Port Settings

[munu]

I have an F48 with one differential board connected to Ethernet port 1-4. I also have a short (maybe 12 LEDs) or pixels for testing. I went on the F48 web portal and the Test tab. Here is what happens:

* When the pixels are connected to port 1 of the differential boards LEDs start coming on WHITE (not the test pattern) when I enable port 11. More come on as I enable more ports. When I disable the ports the LEDs don't go off.

* When the pixels are connected to port 2 of the differential board LEDs show the test pattern if and only if I enable port 14 on the test page. When I disable that port the LEDs go off.

* When the pixels are connected to port 3 of the differential board LEDs show the test pattern if and only if I enable port 3 on the test page. When I disable that port the LEDs go off. That is the result I expected.

* When the pixels are connected to port 4 of the differential board LEDs show the test pattern if and only if I enable port 15 on the test page. When I disable that port the LEDs go off.

Why is this happening. Is my port configuration wrong? I think that came from xLights, though. 

[tbone321]

First of all, they are not Ethernet ports.  Calling them that will just confuse people like me because then I have no idea what you are connecting it to.  What are the versions of both the F48 and the receiver board?  What are the configuration settings of the receiver?  Are the terminators set correctly and are all of the data lights lit?  Even though the receiver ports are not Ethernet ports, they do use standard Ethernet cables to connect the F48 to the receiver(s).  Make sure that ypu are using a standard cable and not a crossover cable.  You may also want to post a picture of the test page so we can see that there are no issues there.  You also have a serious channel overlap on ports 1 and 4.  Port 1 has a start channel 9 on Universe 1 and ends on channel 464 and port 4 has a start channel of 151 and ends at 450 so all of the channels defined on port 4 are also defined on port 1.  This overlap could be screwing up the test function.  Either way, you need to take a better look at your output definitions and get them cleaned up or your display is not going to do what you want unless you have those same overlaps in your sequence for whatever reason.

[Poporacer]

First of all, they are not Ethernet ports.  Calling them that will just confuse people

That is true, using the wrong terminology confuses people because they are doing one thing but we think they are doing something else.

they do use standard Ethernet cable

But they ARE NOT Ethernet cables, LOL Ethernet is a protocol, that would be like calling them E1.31 cables... But these days many people call them that.

I think that came from xLights, though.

It "might have come from xLights, and if so, you didn't have xLights configured correctly. Like @tbone321 mentioned you have some overlapping going on.


What version is the firmware of the board?

[munu]

Sorry for the confusion. I should have said the RJ45 ports or I guess string ports (according to the manual). I am not sure how to include an attachment to a reply so I just have to describe it as best as I can (see below).

I have a feeling my issue is with the port configuration. I recall that maybe half a year ago I was trying to set this up manually. Should I still do this manually or is there a way that xLights can automatically configure this? As an example, when I go to xLights, then the Controllers tab, select the F48 and click on Visualise... I have all the 48 ports and 4 serial ports. Then from the right side I was just dragging my models to port 1 (4 models), port 2 (7 models) and port 3 (1 model). Then I do an "Upload Output". With the upload, shouldn't the "Port Configuration" automatically be updated? Actually, that doesn't seem to happen so maybe I just need to manually match xLights with the Falcon Port Configuration. Or maybe I just get this all wrong.

The F488 web interface on the Status tab says:
Controller Mode: E131/Artnet Mode
Name: F48
SW Version: v2.59
Universe Count: 4 (following table is #, Universe, Packet Count)
#1, 1, 0
#2, 2, 0
#3, 3, 0
#4, 4, 0

The board version of the F48 is 1.02. Board version of the differential board is 1.03. Both are the white boards.

For the connection between the F48 string ports (right now only the 1-4 port) and the single receiver board I am using a standard Ethernet cable, i.e. the same type I am using between my patch panels and switches, etc.

[tbone321]

You can include an attachment by selecting the reply button instead of using the quick reply box at the bottom ov the screen.  That will give you a reply box with the option of including attachments.

[bloojoop]

When uploading to the controller, the very bottom left of the xlights windows there should be a status line that should say something like falcon output upload complete.  Also if the upload input button is not greyed out, select it first then select the upload output.  It does not appear from your earlier screen shot that config was sent to the controller from xlights.  Oh, and also when using visualize, make sure the check marks for Auto layout models, and auto size are checked.

[Poporacer]

I recall that maybe half a year ago I was trying to set this up manually. Should I still do this manually or is there a way that xLights can automatically configure this?

xLights does an awesome job in configuring the ports and save a TON of time and eliminates virtually any port configuration errors.

As an example, when I go to xLights, then the Controllers tab, select the F48 and click on Visualise... I have all the 48 ports and 4 serial ports. Then from the right side I was just dragging my models to port 1 (4 models), port 2 (7 models) and port 3 (1 model). Then I do an "Upload Output". With the upload, shouldn't the "Port Configuration" automatically be updated?

You have to configure xLights to allow it to make the changes or else the Visualizer is just a "visual" view. To do so, on each controller, make sure that you have the Vendor, Model and Variant filled in, then set your Start Universe to what you want, set the Channels per Univers to 510 or 512 (it really doesn't matter which one you choose) 
Once you have done that, then enable Auto Layout Models, Auto Size and Full xLights Control.

Or maybe I just get this all wrong.

You probably didn't have all the items above set correctly

[munu]

I think I have figured out how xLights is configuring the F48. However, I am still having issues with the controller not doing what I expect it to do. I am going to the F48 web portal and the Test menu. Here are the observations with the test pattern set to color wash

* Enable any port but port 14 and nothing is happening
* Enable port 14 and connect the pixel string to port 1 of the differential controller and the first 3 lights are solid white.
* Enable port 14 and connect the pixel string to port 2 of the differential controller and the color wash is shown.

So why do I have to go to port 14 instead of port 1 to see the color wash? And does the color wash not happen when the pixel string is connected to port 1?

Screenshots of my configuration are attached.

[Poporacer]

Enable any port but port 14 and nothing is happening

How are you enabling it? Show us a screenshot of this, "enabling"

Screenshots of my configuration are attached.

It still doesn't look like you are letting xLights configure your controller.


Do you have the receivers set as normal mode or set for A, B, or C?

[munu]

Ah, I think I finally figured this out thanks to some previous posts. My other ports were also on universe 1 and that messed up everything. In addition, I just realized that port 1 was set to WS2801 instead of WS2811 (configured in xLights). Also, I didn't enable "Full xLights Control" in the properties for the F48 controller. After making those changes things seem to work ok. I will see how things will go from here but that's a good start. My next challenge will be to integrate the TR24 into the F48. Thanks everyone for the responses.

[Poporacer]

Ah, I think I finally figured this out thanks to some previous posts.

Glad it is working

Also, I didn't enable "Full xLights Control" in the properties for the F48 controller.

That was an important part of the instructions I gave, I could tell by your screenshots that you hadn't defined something correct, LOL

My next challenge will be to integrate the TR24 into the F48

That is a DMX based controller, correct?

If so, you define the models it is driving in xLights with the proper channels and then you can assign then to the Serial Ports of the F48 in the visualizer and upload. Make sure you look at the User manual for the F48 and Renard, as some of the Renard controllers use a different pin out