E1.31 to 64ch Hill320 Control Software

[BradsXmasLights]

If anyone has a computerchristmas.com Hill320 controller, I have updated my own controller software to support E1.31 multicast. This means I can now use LightShowPro to control my anicent - but trusty - controller. With Vixen 3 around the corner, and all existing plugins needing to be rewritten accordingly, this should also avoid the no-new-plugin crisis.

A seperate PC is not required - I've had no problem running the app on the same PC as Vixen 2.1

Now the catches:
* This was a fairly crude hack job - DMX universe (multicast IP address) is hardcoded to universe 1, and it's always going to be excepting at least 64channels of data. And there's no error/packet sequence checking.
* Only the first 64channels of the Hill 320 design are supported - since that's all I've ever built electronics (and software) for.

If this is going to help someone out, let me know and I can upload a copy of this.

 

[Superman]

Re: E1.31 to Hill320 Control Software

Great work there driver.

I have no idea what this is about, I must be too young for computerchristmas.

Glad that your lights will still work this year.

 

[BradsXmasLights]

The "Hill320" is Hill Robertson's 320ch parallel port controller design on computerchristmas.com Basically it's a 8bit parallel port interface to 320bit output circuit - with each bit then controlling a single on/off SSR.
I only built the first 64channels - way back in 2002 - so it's an old design by today's standards. But it still works http://christmaslights.netbootdisk.com/controller.htm
Hill's original write up for it is: http://computerchristmas.com/christmas/link-how_to/HowToId-4/How_To_Build_A_Parallel_Port_Controller_Box

EDIT; oh yeah and in 2002 the controller software programmed in DOS/Qbasic

 

[David_AVD]

Great work Driver.

Maybe we can pick you brains for some other (ACL) software projects in the future.