F16v3 ports not working past port 4

mammy

New elf
Joined
Dec 17, 2020
Messages
23
Hi folks,
I have an F16v3 whose ports aren't working past port 4. The lights work fine on ports 1-4. Ports 5-16 aren't completely dead. The first pixel seems to work but nothing after the first pixel. I'm testing with the physical test button on the board to isolate against any software issues.
All of the yellow lights next to the fuses are lit.

I also have 2 expansion boards. All ports on both expansion boards exhibit the same problem except the last port on the 2nd expansion board, port 48. Ports 17-47 exhibit the same problem as ports 5-16 on the F16v3, only the first light works. To try to isolate the problem I unplugged the expansion boards and the F16v3 exhibits the same behavior.

Any clues? I posted on falconchristmas but haven't heard anything.

TIA
Michael
 

mammy

New elf
Joined
Dec 17, 2020
Messages
23
Hi Katekate, I just looked at the outputs (I'm a newbie) and I see that's the problem. I only have ports 1-4 and 48 active in the outputs. I was hoping that xLights would configure the board for me but it's a tree design that has sub models and I have to configure my own strings in the model so I have to configure the controller manually.

What I'm less sure of is what the controller output needs to properly configure it. I'm configuring a mega tree with a base and an upper part of the tree as sub models to the "container" mega tree model. This is based on reelpilot's excellent mega tree design. There are 48 strings. 112 pixels per string (27 on the base, 85 on the upper). I also have a 270 pixel star at the end of the 48th string that I'll power inject at the star level.

This is what I'm doing:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oBlNUflHas


How do I configure the controller's output to accomplish this?

Here is a screenshot of the outputs as they are now. There's an error on port 4 for some reason. Did I max out the universe?
F16v3_output.png

Thx
Michael
 

Croydon Lights

Apprentice elf
Generous elf
Joined
Jan 6, 2018
Messages
98
Would you just upload the mega tree to your controller of 48 strings and 112 pixels and not the shadow model as this is what the controller is connected to and the shadow models are what you do your effects on to which if set up as per video will send the signal to the correct pixel for the effect
 

mammy

New elf
Joined
Dec 17, 2020
Messages
23
I think the reason for the shadow models is it allows xLights to seamlessly transition effects from the base strings to the upper string as one. I don't think I'm able to let xLights configure the controller since to do this I have to set "individual channels" to on. If I enter the controller I can't set individual channels manually.
 

Croydon Lights

Apprentice elf
Generous elf
Joined
Jan 6, 2018
Messages
98
Yes but in the video you set up a mega tree that looks normal which you would let xLights configure to the controller and then set up the shadow model with the top and base and set these as individual channels using the Mega tree as the range of channels you would use and save and not up load to your controller
The controller does not care where the pixels are just how many are connected to each output

So don't select a controller for the shadow model and just set the individual channels and select that its a shadow model and it will show up in the visualiser as a show model not requiring to be uploaded
 

mammy

New elf
Joined
Dec 17, 2020
Messages
23
I think you gave me the answer. The controller seems to be correctly configured now. I'll know after I get the pixels on the tree but all channels seem to be working fine. What I was doing wrong was I hadn't set the master model to the controller to allow xLights to set it. I now have the channels of the shadow models manually configured but I have the master (parent) model that contains the shadow models configured for the F16v3 and it outputs fine. Thank you!
 
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