Is is possible to have one Pixie 16 port light up more than two consecutive pixel strands that are connected?

[Kennan]

Howdy,

After starting to plan my 2022 light show, I've ran into an issue that I'm not too sure how to fix. We have six smart pixel strands a port (daisy-chained + connected) and come to find out a port will only fully light up the first strand of the 6 total strands, even after setting the "# of RGB nodes" in prop definition to numbers that exceed the total number of pixels per strand. Is there any workaround to this issue that is easily available or will I have to redesign this section of the show? Any insight is appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Kennan

[Jimehc]

The Pixie's will support 170 Pixels per port MAX..... so basically figure 3 strings of 50 Pixels per Port... The setting you need to change is via the Hardware Utility > Config > Pixie Config - "Pixels Per Port" -> 170 - (Default is 50) and reason only first string lights.... But you can not connect 6 strings to a port..........

Edited October 10, 2022 by Jimehc

[TheDucks]

Each port has an ID.

The first is the one you assigned to the card. eg. 08.. (port 1 uses that,  port 2  up  09, 0A , 0B, 0C, 0D (0E,0F are spares and can not be assigned to another card)

[Orville]

On 10/9/2022 at 9:56 PM, TheDucks said:

Each port has an ID.

The first is the one you assigned to the card. eg. 08.. (port 1 uses that,  port 2  up  09, 0A , 0B, 0C, 0D (0E,0F are spares and can not be assigned to another card)

Could you please further elaborate on the 0E and 0F being spares.  I'm just not quite following exactly how this works from a Pixie 16 standpoint.  And why would anyone assign these same ID numbers to another Pixie 16?   You've sort of lost me on your response here.  So I'm just trying to get some clarification before I get a replacement Pixie16 for the one I have that isn't functioning.  Don't want to go assigning ID's that may not be usable or ???.

Sorry, but your response has me a bit confused, so further clarification is needed, at least for me.

Thank You.

[Jimehc]

There was no mention of OP using Pixie8 or Pixie16.... With that said, the Example given was for eight Unit ID's, with the OP using 6 of those, thus leaving the last two assigned unit ID's as spares...

Quote

are spares and can not be assigned to another card

 

[TheDucks]

2 hours ago, Orville said:

Could you please further elaborate on the 0E and 0F being spares.  I'm just not quite following exactly how this works from a Pixie 16 standpoint.  And why would anyone assign these same ID numbers to another Pixie 16?   You've sort of lost me on your response here.  So I'm just trying to get some clarification before I get a replacement Pixie16 for the one I have that isn't functioning.  Don't want to go assigning ID's that may not be usable or ???.

Sorry, but your response has me a bit confused, so further clarification is needed, at least for me.

Thank You.

They are on 'spares' for their application (6 strings), I mentioned them because they ARE ASSIGNED and not available for use on another board.

Would unused be better?  Not used leaves too much  for alternate consideration.

[TheDucks]

4 minutes ago, Jimehc said:

There was no mention of OP using Pixie8 or Pixie16.... With that said, the Example given was for eight Unit ID's, with the OP using 6 of those, thus leaving the last two assigned unit ID's as spares...

 

😐 Oops! I assumed a Pixie 8 since a Smaller one would not support 6 strands.

OTOH The OP wording now ???  

Quote

We have six smart pixel strands a port (daisy-chained + connected)

I would expect a blown fuse, not just 1 strand lighting

[dibblejr]

OP- you have to set the # of nodes per port in the HU first, if you are using a non DMX/ e1.31 controller. For example a Pixie series or pixcon16 controller in LOR mode.

Then when you assign the correct number of pixels to your prop it will work.

However every answer in this thread could be entirely wrong based on assumptions.

A DMX/ e1.31 controller can control more that 170 nodes per port.

JR

 

[k6ccc]

The subject of this thread states "one Pixie 16" so I think we can eliminate E1.31 or other LOR controllers.

