Looking for help with getting a Pixlite 16 mk 2 connected to Xlights.

Nizlights

Nizlights

New elf
Joined
Nov 15, 2020
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5
Hi all,

I did a very small show 5 years ago and started doing it again this year. All my props are ready and sequence is done.

Tried for about 4 days to connect my Pixlite 16 via Advatek to Xlights and I seem to be going backwards.

I ended up deleting all controllers off Xlights and re connecting the controller to Advatek using a cable static IP address.

No matter what I do, Xlights wont discover my Pixlite. Do I have to add 16 individual controllers on Xlights to control 16 different ports ?

Any help and guidance is appreciated.
 
A single controller definition is all that's needed. Set it up as an Manufacturer: Advatek, Model: PixLite 16 - pop in the iP address.
You then have visualiser where you can assign props to ports.
From there, push the configuration to the controller using "Upload Output"
 
Hey @Nizlights. I pulled mine old Pixlite MK2 out of storage to use this year. Very important thing I learnt is that you need to have the Assistant closed to push your config to the controller from Xlights.

I needed to update the firmware on my controller and downloaded the new assistant aswell. Remember you can only have max output of 510 pixels per output in expanded mode and 1020 in normal mode ( Less again per mode if your lights are RGBW)

Make sure your pinout is correct, especially if your in expanded mode. Below is a screenshot of my controller config in xlights.

If you need help, reach out!

Suz

pixlite.png
 
Skymaster said:
A single controller definition is all that's needed. Set it up as an Manufacturer: Advatek, Model: PixLite 16 - pop in the iP address.
You then have visualiser where you can assign props to ports.
From there, push the configuration to the controller using "Upload Output"
Click to expand...
Thank you very much this worked. :) appreciate it
 
Zuseleets said:
Hey @Nizlights. I pulled mine old Pixlite MK2 out of storage to use this year. Very important thing I learnt is that you need to have the Assistant closed to push your config to the controller from Xlights.

I needed to update the firmware on my controller and downloaded the new assistant aswell. Remember you can only have max output of 510 pixels per output in expanded mode and 1020 in normal mode ( Less again per mode if your lights are RGBW)

Make sure your pinout is correct, especially if your in expanded mode. Below is a screenshot of my controller config in xlights.

If you need help, reach out!

Suz

View attachment 30322
Click to expand...
Hi Suz,

Thank you very much. From what yourself and Skymaster said above, I finally got my controller and Xlights communicating.
That side of it all seem to match up now and it's slowly coming back to my memory haha.

I do have another small issue hope you dont mind giving your opinion on? Three props always seem now get stuck on white and they stay stuck. I did realise I used cat 6 cables for these props where the others were Cat5 but this shouldn't make a difference though right ? Do you know what it might be ?

Thank you so much again.
Jay
 
Props stuck on white means your power cabling isnt sufficient. What happens is when you hit a big white, the voltage dips too far; and then it can no longer read the data stream (telling it to go off white).
If you're using CAT5/CAT6 for actual prop wiring, that's relatively undersized, I wouldnt put more than maybe 50-100 pixels on a run.

You could try just parallelling some 18 gauge/0.75mm^2 speaker wire or similar for the positive and ground. It's a good "test" at least to prove/disprove the theory.

I use the 20m Click Extension Cables from bunnings as my cabling, with the 240V connections chopped off and XConnect pigtails attached. It's the cheapest per-metre I've found of 3 core 1mm^2 cable
 
Nizlights said:
Hi Suz,

Thank you very much. From what yourself and Skymaster said above, I finally got my controller and Xlights communicating.
That side of it all seem to match up now and it's slowly coming back to my memory haha.

I do have another small issue hope you dont mind giving your opinion on? Three props always seem now get stuck on white and they stay stuck. I did realise I used cat 6 cables for these props where the others were Cat5 but this shouldn't make a difference though right ? Do you know what it might be ?

Thank you so much again.
Jay
Click to expand...
Do you need to power inject at all? Does it only happen in a particular sequence that uses alot of white? Check the wiring, move the prop to another port and see if the problem follow it. Have you checked your port numbers and made sure you havent exceeded the pixel numbers? Im not sure if you are in expanded mode or normal mode.
 
When you upload outputs to the Advatek it will default brightness for each port on the controller to 100%, so unless you're managing brightness somewhere else (I never really had success doing that with Advatek), make sure to use the Advatek Assistant to drop brightness to what you've wired for (25%, 30%, etc) for each port.
 
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