S5 - G3 MP3 Director - No Lights

[Dave Pursel]

Hold the Horses.

Don't expend any of your time on this yet.

My S2 show just kicked off as I was getting ready to test the S5 Hardware utility again.

Thanks to electrons doing what they want, when they want, I can now control the lights.

Now the interesting thing is I can do it why the show is currently running.

And in fact maybe that's why it's working.

Won't know for sure until I can do some more testing later tonight as their already starting to line up.

Stay tuned!  For more of my frustration!!!!

[TheDucks]

Pixies can't run shows off of an ELL. (You might configure the card, but that would be it)

Why not crank up the speed to 115K? The CTB can do this

[Dave Pursel]

Not trying to run off an ell.  Just using it for testing the HU.

The basement contains my lenovo laptop that I use for developing.  The display decided to take a dump.  I would have installed S5 on that in a VM.

So I'm upstairs on a desktop that's next to a window that I can look out and see Felix along with a few other props.

No cable (RS485) so I rigged up a pair of ells I had on the shelf collecting dust to get my commands over to the 1st controller in the garage.

My seqs are in perfect sync so I guess I prefer the slower speed as a trade off for possible data loss at higher speeds......

Tx for the suggestion though.

[Dave Pursel]

My plan is to use Felix in simple mode so ther full 500k won't be needed.  YET!

[dibblejr]

1 hour ago, Dave Pursel said:

My plan is to use Felix in simple mode so ther full 500k won't be needed.  YET!

What is this "simple mode" you speak of?

JR

Edited December 31, 2020 by dibblejr

[Orville]

2 hours ago, Dave Pursel said:

My plan is to use Felix in simple mode so ther full 500k won't be needed.  YET!

I have Zuzu and Ralphie, when I was running them less than 500K and non-enhanced, they do not work reliably and will stutter and fail when everything is working together.  They do not work less than 500k and on my N4-G4 Director they are on Network 3 by themselves, Aux B, 1,000K, Enhanced.  I'm not using S5, but my Director is set as follows in my display:   Network 1 is set as Regular, 115K, NON-Enhanced for my older CTB16PC {V2} Controllers, Network 2 is 3 CCB100D 5V Controllers, Aux A, 500K, Enhanced for my roof-line CCB's and Trellis Arches{bullet nodes}; Network 3 is set as Aux B, 1,000K, Enhanced which are the Pixie2D's for the LOR Singing Trees I currently have {Ralphie and Zuzu} and finally Network 4 is set as Aux C, 500K, Enhanced for my final 2 CCB100D controllers that control the handicap ramp RGB CCB's.

If and when I ran the singing trees or the other CCB100D controllers at less than 500K and non-enhanced, they may light upo and look to be working great at first, but as things progressed, they started stuttering and turning on or off lights when they shouldn't have, mouth movements of the trees suffered in they were sometimes way off the mark and were not matching up to the words.

So it may work for a while, but eventually, running them at slower speeds and non-enhanced, they may stop working all together, already been through this and know, best way for RGB controllers and devices is high speed {500K or higher if the device supports it} and Enhanced.  Otherwise you're setting yourself up for some real disappointments in the very near future!

When I set my Director shows up, it always asks me how I want each network set up that is encoded in my sequences, and I have to select network speed, enhanced or not enhanced for each network defined in the sequence {as I posted above for my G4 Directors networks}.  If I incorrectly select the wrong info, it creates havoc and crashes my show.   It might not do it at first, but eventually things start misfiring, not working at all or slows down/stutters.

 

And by the way, the reason the Hub or the HU write those enx and enh files is because the defaults in the Hub and HU are 57K, and export Enhanced on all networks unless you uncheck it by turning off the dot in the circle.  If that dot is on, it will export the Enhanced {en#} and High Speed files {ex#}.   From what I can gather, the # will not exist on single network directors like the mini or the G3 dual network Director {Regular and the .enh and exh files, then n and h are replaced with an actual number that relates to the Network so you know at a glance which file controls which network only with the N4-G4 Director, examples: en2, en3, en4 and ex2, ex3, ex4.  And if you link another G4 Director {only available in S5} you could have another 4 networks, that could become en5, en6, en7 and en8 along with the high speed ones, ex5, ex6, ex7, ex8.   This is how you can have more than 4 networks using G4 Directors by linking multiple G4 Directors, but, again, this option is only available in S5, prior versions DO NOT SUPPORT this direct link to link of G4 Director units, and ONLY the G4 Director is capable of this option.

