Pixie 16 help using S5

[Steven R]

Quick question when running a second pixie controller do you piggyback just like you using your regular controllers or does it need its on USB -rs485 plug? I have tried everything and can't get it to turn lights on. I am running  (2) Pixie controllers and 1st one works just fine.

[k6ccc]

Pixie controllers are connected together just like any other LOR controller.  You have one USB to RS-485 adapter connected to one port on the first controller, and then a second cable going from the second port of the first controller to a port on the second controller.

Remember that the Pixie controller will use 16 Unit IDs.  You assign it the first ID and it will assign the remaining 15 ID after that.   In other words, if you assign a Pixie 16 controller to Unit ID 01, it will also be 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 0A, 0B, 0C, 0D, 0E, 0F, and 10.

JR Dibble has a very detailed writeup on setting up Pixie controllers at:

 

 

Edited September 4, 2019 by k6ccc
Corrected hex counting...

[Mr. P]

23 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

 In other words, if you assign a Pixie 16 controller to Unit ID 01, it will also be 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, and 20.

Darn if you didn't screw that all up.  😁  Or were you trying to count both of them in there somewhere?  😜

[k6ccc]

12 minutes ago, Mr. P said:

Darn if you didn't screw that all up.  😁  Or were you trying to count both of them in there somewhere?  😜

Damn, sure did.  I guess that is what I get for trying to type a message while doing something else at the same time (and the work stuff had the priority)...

Fixed it.

 

Edited September 4, 2019 by k6ccc

[Steven R]

Thanks! I dI'd read j.r. post but I am using S5 and that is based on S4, anywhere I can find same info on pixie but using S5?

9 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

Damn, sure did.  I guess that is what I get for trying to type a message while doing something else at the same time (and the work stuff had the priority)...

Fixed it.

 

 

[default]

14 hours ago, Steven R said:

Quick question when running a second pixie controller do you piggyback just like you using your regular controllers or does it need its on USB -rs485 plug?

A Pixie16 with 16 strings of 50 leds is 2,400 channels. LOR recommends 2,400 channels per network. So yes, each Pixie16 should be on it's own network, you may get away with some effects for alwhile on one network, but the more complex the effects become the greater chance to have lag show up in your shows. If you get the USB -rs485 adapter, do your self a favor and spend a few dollars more and get the USB -RS485HS (red) it is the high speed version. It is needed for the Pixies and Enhanced Networks and the amount of info you can send them quickly.  

What Jim is pointing out is that you say you already have one Pixie16 and are now adding another. Each Pixie16 uses 16 address and depending on what the ending address is of the last string of your current Pixie16, the new Pixie16 must start after that. In Jim's example, if your current Pixie16 ends at Unit ID 10, then the new has to begin with Unit 11 (or higher) as to not conflict with the first Pixie16 or any other controllers you may have. This is true for all LOR controllers. Below is a picture of how I keep track of my Networks and Unit ID's. I highly suggest once you get this sorted out, write your info down. Even if you create a notepad text file and put in the LOR directory. It will help later as your show grows and you get more controllers.

Hope this helps.

Alan...

Note - None of the Controllers Unit ID numbers overlap any other controller number.

[Mr. P]

5 hours ago, default said:

A Pixie16 with 16 strings of 50 leds is 2,400 channels. LOR recommends 2,400 channels per network. So yes, each Pixie16 should be on it's own network,

Actually it's 2,400 pixels not channels so two Pixie16 should be okay on a high speed enhanced network.

[default]

4 hours ago, Mr. P said:

Actually it's 2,400 pixels not channels so two Pixie16 should be okay on a high speed enhanced network.

By my count - 16 strings x 50 pixels each = 800 pixels. 800 pixels x 3 channels (RGB) = 2,400 channels for each Pixie16. 2 Pixie16's would equal 4,800 channels. is my math wrong?

Alan...

Edited September 5, 2019 by default

[Mr. P]

12 minutes ago, default said:

By my count - 16 strings x 50 pixels each = 800 pixels. 800 pixels x 3 channels (RGB) = 2,400 channels for each Pixie16. 2 Pixie16's would equal 4,800 channels. is my math wrong?

Alan...

