ECG-P2 Strobe Software (and P12R, P12S ....)

J

j1sys

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Attached is a new release for ECG-P2 that includes strobe options.

There is a new main menu item for strobe configuration which will bring up a configuration screen. There are two logical sections to the screen.

The first section sets up one or more control universes that can be used to change the configuration on the fly. Each strobe configuration will use 32 bytes/slots/channels of DMX information. You can use the same configuration block for multiple strings, share a single control universe over several strings using different starting slots (1,33,65 ... are recommended), or have a separate control universe for each string. The control universe is separate from the universe assigned to the string on the string configuration page. It is not required if you just want a static strobe flash pattern as defined by the defaults.

The second section sets up the default strobe settings that will be applied at reset. If the strobe effect is not active then the string will operate as normal with its string universe. If the strobe effect is active, either by default or be receipt of a control universe then it will be enabled or disabled and operate with the parameters until the device is reset or another control universe is received.

Strobe options are:

Active - True/False (T/F) strobe effect active
R - static Red color level (0-255) or maximum value if the random colors option is enabled
G - static Green color level (0-255) or maximum value if the random colors option is enabled
B - static Blue color level (0-255) or maximum value if the random colors option is enabled
OnMS - number of milliseconds each strobe pattern should be on or maximum value if random OnMS is enabled
OffMS - number of milliseconds each strobe pattern should be off/blank or maximum value if random OffMS is enabled
DensPct - approximate active pixel percentage during each strobe pattern (1-100) or maximum value if random DensPct is enabled
Rnd Col - T/F enables random colors. Each R/G/B will be independently varied from 0 to the maximum value for R/G/B
Rnd Int - T/F enable random intensity. Each R/G/B will be scaled by the same random value. approximates an intensity change subject to pixel color curves
Rnd On - T/F enable random OnMS. Varies the OnMS from 0 to the maximum value.
Rnd Off - T/F enable random OffMS. Varies the OffMS from 0 to the maximum value.
Rnd Den - T/F enable random DensPct. Varies the DensPct from 0 to the maximum value.
Each control universe should contain at least 16 bytes/slots/channels of information. for future compatibility to Compiler Object Oriented Lighting (COOL) options we recommend allocating 32 bytes/slots/channels.
The first two bytes must contain a signature and complement. Uses the values 85 and 170 or 0x55 and 0xAA in hex.
Slot 1 = 85 (0x55) – strobe signature
Slot 2 = 170 (0xAA) – strobe signature complement
Slot 3 = Strobe Active (0 = off, 1 or more = on)
Slot 4 = R (0-255)
Slot 5 = G (0-255)
Slot 6 = B (0-255)
Slot 7/8 = lo/hi millisecond ON. For simple 1-255 you can just use Slot 7 and set Slot 8 to zero. Otherwise you need to learn how to do lo/hi splits!!
Slot 9/10 = lo/hi millisecond OFF. For simple 0-255 you can just use Slot 9 and set Slot 10 to zero. Otherwise you need to learn how to do lo/hi splits!!
Slot 11 = Density Percentage (1-100)
Slot 12 = Random Color (0 = off, 1 or more = on)
Slot 13 = Random Intensity (0 = off, 1 or more = on)
Slot 14 = Random ON Duration (0 = off, 1 or more = on)
Slot 15 = Random OFF Duration (0 = off, 1 or more = on)
Slot 16 = Random Density (0 = off, 1 or more = on)
Slot 17 - 32 = unused – for expansion – fill with 0

I played with a Vixen sequence where I change the parameters every 2 second in a 10 second loop.


1 = 85,170,1,255,0,0,25,0,25,0,50,0,0,0,0,0
2 = 85,170,1,0,255,0,50,0,50,0,25,0,0,0,0,0
3 = 85,170,1,0,0,255,75,0,75,0,50,0,0,0,0,0
4 = 85,170,1,255,0,255,25,0,25,0,25,0,0,0,0,0
5 = 85,170,1,255,255,255,50,0,50,0,100,0,0,0,0,0


Working on adding same option to P12S and will have it soon.


