Mega Tree Sequencing

[XmasSteve]

Hiya everyone,

 

This will be my first year working with RGB pixels....

During the summer sale I picked up a Pixie16 controller and 16 CCR-II RGB smart strips(100 pixel ribbon)..... I also picked up the generic starter pack which I upgraded to the Pro level and the superstar sequencer to the 24_CCR version.

The mega tree construction process has been finished but now its coming down to getting the lights programmed or sequenced. A couple of problems that I am experiencing:

1.  When I create a sequence in superstar its about 38mb .sup file.... when I export it to a .lms file it ballons up to 136mb..... is that normal?

2. When I load that huge file into S5 it needs to be "upgraded" and then displays an error dialog box that contains the following S5 Error msg dialog.txt

--So the sequence looks great in Superstar.... but after importing and upgrading into S5 it seems like some of the lines  of the tree are not displaying in the preview even though all 16 ribbons show activity

 

Now that is if I do the sequencing in Superstar first.... If I switch it around and start a new music sequence in S5 I still get an error message...  I will highlight 20 seconds or so and "Import a superstar sequence" and I get the following message. "Information: Your superstar license level allows playing sequences of 3750 channels or less to your actual light display. This preview has 4800 channels. You can still create a sequence and can play it to the Superstar screen and it will be save, but it will not play to the sequencer screen, nor will it play to your actual lights."

Whats up with that error message? if I bought a 24 CCR license and I am only using 16 CCR strings.... why would I even see that error message? Do I need to spend another $100 to upgrade to the next level higher of the superstar license? I mean i guess I could use nothing but motion effects in S5 to sequence my lights but really want the variety that Superstar can do.

 

[Orville]

19 hours ago, XmasSteve said:

Hiya everyone,

 

This will be my first year working with RGB pixels....

During the summer sale I picked up a Pixie16 controller and 16 CCR-II RGB smart strips(100 pixel ribbon)..... I also picked up the generic starter pack which I upgraded to the Pro level and the superstar sequencer to the 24_CCR version.

The mega tree construction process has been finished but now its coming down to getting the lights programmed or sequenced. A couple of problems that I am experiencing:

1.  When I create a sequence in superstar its about 38mb .sup file.... when I export it to a .lms file it ballons up to 136mb..... is that normal?

2. When I load that huge file into S5 it needs to be "upgraded" and then displays an error dialog box that contains the following S5 Error msg dialog.txt

--So the sequence looks great in Superstar.... but after importing and upgrading into S5 it seems like some of the lines  of the tree are not displaying in the preview even though all 16 ribbons show activity

 

Now that is if I do the sequencing in Superstar first.... If I switch it around and start a new music sequence in S5 I still get an error message...  I will highlight 20 seconds or so and "Import a superstar sequence" and I get the following message. "Information: Your superstar license level allows playing sequences of 3750 channels or less to your actual light display. This preview has 4800 channels. You can still create a sequence and can play it to the Superstar screen and it will be save, but it will not play to the sequencer screen, nor will it play to your actual lights."

Whats up with that error message? if I bought a 24 CCR license and I am only using 16 CCR strings.... why would I even see that error message? Do I need to spend another $100 to upgrade to the next level higher of the superstar license? I mean i guess I could use nothing but motion effects in S5 to sequence my lights but really want the variety that Superstar can do.

 

Unfortunately SS is based upon 50 PIXELS per strand. So yes, you will need to upgrade from 24 CCR {3600 Pixel Channels} to 40 CCR (6000 Pixel Channels}.  24 Pixel Strands X 50 Pixels= 1200 Pixels x 3 Channels/Pixel = 3600 Pixel Channels, 40 Pixel Strands x 50 Pixels = 2000 Pixels x 3 Pixels/Channel = 6000 Pixel Channels. 

You are using 100 Pixels per strand, therefore you are at 16 Pixel Strands x 100 Pixels = 1600 Pixels x 3 Channels/Pixels = 4800, so you are OVER your Pixel count by 1200 Pixels and this is why you are seeing this error.

See screen shot below, again SS is based on 50 Pixels per strand, more than that and you have to factor in the extra pixels as shown in the calculations above.

So yes, to control and light all those Pixels, you'll need to upgrade SS to the 40 CCR/6000 Channel option.  Otherwise, you will continue to get that error and your lights that are not working, won't work until you do.

 

Edited November 9, 2018 by Orville

[Mr. P]

It is always best to calculate the SS license by the number of channels required instead of CCRs. You have to remember that when Brian created SS years ago the original LOR CCR back then was one ribbon of 50 pixels (150 channels). Now with all the new controllers and higher capacity strings and ribbons it is easier to go by number of channels needed rather then number of CCRs.

