Addressable Rgb's

[Jodannar]

I'm now in the process of configuring this. Do you still need to use the LEDwiz config within cabinet xml with the updates to DOF for addressable RGB's via Teensy (combining toys as outlined by Arngrim)?

[TerryRed]

Yes, your Led-Wiz equivalents in the cabinet.xml are still used. Make sure their number is the same as the port number (with the combined toys) of the ws2811 device in the DOF Config Tool.

 

<LedWizEquivalentOutput>
     <OutputName>PF Left</OutputName>
     <LedWizEquivalentOutputNumber>1</LedWizEquivalentOutputNumber>
    </LedWizEquivalentOutput>

 

You would set this to port 1 on your ws2811 device. That port should have your combined LEFT addressable leds & effects toys, and would also occupy ports 2 and 3 because they are RGB devices.

 

 

[Jodannar]

ive spent all today trying to work through this but havent been able to get it working. I have verified that my DOF setup is working (it already runs solenoids), and have updated to dof R3. I have verified that the teensy is communicative by uploading programs. Ive also verified that my LED strips (atleast the first 100 bulbs) are working by uploading a script to the teensy board to test.

After loading swisslizards firmware to the board and launching VP. I receive no results. I am very puzzled and cant see where I have missed something in the configuration. Attached are my config xml's and ini's for anyone who would like to assist.

 

Thankyou in advance

config.zip

[TerryRed]

Does your sainsmart work at all?  I only have my Teensy configured in mine so I can't compare.

 

I looked at your file, and as far as the teensy and addressable leds sections...the only thing I noticed missing was the <Name>LedWizEquivalent 30</Name>     and the    <LedWizNumber>30</LedWizNumber>    at the beginning and end of your LedWizEquivalent section for your led matrix.

I copied that whole section from my cabinet.xml to yours and attached it here.  I also included my directouputconfig30.ini.

Try using these attached files, and see if that works.  

 

If that doesn't work, try using my cabinet.xml and my directoutputconfig30.ini from the link below and don't change anything.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/te4t6gtuv5flt2t/AABM-5p8qe6J2lpo8fYbeezRa?dl=0

 

If that works (not perfectly, since its for my setup), then adjust the values for your setup. Then try adding in the sainsmart afterward.

Good luck!

Cabinet.xml

directoutputconfig30.ini

[Jodannar]

Thanks terry I'll have another play tonight or the weekend . Yes the sainsmart works properly. I will let you know how it goes.


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[Jodannar]

Spent another few hours on this today under Terry's advice and config. No luck still for me. Re-cponfirmed that my teesny and RGB strips are working via a optoboard test rainbow config. All works well. 

I have amended and edited my cabinet.xml many ways today. Settling on the below as the correct config for me.. but it still doesn't work. my solenoid calls are all working. Any other suggestions? 

I have combo devices wired to ports 1,4 an, 7 via the configtool for me rgb strips

cabinet.xml

directoutputconfig.ini

directoutputconfig30.ini

directoutputconfig40.ini

DirectOutputTesterSettings.xml

GlobalConfig_b2SServer.xml

GlobalConfig_PinballX.xml

tablemappings.xml

[TerryRed]

Are you sure you have the new firmware flashed on the Teensy?

https://github.com/DirectOutput/TeensyStripController/wiki/Software:-Teensy-Firmware

Try those instructions again, and try power cycling your entire cabinet. Sometimes if the Teensy is locked up, the best thing to do is power off, and try again.

[Jodannar]

Yes redownloaded the firmware and reapplied with teensy loader. Tried a power cycle of the whole cabinet. Will look more again tonight


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[rambo3]

About to try this myself. Will get a Teensy 3.2 with pins tomorrow. Is there a specific version of the OctoWS2811 adapter that is needed? The shop I'm going for sais "for Teensy 3.1" but stll links to http://www.pjrc.com/store/octo28_adaptor.html. I'm guessing 3.1 components are pin compatible with 3.2?

[Westworld]

> I'm guessing 3.1 components are pin compatible with 3.2?

yep, will work fine for OctoWS2811.

Enjoy the ledstrips, after some days you cannot imagine to play without anymore...

[Jodannar]

If only mine would work. Teensy can control the lights with a test program but dof won't talk to the teensie and give me output


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[Westworld]

> Teensy can control the lights with a test program but dof won't talk to the teensie and give me output

very frustrating, I remember when I was in that situation.
Test program works? Great, hardware is working AND you have skills to flash your own program and do minor modifications?

I modified the original script to get some debug infos, which helped me to understand what goes wrong.
I used the leds itself to show debug info. First I run a red light from 1 to xxx to be sure all works, directly on power on.
Then I modified some parts of the original code, to see if that code was executed or not - and for each step using another color on first led.

Doing so I was able to find errors in my cabinet.xml and as result in directoutputconfig30.ini.

How is your DOF configuration? Only ledstrips or more?

if you cannot find the issue with debugging as above, another suggestion.
Maybe you could consider to test with all other DOF features disabled, just using ledstrips.
Then you might be able to use my settings (cabinet/directoutputconfig30.ini, just adjusting the COM port and number of leds, keeping everything else. Then it should just work...

Based on that, you should be able to find what was wrong. If you want to try that, send me a PM.

 

[rambo3]

Can I use 12V ledstrips or is 5V needed (for example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/WS2812B-5050-RGB-LED-Strip-5M-150-300-Leds-144-30LED-M-Individual-Addressable-5V-/322058431958?var=&hash=item4afc2dadd6:m:mh5wcqoaZysJUIMArGeSHSg)? I'm just stunned, and a bit scared, at how many amps are needed for ~1000 LEDs at 5V, would be a bit easier to power at 12V from a computer PSU.