-Ed
 
Re: ECG-P2 Strobe Software

sounds cool!

Know what i'll be doing tonight.

Sounds like I don't have to allocate an entire output to be strobes, can use one (or more) of four string on each output?

Cheers,
Rowan
 
Re: ECG-P2 Strobe Software

Sounds great Ed.


Just received some strobe strings from Ray, carn't wait to give it a go, looking forward to the strobe effect on the 12s as it will fit in nicely with my mega tree. So to get these strobes to work, as they run on the green channel, do I just make sure I have a value >0 in slot 5 (plus all appropriate options for the other slots)?
 
Re: ECG-P2 Strobe Software

I was under the impression that Ray's strobes were going to be 3 whites on R, G, and B. the best thing is to play with the HTML defaults and then worry about mapping the results to the control universe. But if they work on Green only then yes, Slot 5 would be your controlling slot. of course you still need the signatures, active, onMS, offMS, densPct, and any other options you want to use.

-Ed

Also P12S and P12R versions should be done tomorrow.
 
Re: ECG-P2 Strobe Software

Ed, 1 white led similar to the ACl strobes, tested them and working on green channel, will download the update and try it out when i get home from work. Not sure how the control universe is triggered in the sequence but am sure once I have a look at the P2's web page it will make more sense, also things like will the whole string strobe or can certain pixels in the string strobe and not others etc.
 
Re: ECG-P2 Strobe Software

The Ray Wu strobes are on the first channel only of RGB and are only white leds, but they are much brighter than mixing the colors to get white.


j1sys said:
I was under the impression that Ray's strobes were going to be 3 whites on R, G, and B. the best thing is to play with the HTML defaults and then worry about mapping the results to the control universe. But if they work on Green only then yes, Slot 5 would be your controlling slot. of course you still need the signatures, active, onMS, offMS, densPct, and any other options you want to use.

-Ed

Also P12S and P12R versions should be done tomorrow.
Click to expand...
 
Re: ECG-P2 Strobe Software

Ed, I do see a problem with how the Universes are selected to get the strobe effects going. I would really want to see that if the strobe effect is turned on then the controller ignores the traffic for the other Universe on that string until the strobe is turned off. So the strobe on is sort of an override High priority for that string.
The reason is that Madrix for example will always send 0's when in black mode and will keep effecting the strobes.
I have been playing with the strobes on both the strobe strings and regular pixel strings and it can be hard to control if the primary universe on that string is receiving traffic.

j1sys said:
Attached is a new release for ECG-P2 that includes strobe options.

There is a new main menu item for strobe configuration which will bring up a configuration screen. There are two logical sections to the screen.

The first section sets up one or more control universes that can be used to change the configuration on the fly. Each strobe configuration will use 32 bytes/slots/channels of DMX information. You can use the same configuration block for multiple strings, share a single control universe over several strings using different starting slots (1,33,65 ... are recommended), or have a separate control universe for each string. The control universe is separate from the universe assigned to the string on the string configuration page. It is not required if you just want a static strobe flash pattern as defined by the defaults.

The second section sets up the default strobe settings that will be applied at reset. If the strobe effect is not active then the string will operate as normal with its string universe. If the strobe effect is active, either by default or be receipt of a control universe then it will be enabled or disabled and operate with the parameters until the device is reset or another control universe is received.

Strobe options are:

