FPP Player Start/End channel auto update?

[JonD]

I am switching from E1.31 to DPP this year, allowing xlights to have full control over everything.  All of my controllers are in player mode and I am not using Multi-sync.  Everything appears to be working fine at the xlights level.

I use FPP in player mode to schedule and play the display.  In the past when using E1.31, my start and end channels always remained constant.  I would go to the "Input/Output Setup"\ "Channel Outputs" and select "Enable Output".  I would then manually match the settings to xlights.  It was not a big deal to manually enter as they were typically good for the entire season.

Now that everything is configured for DDP and I am allowing Xlights to manage everything, if I move a light string from one controller to another, the start and end channels shift accordingly.  Is there a way to have xlights automatically update the FPP Player channel outputs when changes are made?  I seem to be missing how to update those settings.

[JonD]

Figured it out.  I just needed to select "UDP Output" to All on FPP Connect.

[JonD]

If I select the "UDP Output" setting it will upload the current start/end channels to FPP player, but it constantly overwrites the "Monitor" settings.  Every time I FPP Connect now, it flags all the controllers to be monitored.  At this stage most controllers are still in storage and it is not ideal to have a half page of error messages every time I upload.  Is it possible to set this not to overwrite the existing "Monitor" settings?  Or at least default the controllers set to inactive not to be monitored?

[Poporacer]

All of my controllers are in player mode.

Player mode? So each controller is going to be playing different sequences at the same time? this is a bit odd.

I am not using Multi-sync

Is there a reason for this? This is usually the more efficient method.

I use FPP in player mode to schedule and play the display.

That is the norm, but only one device is usually your player. Think of it this way. You have an orchestra. You only have one conductor (AKA Player), and the rest are the instruments (AKA Remotes)

Or at least default the controllers set to inactive not to be monitored?

Do you have them inactive in xLights?

[JonD]

Player mode? So each controller is going to be playing different sequences at the same time? this is a bit odd.

E1.31/DPP mode.  There are no sequences stored on the controllers, the sequences are only stored on the FPP player, and the FPP player tells the controllers what to play. 

Is there a reason for this? This is usually the more efficient method.

Yes, tried to convert to multi-sync a few months ago and it did not go well.  Trying to resolve the issue... David Pitts suggested I would never be happy with Multi-Sync.  I have larger sequence files that change constantly.   He said for smaller displays, or displays that do not change much during the season it works fine, but the processors on the v4 series were not designed to handle the volume of transfers I was trying to throw at it.  I may try it again with the v5's, but not this season.  At some point I will have to go Multi-Sync or quit buying more lights, but I am still within the margin for now. 

Do you have them inactive in xLights?

Right now my test controllers are inactive and the FPP Connect upload turns monitoring on for them.  It turns monitoring on for every controller active or inactive.  If this can't be adjusted I may just disable xlights from automatically updating the controllers and go back to manual.  I FPP connect all the time and have a couple of dozen controllers.   It is far less work to manually configure, than to constantly have to turn the monitoring off, or having a half page of red communication errors.

[Poporacer]

E1.31/DPP mode.  There are no sequences stored on the controllers, the sequences are only stored on the FPP player, and the FPP player tells the controllers what to play. 

So the other devices are not a player then, they are remotes waiting to receive the DDP data.

and the FPP player tells the controllers what to play.

And you should only have one device set to player....Your controllers are not players based on your description.

Yes, tried to convert to multi-sync a few months ago and it did not go well.  Trying to resolve the issue... David Pitts suggested I would never be happy with Multi-Sync. 

Maybe....there are some unknown variables in this equation. IF you were referring to using Falcon Controllers in Multi-Sync, then yes, you wouldn't be happy. But in that case your controllers would need to be set to DDP mode and NOT Player!
What is your config? FPP as Player sending data to Falcon Controllers? What kind?

He said for smaller displays, or displays that do not change much during the season it works fine, but the processors on the v4 series were not designed to handle the volume of transfers I was trying throw at it.

I thought you had FPP based controllers which can handle the MultiSync perfectly. Many people will add a Raspberry Pi to the controller to get better performance.

I may try it again with the v5's, but not this season. 

I don't think the V5s will be much better in the MultiSync arena, but I haven't seen the specs.

At some point I will have to go Multi-Sync

Or get some FPP based controllers.

Every time I FPP Connect now, it flags all the controllers to be monitored.

Even if the Monitor setting is checked, but the output is not enabled, then it shouldn't be monitoring the controllers and I just tested it and it seem like it isn't monitoring them.

it is not ideal to have a half page of error messages every time I upload.

How about a screen shot of these errors so we can tell you how to resolve it and what method you are using to upload?...I highly doubt it is the monitoring status.

and the FPP Connect upload turns monitoring on for them.

Yes, it does, I just verified this and I am not sure if there is a reason for this...My assumption is that monitoring is the recommended setting and FPP connect doesn't know that the outputs were previously configured so will just push the recommended output settings, but it will not ena....but I really don't think the Monitoring is the issue here without more information.

I may just disable xlights from automatically updating the controllers

How do you have that enabled? Can you show me a screenshot of that setting? That might be an issue.

It turns monitoring on for every controller active or inactive. 