Edited November 9, 2018 by Mr. P

[sablack2]

I was reading a topic where you can bring in a 16 strand by 50 pixel sequence, and you could let the software modify it to whatever number of pixels are on your strand. So in order to do that, you would have to have the license for the increased number of pixels?

 

[Mr. P]

6 minutes ago, sablack2 said:

I was reading a topic where you can bring in a 16 strand by 50 pixel sequence, and you could let the software modify it to whatever number of pixels are on your strand. So in order to do that, you would have to have the license for the increased number of pixels?

 

That is correct, you will be able to use everything in SS it's just when you go to export it that is when you will have the issues because of the license.

[Orville]

My response was due to it still states that SS works on 50 Pixels per strand, so if I wanted 100 Pixel strands, I'd have to do those same calculations to figure out my TOTAL CHANNEL count for PIXELS before I'd know which license I needed to purchase for an SS add on. 

Since I don't currently have a SS license yet, I only play around with the demo.  One day I hope to get a license for SS so I can, but know currently I have 10 CCR strands, total of 50 bulbs/strand and that equates to 500 Pixels or 1500 RGB Channels, so I could get away with a SS license for 16 CCR's/2400 channels which is over my current Pixel Channel count by 900 RGB channels, so I could add another 18 strands of 50 Pixels and still be within my license, but if they were 100 pixels/strand, I'd have to get  a larger channel count to handle everything.  You can mix and match 50 and 100 count pixel strands, as long as the count of ALL pixels added together DOES NOT exceed your SS license level.

You have exceeded your license level currently, so a license upgrade to 40 CCR or 6000 channels IS required in your case to make your Mega Tree function 100%.   Yes, it is that simple. 

Some folks aren't aware that SS is still based on 50 Pixel strands and if they don't factor that in when they purchase those 100 Pixel strands, they're going to run into this same issue.  If they just go by the CCR count and NOT the channel count, it's the channel count that truly matters here, not the number of CCR strands you have. then, again, they'll hit this same issue you're having.

Been looking into SS myself, so when I'm ready I want to be sure it can handle MORE than what I own.  Since most of us will add more as time goes on, and then if we don't factor in those extra strands and the newer 100 count Pixel strands, we'll' run into this same problem you're currently having.

Edited November 10, 2018 by Orville

[XmasSteve]

Wow, thank you everyone for all your help.... It did not occur to me to go by the # of channels needed for the string and I just figured the 24 CCR license would have been good for 16 CCR strings with a little room to upgrade in the future.... to quote a favorite cartoon from back in the day... "And knowing is half the battle"  

 

I will get the upgrade to the 40CCR superstar package and that should knock out that one error message that happens when I am in S5 and import a superstar sequence.

 

Do you think that will also take care of the error log I posted earlier that occurs when creating an entire sequence in Superstar and importing it into S5?

[Orville]

5 minutes ago, XmasSteve said:

Wow, thank you everyone for all your help.... It did not occur to me to go by the # of channels needed for the string and I just figured the 24 CCR license would have been good for 16 CCR strings with a little room to upgrade in the future.... to quote a favorite cartoon from back in the day... "And knowing is half the battle"  

 

I will get the upgrade to the 40CCR superstar package and that should knock out that one error message that happens when I am in S5 and import a superstar sequence.

 

Do you think that will also take care of the error log I posted earlier that occurs when creating an entire sequence in Superstar and importing it into S5?

I would think so, as it seems it's a channel count error and nothing more.   If not, you know where to come and find us to get help!

 

[Mr. P]

Maybe Brian needs to eliminate the CCR count and go with channel count to eliminate confusion. After all, the original CCR is becoming part of the past with the new CCP II and this way the channel count applies to both the original CCR and the new modern controllers.

[Orville]

1 hour ago, Mr. P said:

Maybe Brian needs to eliminate the CCR count and go with channel count to eliminate confusion. After all, the original CCR is becoming part of the past with the new CCP II and this way the channel count applies to both the original CCR and the new modern controllers.

Agree with you Mr. P.  as that WOULD, I'm sure stop some of the confusion that occurs when folks are trying to figure out just which license they really need to make it all work in SS, especially when importing from SS to the Sequencer.

[tlogan]

WOW! Confusing. Not unlike buying wallpaper. ALL measurements are for a single roll, but you can only buy double rolls.

 

Except for the wallpaper I recently bought that had the square foot coverage listed for the double roll. I thought it was for the single roll so only ordered HALF of what I needed. I needed to upgrade to 2 more double rolls!