smeighan
Dedicated elf
While at the Academy , Dave Pitts was showing his Rhasberry Pi Player (http://www.amazon.com/Raspberry-Pi-Model-Revision-512MB/dp/B009SQQF9C)
Here are the technical words from Daves site http://falconchristmas.com/forum/index.php?topic=26.0
Features of the software.
* Outputs at least 128 Universes of E131
* Plays music files and outputs audio on 3.5mm jack.
* Embedded web page configuration.
Setup playlists, schedules, upload sequence and music files. Setup optional RDS feature.
* Uses a user defined NTP server to keep accurate time.
* FTP Server (Optional)
Can be used to transfer files to player. FTP transfers of 64 MB sequence files are averaging 10 seconds.
* Optional Server and Client operation by using inexpensive USB wireless interface in each.
Using USB wireless card in both server and clients will allow E131 data to be transmitted on hard wired interface
and have all sync information sent on wireless interface. Allowing for a small amount of data on the wireless sync network.
USB network interfaces are about $10.00.
* Optional RTC clock board if NTP is not available.
* Optional RDS ASCII output.
*Play video on 1080p HDMI output.
* Client and slave will be same software just a configuration change.
* Output up to 32768 channel for Pixelnet, 6144 channels of DMX. 12 RS-485 circuits. (Optional Falcon Pixelnet/DMX board (FPD) needed)
Xlights is used to convert sequence data to FPP file format.
Here are my words, Freakin Awesome!!
I have never seen my sequences run so crisply. You probably know that my lights are mounted in my basement ceiling (https://vimeo.com/67334993). I run sequences hundreds of times per year as I develop Nutcracker. I have never seen my sequences look this good!
how it works.
Basically, pi player runs your show (Think of it as the scheduler of xLights and my show computer is now on this small board).
This is now my new show computer
The Rhasberry Pi is running a full Linux OS and has two video outputs (Composite and HDMI), audio, ethernet, 2 usb ports, a sd card and other stuff.
Dave is writing the software to run the Pi and he is giving it away for free. It will be open sourced the same as xLights, Vixen and Nutcracker.
Dave has now tested that the Rhasberry Pi will be able to output 1080p Video during your show. He is developing slaves that will be connected wireless.
So how does this all work
After getting the PI setup
1) you open a browser to address 192.168.0.2. You will now get a Falcon Pi setup screen.
2)You first upload your sequences. Your Vixen, LOR, LSP, Xlights sequences need to be converted into Pi Sequence files. You will find this option on the Convert tab of xLights.
3)You also need to upload your mp3 music files and any mp4 video files you might want in your show. Want Virtual Santa timed as part of show? You now can get it.
4)You next go to a screen to create play lists, and schedule your show.
5)You can start the show, start a song, stop a song immediately or gracefully. The scheduler will have all the options that xLights scheduler has.
You want to change a song? Use the ftp option and upload a new Pi Sequence file. You can do this while the current sequence is playing. There is zero lag while the file uploads!
I ran the full Wizards of Winter on my 7200 channel tree and saw zero latency, all audacity timing marks were spot on.
This pi player can be used with all hardware controllers (P12r, E682, Etherdongle, Falcon FPD, others that have E1.31 input). You can get DMX output depending on your controller. Currently there is NOT a solution for the legacy LOR proprietary controllers. So if you use E1.31 and/or DMX, this will work.
Here is picture showing how it ties together
http://nutcracker123.com/nutcracker/images/falcon_pi.pdf
MyKroft and Mat er Daddy are helping Dave develop the software, Software is supposed to be available for download within next 1-2 weeks.
Simply amazing ....
sean
Here are the technical words from Daves site http://falconchristmas.com/forum/index.php?topic=26.0
Features of the software.
* Outputs at least 128 Universes of E131
* Plays music files and outputs audio on 3.5mm jack.
* Embedded web page configuration.
Setup playlists, schedules, upload sequence and music files. Setup optional RDS feature.
* Uses a user defined NTP server to keep accurate time.
* FTP Server (Optional)
Can be used to transfer files to player. FTP transfers of 64 MB sequence files are averaging 10 seconds.
* Optional Server and Client operation by using inexpensive USB wireless interface in each.
Using USB wireless card in both server and clients will allow E131 data to be transmitted on hard wired interface
and have all sync information sent on wireless interface. Allowing for a small amount of data on the wireless sync network.
USB network interfaces are about $10.00.
* Optional RTC clock board if NTP is not available.
* Optional RDS ASCII output.
*Play video on 1080p HDMI output.
* Client and slave will be same software just a configuration change.
* Output up to 32768 channel for Pixelnet, 6144 channels of DMX. 12 RS-485 circuits. (Optional Falcon Pixelnet/DMX board (FPD) needed)
Xlights is used to convert sequence data to FPP file format.
Here are my words, Freakin Awesome!!
I have never seen my sequences run so crisply. You probably know that my lights are mounted in my basement ceiling (https://vimeo.com/67334993). I run sequences hundreds of times per year as I develop Nutcracker. I have never seen my sequences look this good!
how it works.
Basically, pi player runs your show (Think of it as the scheduler of xLights and my show computer is now on this small board).
This is now my new show computer
The Rhasberry Pi is running a full Linux OS and has two video outputs (Composite and HDMI), audio, ethernet, 2 usb ports, a sd card and other stuff.
Dave is writing the software to run the Pi and he is giving it away for free. It will be open sourced the same as xLights, Vixen and Nutcracker.
Dave has now tested that the Rhasberry Pi will be able to output 1080p Video during your show. He is developing slaves that will be connected wireless.
So how does this all work
After getting the PI setup
1) you open a browser to address 192.168.0.2. You will now get a Falcon Pi setup screen.
2)You first upload your sequences. Your Vixen, LOR, LSP, Xlights sequences need to be converted into Pi Sequence files. You will find this option on the Convert tab of xLights.
3)You also need to upload your mp3 music files and any mp4 video files you might want in your show. Want Virtual Santa timed as part of show? You now can get it.
4)You next go to a screen to create play lists, and schedule your show.
5)You can start the show, start a song, stop a song immediately or gracefully. The scheduler will have all the options that xLights scheduler has.
You want to change a song? Use the ftp option and upload a new Pi Sequence file. You can do this while the current sequence is playing. There is zero lag while the file uploads!
I ran the full Wizards of Winter on my 7200 channel tree and saw zero latency, all audacity timing marks were spot on.
This pi player can be used with all hardware controllers (P12r, E682, Etherdongle, Falcon FPD, others that have E1.31 input). You can get DMX output depending on your controller. Currently there is NOT a solution for the legacy LOR proprietary controllers. So if you use E1.31 and/or DMX, this will work.
Here is picture showing how it ties together
http://nutcracker123.com/nutcracker/images/falcon_pi.pdf
MyKroft and Mat er Daddy are helping Dave develop the software, Software is supposed to be available for download within next 1-2 weeks.
Simply amazing ....
sean