 

Edited December 31, 2020 by Orville

[Dave Pursel]

Well Jr I don't fully understand it yet as I'm still learning about pixel hardware.

This link http://store.lightorama.com/rgbprops.html is to their singing tree product.

The first paragraph of that page states:

Light-O-Rama's Custom Dual Mode Pixel controller allows you to operate the tree in Simple Mode ( 8 RGB channels ) or Standard Pixel Mode as 200 pixels. In Simple Mode, our custom controller will convert 1 RGB channel into a group of pixels such as "eyes open" or "eyes closed". This makes sequencing a complex pixel prop as simple as it gets! Light-O-Rama strives to make complex tasks as easy as possible!

Now at this point I'm still not sure how one sets simple mode as there is no documentation in the documentation section.  Only a data sheet.

By the way I was checking out the video of your gazillion singing trees earlier tonight.  Pretty cool!!!

[Dave Pursel]

1 hour ago, Orville said:

I have Zuzu and Ralphie, when I was running them less than 500K and non-enhanced, they do not work reliably and will stutter and fail when everything is working together.  They do not work less than 500k and on my N4-G4 Director they are on Network 3 by themselves, Aux B, 1,000K, Enhanced.  I'm not using S5, but my Director is set as follows in my display:   Network 1 is set as Regular, 115K, NON-Enhanced for my older CTB16PC {V2} Controllers, Network 2 is 3 CCB100D 5V Controllers, Aux A, 500K, Enhanced for my roof-line CCB's and Trellis Arches{bullet nodes}; Network 3 is set as Aux B, 1,000K, Enhanced which are the Pixie2D's for the LOR Singing Trees I currently have {Ralphie and Zuzu} and finally Network 4 is set as Aux C, 500K, Enhanced for my final 2 CCB100D controllers that control the handicap ramp RGB CCB's.

If and when I ran the singing trees or the other CCB100D controllers at less than 500K and non-enhanced, they may light upo and look to be working great at first, but as things progressed, they started stuttering and turning on or off lights when they shouldn't have, mouth movements of the trees suffered in they were sometimes way off the mark and were not matching up to the words.

So it may work for a while, but eventually, running them at slower speeds and non-enhanced, they may stop working all together, already been through this and know, best way for RGB controllers and devices is high speed {500K or higher if the device supports it} and Enhanced.  Otherwise you're setting yourself up for some real disappointments in the very near future!

When I set my Director shows up, it always asks me how I want each network set up that is encoded in my sequences, and I have to select network speed, enhanced or not enhanced for each network defined in the sequence {as I posted above for my G4 Directors networks}.  If I incorrectly select the wrong info, it creates havoc and crashes my show.   It might not do it at first, but eventually things start misfiring, not working at all or slows down/stutters.

 

And by the way, the reason the Hub or the HU write those enx and enh files is because the defaults in the Hub and HU are 57K, and export Enhanced on all networks unless you uncheck it by turning off the dot in the circle.  If that dot is on, it will export the Enhanced {en#} and High Speed files {ex#}.   From what I can gather, the # will not exist on single network directors like the mini or the G3 dual network Director {Regular and the .enh and exh files, then n and h are replaced with an actual number that relates to the Network so you know at a glance which file controls which network only with the N4-G4 Director, examples: en2, en3, en4 and ex2, ex3, ex4.  And if you link another G4 Director {only available in S5} you could have another 4 networks, that could become en5, en6, en7 and en8 along with the high speed ones, ex5, ex6, ex7, ex8.   This is how you can have more than 4 networks using G4 Directors by linking multiple G4 Directors, but, again, this option is only available in S5, prior versions DO NOT SUPPORT this direct link to link of G4 Director units, and ONLY the G4 Director is capable of this option.

 

I follow what your saying Orville.... BUT.....

My testing is showing that when I create the sd card is simple mode it is creating the files just like it does in S2.  I can't speak to S3 or S4 as I've never installed them.

The # files will only be created if I select advanced mode.

JR has asked me about the trees running in Simple Mode as well (but I believe this is not related to the sd card simple mode).

