Falcon Player - Official v1.0 release is now available

CaptainMurdoch

Apprentice elf
Joined
Jan 21, 2013
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The Falcon Player v1.0 is now officially available for download via SourceForge.net.
Thanks to all of those who helped us test by downloading the beta-test SD images.

The new v1.0 image is available for download directly at
https://sourceforge.net/projects/falconpiplayer/files/latest/download

For support, please visit the Falcon Player support forum at
http://falconchristmas.com/forum/index.php/board,8.0.html and the
v1.0 release announcement thread
http://falconchristmas.com/forum/index.php/topic,1584.0.html

Changes in v1.0 include:

* MultiSync
- Video playback can now be synchronized across multiple FPP instances.
This is useful for whole-house projection or running different videos
at the same time on multiple projectors.
- Updated omxplayer version for video playback.
- FPP will now search for hostname-specific versions of sequence and
video media files on Remote FPP instances. When the master plays
'Sequence.fseq', the Remote will first search for
'Sequence-$HostName.fseq' where $HostName is the configured hostname
of the Remote system. If the hostname-specific version is not found,
the Remote will fall back to using the exact name specified by the
Master FPP.

* Real-Time Pixel Overlay
- The Memory Mapped Channel Blocks feature has been renamed to the less-
intimidating "Real-Time Pixel Overlay" or "Pixel Overlay" for short.
Channel Blocks are renamed to "Pixel Overlay Models".
- FPP::MemoryMap Perl Bindings improvements
- When scrolling text messages across a matrix or pixel tree, the text
can now be updated while it is still scrolling. This feature is
useful for displaying text such as countdown timer or a clock.
An example script is provided in the script repository.
- Pixel Overlay Models now have 4 states: Off, On, Transparent, and
TransparentRGB. The Off and On are the same as in previous versions.
Transparent and TransparentRGB allow the sequence data to show through
the overlay wherever the overlay does not have a value assigned. For
instance, this allows you to run a sequence on a matrix and have dynamic
text scrolling across the matrix while the sequence is still showing in
the background.
- The Pixel Overlay Perl module FPP::MemoryMap can mirror data output over
two identical models at the same time.

* Sequences
- New built-in Sequence file format converter - The Falcon Player now includes
a standalone command-line version of the sequence file converter from xLights.
This converter is integrated into the FPP UI, upload your native sequencer
files and convert them to the Falcon Player's .fseq format via the
Uploads tab in the FPP File Manager. Some large sequences may require too
much memory for the Pi and may still need to be converted using xLights
on a PC. Other limitations of the converter are noted in the File Manager UI.
- Additional debugging and parsing of information in the .fseq header.
- Added ability to pause a sequence from the developer.php page for testing.
This only pauses sequences, not any running media.
- Added the ability to single-step a sequence forward or backwards one frame

* Channel Output drivers
- FPD output converted to run in a separate thread. On the newer kernel
and firmware, this output could take around 40ms to run meaning other
outputs were delayed by 40ms. Threading off the SPI write allows FPP
to send data out other channel outputs while waiting on the SPI write
to complete.
- The 'Other' tab on the Channel Output config screen will now list all
output types in the dropdown when adding a new output. If there are no
devices installed which support the selected output, a warning will be
displayed.
- LOR - FPP now supports sending the native LOR protocol for users who aren't
ready or can't switch their LOR hardware over to DMX.
- Triks-C - FPP can now output natively to the Triks-C or Pix-C LEDTriks
interface boards. This allows you to drive your LEDTriks with data from
within your sequences. You can use sequencer effects to control your
LEDTriks panels as if they are a monochrome pixel matrix.
- GPIO - The GPIO driver can drive a GPIO Output pin high or low based
on the value of a channel.
- GPIO-595 - This driver allows you to control *595 Shift Register IC's
by connecting the IC to three of the GPIO Output pins on the Pi.
This driver currently only supports On/Off control, it does not support
dimming.
- Renard - Added the ability to select 8N1 or 8N2 serial parameters.

* GPIO Inputs
- Events can now be triggered on the rising and/or falling of a GPIO Input.
This takes the place of the existing 'Normally Closed' checkbox because
a Normally Closed connection can now make use of the falling Event which
would be activated when the connection opened.
- The GPIO configuration screen now includes the wiringPi GPIO numbers for
users diving deeper into Event Scripts.
- The state of the GPIO Inputs is now read at startup time to account for
Normally Closed vs Normally Open connections to prevent false triggering
at startup.

* General
- The volume level can now be controlled during video playback.
- Enhanced network config scripts to support more configurations
- The 'Shell In A Box' SSH client is now included in the Web UI.
- Outbound email configuration for sending email from Event Scripts.
- Simple Channel Output and Sequence test screen added to the Web UI.
- Added ability to always transmit channel output data even when no
sequence or effect is running.
- Added support for running user hook script during startup and shutdown
- More help screens have been added. Press F1 or click the 'Press F1 for
help' link below the rigth side of the menu bar.
- Shutdown/Reboot buttons moved to footer to be accessible from every page.
- Added Process ID to log output to help debugging thread related issues.
- Enabled Pixel Overlay, Effects, and Event Control Channels in bridge mode.
- Added CPU and Memory utilization numbers to About.php page.
- Allow wpa_supplicant to scan for hidden SSID's
- Plugin system enhancements
- Script repository versioning to indicate a minimum FPP version a script is
compatible with.

* New Advanced Settings
- Option to bridge E1.31 to E1.31 for testing purposes.
- Option to adjust Bridge mode timing interval from default 50ms to 25ms, 40ms, or 100ms.

* Bugfixes
- Fixed fppmm fill mode off-by-one channel error.
- Fixed scheduler bug with playing the wrong playlist when back to back
schedules were configured with no time in between.
- Fixed segfault when Pixel Overlay model channel count was less than 3
- Modified Event Script thread to run at normal priority. Event Scripts
were running at the elevated fppd priority causing resource contention
with fppd.
 
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