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Mega tree goes dark for a few seconds with Pixielink


David in Apache

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This year I decided to try a Pixielink. I have my mega tree connected to it but different sections of the tree will go dark for a few seconds when playing a sequence. This repeats for the duration of the sequence. The tree is powered by 2 pixie 16s. I have both pixies connected to port 1 on the pixielink.

I have upgraded the firmware on the pixies to 1.07 and updated the firmware on the pixielink to 1.03.

I have tried multiple port configurations on the pixielink, but none of the settings fix the problem. 

I'm using 50 pixel strings and have limited the pixels to 150 on the port configuration.

Anyone know what I might have missed? I have been using the pixies for several years, but this is my first year with a pixielink.

 

 

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How many total pixels between the two Pixie 16s?

What speed are you running the LOR network from the PixieLink to the Pixies?

Have you tried it with each Pixie on a separate port of the PixieLink?

What is the network connectivity from the show computer to the PixieLink (wired / wireless & speed).

 

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Total of 32 strings. 50 bulbs on each string x 3 = 4800 total pixels.

I'm running on a wired network. with a gigabit switch. Computer and pixielink connected to the same switch.

I did try each pixie on a separate port and that didn't make a difference.

I have tried multiple configurations on the pixielink, Pixielink, Pixielink 8, but I can't get the pixielink to save the pixielink 17. I also tried it on the ELOR 50,000 and ELOR 1000000. And I get the same behavior regardless of the speed.

 

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11 hours ago, David in Apache said:

Total of 32 strings. 50 bulbs on each string x 3 = 4800 total pixels.

I'm running on a wired network. with a gigabit switch. Computer and pixielink connected to the same switch.

I did try each pixie on a separate port and that didn't make a difference.

I have tried multiple configurations on the pixielink, Pixielink, Pixielink 8, but I can't get the pixielink to save the pixielink 17. I also tried it on the ELOR 50,000 and ELOR 1000000. And I get the same behavior regardless of the speed.

 

Readers are confused by the terminology.  A pixel is a color controllable bulb.  You have 1600 pixels.  (32x50)    There are 4800 channels controlling the 1600 pixels.      Ribbons confused this because most have sets of three bulbs which are called a pixel too.  In the software, each controllable bulb or set of bulbs is called a pixel.   From the software perspective, a flood or a dumb strip is a single pixel device.  

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After further reading and research I see that the pixies powering the tree have the 81487EIPZ chip, which is guaranteed only for 5 Mbps.

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I don't think the problem is the Pixielink. I had to upgrade the firmware on the Pixie 16s for the Pixielink. I upgraded to 1.07 from 1.02. However, when I switched back to the configuration for the USB485B Serial Adapter I still had the same issue. I tested with firmware 1.05, 1.06, and 1.07. I encountered the same behavior on all versions of the firmware. When I downgraded to firmware version 1.03, the controllers functioned like they always have. 

So I'm thinking I may need to change the configuration on the Pixie when I upgrade the firmware. Is their a jumper or a configuration setting that anyone is aware of that I should change?

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44 minutes ago, David in Apache said:

I don't think the problem is the Pixielink. I had to upgrade the firmware on the Pixie 16s for the Pixielink. I upgraded to 1.07 from 1.02. However, when I switched back to the configuration for the USB485B Serial Adapter I still had the same issue. I tested with firmware 1.05, 1.06, and 1.07. I encountered the same behavior on all versions of the firmware. When I downgraded to firmware version 1.03, the controllers functioned like they always have. 

So I'm thinking I may need to change the configuration on the Pixie when I upgrade the firmware. Is their a jumper or a configuration setting that anyone is aware of that I should change?

Ensure there is no jumper in JP3, JP4 or JP5

It is ok for a jumper on JP2

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23 minutes ago, dibblejr said:

Ensure there is no jumper in JP3, JP4 or JP5

It is ok for a jumper on JP2

No jumpers.

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23 minutes ago, dibblejr said:

What is the Logical Resolution of your controllers? Leave at 50

JR

Yup. It's at 50. 

 

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3 minutes ago, David in Apache said:

Yup. It's at 50. 

 

Pixie firmware 1.06 or higher is REQUIRED for the pixielink. If I am reading your comments above you reverted back to 1.03 on yours.

JR

 

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56 minutes ago, dibblejr said:

Pixie firmware 1.06 or higher is REQUIRED for the pixielink. If I am reading your comments above you reverted back to 1.03 on yours.

JR

 

Yes. I installed the newer firmware and that's when the problem started. I thought that it was the pixielink, until I reverted back to the USB to serial adapter and the problem persisted. So I rolled back the firmware to 1.03 and that resolved the issue, but the pixielink won't work with 1.03, so this is where I am. I do appreciate your input.

 

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