As I told him I don't follow exactly what the difference is yet, but it's my assumption based on a whole lot of nothing, that commands are sent like they are in the old channel configuration type of mode versus any kind of pixel mode.

 

******************************

Back to the Hardware Utility issue.  (probably should have two separate postings for these since I now know they are unrelated, but a little late now).

It's 2:00am.  (my best work is done when no one's around to break my concentration).  I just came in from the garage as I wanted to check my led's on the controllers and easy light linker.  I just tried to send commands via the HU to the controllers via the temporary installed easy light linkers.  I can't send commands successfully to the controllers again.  I can make them blink for about a 1/4 of a second but they won't turn on like they would earlier tonight when I was running my S2 show.  I plan on opening a ticket for this issue.  I don't know if I have to upgrade my easy light linkers or if this is unknown issue with the S5 HU Mike needs to know about.

 

[Dave Pursel]

PS.  Orville.

My thinking has been that I probably will HAVE to implement the AUX A network for my new pixel stuff like you have indicated you've done  Ie.  Felix, RGB floods, and the CCCII pixels for arches.  My problem is with the physical layout of my network.  My Director is in the basement with my 1st controller on the north side of the garage.  So a cable runs to that side.  I split it before the 1st controller running a second leg back to the south side of the garage and then out the south side yard.  So I would probably have to relocate the Director.  Of course that affects my transmitter as I would have to relocate it, and that becomes an issue because of my antenna lead. It also adds the cold temperature into the mix.  yatta yatta yatta.  If I was rich, I would just buy a couple of the G4's like you have, keep one in the basement and put the other one on the south side.  But then again I would still have to have two network cables to run to different areas of the yard.  Actually the problem would go away if LOR came out with a network speed upgrade for my 20 old controllers.  Or back to the rich part again, replace them with G3 controllers.  But that ain't going to happen.   Will it ever stop!!!!!!

[dibblejr]

5 hours ago, Dave Pursel said:

Well Jr I don't fully understand it yet as I'm still learning about pixel hardware.

This link http://store.lightorama.com/rgbprops.html is to their singing tree product.

The first paragraph of that page states:

Light-O-Rama's Custom Dual Mode Pixel controller allows you to operate the tree in Simple Mode ( 8 RGB channels ) or Standard Pixel Mode as 200 pixels. In Simple Mode, our custom controller will convert 1 RGB channel into a group of pixels such as "eyes open" or "eyes closed". This makes sequencing a complex pixel prop as simple as it gets! Light-O-Rama strives to make complex tasks as easy as possible!

Now at this point I'm still not sure how one sets simple mode as there is no documentation in the documentation section.  Only a data sheet.

By the way I was checking out the video of your gazillion singing trees earlier tonight.  Pretty cool!!!

That’s what I thought.

If you try to go in to the pixie for the faces and change the mode , along with it you will lose the face feature.

This is not for someone just learning, trust me. If you want to sequence all 200 nodes manually be my guest however something to remember in that is not all 200 nodes in the faces are used. Some are configured to be skipped to allow node spacing to prevent cutting.

Do yourself a favor and do jot try to circumvent what LOR has done to assist users in sequencing run them in the enhanced mode the proper way.

You will have mouth movements issues if you do not run them as intended.

If you attempt to adjust the settings in your singing face the very next post will be.  “Help my Felix face has stopped working”

Dont dabble with the presets for props that come configured.

All new pixie controllers using the latest fw have the ability to be able to be used for the preset face configuration. 
 

That is only a fraction of my singing props made during testing, I test each as I set them up. This year was the first gear I went upward with them.

Another note- in order to configure the pixie2 (Felix) or any of the newer pixie controllers you must have at least software version 4.4.0.  Something to consider.

Yes the pixie will run in dual mode, enhanced and non enhanced however to prevent lag for the moving faces you will want enhanced. Unless you grew up watching the original Chinese Kung fu movies and enjoyed watching the lips move but the words came later. LOL

JR

Edited December 31, 2020 by dibblejr

[KYHI]

1 hour ago, dibblejr said:

Unless you grew up watching the original Chinese Kung fu movies and enjoyed watching the lips move but the words came later. LOL

I remember watching those movies... LOL

[Orville]

8 hours ago, Dave Pursel said:

PS.  Orville.

