Upgrading from a laptop to a desktop this year…any suggestions?

[Wonko]

Hi all,

I had some freezing of my pixel matrix during my shows last year, and someone suggested that it was an issue with my laptop. It seems like most people on here use desktops for their shows. For what it’s worth, my show this year will be (3) 4x8 pixel matrices, a 20’ RGB mega tree, 8 RGB mini trees, 8 RGB candy canes, (4) RGB leaping arches, 10 LOR mini trees, a 15’ LOR mega tree, and a ton of LOR house lights, etc., all run off S5. I’ll also be running MIip for the first time this year.

Does anyone have suggestions as to what I should focus on for a new a desktop?

(e.g., RAM, Hard-drive space, number or USB/Ethernet ports, etc.?)

There’s a few all-in-one desktops with touch-screen displays on Bestbuy.com, but they look pretty limited for inputs. I’m guessing that won’t work?

Thanks for your help!

Wonko

[Mr. P]

I honestly don't think the problem would be the laptop running the show. Most of the computer power is needed in programming the sequences as running a show uses very little resources. My show is much, much bigger then yours and I am running it on a 15 year old laptop. Programming my sequences is a different story, I still use a laptop but it is a gaming desktop replacement so it is faster than most desktops. A good SSD and 16GB of ram can make a world of difference in any computer.

Edited September 29, 2022 by Mr. P

[Wonko]

Thanks, Mr. P

That makes sense. The issue with my pixel matrix freezing last year was intermittent, and I never got to a root cause. I got some tech support from the guys at HolidayCoro, but they said everything was configured properly, so the issue must be the PC. I’m still convinced that it was a network problem, especially since it seemed to freeze much less when I turned off the Wi-Fi. I’m still brand new to configuring a network, and I’ll be adding four more Hinks Pix Pro RGB controllers this year, so I’m concerned. 
 

i’ll look for a new desktop with 16 g of ram and an SSD drive anyway.

appreciate the input!

[Mr. P]

If you still want to use the laptop for running the show you can get a SSD for about $70 and clone the HDD to the SSD. Older laptops will usually have an HDD that spins up pretty slow and a SSD will be a big improvement. Plus it will save you a ton of money unless you just have your heart set on a new computer. Think about it, $1K for new computer or a ton of new lighting stuff. 🤣

Edited September 29, 2022 by Mr. P

[k6ccc]

I'm with Mr. P in that it is unlikely a computer issue.

You are obviously running a combination of LOR network and E1.31.  Please describe in detail your networking (both LOR and E1.31) including what controller types and how many channels are in use on what props.  For LOR networks, include network speed and enhanced or not, and for Ethernet, is it wired or WiFi, and what speed (i.e. this device is plugged into a gigabit switch, but the controller only runs 10/100 - for example).  A network drawing will likely be useful.

 

[tlogan]

Did you turn off access to Internet and software updates? I ALWAYS do a final Windows update prior to starting the schedule and turn off internet (and WIFI) access so that no other updates that cause a reboot will happen. And I set SLEEP to NEVER, just in case.

I would suggest finding a desktop with as many USB ports as possible. The last desktop I bought to run (and sequence) my shows was a $79 refurb that has 8 USB ports. This will be my fourth year using it. 

[TheDucks]

6 hours ago, Wonko said:

 

There’s a few all-in-one desktops with touch-screen displays on Bestbuy.com, but they look pretty limited for inputs. I’m guessing that won’t work?

Thanks for your help!

Wonko

IMHO Avoid All in 1 like the plague. Double that if it is a large screen *>27"). They work fine. Then they break down. now you are stuck hauling this monster to the repair center. To make things worse. Almost every part is custom or won't accept common PC add-on's. (Well a Laptop, is similar. Just smaller)

The big PLUS of a desktop is cooling (and a bigger power supply. Go for an off-lease Refurb BUSINESS CLASS mid-tower if you do not need a Gaming System 👍 (avoid low profile as they do not accept full height add on cards)

Think about a SSD upgrade for your Laptop.. Pretty cheap for under 1T drives, All you need is a Clone cable/drive caddy and Clonezilla (Even Does Dual Boot systems, which neither of the ones commonly packed with drives will)

[k6ccc]

5 minutes ago, TheDucks said:

IMHO Avoid All in 1 like the plague.

100% concur - for all the reasons cited.

 

[Wonko]

Hi all,

I've put together a diagram of my show last year and my planned show for this season as K6ccc suggested. I also made a quick screen share video to explain my drawing. 

 

K6ccc: I will have to get my Alphapix controller from storage to check the internet speed, but it is connected directly to my laptop's ethernet port (which I believe is 10/100). I wasn't using a router or switch. As for the LOR controllers, they are all CTBPC16s. Not sure if that answers your question, but I have them daisy-chained and plugged into a USB port on my laptop with the little white dongle. I plug-in the adapter to the USB and click "auto-configure", and it seems to work.

Tlogan: You're right that the problem was much worse if I mistakenly left wifi on the laptop when I started my schedule. Unfortunately, it still happened intermittently even if wifi was off. Sometimes in the middle of a song, the lights and show would keep going and the matrix would freeze on whatever was on the screen. This included the leaping arches, that were daisy chained to the Alphapix pro running the pixel matrix.

Powerpoint of my diagram attached. 

Thanks for all your help!

Wonko

 

 

 

 

 

Details for LOR Forum 2022.pdf

[k6ccc]

Wow!  Lot of detail.

The AlphaPix and SanDevices controllers are 10/100, so the laptop port does not matter.  

I think I pieced together that the LOR network controllers are all 16 channel AC controllers, so not much data there.  I think you did say that it was a white USB adapter.  That one puzzled me since all the LOR USB to RS-485 adapters are either black or red.

I am not at all familiar with the HicksPicks stuff, so can't comment much.  Even if your three matricies are 1 inch spacing, that is only about 4600 pixels per matrix, so not an issue at all for a E1.31 network.

Your comments about the E1.31 acting up if you had the WiFi also connected.  I am gathering that the WiFi (presumably your "normal" home network) and the E1.31 are completely separate networks.  That shouldn't cause a problem unless there is something configured strange.  What is the IP addresses for the various devices - including both the wired and WiFi addresses for the laptop.

 

[metallus2000]

I purchased Mini PC UM250 AMD Ryzen 5 Mini Desktop Computer | 4C/8T |16 GB RAM + 512 GB M.2 SSD | Radeon Vega 8 Graphics | Windows 10 Pro | Dual WiFi - BT 5.1 | 4K HDMI 2.0 / Display/USB-C |2X RJ45| 4X USB 3.1 on Amazon, I upgraded the M drive to 1 TB, and 64 GB ram. 

It's showing currently unavailable on Amazon, but similar ones are just as good. It's small, compact and powerful. Work great with my show.