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Questions about triggers


doublea

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I just looked at the show editor, and the forums and the store to realize that inputs have been added to the LOR software.

Question: Can I make it so inputs will only work during a certain sequence?

Ie: during my main sequences I want to have the triggers do nothing, but during my 1 minute time in between songs, I want the triggers to be able to change the color of the house.

Make it interactive for the kids to flip some switches and make the house change, It would make them sooo happy.

I only learned about triggers about 20 mins ago, so ignore my total lack of knowledge.

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Also, (this is more far fetched.)

Trigger to change currently playing track mid sequence

It would be cool if a trigger could change the track that was playing in a sequence, So in the middle of a song/sequence, a trigger could be set off, and it could change the style of the sequence, Ie:

Someone triggers a switch in the middle of a sequence, the house changes from red to blue, but the trigger did not restart the sequence, it simply changed tracks from one to another.

LOL sorry Dan you add one feature it makes us want 5 more :)


I guess I want to look at triggers as a sequence level item and not a show level item. I want triggers to be part of each sequence, not its own separate one...

I know I'm probably asking something that is impossible.

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Question: Can I make it so inputs will only work during a certain sequence?

Ie: during my main sequences I want to have the triggers do nothing, but during my 1 minute time in between songs, I want the triggers to be able to change the color of the house.

There's no direct way to do that. There's a workaround, but it's probably pretty labor intensive, and you might not be able to use it to do exactly what you want. Just in case, though, here it is:

Let's say you currently have a show that's set up with three songs, with a one minute delay between each. You want to add a trigger that's only effective during the delay.

You could accomplish this by getting rid of that show, and instead making four shows. Three of them would contain one of the songs (each), and the fourth would contain only an animation sequence hooked up to a trigger.

You would schedule the first song's show, for the length of that song, then the "delay" show, for a minute, then the second song's show, for the length of that song, then the "delay" show, for a minute, then the third song's show, for the length of that song.

As I said, this would probably be pretty labor intensive. And if you want to additionally use background sequences, it wouldn't really work perfectly (as they would be stopped and started whenever a show ends and a new one begins).

But if you don't want to use background sequences (or don't care about their stop/restart issue), and you're willing to put the necessary labor into it, this scheme should work.
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bob wrote:

Question: Can I make it so inputs will only work during a certain sequence?

Ie: during my main sequences I want to have the triggers do nothing, but during my 1 minute time in between songs, I want the triggers to be able to change the color of the house.

There's no direct way to do that. There's a workaround, but it's probably pretty labor intensive, and you might not be able to use it to do exactly what you want. Just in case, though, here it is:

Let's say you currently have a show that's set up with three songs, with a one minute delay between each. You want to add a trigger that's only effective during the delay.

You could accomplish this by getting rid of that show, and instead making four shows. Three of them would contain one of the songs (each), and the fourth would contain only an animation sequence hooked up to a trigger.

You would schedule the first song's show, for the length of that song, then the "delay" show, for a minute, then the second song's show, for the length of that song, then the "delay" show, for a minute, then the third song's show, for the length of that song.

As I said, this would probably be pretty labor intensive. And if you want to additionally use background sequences, it wouldn't really work perfectly (as they would be stopped and started whenever a show ends and a new one begins).

But if you don't want to use background sequences (or don't care about their stop/restart issue), and you're willing to put the necessary labor into it, this scheme should work.

Humm, I may consider doing that, It is a work around and possible. I don't use background sequences. (I'm one for the entire house going to the music top to bottom, background stuff is just a distraction.)

Just to make sure I have this correct: These would all be separate shows scheduled in the schedule editor, I would have 4 shows (say each is 3 mins long) + the 1 min break. (I'm probably only going to do the break once per 3 songs) (It's really just time for cars to move around.)

Only 15 shows per hour to schedual, not too bad, Proibly wonld only take about one hour of clicking to get it to work. 60 shows a night...

I just hope the lag time inbetween shows is not londer than a few seconds. (I guess I have some testing to do.)

Thank you bob!


(Though I still whish somehow triggers could be a sequence level type elment.)
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Just to make sure I have this correct: These would all be separate shows scheduled in the schedule editor, I would have 4 shows (say each is 3 mins long) + the 1 min break. (I'm probably only going to do the break once per 3 songs) (It's really just time for cars to move around.)

Well, keep in mind that you don't really need a show for each song. You only need a show for each set of songs that doesn't have a delay in it.

So if you're going to do:
  • Song 1
  • Song 2
  • Song 3
  • Delay
  • Song 4
  • Song 5
  • Song 6

Then you only need three shows:

  • Show 1 = Song 1, Song 2, Song 3
  • Show 2 = Delay
  • Show 3 = Song 4, Song 5, Song 6

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Also, don't forget that background sequences can be useful for things you might not initially think about..

I had a background sequence that just turned on two channels. Each channel had a single LED C9.. One of them lit up the sensor for the landscape lighting, and another one lit up the sensor for the porch light. Neither one was visible from the street. For me, it was a nice way to get my porch light and landscape lights to stay off during the show, and turn on right after it was over for the night...

