LoR playing from Falcon

[wicket82]

Sorry for the long post and all the questions. I have been researching this for weeks and off and on for several months now I am getting more confused about RGB stuff the more I read. I am about ready to just give up on RGB stuff and stick with LoR and AC lights. But here is the first part of my questions (I am sure more will follow. haha).

I have been using LoR hardware and software since 2011 (1st controller bought in 2010). I am wanting to add  Pixel tree to one of my display (I have 2 at 2 different house in 2 different towns). I am thinking about buying a Falcon f16v3 for next year and building the tree from scratch instead of buying the kit from Pixel Tree Kit LoR. I need to keep one show in LoR because one of the controllers doesn't support DMX. I don't mind trying to figure out how to change over the 2nd show to DMX. My question is can I "convert" the LoR controllers to DMX and just plug into the Falcon controller using a standard Ethernet cable (I know I will need to change the jumper to LoR) or will I need any other hardware? Also does the Falcon controller hook to the PC with a Ethernet cable to run the show? Currently I run the show with the LoR software straight from the computer. I am thinking about getting a Raspberry Pi to run the show. Will that work with my current setup? Thanks in advance

[David Pitts]

If your LOR boxes can convert to DMX you can run them from Falcon. No crossover is needed with jumpers.

[Bobbee]

If your LOR boxes can convert to DMX you can run them from Falcon. No crossover is needed with jumpers.

David. I have connected my LOR CTB16PC V3 to the F16V3 with jumpers set. However, I seem to get a delay when the AC CTB16PC light should turn on. I have 3 CTB16PC daisy-chained together and each Units ID is 01,02,03. I am using xLights to run the show. I have set up the controllers as 1 E131 universe for a total of 48 channels. F16V3/xLights seems to turn them on as the sequence runs but there seems to be a Big/Long delay from when they should turn on within the song.

I am wondering if I am missing a step in my setup so they turn on at the right moment within the sequences.

[rando1957]

I found if I don't have all my controllers connected, that there is a delay in the signal.  Someone explained it to me but can't remember.  I just know to have all the controllers (AC incl) that are set up should be on.  At least that is what I do when connected to FPP.

[Emuney18]

You have to have all things connected that xlights thinks is there or you will get a delay because it's searching for the controllers.  If you are just a F16V3 and 3 LOR controllers and it's all connected together to your computer you should be fine if that's all that's on your network tab in xlights.  You can try having the LOR lights turn on for a second or 2 and then turn off before starting your show.  I had to do that last year to get all my controllers to initialize for some reason.  My issue was no lights from a controller in the chain not a delay and I was running the lor protocol from a Pi using FPP.


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[Bobbee]

I found if I don't have all my controllers connected, that there is a delay in the signal.  Someone explained it to me but can't remember.  I just know to have all the controllers (AC incl) that are set up should be on.  At least that is what I do when connected to FPP.

You have to have all things connected that xlights thinks is there or you will get a delay because it's searching for the controllers.  If you are just a F16V3 and 3 LOR controllers and it's all connected together to your computer you should be fine if that's all that's on your network tab in xlights.  You can try having the LOR lights turn on for a second or 2 and then turn off before starting your show.  I had to do that last year to get all my controllers to initialize for some reason.  My issue was no lights from a controller in the chain not a delay and I was running the lor protocol from a Pi using FPP.


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Thanks rando1957 & Emuney18 I did not have Unit 03 hooked up at the time and after connecting it it works much better.

Thanks

[larryk5]

If your LOR boxes can convert to DMX you can run them from Falcon. No crossover is needed with jumpers.

David. I have connected my LOR CTB16PC V3 to the F16V3 with jumpers set. However, I seem to get a delay when the AC CTB16PC light should turn on. I have 3 CTB16PC daisy-chained together and each Units ID is 01,02,03. I am using xLights to run the show. I have set up the controllers as 1 E131 universe for a total of 48 channels. F16V3/xLights seems to turn them on as the sequence runs but there seems to be a Big/Long delay from when they should turn on within the song.

I am wondering if I am missing a step in my setup so they turn on at the right moment within the sequences.

You can't have the LOR controller id's set to 1,2,3! You would have the first one as ID 1 and the second controller as 17 and LOR controller set to 33 (You still set them in the LOR HU).


I have LOR controllers including aCMD24(?) and they work just fine with no lag. I just have universe 1 for my LOR stuff.

[TastyHamSandwich]

larryk, could you explain to me why you say that Unit IDs 1/2/3 would not work for him, but to use 1/17/33? It sounds like you're using the Unit ID as a "Starting Channel" almost? My experience with LOR A/C controllers, in DMX mode the Unit ID is how many multiples of 16 you want the controller to reside in, channel-wise.

