What is DDP?

[Stormyblade]

... I've got a Rasp Pi 3 running the entire show that is tied into an 8-port Gigabit router, and everything is hard wired. I shouldn't have network traffic congestion concerns about that setup, right?

When I went DDP to all my Bridge Mode FPPs (4 P10 panel matrices), plus a few E1.31 controllers, I had to go to a 16-port Gigabit switch.By the time I was done and running, I had 5 ports left open on that switch.

Why did you have to go to a 16 port switch? In my display, I have (will have):

   
• 1 matrix that is 5 rows by 4 columns, for a total of 20 panels. It's currently a P10 matrix but will be changed out to a P5 - I am too close to the street and want better resolution.

   
• 1 Tune To that is 1 row by 2 columns, for a total of 2 panels. It will be changed from that to a 2x2 P5 setup.

   
• 3 E682 controllers that drive my props in the yard: 1 drives a mega tree that has 24 strings of 50, zig-zagged into 12 outputs, plus 1 star of 90 pixels; 1 that drives 8 mini trees + 4 arch strips; 1 that drives the lights on the house (this year I am changing out my GECE lights to Pixabulbs, 600 pixels total).

That is only 5 ports, plus the 1 coming in from the Rasp Pi, so I have 2 left. I hope I don't have to change that out.

Edit: I didn't mention it here, but I have mentioned last year that this network is on it's own private network, meaning I've got a Rasp Pi 3 running the entire show that is tied into an 8-port Gigabit router, and everything is hard wired. I shouldn't have network traffic congestion concerns about that setup, right?

Network congestion - no, but you may be hitting other limits.   Using 25ms timing, 20 P5 panels will be around 6MB/s.  On the 100MB connections that both the Pi 3 (not B+) and BBB use, that's a very significant chunk of it.    Just something to be aware of.  It is a lot of data.

Dan, given my layout above, with me having a Rasp Pi 3 (it's actually a Rasp Pi 3 B v1.2), do you think I'll be okay with this device, or should I upgrade to the 3 B+?  If I do change out to the B+, will I choke the BBB with the extra data?

[Poporacer]

Thanks, Dan, for both giving me that explanation and correcting my math. 

I'd love to enable a DDP output within xLights to help erase all those lines of universe entries within the Setup tab -- my inner OCD loves it when I have fewer lines to scroll through.

One way to resolve that would be to delete all of your Universes and re-add them but select  the one output option. This will give you one line of universes for each controller. This won't work if you have universes of different sizes but works great otherwise!

Edit: I didn't mention it here, but I have mentioned last year that this network is on it's own private network, meaning I've got a Rasp Pi 3 running the entire show that is tied into an 8-port Gigabit router, and everything is hard wired. I shouldn't have network traffic congestion concerns about that setup, right?

With the P5 panels, you might run across limits and congestion

[JonB256]

With the P5 panels, you might run across limits and congestion

I output all 154k channels (80% DDP , 20% E1.31) from a single RasPi3B+ (running as a Remote) to my Netgear 16 port Gigabit switch.
Perhaps being a Switch makes it more efficient than a Router?
I can definitely say that this was the smoothest my show has ever run, even though 30% larger than prior year. Zero wireless usage. 100% Cat5e.
I do NOT run an isolated network for my show, but the amount of data being transmitted is effectively isolated (display data isolated from "family" data) by my Switch.

Even though the Beaglebones are only 100mbit, I had no data errors or lags on them.
- but, if you watch the status page of a Bridge Mode FPP, you will see errors accumulate from every time FPPD restarted on the transmitting RasPi3B+ but not during "show time."

I did not have P5 panels, just P10, but I was controlling a total of 76 P10 panels in four arrays

[Stormyblade]

Thanks, JonB, for that info -- makes me feel much bettet about my plans and design.

[Stormyblade]

Hey guys, just wanted to ask about this Halloween setup that I've been tinkering around with. I may not have the exact # of channels correct for my planned 5x4 P5 matrix, but I'm just throwing around some ideas for setup/layout and was curious if the following images show a correct setup for a DDP-based entry. As you can see, I'm still thinking I need to tie in a direct IP address for the FPP/BBB that will be attached to the matrix.


Thanks in advance.

[tuppetsdad]

Hi Stormyblade


Looks like you have set up the wrong number of panel strings (Rows) or Nodes per string (Columns) as your XLights shows the wrong number for the address range (too big)


Regards

[JonB256]

Yes, the DDP setup looks correct except for the End Channel value on the Matrix.

Then, whichever FPP has 192.168.1.250 as its address needs to be in Bridge Mode and configured in Channel Out for that matrix.

[oilyd]

So is DDP Just for matrix or can it be applied to all elements like trees snowflakes and arches?. Anyone?.

[pixelpuppy]

So is DDP Just for matrix or can it be applied to all elements like trees snowflakes and arches?. Anyone?.

DDP carries channel data.  It doesn't care what the element or model or prop is using those channels

Since DDP is much more efficient than E1.31, it should be the preferred protocol for all your FPP-based elements

[oilyd]

Only asking as new to this and thought I'd be better off asking here than anywhere else. That's fabulous news soo much easier than messing with  universes    Thanks for letting me know.

[u04601]

If I am using FPP on Rpi3B+ to play .fseq files, would I still need to change xLights or Vixen controller definitions to DDP?  Or does FPP Channel Outputs page reconstruct the .fseq data into the correct DDP format?  I would be sending the data wirelessly to ESPixelstick firmware v3.1.

[pixelpuppy]

Or does FPP Channel Outputs page reconstruct the .fseq data into the correct DDP format?

Channel Outputs will send whichever format you tell it to

If you create E1.31 channel outputs it will send e1.31 data
If you create DDP channel outputs it will send DDP data

[u04601]

Or does FPP Channel Outputs page reconstruct the .fseq data into the correct DDP format?

Channel Outputs will send whichever format you tell it to


If you create E1.31 channel outputs it will send e1.31 data
If you create DDP channel outputs it will send DDP data

So I would not have to change the E1.31 controller definition in xLights or Vixen, correct?

[pixelpuppy]

So I would not have to change the E1.31 controller definition in xLights or Vixen, correct?

You would not *have* to change them.  But I highly recommend using DDP for any and all devices that support it.
So if you currently have xLights configured to send E1.31 to FPP and Falcon controllers, I would change it to DDP.
Does Vixen support DDP now?   I haven't checked lately

[u04601]

For my end of year testing I was hoping to not have to change any controller definitions in the sequencer software since I only use FPP playing .fseq files.  So I will give it a try.

Thanks