E1.31 to 64ch Hill320 Control Software

BradsXmasLights

WiFi Interactive
Joined
Dec 23, 2010
Messages
601
Location
Brisbane, Australia
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

I Have C.L.A.P and its very infectious
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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

WiFi Interactive
Joined
Dec 23, 2010
Messages
601
Location
Brisbane, Australia
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 :D 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 :eek:
 
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