Current specifications (and feel free to get technical) and future plans?

[JonB256]

So, 512 channels would give me 170 pixels as a "plug in and ignore" player. I have one of the earliest versions of a Panther DMX player (100msec? I think) and it worked well. What are the current specifications and could it output Pixelnet easily?

(as a FalconPi owner/user/advocate, I know what the FPP can do, but this is possibly a less complicated way to run a Family Room Christmas Tree than a full blown FPP/FPD setup)

JonB

[TexasStingray]

There were a total of 3 version of the panther DMX Player.

V2 - Current this is the current version. Like all other version it supports 512 Channels of DMX at around 100ms based on the library that I am using. This is the version that I am creating videos on titles "Panther Programming". Where you can create your own firmware using the Arduino IDE to run on the Panther. I currently have 2 videos out which I will reference at the end if this posting. Hope I don't forget that.

V1 - They only thing different from this and V2 is that I moved the Trigger Pins and the pins that are used to drive the ST485BN (This will have to be replaced as mouser does not have them and the may be at their end of life). You can modify the V1 board to bring it up to a V2 board but I have not posted instructions on how to do that yet.

Beta Version - This was the very first limited 10 user release. After getting feedback from the beta user it was redesigned to have all the cutout on 1 side. Sorry but this version cannot be modified to bring it up to V2. However, If you are good at desoldering and want to purchase a V2 board with the additional components to complete the V2 board just send me a PM and I'll put together a quote for you.

Plans are to:

1.) Continue my video series on Panther Programming. Available on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/user/TexasSting007/videos
2.) Investigate using a faster chip.
3.) look at finding a different library for send DMX out a full 512 Channels at 50ms if that is possible with a 16MHz crystal. But that's a topic for later. 

Scott

[rick surette]

On your new video you are transmitting pixelnet. Are you going to add this to the sequence builder?

Thanks
Rick

[tbone321]

Even though this is breathing life into a very old topic, I was wondering if there are going to be any more vids such as outputting DMX from the Panther.

[TexasStingray]

Sorry for such a late reply, DMX output is the standard output format for the Panther and is not something easily done so there will be no DMX Video.