Help with light testing

[goob]

I have a hinkspix pro controller connected to a long range receiver. I completed controller configuration with ip address.
I watched holiday coro on testing the lights using the hinkspix page. I followed it step by step and can't get the lights to turn on. I tried testing in xlights and no luck. Only way I can get the lights to come on is the actual test button on the receiver. I'm new to this and I'm sure it's something simple but can't get it figured out. Any help is appreciated

 

[DarkwinX]

Different controller but maybe the logic will help - One thing that I worked out when half my lights were working was to set the number of lights connected to the port. They were set to 50 and I had 100. Then I watched something that said in xlights you can push your xlights settings into the controller from the controller setup so this would've achieved the same result..

 

[goob]

So I deleted controller in xlights. I added a new E131 controller. Configured that in xlights. I went to hinkspix controller web page and uploaded a test design. Under active boards in hinkspix ports 1-16 I selected long range. Long range board 1 assignment I selected jack1 with cbl1. Under controller design I have 1 mini tree connected so index is 1, name is tree1, channel count is 300 (1 string @100 nodes=300 channels), univ:chan is 1:300. Under LR receivers attached to cat5 cable 1 is smart4 under type, board I'd is 0, physical ports under port 1 is tree1 for string name, and blank Under start pixel. When I go to test outputs, the only option I can choose is the 33-48 LR expansion ports. I click on it and get test screen for ports 33-48. So even though the physical port on the receiver is 1, it is actually port 33? If so, the light test is successful using controller configuration page. I have blinks lights! So why can't I get them to light up in xlights test*

 

[merryoncherry]

I use HinksPix Pro controllers a lot with good results and would be happy to help you. There are a lot of things it could be, so there will have to be a bit of back-and-forth on this.

Here are a few things I've learned.
1. Port numbers depend on how your unit is assembled. If you have the model or a picture the inside of the box that would help. Generally there's the Hinks CPU board, and a stack of up to 3 output boards under it, connected with ribbon cables. Where the ribbon cables go determines the port numbers, usually the board right under is port 1-16, 17-32 is the one under it, and 33-48 is the bottom one.
2. Like @DarkwinX said, don't follow the HolidayCoro videos if you are using xLights. Joe Hinkle had a very controller-centric view of the world and built a lot of features into the controller that you won't use if you're using xLights. You'll use the controller web pages very little. Put everything in xLights (controller IP, and other info, use the port settings in the layout tab or the visualizer on the controller tab to tell xLights what port everything is on). Then tell xLights to "upload to controller" and you'll be all set. (Use web page to verify / troubleshoot.)
3. You didn't say if you are using smart receivers or regular. Controllers that shipped in June/July 2022 timeframe have a firmware bug that prevents them from configuring their smart receivers. Update the firmware to at least version 110 if you have a Hinks Pro that was delivered to you this year.
4. Don't use DDP even though it is listed as a choice.

Hope this helps. There are a lot of other simple things that could be wrong too, however. We might need screen shots starting from the xLights controller tab, the Hinks port configuration web page, and the Hinks input page.

 

[goob]

UPDATE: When I went in to configure my mini tree, I changed it to universe 1 start channel 33 and now I can control the lights for the mini tree I'm testing in xlights. ONLY PROBLEM IS WHEN I TEST THE COLOR TO BE SOLID RED IT IS BLUE. What am I missing? I'm at least getting closer.

 

[merryoncherry]

Hum, this is going to be a painful process if you go about it this way. How did you get start channel 33?
There are some assumptions I'll make here, that you're using RGB pixels. (These take 3 channels per pixel, one for R, G, B. Unless they are GRB pixels or something else where the channel order is different, or RGBW where there are more than 3 channels per pixel. Not the most likely thing, but it does happen.)

33 then would be a weird start channel. 1, 4, 7, ... , 31 and 34 would be good start channels for RGB pixels. 33 would... put the red data onto a blue channel.

 

[goob]

I use HinksPix Pro controllers a lot with good results and would be happy to help you. There are a lot of things it could be, so there will have to be a bit of back-and-forth on this.

Here are a few things I've learned.
1. Port numbers depend on how your unit is assembled. If you have the model or a picture the inside of the box that would help. Generally there's the Hinks CPU board, and a stack of up to 3 output boards under it, connected with ribbon cables. Where the ribbon cables go determines the port numbers, usually the board right under is port 1-16, 17-32 is the one under it, and 33-48 is the bottom one.
2. Like @DarkwinX said, don't follow the HolidayCoro videos if you are using xLights. Joe Hinkle had a very controller-centric view of the world and built a lot of features into the controller that you won't use if you're using xLights. You'll use the controller web pages very little. Put everything in xLights (controller IP, and other info, use the port settings in the layout tab or the visualizer on the controller tab to tell xLights what port everything is on). Then tell xLights to "upload to controller" and you'll be all set. (Use web page to verify / troubleshoot.)
3. You didn't say if you are using smart receivers or regular. Controllers that shipped in June/July 2022 timeframe have a firmware bug that prevents them from configuring their smart receivers. Update the firmware to at least version 110 if you have a Hinks Pro that was delivered to you this year.
4. Don't use DDP even though it is listed as a choice.

Hope this helps. There are a lot of other simple things that could be wrong too, however. We might need screen shots starting from the xLights controller tab, the Hinks port configuration web page, and the Hinks input page.