My thinking has been that I probably will HAVE to implement the AUX A network for my new pixel stuff like you have indicated you've done  Ie.  Felix, RGB floods, and the CCCII pixels for arches.  My problem is with the physical layout of my network.  My Director is in the basement with my 1st controller on the north side of the garage.  So a cable runs to that side.  I split it before the 1st controller running a second leg back to the south side of the garage and then out the south side yard.  So I would probably have to relocate the Director.  Of course that affects my transmitter as I would have to relocate it, and that becomes an issue because of my antenna lead. It also adds the cold temperature into the mix.  yatta yatta yatta.  If I was rich, I would just buy a couple of the G4's like you have, keep one in the basement and put the other one on the south side.  But then again I would still have to have two network cables to run to different areas of the yard.  Actually the problem would go away if LOR came out with a network speed upgrade for my 20 old controllers.  Or back to the rich part again, replace them with G3 controllers.  But that ain't going to happen.   Will it ever stop!!!!!!

Oh, it never stops.  This is an ever, on-going process until you either die or just can't do it any longer or just want out. LOL

As for G4 Directors, nope, I use S4 and it doesn't support multiple G4 Directors, only S5 does that and I'm still not comfortable converting to S5 anytime soon.  So I only have and currently own only ONE N4-G4 Director running my shows, ran all season and still is with no issues or problems at all.  Using a 32GB Kingston SD Card as recommended.

As for older CTB16PC Controllers, you'd have to do a trade in to LOR {providing they still offer this service} and buy new G3 CTB16PC's at a somewhat reduced cost {percentage wise of some sort} from them.  There is no way to just update the firmware in the older V1 or V2 {Pre-Gen 3} controllers.    Mainly because they support a lot of new features and you'd need to use some version of S4 to use them and S5 to get the most out of the newer G3/G4 devices LOR has come out with, and so the older electronics can't support the new features, it's why they aren't fully compatible with older CTB16PC units, 3 of which I still use myself. 2 outside and one inside.

So if you're not using the newer software, at least some version of S4 or S5, your chances of encountering more and more issues will continue.   That's why I'm still not comfortable with S5 {but trying to play around with it} yet, it's just so much more complex than what I'm accustomed too.   I prefer the easier way S4 handles things and is still pretty much like earlier versions except for some added bells and whistles that make sequencing pixels easier and quicker, something pre S4 software isn't as qualified to do, but might/might not work with anything earlier than S4.

Good Luck.

BTW: Simple Mode for the singing trees has ZERO, NOTHING to do with the creation of those enh or exh files, again, those are only created on the SD Card if that option is selected in the HU or Hub, if you turn off the dot that's in the Hub or HU that selects/deselects {creates} Enhanced and High Speed files, these files WILL NOT be created.   If that option is left on{the Default} those files will ALWAYS be created.  It has to be deselected to only create STANDARD NON-Enhanced, NON-High Speed LOR Network settings and NOT ELOR protocols, which is what those ehn/exn files are for.

But if you are using anything less than S4, you may not be getting these options to change network criteria and is why they are being created automatically, since there is no way to tell the SD Card writer how each network protocols are to be assigned/set-up for a show{s} and is going specifically on the channel config and sequence information to do so.

 

[Dave Pursel]

Grasshopper says, "Master"

that as I understand it, and please remember I just jumped into the pixel lake and don't know how to swim, I have no intention of going into "pixel" mode with the singing faces.  Sorry if I wrote something that implied that.  I'm trying to stay in what I believe is called "simple mode".  I'm of the believe that the pixie2 as delivered with the singing faces are suppose to be shipped in the "simple mode" as you've mentioned.  I've never used S3 or S4.  But I've been filing away all the postings I read for the day I will go to S5.

That day is here.  I've installed S5 and that's why I'm addressing and trying to understand these two major issues of usage.  Of course a lot of what I've filled away in this puny brain of mine goes back to the origins of S5 V.5.2.4 which negates the applicability of a lot of postings I've read about in the past. 

So your the Master and now that I know that you develop seqs for singing faces.  I'm trying to follow your statement and I quote,

"Do yourself a favor and do jot try to circumvent what LOR has done to assist users in sequencing run them in the enhanced mode the proper way".

