Newbie- fpp programming for matrix display among other q’s

Carlthekiwi

New elf
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
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Hi Guys, new poster here! Writing from Christchurch New Zealand. Looking to expand our display this year by adding in a pixel matrix to our scenery. Excuse the nebie post and apologies if anything has been asked before or seems a little left fold.

If anything has been asked before, if you could point me in the direction of said thread it would be much appreciated :D

We have previously used dumd rgb's controlled through relays and the raspberry pi's gpio outputs to give a simple on and off function to music with our sequences, programed through vixen which was cool to start with. Looking to do more of the same this year, but also hopefully add in a pixel matrix!

i have a few questions around this so hopefully it all makes sense!

Basically my setup this year will be around 12 channels of the same dumb rgbs as last year, well incoroparting the pixel matrix. Hoping to run this all of one raspberry pi with the hanson electronics version of a picap (if this is possible)
Our matix will be around 500pixels consisting of 10x50light strands connected in series.

1) So to start with is it possible to run both the matrix through the picap, well still utilising the pi's gpio pins to control the dumb rgbs ? And is there a trick to programming this easy through vixen or xlights

2) what is the process of setting up the matix through fpp ? Ideally i would like to keep my sequencing files running through fpp without the use of a third party sequencing app to play the sequences (ie everything running standalone through fpp)

3) after the matrix is setup with fpp, what is the process of setting this up with my sequencing software so the sequencing file will talk to fpp and the output to the matrix correctly
I have been using vixen for the last couple of years, but open to switching to xlights if it makes the process easier

Probably more q's but all that is coming off the top of my head at the moment!

Any help or pointing out threads would be appreciated !

Thanks for your time :)
 
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AAH

I love blinky lights :)
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Dec 27, 2010
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Welcome to ACL
The relays should really go. Depending on the current swapping them out for 1 of my 2811DC15's or 2811DC30's will give you easier control and actual dimming control rather than just on/off.
If you went that way then that board can go on the same pixel output as your pixels and can be located anywhere in the string. It would just need to be configured as the right channels in your setup.
There's nothing wrong with Vixen but for support on ACL you'll have much more luck using Xlights.
You can run the Pi in bridge mode so that it appears as an E1.31 controller to your sequencer.
If you want the Pi to be running your show then it would be setup in standalone mode and in the outputs tab the 2811 output/s configured.
Canispater Christmas on youtube has some good Pi/FPP videos and he also has 1 on controlling lights with my 2811DC boards.
 

Lishfish

Full time elf
Joined
Dec 26, 2016
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160
Location
Adelaide
We have previously used dumd rgb's controlled through relays and the raspberry pi's gpio outputs to give a simple on and off function to music with our sequences, programed through vixen which was cool to start with. Looking to do more of the same this year, but also hopefully add in a pixel matrix!
Mind elaborating more on this? Like what was used etc and how it was done? I want to convert our dumb lights to do this. I have relay boards around and probably a bbb somewhere
 
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