They are smart. I received the receivers and most of the controllers in April/May. How would I do a firmware update? I used light o rama for 25vyears so this is all new to me. I got the mini tree to test in xlights. I changed my mini treevto universe 1channel 33 and it worked. My problem now is the lights are supposed to be all red instead they are all blue. Here are some pics of what I have going.

 

[goob]

Hum, this is going to be a painful process if you go about it this way. How did you get start channel 33?
There are some assumptions I'll make here, that you're using RGB pixels. (These take 3 channels per pixel, one for R, G, B. Unless they are GRB pixels or something else where the channel order is different, or RGBW where there are more than 3 channels per pixel. Not the most likely thing, but it does happen.)

33 then would be a weird start channel. 1, 4, 7, ... , 31 and 34 would be good start channels for RGB pixels. 33 would... put the red data onto a blue channel.

I think I got confused because in the hinkspix controller web page the only tab I could use in the test outputs was 33-48 LR Expansion ports so I assigned to port 33 on visualizer.

 

[goob]

I think I got confused because in the hinkspix controller web page the only tab I could use in the test outputs was 33-48 LR Expansion ports so I assigned to port 33 on visualizer.

 

[merryoncherry]

Assigning to port 33 may be reasonable, and appears consistent with how your box is cabled. That's not the same as a channel number however. We'll get to that in a moment.

First, do yourself a huge favor and watch this video to learn the best way to configure this hardware:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2X7jB3ildk


If you do it another way, you will lose your sanity quickly. If you have more than a few props and smart receivers, and you make any changes, you will quickly get frustrated/tired/insane if you do it manually in the controller web pages. xLights still needs to know anyway.

I don't know you well enough to tell if you think this way, but for me it helped to build a mental model of how the controller works. Each color (R, G, B) of each pixel is a channel of 8-bit data.
Data from xLights in E1.31 form (universes+channels) -> controller's internal memory buffer, numbered with "controller channels" -> output port mapping based on start controller channel and number of pixels on that port.

For sending data to the controller, don't worry too much. Let xLights do it. (I would change the universe from 1 to another number, theoretically it doesn't matter but practically it has helped me sometimes.) xLights will transfer the channel data it has over to the controller. There is only one wrinkle here, primarily affecting the 16-port smart receivers... based on how xLights can/can't break up contiguous ranges of channels, you may have to click "Universe Per String" in your configuration.

The harder part is the port map, which says that the data for Port 33 comes from some controller channel. There's also some detail expanded under that to delegate parts of that data stream to different smart receivers. This is another great thing to have xLights manage for you... best explained in the video if you need details.

When you click "Upload to Controller" it'll take care of all of this for you. Just do that.

 

[goob]

Ok, ill check out that video and try it. I will get back with you on the results. Thanks a ton. BTW, my insanity started long before this. Ha

 

[merryoncherry]

How would I do a firmware update?

The simple answer to this is to connect the controller such that it can access the public internet and it will do it by itself on reboot. There is another way involving the SD card, follow the HolidayCoro instructions for that.

Worth checking the version you already have. Look in the spot where I put the red box.

 

[merryoncherry]

Ok, ill check out that video and try it. I will get back with you on the results. Thanks a ton. BTW, my insanity started long before this. Ha

1 year ago today, mid October, I was in pretty much the exact same spot you are in, going "mano a mano" with the Hinks for the first time, but without the benefit of any LoR experience. That video saved me. Got a show a lot of people liked, and you'll get there too.

 

[DarkwinX]

I hadn't heard of the Hinks when researching for my first buys. Is it mostly popular in the states? It seems to operate similar to the f48 using cat and RJ45 to send data to receivers.

 

[goob]

Assigning to port 33 may be reasonable, and appears consistent with how your box is cabled. That's not the same as a channel number however. We'll get to that in a moment.

First, do yourself a huge favor and watch this video to learn the best way to configure this hardware:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2X7jB3ildk


If you do it another way, you will lose your sanity quickly. If you have more than a few props and smart receivers, and you make any changes, you will quickly get frustrated/tired/insane if you do it manually in the controller web pages. xLights still needs to know anyway.

I don't know you well enough to tell if you think this way, but for me it helped to build a mental model of how the controller works. Each color (R, G, B) of each pixel is a channel of 8-bit data.
Data from xLights in E1.31 form (universes+channels) -> controller's internal memory buffer, numbered with "controller channels" -> output port mapping based on start controller channel and number of pixels on that port.

For sending data to the controller, don't worry too much. Let xLights do it. (I would change the universe from 1 to another number, theoretically it doesn't matter but practically it has helped me sometimes.) xLights will transfer the channel data it has over to the controller. There is only one wrinkle here, primarily affecting the 16-port smart receivers... based on how xLights can/can't break up contiguous ranges of channels, you may have to click "Universe Per String" in your configuration.

The harder part is the port map, which says that the data for Port 33 comes from some controller channel. There's also some detail expanded under that to delegate parts of that data stream to different smart receivers. This is another great thing to have xLights manage for you... best explained in the video if you need details.

When you click "Upload to Controller" it'll take care of all of this for you. Just do that.

My Main CPU is 113. I watched the video. I set up controller as in the video. Oh my, IT WORKED! And now when I choose tree to be red, it's red. Man, thanks so much for the help.