You use the word enhanced.  It's my interpretation that this is "simple mode" referring back to the question you asked earlier and the answer I provided about the doc found on the website. Please correct me if I'm still not understanding enhanced vs simple.  Are they the same thing?

Before hitting enter to this post, I just reread what you wrote in your post.  Are you referring to enhanced mode as in network speeds?  Your use of the word enhanced referring to network speeds makes more sense to me then referring to what mode the pixie2 is running in?????

 

So now that you know I do not intend to address Felix in pixel mode, my objectives are to get Felix functioning in S5 with a seq and get the HU functioning so I can test with.

I may have the cart ahead of the horse but I rely on the HU functioning correctly for testing purposes.

I have a seq that I've modified and converted from another user, that I'm testing S5 with.  After spending a lot of time modifying it, I have the mouth perfectly  synced in the preview.

My objective is getting the commands out to the pixie so Felix functions like the preview.

I am getting side tracked with the HU issue I'm having.  It's hard doing some basic troubleshooting when I can't send commands over the network in a consistent matter.

You can read about that in my other post in this topic.

By the way JR, I've discovered and just documented the pixel errors in the Felix layout that LOR had posted in their website and I'm just getting ready to open a FYI ticket for that.

I'll PM that to you if you'd like.  It's not real relevant though unless your programming in pixel mode, and based on your above answer / reply you don't program in pixel mode either.  But because your developing I though you might like to know about it.  If you don't already.  Let me know.

Thanks so much for your insight as well.  I need all the help I can get.

PS.  I've had Felix for a couple of years now.  Just getting around to putting him to use.  Are you aware of any firmware upgrades that I should/need to apply to the pixie???

[dibblejr]

20 minutes ago, Dave Pursel said:

Grasshopper says, "Master"

that as I understand it, and please remember I just jumped into the pixel lake and don't know how to swim, I have no intention of going into "pixel" mode with the singing faces.  Sorry if I wrote something that implied that.  I'm trying to stay in what I believe is called "simple mode".  I'm of the believe that the pixie2 as delivered with the singing faces are suppose to be shipped in the "simple mode" as you've mentioned.  I've never used S3 or S4.  But I've been filing away all the postings I read for the day I will go to S5.

That day is here.  I've installed S5 and that's why I'm addressing and trying to understand these two major issues of usage.  Of course a lot of what I've filled away in this puny brain of mine goes back to the origins of S5 V.5.2.4 which negates the applicability of a lot of postings I've read about in the past. 

So your the Master and now that I know that you develop seqs for singing faces.  I'm trying to follow your statement and I quote,

"Do yourself a favor and do jot try to circumvent what LOR has done to assist users in sequencing run them in the enhanced mode the proper way".

You use the word enhanced.  It's my interpretation that this is "simple mode" referring back to the question you asked earlier and the answer I provided about the doc found on the website. Please correct me if I'm still not understanding enhanced vs simple.  Are they the same thing?

Before hitting enter to this post, I just reread what you wrote in your post.  Are you referring to enhanced mode as in network speeds?  Your use of the word enhanced referring to network speeds makes more sense to me then referring to what mode the pixie2 is running in?????

 

So now that you know I do not intend to address Felix in pixel mode, my objectives are to get Felix functioning in S5 with a seq and get the HU functioning so I can test with.

I may have the cart ahead of the horse but I rely on the HU functioning correctly for testing purposes.

I have a seq that I've modified and converted from another user, that I'm testing S5 with.  After spending a lot of time modifying it, I have the mouth perfectly  synced in the preview.

My objective is getting the commands out to the pixie so Felix functions like the preview.

I am getting side tracked with the HU issue I'm having.  It's hard doing some basic troubleshooting when I can't send commands over the network in a consistent matter.

You can read about that in my other post in this topic.

By the way JR, I've discovered and just documented the pixel errors in the Felix layout that LOR had posted in their website and I'm just getting ready to open a FYI ticket for that.

I'll PM that to you if you'd like.  It's not real relevant though unless your programming in pixel mode, and based on your above answer / reply you don't program in pixel mode either.  But because your developing I though you might like to know about it.  If you don't already.  Let me know.

Thanks so much for your insight as well.  I need all the help I can get.

PS.  I've had Felix for a couple of years now.  Just getting around to putting him to use.  Are you aware of any firmware upgrades that I should/need to apply to the pixie???