Active - True/False (T/F) strobe effect active
R - static Red color level (0-255) or maximum value if the random colors option is enabled
G - static Green color level (0-255) or maximum value if the random colors option is enabled
B - static Blue color level (0-255) or maximum value if the random colors option is enabled
OnMS - number of milliseconds each strobe pattern should be on or maximum value if random OnMS is enabled
OffMS - number of milliseconds each strobe pattern should be off/blank or maximum value if random OffMS is enabled
DensPct - approximate active pixel percentage during each strobe pattern (1-100) or maximum value if random DensPct is enabled
Rnd Col - T/F enables random colors. Each R/G/B will be independently varied from 0 to the maximum value for R/G/B
Rnd Int - T/F enable random intensity. Each R/G/B will be scaled by the same random value. approximates an intensity change subject to pixel color curves
Rnd On - T/F enable random OnMS. Varies the OnMS from 0 to the maximum value.
Rnd Off - T/F enable random OffMS. Varies the OffMS from 0 to the maximum value.
Rnd Den - T/F enable random DensPct. Varies the DensPct from 0 to the maximum value.
Each control universe should contain at least 16 bytes/slots/channels of information. for future compatibility to Compiler Object Oriented Lighting (COOL) options we recommend allocating 32 bytes/slots/channels.
The first two bytes must contain a signature and complement. Uses the values 85 and 170 or 0x55 and 0xAA in hex.
Slot 1 = 85 (0x55) – strobe signature
Slot 2 = 170 (0xAA) – strobe signature complement
Slot 3 = Strobe Active (0 = off, 1 or more = on)
Slot 4 = R (0-255)
Slot 5 = G (0-255)
Slot 6 = B (0-255)
Slot 7/8 = lo/hi millisecond ON. For simple 1-255 you can just use Slot 7 and set Slot 8 to zero. Otherwise you need to learn how to do lo/hi splits!!
Slot 9/10 = lo/hi millisecond OFF. For simple 0-255 you can just use Slot 9 and set Slot 10 to zero. Otherwise you need to learn how to do lo/hi splits!!
Slot 11 = Density Percentage (1-100)
Slot 12 = Random Color (0 = off, 1 or more = on)
Slot 13 = Random Intensity (0 = off, 1 or more = on)
Slot 14 = Random ON Duration (0 = off, 1 or more = on)
Slot 15 = Random OFF Duration (0 = off, 1 or more = on)
Slot 16 = Random Density (0 = off, 1 or more = on)
Slot 17 - 32 = unused – for expansion – fill with 0

I played with a Vixen sequence where I change the parameters every 2 second in a 10 second loop.


1 = 85,170,1,255,0,0,25,0,25,0,50,0,0,0,0,0
2 = 85,170,1,0,255,0,50,0,50,0,25,0,0,0,0,0
3 = 85,170,1,0,0,255,75,0,75,0,50,0,0,0,0,0
4 = 85,170,1,255,0,255,25,0,25,0,25,0,0,0,0,0
5 = 85,170,1,255,255,255,50,0,50,0,100,0,0,0,0,0


Working on adding same option to P12S and will have it soon.


-Ed
Click to expand...
 
Re: ECG-P2 Strobe Software

I do agree with Neil. The turning on of a strobe should turn off the direct universe.

I originally used only the same universe and it was all or nothing at setup time. Then, with Neil's input, I added the optional control universe layer separate from the data universe.

I will change to that paradigm and release a new v2.9 along with the P12R and P12S code later today.

On the R/G/B vs white channels. I think the flexibility of the RGB is valid as you can strobe colored strings or use just one channel to do the current Ray Wu strobes. Best of both worlds. Plus if they make a brighter one with the R/G/B going to three whites then we will be ready.

-Ed
 
Re: ECG-P2 Strobe Software

Been on leave for a week and catching up on all the forum traffic.

Any update on this for the 12S?

Thanks
 
Re: ECG-P2 Strobe Software

P2 v2.9a and P12R v2.9a attached. PIXAD8 and P12S coming in the next few hours.

-Ed
 
Re: ECG-P2 Strobe Software

I just uploaded the new firmware to the controller outside and it took me more time to walk to the den to get to the show computer than it took to upload the new firmware. Now I can play with the Raywu strobes.

Ed that was just too easy!! If I can do it anyone can!
 
finally, attached is the firmware for P12S. the file contains the j1UBL, instructions, and all version of P12S firmware.

P12S now does strobes, just like the others.

P12S now has ArtNet II support working. BUT ArtNet II is limited to 4 universes so its uses are limited.

With ArtNet and E1.31 options it is now mandatory that you active one or the other or both in the IP Config options.

Enjoy the flashing lights ....

-Ed
 
Cheers for the update Ed.


Will artnet ever cover all the outputs of the p12S?


Michael
 
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