That is true as well, but it will not make the controller output itself active and if the controller output is inactive, it isn't sending data or monitoring it. Ther is something else going on.

It is far less work to manually configure, than to constantly have to turn the monitoring off, or having a half page of red communication errors.

I agree, but there is something missing in this picture because it should be working as you expect if properly configured.

[JonD]

When I move a light string from one controller to another, xlights changes the start/ends channels accordingly.  (Subtracts from one and adds to another)  Xlights updates the new start/end channel data to the controllers correctly, but it does not update the FPP "Input/Output Setup"\ "Channel Outputs" page.  So when I move a light string, everything is good on the Falcon controllers, but FPP has outdated start/end channel information.

When I "FPP Connect", I can select "UDP Output" to All and it will update the Start/End Channels on the FPP player, but in the process it enables the "Monitor" feature on ALL the controllers.  I can uncheck "Monitor" on the controllers that are powered off and all is good, but the next FPP Connect it turns it back on. 

It does not modify the "Monitor" setting when "UDP Output" is set to "None".  I suppose I could manually select "UDP Output" to "All" when I make string changes, and then turn it back to none when I am just updating sequences.  Not looking to get to the bottom of it.  Hoping someone had a 30 second answer.

My display is working fine and all is good except FPP Connect keeps turning on the "Monitor" on for everything.

[Poporacer]

Xlights updates the new start/end channel data to the controllers correctly, but it does not update the FPP "Input/Output Setup"\ "Channel Outputs" page.

How are you "updating" the controllers? Via Controller upload? Controller upload is not designed to update your FPP.

When I "FPP Connect", I can select "UDP Output" to All and it will update the Start/End Channels on the FPP player

That is the correct process, you have to update the controllers and FPP separately (unless they are FPP based controllers, then it can all be done via FPP Connect)

but in the process it enables the "Monitor" feature on ALL the controllers

That is by design, per my previous post

but the next FPP Connect it turns it back on.

Again by design

Hoping someone had a 30 second answer.

We might if you provided more information.... What you described as "issues" does not sound consistent with the design of the system and that is why I asked for additional information because I really think something else is going on and Monitor is NOT the issue.

My display is working fine and all is good except FPP Connect keeps turning on the "Monitor" on for everything.

And that is the intended behavior. Monitor will be checked but the output disabled, so the monitoring is not actually working.

[JonD]

 

and the FPP Connect upload turns monitoring on for them.

Yes, it does, I just verified this and I am not sure if there is a reason for this...My assumption is that monitoring is the recommended setting and FPP connect doesn't know that the outputs were previously configured so will just push the recommended output settings, but it will not ena....but I really don't think the Monitoring is the issue here without more information.

An error message is completely worthless if you can't trust it.  Otherwise you're in a constant state of the little boy crying wolf.  You get used to the errors and start to not pay attention to them.  It would be one thing to turn them on by default, but if the end user changes them, they really should not be messed with. 

Many of these controllers are in a box at the moment.  If they are not powered on, they are not going to respond to a monitor test.  The error message is valid... FPP can't communicate with them.  If that is not the case, I don't even want to try and get my head around it.  It makes no sense for a controller that was powered off to be able to pass a communications test.  I would rather work around it.  Appreciate the assistance though.

[Poporacer]

An error message is completely worthless if you can't trust it. 

FPP rarely posts a worthless error message and since you haven't posted the error message as requested, there is no way to help you figure out what you are doing wrong (most likely) or where the bug is (less likely but should be fixed)

Many of these controllers are in a box at the moment.  If they are not powered on, they are not going to respond to a monitor test.

But if the Output is not enabled, it doesn't actually monitor them so having it checked or not is a moot point. At least it doesn't when I tested it.

The error message is valid... FPP can't communicate with them.

But if the output is disabled, there shouldn't be ANY communication/monitoring going on so you shouldn't be getting these errors.

It makes no sense for a controller that was powered off to be able to pass a communications test.

And FPP doesn't expect it to either

I would rather work around it.

In other words, you don't want to resolve the actual issue?

[JonD]

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[Poporacer]

Ok, so now we are getting somewhere.... You do not have all of those controllers marked as inactive in xLights.... Can you change all of the controllers that are not connected to inactive and then do an FPP Connect with UDP out set to All and then post a screenshot of your E1.31 outputs page? I think I might have an idea what is going on. Thanks

[JonD]

There was only one controller turned on during the screen snapshots (F16-SW-Corner) and it is the ONLY controller that does NOT display a warning message.  If I turn the controllers on... the error goes away.  The error literally says "Cannot Ping" and they would be hard to ping when not powered on.

I have manually enabled\disabled the "Monitor" feature for years.  Never had a problem with it until now.  If you state the FPP Connect "UDP OutPut" - "ALL" will always overwrite the settings, I have no reason not to believe you.  You answered my question that is not a simple setting that I am missing.  I do inactive controllers on occasion, but just to do it for the error is not something I would be interested in.  Once the sequences are loaded, I have no reason to use xlights.  If I wanted to power a controller on/off I would just go into FPP and enable\disable the monitor.  Waiting for xlights to load, FPP Connect 40 Sequences to FPP so I can inactive/activate the monitor is not as handy.  I wish they would not overwrite the "Monitor" settings, but it is what it is. 

Thanks for your feedback!