LOR's "simple" is used to imply the way the pixie controller is set up for the user to be able to sequence faces or buy the faces without any confusion. You are the second person whom I have helped in the recent weeks that have confused the two. The last one took me hours on the phone to put back in place what LOR shipped him,

It has nothing to do with the Network Speed - which is what Enhanced is used as.

I do program in pixel level, but I have not seen the problem you refer to. My statement was that "you, being new to this should leave pixel level alone". I refer you to the pm I sent you regarding that. I think you are confusing me with someone else. LOL Ive been sequencing these faces before they hit the LOR shelf.

LOR does not want you to do a firmware update without them instructing you to. They used to say this and then it changed but it has come back in to a conversation so before you do a firmware update ask them first. 

 

JR

 

Edited December 31, 2020 by dibblejr

[Dave Pursel]

Orville,

I will die before I buy/tradeup to G3's.  Can't justify it.

Especially when you consider that I do it for the smiles and laughs that people enjoy while watching my shows.

My newly completed snowman (after 2 years in development) and just put into "production" has been the hit of the show ever since.  Filler sequences less than a minute each!

Since I've quadrupled the amount of donations received this year and the long lines of traffic, there just isn't a reason to continue spending all of my money on changing them out.

I will share with you and the rest of the world my experiences with implementing S5 when complete.

After thinking about my issue with network speeds, I think you have the right answer, but maybe not for the same reasons.

By going with a G4 the extra ports will resolve my issues with the physical yard layout.  I'll still have to run separate cat 5 runs though.

Have you used any easy light linkers for testing purposes with your G4??  If I used one of the ports for just a ELL, would I be able to send commands over ALL ports to ALL controllers with the HU?

Dave

 

Edited December 31, 2020 by Dave Pursel

[Orville]

8 hours ago, Dave Pursel said:

Orville,

I will die before I buy/tradeup to G3's.  Can't justify it.

Especially when you consider that I do it for the smiles and laughs that people enjoy while watching my shows.

My newly completed snowman (after 2 years in development) and just put into "production" has been the hit of the show ever since.  Filler sequences less than a minute each!

Since I've quadrupled the amount of donations received this year and the long lines of traffic, there just isn't a reason to continue spending all of my money on changing them out.

I will share with you and the rest of the world my experiences with implementing S5 when complete.

After thinking about my issue with network speeds, I think you have the right answer, but maybe not for the same reasons.

By going with a G4 the extra ports will resolve my issues with the physical yard layout.  I'll still have to run separate cat 5 runs though.

Have you used any easy light linkers for testing purposes with your G4??  If I used one of the ports for just a ELL, would I be able to send commands over ALL ports to ALL controllers with the HU?

Dave

 

I'll tackle this one, but no, I do not have any ELL's because for my display they are unnecessary.   AS for the last about sending commands to all ports at the same time , no, that is not even possible.  

I connected my computer to my Director through Network 1, the Regular Network and the ONLY NETWORK PORT that supplies power to the Director via the Cat 5 cable using the first powered CTB16PC Controller or USB485B adapter.  Loaded the HU and it will only pick up the comm port {comm 3 in my case} that the adapter uses connected to it, so it will only pick up controllers on Network 1, Comm 3, all other ports are NOT accessible via the HU through the Director.  They can not be tested through the HU on the Director, again, only network 1, ther Regular network in most cases, will allow you to see and test lights on Controllers on Network 1 with a 2bd cat5 cable plugged into the dual port on the Director.   

You would have to install a red HS adapter {you'd need 3 of these} and each would need to be set up in the Network Preference software for all the parameters for each Network, Type network, comm port, speed and  enhanced or non-enhanced.

Since I have Aux A, Aux B and Aux C, these would be set in the NP as Aux A, 500K, Enhanced, Comm 4; Aux B, 1,000K, Enhanced, Comm 5 and my final network as Aux C, 500K, Enhanced, Comm 6 on the computer and via the HS adapters needed.  On the Director the Comm port IS NOT used and it doesn't use the NP, everything that is required to set up networks for multi network Directors, enhanced or not are all done in the HU or the Hub when writing a show to the SD Card.

