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ALPHAPIX Evolution and LOR S5.3.10 = 8 Hr HEADACHE!!


HADESWRAITH

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27 minutes ago, Mr. P said:

No, comm listener port should be 8837.

Why do you have a bunch of ports with Universe 1?

I believe you are referring to the "Start Channel" for each individual universe.....  Should they not be?

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2 minutes ago, Mr. P said:

You can't daisy chain an alphapix, unless they came out with something new recently. they each get their own line from a switch.

Mr P is correct about the original Alphapix, but I know the new line (I'm assuming that is the Evolution part) is quite different and is more distributed.  I can't answer at all about if they daisychain or not.

I am currently running several LOR controllers via the USB dongle (and the ELL to make it wireless) AND my Alphapix from the same laptop.  I have the Ethernet port network setup as the 192.160.0.x network for the Alphapix (obviously, that can be anything as long as it is consistent).  My wireless on the same computer is setup for the IP I use in my house.  

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5 minutes ago, Mr. P said:

You can't daisy chain an alphapix, unless they came out with something new recently. they each get their own line from a switch.

I assumed this was an in/out like my other controllers...  is it not???  75456681_2661458740566603_7133140191241306112_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&_nc_ohc=pyZpA1UM8aQAQmcp1dfZ5yP9eO29kZpYphyEn9qpPBRz9KWrDrmFeRUZg&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-1.xx&oh=e3c7193a4c77724b75d1444701315d41&oe=5E5218C3

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2 minutes ago, HADESWRAITH said:

I assumed this was an in/out like my other controllers...  is it not???  

I have no idea - I know the new system is VERY different from mine.  Probably best to watch one of David's (Holiday Coro) videos about the new features or just send him a message and ask.  We've always found him to be pretty helpful in answering straightforward questions.

My Alphapix each have a Ethernet cable run to them.  My PC is connected to a hub, the hub connects to the 2 Alphapix16.  The plan is for another cable to connect to a second hub near the 3 Alphapix4  to feed each of those.  That will get tested out this weekend - I hope!

Edited by PJD
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Presumably it is an ethernet switch, but it MIGHT be worth checking the manual before you just plug it in and hope.

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34 minutes ago, Mr. P said:

No, comm listener port should be 8837.

Why do you have a bunch of ports with Universe 1?

Where do you see acomm listener  port with "8837"?

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3 minutes ago, PhilMassey said:

Presumably it is an ethernet switch, but it MIGHT be worth checking the manual before you just plug it in and hope.

Hey that's a good point.  All the controllers I have bought in the past came with little paper manuals pertaining to the controllers..... These did not.... or did they....  Let me go check the boxes.....

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Your 1st picture, protocol/port

2811 is the pixel type. Port should be 8837

These days manuals are usually online.

Edited by PhilMassey
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The Flex controller can use expansion boards/receivers so I think that may be what the extra rj45 is for, I could be wrong but I haven't seen anything about a built in switch for daisy chaining. The Flex is a new HC controller so I don't know much about it.

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OK, on todays episode.......   I downloaded XLIGHTS and ran through the "TEST" section and I can control both controllers, and each individual light string in the test program....  (To confirm, these controllers ARE DAISYCHAINABLE)....   I have only used LOR Sequencer for all my shows..... Is there a way (if I decided that I wanted to start all over with Xlights) to convert LOR Sequence files so they will work on Xlights?   I have like 25 sequences and I am not going to rebuild just so they work with Xlights.  I will just figure out why I cant get the pixels to work in S5....  Which I still can't figure out.  And I CAN NOT figure out how to run a test on these controllers in S5 Hardware wizard...  Unless I am doing it right, and there is something stopping the lights from turning on. 

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I don't know how much help I can be since I use the older Alphapix models (and have just started with these this year).

I did not bother trying to find a way to use the LOR Hardware program for any of my Alphapix stuff.  To test, I created a S5 Preview that only has the props that use the Alphapix controllers I want to test.  This weekend we are going to try and get the 3 new Alphapix4 controllers working with the new pixels on our gazebo.  There are 8 strands of HC pixel icicles, 100 HC "Billiant Bulbs" and 3 sets of snowflakes. (Personally, I think its going to be visible from space, but my husband really is excited LOL) 

I configured the controllers first since I need the Universes to be set before setting up the props in the preview.  Each has it's own IP of course and the universes start at 33 (because my 2 Alphapix16 are using 1-32).  These have 33-36, 37-40, 41-44.  Next step is the Network configuration.  This is where I have most frequently screwed up by typo-ing an IP or universe number.  Then I setup my test preview making certain the correct universes are matched up to the individual props.  Finally, I create a test sequence using the test preview that just turns things on/off, changes colors, etc.

