something in the low mid range would suffice. I tend to prefer the Nvidia based cards and have had good luck with EVGA cards. But there are many other good brands too, Asus for example. Nothing wrong with Radeon either. Plan to spend between $100 to $150, something like this https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-487-295 You will need to make sure what kind of video card slot your machine has, probably pci express, and that you get the appropriate card and that it will physically fit in your case.
carfixer Posted September 29, 2018 Posted September 29, 2018 THANK YOU ! Orville I have a Toshiba Satellite L675 that PE videos would not work on. I installed ATI CCC and PE videos are working now! This is my 6th year of LOR, first year of Pixels. Im at 4.3.34 Pro and LOST . I can not figure out how to program them
TheDucks Posted September 30, 2018 Posted September 30, 2018 3 hours ago, Boater227 said: Thanks Orville and PhilMassey. This is an Asus desktop, so the expedient thing sounds like just to get a graphics card. I assume even a person with lesser PC skills can install it. Any recommendations for specific graphics card? I would pay the extra $$ if better functionality comes with it. Again, much appreciated. Pay attention to power supply requirements. I ended up with a Nvidia 210 (pretty close to rock bottom) because My Dell only had 250W supply. FWIW hard core Games graphics can take 600-1000W ?room heater territory
Orville Posted September 30, 2018 Posted September 30, 2018 16 minutes ago, carfixer said: THANK YOU ! Orville I have a Toshiba Satellite L675 that PE videos would not work on. I installed ATI CCC and PE videos are working now! This is my 6th year of LOR, first year of Pixels. Im at 4.3.34 Pro and LOST . I can not figure out how to program them What are you using pixel wise and controller? This is my first year with them too. But I'm using the older 5V version 1 Cosmic Color Devices {CMB-100 Controller} with Cosmic Color Bulbs {like a C7} and Cosmic Color Pixels {Bullet nodes}. I've been able to sequence them in the SE without issue, but I've watched all the PE tutorials and I still can't seem to make it work for me. So I'm giving up on the PE until next year{2019}, then I'll see if I can figure out how to use it.
Boater227 Posted September 30, 2018 Author Posted September 30, 2018 Thanks. Looks like I'll be opening up my machine tomorrow to find out wattage of my power supply and what kind of slot I have for a graphics card.
carfixer Posted September 30, 2018 Posted September 30, 2018 1 hour ago, Orville said: What are you using pixel wise and controller? This is my first year with them too. But I'm using the older 5V version 1 Cosmic Color Devices {CMB-100 Controller} with Cosmic Color Bulbs {like a C7} and Cosmic Color Pixels {Bullet nodes}. I've been able to sequence them in the SE without issue, but I've watched all the PE tutorials and I still can't seem to make it work for me. So I'm giving up on the PE until next year{2019}, then I'll see if I can figure out how to use it. Pixie2 in the white box with the bullet nodes, I can not get it to work in S4 sequence editor at all
Mr. P Posted September 30, 2018 Posted September 30, 2018 10 minutes ago, Boater227 said: Thanks. Looks like I'll be opening up my machine tomorrow to find out wattage of my power supply and what kind of slot I have for a graphics card. If that Toshiba is a laptop then you more then likely won't be able to replace the video card as it will be built in.
PhilMassey Posted September 30, 2018 Posted September 30, 2018 6 minutes ago, Mr. P said: If that Toshiba is a laptop then you more then likely won't be able to replace the video card as it will be built in. Wrong poster. OP has a desktop.
Mr. P Posted September 30, 2018 Posted September 30, 2018 1 minute ago, PhilMassey said: Wrong poster. OP has a desktop. Thanks, I see that now. Hard to follow threads when they get long. ?
PhilMassey Posted September 30, 2018 Posted September 30, 2018 4 minutes ago, Mr. P said: Thanks, I see that now. Hard to follow threads when they get long. ? And somewhat jacked.
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