About the only real assumption is that the OP is asking about six 50 pixel strings.  Assuming that is correct, you can connect three of those strings of pixels on each port of the Pixie 16.  Setting listed earlier in this thread.  The OP did not mention how many of the mentioned six 50 pixel strings are intended to be used.  In other words, each port was stated to be six strings (assumed to be 50 pixels each or a total of 300 pixels) - which we know can't be done on a Pixie controller.  Is the total number of pixels just one of these (assumed to be) 300 pixel string sets, or are there more of there?  If so, what is the total number of pixels?

 

[Jimehc]

Thanks for pointing out the mention of a "Pixie16" in the "Title".... (which I overlooked earlier)

For which the Max Pixel Count needs to be set using Hardware Utility..

For which the Max of 170 Pixels Per Port can be addressed...

[Kennan]

4 hours ago, k6ccc said:

The subject of this thread states "one Pixie 16" so I think we can eliminate E1.31 or other LOR controllers.

About the only real assumption is that the OP is asking about six 50 pixel strings.  Assuming that is correct, you can connect three of those strings of pixels on each port of the Pixie 16.  Setting listed earlier in this thread.  The OP did not mention how many of the mentioned six 50 pixel strings are intended to be used.  In other words, each port was stated to be six strings (assumed to be 50 pixels each or a total of 300 pixels) - which we know can't be done on a Pixie controller.  Is the total number of pixels just one of these (assumed to be) 300 pixel string sets, or are there more of there?  If so, what is the total number of pixels?

 

Found the 170 pixel limit through testing in the Hardware Utility, which is a partial fix to the issue I was having. My plan now is to just separate the strands to 3 a port and work around from there. There are 6 sets of 6 strands (300 pixels) total.

[Kennan]

4 hours ago, Jimehc said:

Thanks for pointing out the mention of a "Pixie16" in the "Title".... (which I overlooked earlier)

For which the Max Pixel Count needs to be set using Hardware Utility..

For which the Max of 170 Pixels Per Port can be addressed...

So I guess the question now is can a port in any way support more than 170 pixels?

[Jimehc]

Not if you using a Light-O-Rama Pixie Series Controller

[TheDucks]

17 minutes ago, Kennan said:

So I guess the question now is can a port in any way support more than 170 pixels?

Besides, A Pixie has a 4A limit per port, 100Pixles can hit that, so Power injection is the way to get the other 70.

I suspect you are going to have other power problems as A Maxed out Bank is 32A (and you have 2 Banks + potential Power Injection)

[Jimehc]

I run 150 Pixels per Port - (37 watts) @ 100% Full White - But I have two (12 Volt) Powers Supplies - one for each side of board...

What it really comes down to - is knowing what you have & how much you need - then it is just basic math....

Edited October 12, 2022 by Jimehc

[Orville]

On 10/12/2022 at 8:42 AM, Jimehc said:

There was no mention of OP using Pixie8 or Pixie16.... With that said, the Example given was for eight Unit ID's, with the OP using 6 of those, thus leaving the last two assigned unit ID's as spares...

 

"COPIED" from Subject {Topic} of this thread: Is is possible to have one Pixie 16 port light up more than two consecutive pixel strands that are connected?

That's where I got the "Pixie 16" from, the very topic that started this thread.

[k6ccc]

19 hours ago, Kennan said:

There are 6 sets of 6 strands (300 pixels) total.

Confirming that you mean six sets of six strings of 50 pixels each - or a total of 36 strings of 50 pixels for a total of 1800 pixels?  If that is correct, since the "new plan" will be to connect three strings of 50 pixels together for each output from the controller, that would use 12 output ports of your Pixie 16 controller.  Not a problem.  With that number of pixels you will need two power supplies for the Pixie (assuming you are using the common 300 to 350 watt power supplies).  If you will not be using the remaining four ports of the Pixie 16, you might even want to arrange the strings so that you use six ports on each side of the controller rather than eight on one side and four on the other (balance the load on the two power supplies).  Remember that WILL result is the Unit IDs being used changing - if you don't understand that statement, ASK.  What kind of prop is this planned for?

 

[dibblejr]

20 hours ago, Kennan said:

So I guess the question now is can a port in any way support more than 170 pixels?

NO