If you think it would help, I can do some screen shots of my setup - just post if you would like them and I'll get them posted later today.

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19 hours ago, HADESWRAITH said:

Does anything here look out of whack??77237226_428373074744457_3587776939026284544_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&_nc_ohc=mGYe3v417VwAQkd98ceCLeW1J2LNqZFmzmAcSBAgJKLH4OApUBeIQXIeg&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-1.xx&oh=eccfd018e299201485f7a6d78e88bd76&oe=5E42EE04

See the bottom of your picture? Put the comm port as 8837. Also when you are trying to test the lights in S5 you must have the comm listener running you do that by clicking control panel in LOR. After that make sure you have control lights selected in the sequencer just below the preview button on the sequencer. Let us know if you get it working.

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You absolutely CAN control the pixels using the pixel console in the Hardware Utility in S5.  First start the Hardware Utility, then select the Pixel Console (Red arrow).

Controlling_Pixels_using_HU-1.png

By default, the Pixel console will come up with controller type of CMB24 and Unit ID of 01, like this:

Controlling_Pixels_using_HU-2.png

Select Controller type of DMX Pixel (E1.31) (the green arrow)

Controlling_Pixels_using_HU-3.png

You may get warning messages about needing to have the Control Panel running, and also about the show being unable to play.  I did not take screen captures of that, but they are normal.

Select the universe that you want to test with the dropdown (pink arrow).  The console will only show you 8 RGB channel sets, but using the slider for pixel group (the green arrow) allows you to select which 8 RGB channel sets that you see.  I recommend NOT checking the Zero values box (the red arrow).  If you scroll the pixel group slider, you can see what channels are selected at the top (inside the light blue oval).  That will show both the pixel number and the channel numbers for that RGB channel set.  You can fade individual channels using the sliders (inside the brown oval), or use the Master (the yellow arrow) to adjust levels.

Controlling_Pixels_using_HU-5.png

In addition to the individual and master channel controls, there is also select buttons (inside the orange oval) that will turn all channels in that universe to the selected color.  Note that turning on one color does NOT turn off the other colors.  For example, if you turn on Red, and then turn on Green, you will get yellow.  Use the "All off" to turn the channels off.  Also note that if you turn on some lights, and then select another universe, that does NOT turn off the colors in the first universe.  For example, when I was doing these screen captures, I turned on all of Universe 11 to Green, then selected Universe 12 and set it to Red.  Walked outside to look and the first universe was green and the second was red.

Controlling_Pixels_using_HU-6.png

Exiting the pixel console did turn off all the lights when I tested that.

If you have a show scheduled (for example my evening landscape lighting show), remember to Enable the show schedule in the Control Panel after you are completed.

 

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I GOT IT!!!!!.....So I was under the impression the E131 networks were all individual "controllers" meaning.  Each IP address was allowed it's own set of Channels in the full E131 Universe.  It appears not.  I thought that if IP address 192.168.0.50 was set up as a 16 channel controller then those channels would be 1-16......and the same was true for IP address 192.168.0.51..1-6 channels.  But it turns out that is incorrect.  The issue was all in LOR in the Network set-up.  I deleted the second IP (will be adding that back today, assuming i will need to continue in numerical order.... But this is how I got it to work....  MATRIX WORKS!!

76907862_489308881793030_6779319041640103936_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&_nc_ohc=kpNpVzv3XXIAQkvXcLLzdjFE_ZmPSVC-uOHeWAn1DyEjXxSDaoaBHmOsw&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.xx&oh=eb163a80c223e5f61a1246e3bf92d864&oe=5E835B0F

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The next Alphapix I have connected has 16 channels but only 8 will be in use for house RGB strip lighting....per the above, I assume I will need to set it up as "Channel 13 thru 20" on the DMX Start univeres...  right?  

Also, when I turned on #2 Alphapix for the house RGB pixels, all 8 strings tested fine....EXCEPT half of one string on channel 4....  It is stuck on blue.  the other half of the string runs and changes as it should.  I have swapped plugs on the pci and it appears to be the string and not any part of the controls.  i also unscrewed the wires from the green plastic connector and reinstalled.  i have had these make a loose connection before on my Pixies...  no go.  So I just ordered a few more pixel strips.  i hope these last longer than those cheap led strips you get at walmart or from china...  Just curious if anyone has ever had a string get "stuck".

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