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art net with pixel lights

dodgeroododgeroo
in MAIN
Hi all,

Just wanted to share that I've setup Millumin to control pixel lights it and it works quite well. I couldn't find info on this forum before so I'm posting what I found here in case others are curious.

Setup Millumin with artnet box Madrix Nebula and used the UCS1903 protocol. Note that this is not DMX so you need to order lights that accept this protocol. I find DMX to limiting and clunky for this kind of thing.

Cheers,

Comments

  • MilluminMillumin
    Hello @dodgeroo,

    Thank you for sharing your setup.
    Let us know if you test something else :)

    Best. Philippe
  • dodgeroododgeroo
    I came across a hickup.

    Because 170 does not divide into 512, every universe after the first one is offset by one channel.

    Do you have any insight into how to remedy this?

    Cheers,
  • MilluminMillumin
    edited April 2018
    Hello @dodgeroo,

    There is no offset : each universe starts at DMX channel 1 and end at DMX channel 512 (included).
    If your LEDs are RGB, each LED requires 3 DMX channels, so each universe can drive 170 LEDs : from channel 1 to channel 510 (included). The channel 511 and 512 are useless : you cannot connect half-a-led to your universe.

    Does it make sense ? Maybe there is
    You can check on Madrix website : the Nebula drives 170*8 = 1360 x RGB LEDs accross 8 universes (not 512*8/3 = 1365 LEDs, because channels 511 and 512 aren't used).

    Best. Philippe
  • dodgeroododgeroo
    Hi,

    Yes, that describes the problem we are having. I'm looking for a solution.

    I'll try some more stuff today and see if I can sort it out.

    Cheers,
  • dodgeroododgeroo
    got it to work by skipping the 171st RGB pixel light. not awesome but good.
  • MilluminMillumin
     Hello @dodgeroo,

    Not sure to understand your problem : the Matrix Nebula drives 170 LED per Artnet universe,and doesn't use channel 511 and 512, right ? Why do you want to mannage a 171th LED ?
    What do you mean by "skipping the 171th pixel" ? Feel free to share your project (the .millumin file).

    Best. Philippe
  • dodgeroododgeroo
    Hi Philippe,

    Thanks for getting back to me and sorry I wasn't more specific.

    We are actually going to be controlling around 3000 pixel lights for the project.

    Not being able to control the 171st RGB pixel light might be an idiosyncrasy of the automated addressing in the Nebulas? I'm curious as to how other boxes might behave or how others have overcome this issue with either software or hardware.

    Attached is Millumin file

    Because I cannot use channels 511 & 512 of each universe, I have to offset the addressing for each universe and end up loosing 3 channels per universe (the last 2 of the 1st universe and the first one of the 2nd universe). Even if I try and offset the addressing in the opposite way by starting the next fixture at 511 of the 1st universe and rolling over to the next universe it does not work. There is something happening at the point between universes that I can't resolve.

    Cheers,
  • MilluminMillumin
    Hello @dodgeroo,

    I sent you a special version, where the DMX-layer got an option "skip last channels" : uncheck this option, and your LED strip should work as expected.
    Let us know the result here.

    However, this is strange that your Nebula is working like that : most hardwares won't. Also, and this is puzzling me, they advertise supporting 1360 LEDs, so exactly 170 per universe. If the Nebula can work on "half-a-led" at the end of each universe, it should be able to support 1365 LEDs.

    Best. Philippe
  • dodgeroododgeroo
    Hi Philippe,

    Thank you! Your fix made it work perfectly.

    It is strange, I agree. It may be due to the fact that it uses a prtocol other than dmx?

    Cheers,
  • MilluminMillumin
    Hello @dodgeroo,

    All right. This new option will come in the next official update (2.18.q).
    I guess there is an option on your Nebula, that allows the device to treat all the universes as a continuous thing. But this isn't the standard behavior.

    Best. Philippe
  • dodgeroododgeroo
    Something else has come up. It may be specific to the Nebula?

    The Nebula has 2 ports and each port has 4 universes. When I plug in to 1 port, I can control 680 pixel lights or all the 4 universes. When I plug in to port 1 AND to port 2, I can only control 512 pixel lights. Very strange. And strange that it is that number, 512.

    I've attached my Millumin file. I'm going to do some more testing and I'll let you know if I find a solution.

    Best,
    Carey
  • MilluminMillumin
    Hello @dodgeroo,

    From what I can understand, you try to control 1360 LEDs : so using 8 universes to do so (4 universes per Nebula's port).
    If so, you should simply create one DMX layer, starting from universe #17 and having a resolution equal to 1360x1. Indeed, this would send Artnet accross the 8 universes of your Nebula and should do what you want.
    (in your project, you have 2 x DMX layers, controlling 512 LEDs, so using only 3 universes per Nebula's port).

    If the problem persists, you should contact Madrix support, since I don't think the problem comes from Artnet (generated by Millumin), but rather from a misconfiguration on your Nebula (I mean setting up the Nebula's ports correctly).

    Best. Philippe
  • fabiotripsfabiotrips

    @dodgeroo

    I’m using the nebula with madmapper and I encounter the same issue when transitioning from one universe to another.

    Have you ever understood what’s wrong?

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