Can't output to controller

Trioxide

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I am new to this and trying to use HLS and a PixLite 16 to controll my pixel strips. I read the pdf and looked at the utube videos on configuring the output and everything looks good there. I set the output to Ethernet, E131 and the IP address of my controller. The Status shows green and I enabled the Active tab. If I try to play my sequence now or even using the Test by Manually Turning Lights ON or OFF option I am not seeing anything. I have enabled the Output Active tab. What am I missing? I think I have done everything as I should. Any help would be appreciated.
 

code

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Is your controller connected directly to your computer or your router ? If so I believe you need a cross over Ethernet cable and not a patch cable. If you do connect via a router I.e where your internet comes in box it should work with the patch Ethernet cable .
 

fasteddy

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Also make sure that the IP of your network is in the same range as the IP of the controller and the router (if you are using a router) to make sure its not loosing connection.
 

Trioxide

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I am familiar with all of that as I am a computer technician. I can communicate with the controller using the Advatek Assistant software so I know that works.
 

Superman

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Common problems are usually within the configuration of the software. Make sure that the controller is working with a program like da_e131
If you know the ip address of the controller and the universe numbers for the outputs you should be able to see it working very quickly .
once you get lights working with that you can then check the software your using.
 

Trioxide

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Superman said:
Common problems are usually within the configuration of the software. Make sure that the controller is working with a program like da_e131
If you know the ip address of the controller and the universe numbers for the outputs you should be able to see it working very quickly .
once you get lights working with that you can then check the software your using.


Ok tried da_E131 and works fine so it must be the config in HLS. Here are a couple of pics of the settings.
 

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Superman

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Glad to see you've had progress. Unfortunatly I cant help at all with HLS problems
 

Habbosrus

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Trioxide said:
Superman said:
Common problems are usually within the configuration of the software. Make sure that the controller is working with a program like da_e131
If you know the ip address of the controller and the universe numbers for the outputs you should be able to see it working very quickly .
once you get lights working with that you can then check the software your using.


Ok tried da_E131 and works fine so it must be the config in HLS. Here are a couple of pics of the settings.


Can you zip up your sequence folder, post a link and I'll take a look for you? I've used HLS for the past 3 years.
 

Habbosrus

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Just had a closer look. You need to setup your universes and channels properly. You can't have 4320 channels in one universe. You should have separate universes in your raw channel manager. Universe 1 - 510 channels, U2 = 510 channels, etc. This is how you setup your output method.
Take a look at an old setup of mine.
Capture.JPG


I'm still happy to take a look at your folder if you like or help in any way I can.
 

Trioxide

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Habbosrus said:
Just had a closer look. You need to setup your universes and channels properly. You can't have 4320 channels in one universe. You should have separate universes in your raw channel manager. Universe 1 - 510 channels, U2 = 510 channels, etc. This is how you setup your output method.


Ok, so I changed it so I have 1 universe for each pixel strip which has 120 pixels. Therefore I have 12 universes as I have 12 strips. Now the lights are coming on but I have another problem. When I use the turn all pixels on command not all of them come on. So I stepped through the individual pixels to see. The first strip is fine but when I get to S002P001 then it starts around pixel 75 instead. In wiring I have the 1st and 2nd strips wiring together in bottom to top, top to bottom configuration. What do I need to look for to try and troubleshoot this? Settings in Advatek Assistant, pixel plane,???
 

Habbosrus

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You can troubleshoot this in a couple of areas.


You can have your controller control the zig-zag. Set your controller to zig-zag @ 120 pixels via the Advatek assist.



You can have HLS control the zig-zag via "Output Order" in Output Channel Manager. This is a little more involved, but very achievable (this is how I do it for my matrices).


I think I posted a short video on this subject some time ago over on DIYC. I'll have a look when I get home from work this evening.
 

Trioxide

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I did the Assign Channels to Pixels option in HLS and have it doing the Bottom to Top then Top to Bottom. That is not the problem. When I do the Output - Test By Manually Turning Lights ON or OFF option I step through the channels. Everything works fine for the 1st pixel strip S001P001 - P120. Then when I get to S002P001 it lights up pixel 75, approx, instead and then if I keep stepping through the channels it progesses normally like pixel 76, 77, etc. So it missed pixels 1 to 74 . Also when I get to S002P071 to P120 then nothing lights up, I am guessing as there are no more pixels to light up as it has reached number 120 which is the last pixel in the strip when I got to S002P0070.
I am wondering if it is a setting in Advatek Assistant? Here is a picture of my settings for ths.
 

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Trioxide

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So I went and set each universe in HLS to 170 pixels = 510 channels. This works. Yeah... Just have 1 strip that not all the pixels are lighting under this though. Will have to do some testing and see what is going on. Question though. Why do I have to use all 510 channels in a universe before I can go to the next universe?
 

i13

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You don't usually need to. I'm not familiar with HLS or the PixLite though. In some cases you won't want to use all channels in the universe. 510 channels is 170 pixels so if you only wanted 100 pixels on each controller output, most controllers don't allow you to split a universe across two outputs so you would only use 300 channels out of each universe.
 

Trioxide

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i13 said:
You don't usually need to. In some cases you won't want to use all channels in the universe. 510 channels is 170 pixels so if you only wanted 100 pixels on each controller output, most controllers don't allow you to split a universe across two outputs so you would only use 300 channels out of each universe.


That is why I am asking this question. I have 240 pixels on each output, 2 strips of 120 pixels each, so I put 2 universes of 120 pixels on each output. But this did not work, as I described in a previous post. Only when I used the full 170 pixels, 510 channels, per universe did it work and thus this split the universes across outputs.
 
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