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bob wrote:

Just to make sure I have this correct: These would all be separate shows scheduled in the schedule editor, I would have 4 shows (say each is 3 mins long) + the 1 min break. (I'm probably only going to do the break once per 3 songs) (It's really just time for cars to move around.)

Well, keep in mind that you don't really need a show for each song. You only need a show for each set of songs that doesn't have a delay in it.

So if you're going to do:
  • Song 1
  • Song 2
  • Song 3
  • Delay
  • Song 4
  • Song 5
  • Song 6

Then you only need three shows:

  • Show 1 = Song 1, Song 2, Song 3
  • Show 2 = Delay
  • Show 3 = Song 4, Song 5, Song 6


Yep yep, this is why I said 15 shows per hour, Sorry I changed my math mid paragraph! Hehe.

Thanks again,

And for the suggestions for background sequences I'm sure they are helpful for many things. Right now I got triggers on the brain! Lol
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Ok so im ready to buy two trigger boards (the add on for thr ctb16pc)

But I want to know if i should also purchase a new usb adaper, I asked this in the other forum, but I havent gotten a responce.

I heard the basic usb adapter has a hard time sending trigger commands during a show because it is slower.

(I currently have the basic usb adapter)

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From the LOR brochure on the adapters:

http://www.lightorama.com/Documents/RS485_Adapters.pdf

LOR adapter sheet under USB-485B wrote:

Supports quick RS485 line turn-around to permit
rapid polling of controller inputs during a
show (future software release)

[align=left]




That is a fairly old document, but it suggests that the USB-485B wastes less time transitioning between transmit and receive, which would imply to me less wasted that would otherwise be potential command bandwidth...

Of course, I have no idea if they actually take advantage of this in the current software, or if they found a way around it for the other adapters.

It's probably something that won't matter to users under 128, to 256 channels anyway..
[/align]
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Jeff Millard wrote:

I have tested both the USB485B and the SC485, and there is no difference in the operation of the triggers. I have CTB-16 standard, CTB-16D, (both in green) a CTB-16D (blue) and CTB-16PC boards. The operation of the triggers is the same across the board. There was no lag in trigger response time due to the choice of RS485 adapter.

Jeff

I can assume the SC485 is exactly the same as the USB485?

Well every cool, I think im going to order 2 or 3 trigger add on boards today.

I have the CTB16PC boards, So I only get two inputs per board. (I remember reading somewhere that currently one trigger expects always open, and the other trigger expects always closed? So does this mean we only have one trigger right now? I Just want to use a simple button (Like the try me button on those electronic holiday decorations.) But that button does not have always closed type behavior.

Thnaks again for all the replies.

Triggers make my head spin, and I'm glad other people know whats going on. I really want to make use of triggers, one of the main reasons I got LOR in the first place.
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Just tossing out another idea for controlling when triggers are active: use one channel for a relay that completes the circuit between the controller and switches. Turn that channel on when you want to enable user control of the show. It's a little kludgy, but does the job, right?

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DanCampbell wrote:

Just tossing out another idea for controlling when triggers are active: use one channel for a relay that completes the circuit between the controller and switches. Turn that channel on when you want to enable user control of the show. It's a little kludgy, but does the job, right?




My project for the last few days, used rj-45 connectors so I can put my buttons wherever i want them, and just buy a longer cable if i need to. Its nice one Ethernet cable supports up to 7 buttons.

And this was my second soder job ever, dont laugh :P

more photos here: http://cid-5bb19d612a892687.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Light%20Show%202009


CIMG1797.jpg
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-klb- wrote:

From the LOR brochure on the adapters:

http://www.lightorama.com/Documents/RS485_Adapters.pdf

LOR adapter sheet under USB-485B wrote:
Supports quick RS485 line turn-around to permit
rapid polling of controller inputs during a
show (future software release)



[align=left]




That is a fairly old document, but it suggests that the USB-485B wastes less time transitioning between transmit and receive, which would imply to me less wasted that would otherwise be potential command bandwidth...

Of course, I have no idea if they actually take advantage of this in the current software, or if they found a way around it for the other adapters.

It's probably something that won't matter to users under 128, to 256 channels anyway..
[/align]


---------------

It turns out that the time difference is not noticable today. There will be software improvements down the road that will take advantages that are not being used today.

Dan
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doublea wrote:

My project for the last few days, used rj-45 connectors so I can put my buttons wherever i want them, and just buy a longer cable if i need to. Its nice one Ethernet cable supports up to 7 buttons.

Just one suggestion: You might want to wire your RJ-45 jacks so that the colors on the wires in the external cable match the colors on the wire in the cable inside your box. Assuming your plugs are wired to the T568B standard (most are), you should wire the jack as follows:

Pin 1 white/orange - blue
Pin 2 orange/white - orange
Pin 3 white/green - black
Pin 4 blue/white - red
Pin 5 white/blue - green
Pin 6 green/white - yellow
Pin 7 white/brown - brown
Pin 8 brown/white - grey or white

You already wired pins 7 and 8 this way.
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