Your math isn't wrong I was just stating it's 2,400 pixels for a single network not channels.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Mr. P

[k6ccc]

You guys are answering different questions.  16 strings of 50 pixels is 800 pixels or 2400 channels (what Alan is answering).

However the LOR recommendation is 2400 pixels on a 1000K Enhanced network (what Mr P is answering).

 

[Mr. P]

30 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

You guys are answering different questions.  16 strings of 50 pixels is 800 pixels or 2400 channels (what Alan is answering).

However the LOR recommendation is 2400 pixels on a 1000K Enhanced network (what Mr P is answering).

 

That was my point, he was confusing a limit of 2400 channel limit for a single network when it is actually 2,400 pixel limit for a single network. You can definitely use more then one Pixie16 on a network.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Mr. P

[Steven R]

I did move some things around and still not getting 2nd Pixie to work. Just to make sure I am doing things right or wrong, I have 4 regular controllers that are 1-4 on list and 1st Pixie is number 5 and looking at that I put 2nd Pixie starting on port 17 and can't get to do anything. I have also tried the back door in HU still nothing lighting up and I am using the same network for pixies only and like I said the 1st one works great 2nd one no dice. I am using s5 and using comm. 4 with enhanced network @5000k 

Edited September 6, 2019 by Steven R

[dibblejr]

On 9/4/2019 at 7:19 AM, Steven R said:

Quick question when running a second pixie controller do you piggyback just like you using your regular controllers or does it need its on USB -rs485 plug? I have tried everything and can't get it to turn lights on. I am running  (2) Pixie controllers and 1st one works just fine.

Just saw this,

If you are connecting from the working pixie to the second you may have missed the jumpers on the board.

Im not at home and can’t remember the PIN numbers but look at the 2 jacks.

There are 2 pins behind each jack, you need to have a jumper on at least the one you wish to use to connect the next controller.

Your pixie should have included a bag with the fuse and 2 jumpers. If not or you threw them away you can get them from any electronics store. 

JR

[dibblejr]

On 9/5/2019 at 4:23 AM, Mr. P said:

Actually it's 2,400 pixels not channels so two Pixie16 should be okay on a high speed enhanced network.

I don’t have any problems with 2 pixie16’s on an individual network.

JR

[dibblejr]

On 9/4/2019 at 11:12 AM, Steven R said:

Thanks! I dI'd read j.r. post but I am using S5 and that is based on S4, anywhere I can find same info on pixie but using S5?

 

It’s the same info- it’s the sequencing that is different.

I have assisted a lot of people with S5 and configuring their pixies.

JR

[dibblejr]

20 hours ago, Steven R said:

I did move some things around and still not getting 2nd Pixie to work. Just to make sure I am doing things right or wrong, I have 4 regular controllers that are 1-4 on list and 1st Pixie is number 5 and looking at that I put 2nd Pixie starting on port 17 and can't get to do anything. I have also tried the back door in HU still nothing lighting up and I am using the same network for pixies only and like I said the 1st one works great 2nd one no dice. I am using s5 and using comm. 4 with enhanced network @5000k 

If you are saying that getting the pixie to light in HU is not working you are not doing something correct.

1- disconnect everything from the comm port

2- connect jumper pins behind the nw jacks

3- connect the pixie to the red adapter (if you don’t have a red adapter use the black but you need to order a red adapter or 5 of them)

4- now you should be able to get HU to recognize the new pixie and set it up

Take it from there.

JR

[default]

On 9/5/2019 at 6:37 AM, Mr. P said:

Your math isn't wrong I was just stating it's 2,400 pixels for a single network not channels.

Thanks for that Mr. P. I have had this wrong for alwhile now. I asked this question of LOR some time back and must have misread the answer. I went back thru my emails and could not find it, but did find some post from DevMike saying the same.

Again thanks for correcting this for me.

Alan...

[Mr. P]

3 hours ago, default said:

Thanks for that Mr. P. I have had this wrong for alwhile now. I asked this question of LOR some time back and must have misread the answer. I went back thru my emails and could not find it, but did find some post from DevMike saying the same.

Again thanks for correcting this for me.

Alan...

Depending on when you asked LOR in the past that may have been then standard then. Since LOR came out with the 1,000K and enhanced network the limits have gone up.