ECG-DR4 / LSP / renard -- Laggy response

dgirard

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Hey!

I'm playing with my new ecg-dr4, new lsp, and old-and-new renard hardware (RenSS8, and Ren48LSD). I'm noticing a pretty significant delay in response on the renards from LSP. During sequence playback as well as simply in "test" hardware...I've also noticed that it sometimes doesn't send the "off" commands...I often have to hit "all off" in test mode several times to get the renards to switch off.

Just for grins I configured channel 2 on the dr4 to support DMX in the same universe (so it would pick up the identical commands and send them out as DMX)...I connected one of the chinese 3 channel DMX boxes on it and have observed that the DMX commands go out right away...it's just the renard that's delayed...

Based on this, I'm assuming it's something going on in the DR4 that's causing the delays. Anyone else tried this configuration with success?

My next step is to try DMX firmward on the renard board...if that changes anything I'll post back here...

Thanks
David
 

dgirard

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OK, renard with DMX firmward seems to correct the response lag in LSP's test mode. I'm having trouble getting LSP to spit out data when it plays back a sequence now...
 

fasteddy

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I have been beta testing some new LSP builds and it seems a lot of the current issues are being adressed. I saw issues with the DR4 output and transitions but this looks to be fixed in the new beta build
 

gunther

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I'm not using ethercon, just straight renards with LSP. I found the lag, but more annoying was that some of the commands just didn't make their way to the renards. AS you mentioned, most annoying with the "off" commands.

I converted the Renards to DMX and magic happened. Everything worked wonderfully. So now everything is on DMX for me this year.
 

j1sys

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We will be testing LSP here real soon. We want to see what problems people are having. I still believe we are looking at an overdriving problem and want to test and verify that.

We are adding a new option "Last In Overrides Pending" (LIOP) that will make the newest arriving packets take priority over packets waiting in the FIFO queue that is being used to transmit the actual DMX signal. This may help smooth some transitions IF they are overdriving the ECG by dropping interim packets instead of queueing up 4 packets and then dropping overruns.

Either way we need to know if people are seeing any counts in their overrun column of the slave stats. These ARE significant and can help us work to identify why the response is not smooth.

-Ed
 

fasteddy

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Im finding that the transitions with the ECG are choppy with the lights flickering on and off, ive tried many different timings and have found that 150 ms allows the transitions to work a bit better but then the whole refesh rate suffers and it still isnt good enough. Hopefully this issue will be solved soon. The same issue is not observed with the LOR or the RPM Enttec pro dongle.
 

fasteddy

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j1sys said:
We will be testing LSP here real soon. We want to see what problems people are having. I still believe we are looking at an overdriving problem and want to test and verify that.

We are adding a new option "Last In Overrides Pending" (LIOP) that will make the newest arriving packets take priority over packets waiting in the FIFO queue that is being used to transmit the actual DMX signal. This may help smooth some transitions IF they are overdriving the ECG by dropping interim packets instead of queueing up 4 packets and then dropping overruns.

Either way we need to know if people are seeing any counts in their overrun column of the slave stats. These ARE significant and can help us work to identify why the response is not smooth.

-Ed

Any idea when LIOP may be available Ed

Thanks
 

steve_hirst

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I know this is an old thread but I can't find how to configure the renard controlers to use the ecg-dr4. am I missing something or did they take it out because of problems? I will admit that I just got lsp and don't know my way around very well.
 

SmartAlecLights

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steve_hirst said:
I know this is an old thread but I can't find how to configure the renard controlers to use the ecg-dr4. am I missing something or did they take it out because of problems? I will admit that I just got lsp and don't know my way around very well.

steve, its a simple matter of setting the jumpers on the DR4 for what channel you want the renards running off
then running normal network lead to the controllers from the dr4.
the DR4 an renards worked great for my first year
 

David_AVD

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Don't the Renard boards come in DMX and "Renard" protocol firmware versions? I would assume the DR4 would only work with a Renard board that has DMX firmware.
 

SmartAlecLights

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david the DR4 works with renard in renard or dmx mode.
the only thing is renards dont have the correct pinout on the rj45 plugs, thats why ed put jumpers on each channel, so you can select what ports will plug an play with renard.

i have 2 ports on the DR4 in Renard pin mode an 2 in standard dmx pin mode.

as for the renard or dmx protocol thats is set on the software side of the DR4 (web interface)

Look carefully behind the ethernet plugs, you'll see the ren/dmx jumpers
ResizedImage600596-DSC0234.JPG
 

fasteddy

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David_AVD said:
Don't the Renard boards come in DMX and "Renard" protocol firmware versions? I would assume the DR4 would only work with a Renard board that has DMX firmware.

No the ECG-DR4 can run both the DMX and Renard protocols or a combination of both
 

j1sys

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To set the record straight ---

DR4 and DMXRen8 do handle Renard boards in either DMX or Renard protocol.

There are two issues to be concerned with:

The software must be configured for either DMX or Renard for each slave.

The jumpers near the RJ45 connectors should be configured for the CABLE configuration. If connecting to a Renard board running DMX or Renard they should be set for 'Ren'. If connected to most standard DMX they should be set to 'DMX'.

-Ed
 
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