configure FPP with RS485 to drive pixels?

[Steve Gase]

Long-ago member... returning back to the fold.

I was once able to use a USB-connected RS485 adapter with my fpp to control pixels.

after installing the new fpp 8.5.1 software, I am a bit lost and could use some advice.  Is there a youtube video that shows how this is done?

I've selected Input/OutputSetup->Other and added a USBRelay starting at channel 1, but the test mode and sending a sequence doesn't seem to do anything with my setup. 
I can see the activity lights on the adapter flashing when I enter test mode -- but no pixel activity.
I happen to be using an old setup that worked years ago, and the only difference is the new fpp 8.5.1 image.

thanks in advance for your help!

https://www.amazon.com/Generic-Converter-Adapter-Function-6924022982844/dp/B0CZHH2PD8/ref=sr_1_257?crid=101NXGVHKNWVY

[AAH]

RS485 and WS2811 protocols aren't anything alike. RS485 is what DMX data is sent via. It's a differential serial data that natively isn't compatible voltage or protocol wise with WS2811 pixels. The "common" output in FPP for RS485 is the OpenDMX format. This will send DMX compliant data via RS485. There are some pixels around that will receive DMX data so it may have been these that were used rather than the far more common WS281x pixels?

[Steve Gase]

Thx @AAH -- i've fogotten so much...  and I am trying to describe what I did 10 years ago is like turning over rocks.

I was hopeful that the latest FPP still works with the old HW since many of the DIYers rarely drop support for old gear.

My old setup combined a FPP with a USB connection to a generic RS485 adapter, and from the RS485 adapter I added power injection to uSC.

The uSC (micro string controller, developed by @corey872) were  clever alternatives to the Smart String Controllers.  The uSC (and SSC) converted pixelnet to WS281x pixel protocol.

As I recall, pixelnet had a larger channel range over DMX (4096 instead of 512), and faster timings. 

So, my question is -- will FPP 8.5.1 still connect to the generic RS485 adapter and drive the uSC (and SSC) controllers?

[darylc]

I would not rely on Pixelnet being supported by FPP in the long term.  The stats show that 3 out of 19000 FPP's that share statistics used Pixelnet in the last year, so its probably a candidate for removal eventually.  

FPP is a bit of a kitchen sink in terms of features, which means that it's basically impossible for the testers to test everything.  As bugs are logged that need specialised hardware to test, or code needs to be modernised to keep working, the FPP developers look at the number of people using the feature as one of the inputs to work out if the feature should be fixed/improved/modernised or removed.

[dkulp]

In your first message, you talk about USBRelay and then you start talking about PixelNet.   Those are COMPLETELY different things and always have been.   If you are trying to output PixelNet, then you need to to configure the PixelNet-Open (likely) output on the other page.   It should work fine with the USB rs485 adapter.