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View Full Version : Pixelmad - Etherlynx - Latency HELP!



Seantava
14-11-2007, 03:37 PM
Hi!

I have to Control 3750 LED Fixtures in Realtime with Live Video Input.

My Problem is that i get a latency of about 1 Second between changes on the control screen and the output of the LED Fixtures.

Working with the LED Fixtures connected directly to the HOG III has no delay.

Demo Setup:

Catalyst V4 m132 on Apple 8core / Artistic License Etherlynx Interface
60 LED Panels (Schnick Schnack Systems / LED Panel B with System Controller 4)

Any ideas?

Regards,

Holger

Mr_P
15-11-2007, 12:48 AM
Could be 2 things:

Check that you are not operating the PM/Catalyst server on the same artnet universe as you are trying to output to the pixels...
Also check the Mac IP adress is not the same as any artnet interface and in the correct range. Turn off the 2nd network port if not in use.

However, it sounds like its due to multicast...

How many DMX universes are you running?

Try setting each PM DMX output ip address (on the universe map tab) to the matching artnet interface adress for each DMX output subnet.

This means that the information for each DMX universe is directed to a specific artnet i/f box - not multicast everywhere...

Don't run anything else on the same network (ie content uploads etc) - ensure its just the Catalyst/PM server and the artnet/dmx boxes.

Can you post a screen grab of your Artnet window, showing both 'interface' and 'universe map' tabs

Simon

Seantava
15-11-2007, 01:30 PM
Hi Simon!

I´m running only 1 test universe in my setup.

The Mac IP Adress is not the same as any artnet interface and should be in the correct range. The 2nd network port is not in use and off.

The PM DMX Universe is directed to a specific artnet box (Etherlynx)

There is nothing else running on my network.

Thanks for your response.

Attached you can find my screenshots!

Regards,

Holger

OlliR
16-11-2007, 04:25 PM
There are issues with Schnick Schnack Systems LED-Kachel B LED tiles and Artistic License Artnet equipment - it was something about the DMX refresh rate that made it incompatible.
I have one System Power Supply 4E (with integrated Artnet interface) already in my trunk - so you can go on with your test setup next week.
If have done tests with PM and the Sys PSU 4E with 60 universes. You could not really see any latencies and movie played back totally smooth...

Mr_P
16-11-2007, 10:20 PM
Holger

It does seem that you've done everything correct...

I can only suggest that you try using a different artnet interface if Olli's observations are indeed correct. Ive never had a problem with artistic lisence kit - it sounds like it could be a Schnick Schnack Systems issue??

I use a Luminex DMX node 8 for all my DMX-atnet communication. The software allows for change to the DMX refresh rate. Chech out Page 18 on the manual. THis may be a solution - but I've never tried it!

http://www.luminex.be/products/0100008/downloads/docs%20and%20press/ethernet_dmx8_user_guide_v3.pdf

Simon

Seantava
17-11-2007, 08:47 PM
Hi Simon,

i did some more testing on friday. I connected the etherlynx interface to my Macbook running Vista with DMX Workshop. The problem remains the same, also without catalyst connected.It seems that the Schnick Schnack Systems input board has problems with the DMX Signal (maybe its the refresh rate issue olli mentioned above). On Monday morning i will do some more testing together with Olli and the Art Net Interface from Schnick Schnack Systems. I will keep you in the loop!

Thank you once again!!!



Holger

OlliR
21-11-2007, 12:53 PM
Holger what we saw on Monday were effects between the 3 layers of control: The Pixelmad output, the decoding in the System power Supply 4E and finnaly the DMX decoding in the Kachel B PCB itself.

Pixelmad: Only send out changes on Artnet. Universes without change will not be transmitted. See new thread "Continous Artnet stream..." in Pixelmad feature requests.

System power Supply 4E: The DMX output of the Artnet interface is synced to the input. One packet in on the Artnet side will be one packet out on DMX side to keep the timing of the Artnet stream. This means with pixelmad there is no continous stream of DMX either.

Kachel B software: The software in Kachel B was originally optimized to work perfectly with the DMX output of a Wholehog 2 console which featured a constant DMX framerate (okay, if it is not overloaded...)
The software feature a Flash/Fade recognition function - and this will only work with more than one frame of DMX being updated... (slow changes will optimze the fade with interpolation - rapid changes will flash)
Developers promise to have a update version of Kachel B ready by end of January that will work better with media servers.