Jodannar: I'll be joining you soon probably, nothing this cool is ever easy

[Westworld]

If you want to use the original hardware design (using OctoWS2811), you need to use 5V.

The OctoWS2811 is mainly pushing 3.3 to 5V. You can find/design something similar for 12V, but why bother?

I have  nearly 4 Meter with 144 LED's each installed, exactly 456 LED's. With 60mAh each, that's 27,3 Amps for the supply - I'm using a 20 Ams supply.

Why? If all LED's would go full power on white, I would go blind and loose the ball...

usually they are never all on. Some, and usually not in white but only one color.
As the LED's are so bright, I have limited them to max 60% anyway.

Difficult to imagine 1000 LEDs, are you using two rows on each side? Not sure that's worth the effort, a single row is more than bright enough.
On the top I have 4 rows, (50*4), each side is using 128.

[rambo3]

5V it is.

Just realized I did the math wrong, forgot to cut the matrix strips in half (72 vs 144). Plan is to use 144 for left, 144 right, and 72x6 at the back.

[Jodannar]

> Teensy can control the lights with a test program but dof won't talk to the teensie and give me output

very frustrating, I remember when I was in that situation.
Test program works? Great, hardware is working AND you have skills to flash your own program and do minor modifications?

I modified the original script to get some debug infos, which helped me to understand what goes wrong.
I used the leds itself to show debug info. First I run a red light from 1 to xxx to be sure all works, directly on power on.
Then I modified some parts of the original code, to see if that code was executed or not - and for each step using another color on first led.

Doing so I was able to find errors in my cabinet.xml and as result in directoutputconfig30.ini.

How is your DOF configuration? Only ledstrips or more?

if you cannot find the issue with debugging as above, another suggestion.
Maybe you could consider to test with all other DOF features disabled, just using ledstrips.
Then you might be able to use my settings (cabinet/directoutputconfig30.ini, just adjusting the COM port and number of leds, keeping everything else. Then it should just work...

Based on that, you should be able to find what was wrong. If you want to try that, send me a PM.

 

Hi westworld. Your debug routine sounds very useful for people setting this up. Are you able to share your script? I can successfully flash/colourise/cycle the first 200 leds in my array using a script loses to the teensy, so your debug for looking at what may be wrong in my dof confit for leds would be great. I am betting it's likely something simple like the comport not being recognised


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[outhere]

http://www.vpforums.org/index.php?showtopic=36156

[rambo3]

Pardon stupid question; can anyone recommend a decent 60A 5V PSU that isn't noisy or has no fan? Or can I use multiple PSUs to inject power? I have a few decent computer 500W+ PSUs lying around that do 20A on 5V), but a little unsure how to wire this up in regards to ground between two PSUs.

[Westworld]

10 hours ago, Jodannar said:

Your debug routine sounds very useful for people setting this up. Are you able to share your script?

sorry, that was long ago and I did not kept it. It was a step by step debugging. Finding errors in my setup and even in DOF itself, when ledstrips was brand new.

When the final version came out, I deleted all test versions.

I recommend first to start with the great tutorial, as already mentioned: 

http://www.vpforums.org/index.php?showtopic=36156

Only if that is not helping, you might want to do your own script.

Start with Setup(), add after the init:

     for(word ledNr=0;ledNr<500;ledNr++) {
    leds.setPixel(ledNr,0xff0000); 
    leds.show();
    delay(10);
     leds.setPixel(ledNr,0); 
     leds.show();
     }

That should run a colored LED through the first 500 LEDs.

Just to be sure the Teensy works.

Then move that code at the end of SetLedStripLength().

First using 500 as constant, to make sure that the command is called. Then modify the firmware again using stripLength to be sure the length is set correctly.

If it works at this step, you know that the communication works (!!) and the setup of the total number of leds is correct.

Try that first, before we discuss more steps...

Hope it helps

 

[rambo3]

Got a few LEDs running off an old 500W ATX PSU (max 45A @5V), and the Teensy. Bright indeed. However, the PSU has had 10 years of faithful service and will eventually fail. It's already buzzing slightly.

I can get Mean Well 150W 5V PSUs locally (26A, fanless), but will need two of them. I can order a 300+ variant, but with a fan. I'm worried about the fan noise, those tiny blowers pack a punch.

Can I safely power the 144 RGB-strips from two PSUs? How would I connect that up?

[TerryRed]

Here is a video demo of The Walking Dead LE in my cabinet. I changed the 5 flashers with the addressable leds to use letters instead of shapes to spell out "DEAD". I think it looks kind of cool and this table is amazing!

 

 

[karlson18]

I like it could you explain how you don that spelling DEAD on the RGB Stripes? 

 

Greetings karlson 

[TerryRed]

3 hours ago, karlson18 said:

I like it could you explain how you don that spelling DEAD on the RGB Stripes? 

 

Greetings karlson 

I just copied over the config from the normal Walking Dead to the LE rom’s settings for the table’s addressable leds. (directoutputconfig30.ini)

The letters (just D E A D for now) I added to the directoutputshapes.XML file…. then I just made those letters the “default” for the 5 flashers shapes for now, until I add them to this table’s specific config. It would be nice to have a letters and numbers “shapes” standard to have for everyone to use.

I’m surprised that the letters and numbers haven’t been added to the directoutputshapes.XML file from the get go. They would make for some cool effects for a lot of tables….not just for the RGB flashers emulation.

[arngrim]

you can have custom letters that you can use for a specific table, i know it is possible but don't know how, maybe randr knows, swisslizard for sure

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[karlson18]

Thanks for the reply terryred, so ist have a look in the directoutputshapes.xml but i have no idea how to add any Letter. Would you post your directoutputshapes.xml maybe than i unterstand how to do this.

Greetings karlson