Null pixels and channel allocation

[BundyRoy]

When I have a null pixel I set the number of null pixels on the controller. In my case it is 1. So when sequencing do I have to start my first pixel at pixel 2/channel 4. I assume I don't, I just sequence as though the null pixel is not there and the controller just adds one pixel in.


This makes me think about universe allocation to the outputs. There is 4 universes per output. Say I had a full 4 universes worth of pixels hanging off output 1. If I then tell the controller to put 1 or more null pixels on will this push the last pixels into the next output as it then exceeds the maximum number of pixels the output can handle.

I hope this makes sense. Just trying to wrap my brain around how the null pixels fit in to the sequencing and how they effect the number of pixels I can sequence to each output.

 

[AAH]

Null pixels that are assigned in the controller don't appear in any way or affect the sequencer. As far as the sequencer goes they don't exist.

 

[Superman]

This is an example of a Null pixel in the middle of 2 sections on a j1sys controller.
it acts as follows.

pixels 1-72

Null pixel (1 pixel)

pixels 73-97

Total pixels= 98

Although there are 98 physical pixels we have set it up so that there is a null pixel in the controller between pixel 72 and 73, therefore we only add 97 pixels into out Software for this grouping as the controller is handling the null.

 

[ltay13]

Adding null pixels won't effect how many real channels you can output. Regardless of how many null pixels are at the beginning of an output, the PixLite will still allow 340/680 real pixels after that.


As the other's said, null pixels don't need to be considered anywhere in the sequencing or channel allocation side of things.

 

[BundyRoy]

Thanks everyone. That's what I was hoping to hear. I figured it had to be that way as no one had mentioned keeping track of channels for null pixels. I could just envisage so many ways I could get it wrong though, if I had to keep track of them, so I figured safer to ask.

 

[BundyRoy]

Next question. I can send multiple universes to the one output. So universe 1 I can set up 170 pixels which is 510 channels. I have 2 channels unused. Can I run a pixel on channels 511/512 of universe 1 and channel 1 of universe 2. Or do the channels for a pixel all have to be in one universe.

 

[ltay13]

No the pixels must be in the same universe. The technical reason pixels are never split across universes is that universes don't come in at the exact same time. You could be changing the colour of a pixel to the wrong thing for a split second before you get the new information from the next universe.

 

[BundyRoy]

Thanks for the answer L_Tay and thanks for explaining the reason behind it as well.