New HLS user converted

Hi, Finally after struggling with decision about what sequencer do I need for my new pixels I just decided to use HLS.
I started with Christmas lighting last year with 2 x CTB16PC , 1 USB486 and a bunch of incandescent lights, my sequencer was LOR basic license and that was all. To be honest and taking into consideration it was my first Christmas with light automation I can`t complain at all. My wife was happy (when I was buying controllers and lights she was complaining about how I "waste" money), my nephews were happy and also my neighbor.

This year I changed to LED`s, 1200 pixels and 2 P12R (waiting for Edward to buy P12`s), now my only concern was the sequencer. Some guys from Chat gave me good advises ( special thanks to ShellNZ for her patience and support). Thanks to them I discovered that to use LOR with pixel I need to upgrade advance version (US$ 99 for upgrade from basic version), some others recommended use LSP (US$ 249 for advance version) . Finally I just realized after reading the forum I have another option, maybe not so popular (yet) but according to some people the software is great.

So, from now on I can be considered converted from LOR to HLS, so I will start to spend my time learning about my new sequencer. Due HLS is not that popular (again , yet!!!) please let me know if you are one of those using HLS in order to ask for some assistance to the right people.
Cheers!

Ricardo.

 

I have never gotten HLS to work for me. Not that it is bad or that I have not tried. Actually spent two - 2 hour sessions with it and could not get any output. Would love to see it work, just for fun!


If you are looking in the FREE arena, you might take a look at what Sean (and friends) have done with the new Nutcraker/xLights software. I like it as a quick and simple way to test controllers / strips / strings, but it does have some nice sequencing / scheduling stuff built into it. It is supported well and there are new versions coming out monthly (if not weekly). It is certainly worth looking at!

 

Sounds good, I will take a look.

 

G'day Ricardo, this will be my first year at Xmas lighting/sequencing. I have settled on HLS and am now getting my head around it, to the point where I am able to assist others (a little). Joe is really approachable and fixes any bugs quickly. Sean (Nutcracker) has recently fixed the .hls file output in Nutcracker 3/Xlights. The Nutcracker effects integrate into HLS really easily and look great. If I can be of any assistance, please ask away &I'll do my best to help out.
Cheers mate,
Steve

 

I'm glad you are looking into HLS. I played with it a few months ago and was impressed and I'm sure it has come a long way since then. The biggest reason I'm staying with LOR (besides the fact that I'm comfortable with it) is that it has real time output. My lights are up all year and I like to see my sequences as I go along. Hopefully LOR will wake up and do something better in the way of RGB sequencing. Anyway, good luck and stop by in chat every now and again and tell us your progress in HLS.

John

 

Hello,

Im also a newbie and also using HLS. I have asked a few questions in the past and also nutted out a few problems. If you have a problem or issue just write a new post and hopefully we can help. I found HLS to be quite user friendly but have got stuck on a few occassions.

 

Don't lose faith hls does work great once you get a good grasp on how to manouverwithin the editor.
This may inspire you to keep plugging away at HLS
I was able to create this sequence with hls for 2012 . I had never tried sequencing before this .
04Sarajevo hq)

 

G'day Richard, that video looks great. I don't want to hijack this thread but, how did you get the garland effect to go up (or build toward the top instead of bottom) at the 2:21 mark? I was wanting to do an effect like that but couldn't work out how to. I can't see the option in Nutcracker 2 or 3.

 

I used the vertical mirror within hls to revers the direction of the effect .
the best way to create custom effects is to create a Dummy work group of rgb channels in hls , then drop your nutcracker effects on those channels to allow editing to your desired effect.
tip >>> Be sure to add enough rgb channels to your Dummy work group to support the element you are trying to sequence .
tip 2 >>> you can apply larger channel count effects to smaller elements without reducing the rgb channel of the nutcracker sequence file .

example for tips above ^^^^
If you created a nutcracker effect that is 1200 rgb channels in size , you can drop that effect on a 50 count Dummy rgb work group for editing if you so choose.

If you look at the house tls 3001 strip sequence data during the time you inquired " garland effect "
this is what I did to get the effects to match exactly without creating seperate effects in Nutcracker .

With this discovery in Hls , I decided at that point to just creat all effects to support my largest pixel (rgb) count element and use those for each smaller element also .
This simplified My nutcracker organization .

Hope this helps explain an ezier way to use effects in Hls .
Richard

 

Angus40 - Thank you for your advice. It's a good idea how to keep all effects the same across other elements.
Cheers!

 

I can't even get it to add channels properly, it's certainly not what I would call user friendly

 

G'day drakky, what issues are you having? Have you found the user manual http://doityourselfchristmas.com/wiki/index.php?title=HLS_User_Manual_and_Reference_Guide
Ask away with any questions and we can try to help out.
I uploaded a couple of test sequences for another member to look at. It may help you too. Anyway, it's here if you want it https://www.box.com/s/j5qdj05txr617mz0o5wv
I can upload a full sequence for you to look at if it helps. It may help with the channel structure/set up.
Cheers,
Steve

 

am watching youtube videos to learn however videos are old and not describing current version obviously
renumber for output button does not exist in this version

 

Hls is /was in a perpetual state of updated release versions .
If you look at the update release notes on Joe's web page you can see what was added for each release .
Hls is very user friendly just look under file for example File/Start a new sequence I will walk you through the steps .
show me any other FREEsoftware app that has wizzards like that.
Also there is a user manual on Joe's page .
If you want to config channels for output click on the output button and select prepare channels for output .

 

don't get me wrong I like the concepts , also the fact he obviously is putting a massive effort into it , I'm downloading all his training videos to watch, hopefully I'll work it out soon