HU, Config, Cosmic Color/Pixie Config -Logical ports versus pixel ports

[Obejohnknobe]

Greeting everyone!!

Hope everyone is having a great Holiday Light Season so far!!

I came across an issue with my 4 spinners a few weeks ago and have some questions about HU when it comes to configuring the card for more than 50 pixels.  In HU, when doing a test, the program automatically selected 50 pixels per port during programming the ID.  There is 85 pixels on the spinner and  all 85 pixels lit up in the test lights in HU.  I only notice the spinners when my son-in-law pointed it out to me while testing the show.  When playing a sequence, only 2 out of the 4 spinners would illuminate.    Reprogrammed the card, HU to Config, selected Cosmic Color/Pixie config.  I put 85 pixels per port and left 50 pixels in the logical pixels as instructed from about 2/3 years ago.  Made sure spinners are working in the sequence.

Questions -

Why do we leave logical pixels at 50 if the pixels in port are more?

What is the difference between logical pixels and pixels per port?

Why did all 85 pixels light during the HU light test even though 50 were in the port?

My experience a few years ago was when there were less pixels programmed in the port than on the prop a few pixels would be extinguished.  When the next port would be tested it would light up the ones on the 1st prop that and more would be extinguished on the 2nd prop.  For example there are 51 pixels on my leaping arches.  If port 1 has programmed 50 pixels, only 50 would illuminate.  Select the 2nd port, 1 of the 1st port would illuminate and 49 on the 2nd prop would be illuminated with the last 2 pixels extinguished.

Can anyone enlighten me?

Thank you!!

John

[TheDucks]

Logical is normally left ALONE (50)

but *if* you were to set it to 1, the ports behave as a dumb string. 

💡 This setting is for the BOARD, which is why I prefer not using a bigger Pixie for general use.

Pixels per port sets the packet size (very important when reversed) buffers (1 per port).