Too bad you don't live in Orlando, FL near me, this would be easily explained in person, as writing it doesn't always give some folks the provision to fully grasp how this all functions and works together {or doesn't}.  Seeing it would definitely help you to understand this a lot more.  But we'll give you all the help we possibly can to help you get things working properly and hopefully a better understanding of what can/can't be done.

 

[dibblejr]

I help a lot of people via phone calls, I do not normally do screen sharing because the user does not learn if someone takes the helm.

After January any assistance I can give you I will and we can exchange numbers if needed.

JR

[Orville]

6 hours ago, dibblejr said:

I help a lot of people via phone calls, I do not normally do screen sharing because the user does not learn if someone takes the helm.

After January any assistance I can give you I will and we can exchange numbers if needed.

JR

Some folks need that visual to learn, and I've helped a few folks that just couldn't seem to grasp how to do something unless they saw how it was done.  Then they got the point and could do it themselves.   If I show someone, I make sure they can do it before they leave to do it on their own.

Even I, at times need a visual to get something done correctly, for the most part I can sometimes figure it out, but there is always something, somewhere that just eludes me until I can actually see a visual of how its done.  And I've trained a lot of electro-mechanical assemblers that required a visual because they kept getting confused by the MPP {Manufacturing Process Plan for those that don't know} that some engineer wrote and they just couldn't quite get it, show them a few times and they got it.

So I swear by visuals when the written word just doesn't seem to work very well.  And for some it just doesn't.

[dibblejr]

4 hours ago, Orville said:

Some folks need that visual to learn, and I've helped a few folks that just couldn't seem to grasp how to do something unless they saw how it was done.  Then they got the point and could do it themselves.   If I show someone, I make sure they can do it before they leave to do it on their own.

Even I, at times need a visual to get something done correctly, for the most part I can sometimes figure it out, but there is always something, somewhere that just eludes me until I can actually see a visual of how its done.  And I've trained a lot of electro-mechanical assemblers that required a visual because they kept getting confused by the MPP {Manufacturing Process Plan for those that don't know} that some engineer wrote and they just couldn't quite get it, show them a few times and they got it.

So I swear by visuals when the written word just doesn't seem to work very well.  And for some it just doesn't.

This is why I started making videos.

I can normally make a video in a few minutes. Where trying to explain to someone over the phone may take a few hours.

I think in all of the time I have been helping others with lights I have only done two screen shares where I was doing the work on their computer.

Just like my pixie configuration tutorial. Before that was posted I guarantee I was spending 20 hours or more a week helping other who just couldn’t configure their pixie controller s. Hundreds of people a year via phone. 
 

After that video and step by step those numbers drastically decreased and it went to two to three per week via telephone.

But a video is a visual that they can start, stop, pause and repeat and that is Golden.

A great guy here Default   (Alan) taught me that. Not by telling me to make videos but by his action of providing others with his videos. 
 

For the longest time I wasn’t sure if Akan spoke until a video he made for a question I had. 
 

That was when I asked him what program he used fir his screen sharing videos and I went with his recommendation. 
 

JR

[Orville]

3 hours ago, dibblejr said:

This is why I started making videos.

I can normally make a video in a few minutes. Where trying to explain to someone over the phone may take a few hours.

I think in all of the time I have been helping others with lights I have only done two screen shares where I was doing the work on their computer.

Just like my pixie configuration tutorial. Before that was posted I guarantee I was spending 20 hours or more a week helping other who just couldn’t configure their pixie controller s. Hundreds of people a year via phone. 
 

After that video and step by step those numbers drastically decreased and it went to two to three per week via telephone.

But a video is a visual that they can start, stop, pause and repeat and that is Golden.

A great guy here Default   (Alan) taught me that. Not by telling me to make videos but by his action of providing others with his videos. 
 

For the longest time I wasn’t sure if Akan spoke until a video he made for a question I had. 
 

That was when I asked him what program he used fir his screen sharing videos and I went with his recommendation. 
 

JR

Yep, can sure agree.  I'd make videos to, but I don't have a webcam  or a decent digital camera to make them with any longer.  After my last digital fell apart after the usage I put it through, just didn't replace it.  Didn't have the funds and my wife has the only cell phone and I can't stand the camera on cell phones. 

I just can't get decent or clear video or photographs with the darn things.   Give me a decent tripod {which I have} and a decent digital camera that isn't loaded into a cell phone or with other electronics and I'm golden. LOL