For my purposes with LOR controllers, I have used Unit ID 1 to control Ch1-16, ID 2 for 17-32, 3 for 33-48, 4 for 49-64, and so on and so forth. I designate through my show director to send Universe 1 (my A/C data all goes here) out its 485 port. Unit ID 1 is assigned for my standard sequencing, ID 5 & 6 gives me access to my LED arches (8 channels per arch, 4 arches), and 7/8 do the same for my LED faces (8 channels per face, 4 faces). My faces start at Channel 100 and thus, as stated, I start Unit ID 7 for those.

Is this a different operation mode, maybe? I'm just curious as to how or why your units behave like this, whereas mine behave in a different fashion.

PS: Sorry to necro this somewhat inactive thead! I've just been looking around for LOR+xLights/Falcon info, and this thread was one that came up.

-Tasty

[TastyHamSandwich]

http://www.creativelightingdisplays.com/uploads/DMX-DOC.pdf

Refer to this document for information regarding LOR A/C controllers in DMX mode.

[Todd]

Tasty,

I run my LOR boxes in DMX mode. I use universe 50 for LOR, the LOR controllers are set as #1,2,3 and so on in the hardware utility or set by the switches if you do not have the PC versions (I have both and they work just fine). #1 is channel 1-16, #2 is channel 17-32 and so on...daisy chained off of each other and defined on DMX output #2 on the Falcon F16v3. I run my show with the FPP on a Pi with no issues so I can not speak of the computer lag some are experiencing.

[larryk5]

Are you running your LOR boxes off of a Falcon controller? That's what I'm talking about, not using LOR director!

[K-State Fan]

I ran my mini mega tree with three PC LOR controllers Unit 1,2,3  from a Falcon F4V3

[TastyHamSandwich]

I'm using my LOR controllers hooked into my FPP via an LOR USB/RS485 adapter. I'm waiting on the F16v3's to start shipping next week so I can be one of the cool kids. Once I have it, I'll likely start using the serial DMX output to run my LOR controllers, and stow the USB adapter.

Personally, I'm having problems getting my faces at Unit ID 7 (starting at Ch 97) to work right (read: at all) when running thru FPP, as an FSEQ. I imported all my old LMS sequences into xLights as an Effect, mapped identically as I had it all in LOR, and though I can get my 16ch data at Unit ID 1 to work just fine, my faces just sit there, even though I have the face data at the right channels in xLights, and the LOR controller they're hooked to set to ID 7. What the issue is, I have not a clue right now. I can't see anything I'm overlooking, so my best guess is that I've made a simple mistake or typo somewhere. If anyone has any bright ideas for me, I'd love to hear it, but I explain my issue just as an incidental, more than as a request for support.

And thanks Todd. I've only ever used DMX mode on my LOR controllers - Despite having several of them, and using their hardware and software primarily once I moved away from the god-awful proprietary world of a lighting company who shall not be named, I never got into configuring anything with LOR networks. Even a guy who I helped get started with his show, using LOR ShowTime Suite as his director, runs everything in DMX mode too! xD

[Todd]

Once you get the Falcon ditch the USB adapter for running the lights but don't get rid of it you'll still need it for updating the LOR firmware if you need to and for changing the unit ID's. I still use mine from time to time. Remember to switch the jumpers on the Falcon for LOR and plug in the LOR controllers. You'll notice the Falcon will fire up first then you will see the LOR indicator lights come on solid red. As long as all the LOR boxes have the red light on solid it should be receiving info and be good to go. There is plenty of good instructions out there on how to do it and if you need assistance just post and we all can see what we can do to help you out.

I have never needed to worry about it but I have read there is a limit to what can be controlled via DMX through the LOR USB. Maybe that is where your unit 7 issue is coming from. Do you have 7 LOR controllers hooked up?


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[TastyHamSandwich]

Todd,

Haha, I definitely won't throw it away! It's not my only one, either; I know their worth 

Moving on: No, I don't have 7 controllers hooked up. This is just an artifact of the full structure of my channel config in LOR. This has never been an issue with my previous hardware setup, using my in-house show director - I hadn't considered empty channel space being a potential problem. Has there been a history or precedent of this, to your knowledge? Rereading your post as I write mine, I see you refer to the limit with an LOR USB - I believe I've had a client who runs his show with the ShowTime Suite, and uses the LOR USB from his laptop, running this same channel configuration paradigm, and doesn't have issue. Maybe there is a specific issue with LOR and FPP?

Another question - When running through the Falcon board to my LOR controllers and setting the jumpers, does this run as an LOR network, to the LOR controller's mind? I have typically always seen a green light on the board, and as stated, I've never actually ran anything in LOR network mode before.

I feel a deep, burning sense of anticipation for my Falcon board to arrive.  I can't say I've ever been this excited over a pixel controller, and I've had experience with quite a few. 

-Thanks for the reply