Show setup

[bdt]

I plan on using xlights to run my show, last year I used LOR. I used a background sequence to turn on the FM transmitter and radio sign. Can someone explain how to do that in xlights?

 

[AAH]

If you can explain what you mean by a background sequence then someone may be able to help.

 

[Gilrock]

Most of us using xLights run our shows with the Falcon Pi Player (FPP). In xLights you export the model as a Falcon Pi sub sequence (eseq) file and then you can play that as a background sequence on the Pi player. You can get a Pi setup for like $50 US. With the FPP you can also write simple scripts that trigger outputs. I use a script that activates all my inflatables at the start of the show and turns them off at the end along with turning on/off all my neighbors lights.

 

[bdt]

Al, a background sequence allows you to control objects independent of your lights during a song. I use it via an LOR 110v controller to turn on objects that remain on during the whole show. I.e. just before my show starts I turn on the radio transmitter, the FM channel sign, the manger scene that I leave on, and I turn on some lasers that turn off my house lights, etc.


Gilrock, if I understand you correctly, xlights doesn’t have the ability unless you use the PI with FPP. Does FFP have a script language separate to xlights? I’ll look into the PI’s. thx.

 

[Gilrock]

I'm going off of what I've heard which is I don't believe you can run a background sequence in xLights. You can kick off a batch file. I've never run the xLights scheduler. The FPP is so awesome to use we tend to not focus on our scheduler. It's actually the reason I ended up with xLights. I started with LOR and then switched to running my show with the FPP and I needed xLights to do the file conversions to get into FPP format. Then I discovered I liked the Preview better in xLights and then next thing you know I'm one of the developers. I'm still in the process of getting my data out of LOR and in xLights this year. Last year most of my data was just directly imported as raw channel data.

Yes the FPP uses some type of scripting and there are plenty of example scripts you can use as a starting point. My startup and shutdown scripts are literally like 4 lines of code.

 

[bdt]

Thanks for the info. I’ll google PI and FPP and get them ordered, hope they are not too much of a learning curve. The last few weeks I realized I tried to change too much of my display and I’m way behind schedule.

Your one of the xlights developers, you are very talented, its an amazing program. I just wish I would have started much earlier.

I’m not sure what to think about this hobby. My boy got us started a few years ago by talking me into buying a 4 channel controller from Walmart. The next year we found out about LOR and two years later we learned about DMX, and this year about xLights. Many $$$$$ later I’m thinking what did I get myself into. I'm already a little worried for next year :-[

 

[Gilrock]

You will want to be on this forum for FPP info:
http://falconchristmas.com/forum/index.php?board=8.0

The FPP is nothing more than a Raspberry Pi. I think they now have the code working for the model B, B+, and Pi2. There is also a BeagleBone Black version of the FPP but that is currently mainly used if you want to run a P10 panel. So you buy a Raspberry Pi, a USB flash drive, and Class 10 SD card and then download the free software from their website. It will output E1.31 data to your controllers or I guess you can run USB outputs but I don't like to do that. If you use LOR it works best to run them in DMX mode which means you need something to convert E1.31 to DMX. Several of the pixel controllers have DMX output ports. It might be too much for you to get changed over if you don't already have a controller with a DMX output. You could try to use the USB output but you might need a powered USB hub to make that work. The PI's are notorious for running low on USB power.

 

[gerry]

If that is your only requirement for the background effect , you could add that effect to each sequence ?
(that is what I did last year for the sign)
May be better then trying to set up the PI this year at this time. Then you could transition to the PI next year without pressure

 

[bdt]

I think your right its too late to understand and config a PI, I'll get one for next year. If need I can use a timer or I might try running LOR in the background to control items that stay on through the whole show. Thx guys