P10 help guide

Why would you do 8+1 instead of doing 2 per output on 6 outputs or similar? With my image, you'd get much faster refreshes and brighter panels if you keep the chains shorter and use more outputs. At the very least, do 3 chains of 3.

I have the same issue with the video. If doing a 2x2 configuration, use 2 outputs, or 4. There are 8 outputs available on the octoscroller, why not use them?
 
dkulp said:
Why would you do 8+1 instead of doing 2 per output on 6 outputs or similar? With my image, you'd get much faster refreshes and brighter panels if you keep the chains shorter and use more outputs. At the very least, do 3 chains of 3.

I have the same issue with the video. If doing a 2x2 configuration, use 2 outputs, or 4. There are 8 outputs available on the octoscroller, why not use them?
Click to expand...

I didn't realize that's the function of the image. Another thing I learned in this thread! :hmm: Okay then, 3 chains of 3 it is! I guess that's why there are 3 longer ribbon cables and 6 short cables included in the P10 matrix kit, right? :wink:
 
Okay, after getting the frame and box all finished, I decided I wanted to test the matrix again. Wired it up, plugged it in, launched 'fpp/' from my browser, and did the 'Enable test' in the FPP web page. Maybe I didn't jotice before, but only every other row on my matrix is lighting up -- is this normal? It's a 3x3 matrix using the BBB + Octoscroller cape found in the DIYLEDExpress kit.
 
Well, the BBB won't let me flash that image file you suggested to the eMMC -- it just seems to not want to write to it and I'm wondering if it's because there is only 2GB of space on the eMMC and the image fiile is over 3G unpacked? I tried several times with no luck, so I ended up just re-flashing the BBB image and upgrading it to V1.9. However, the problem still persists - only every other row lights up in the FPP test page. :disgust:
 
Probably should have linked to the instructions and information about the image:

http://falconchristmas.com/forum/index.php/topic,7626.0.html

There is also a great video on how to install it and get it flashed onto the eMMC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aSyA1gU2cQ&list=PLFyrAfJ-kKd73_nPCrfQAiAFBrOEUQT80&index=4

Flashing onto the eMMC is optional. By default, it will run from the SD card and if you have a large enough SD card, that can be fine. That said, flashing to the eMMC is the normal way to use it.
 
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Thank you Dan! I will try that when I get off work. :thup2:

Do you know why your image allows every row/line to light up in FPP test mode but the FPP image builds (both 1.8 & 1.9) don't?
 
Stormyblade said:
Do you know why your image allows every row/line to light up in FPP test mode but the FPP image builds (both 1.8 & 1.9) don't?
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I have absolutely no idea. It's likely something wrong with the PRU code on the 1.8/1.9 branch, but I'm really not sure. The code on my branch is SOOOOO different now that it's not something that I could even compare it to to figure it out.
 
Well, I finally got your image to load onto the BBB, by using a method I found embedded in your link to Falcon Christmas. The secret was to use the embedded function inside FPP and tell it to Flash to eMMC. So, I got everything running and set up correctly, let it run for a while to make sure things are working, then tried going to bridge mode in FPP and let xLights output to the matrix. It worked but I think I goofed a setup factor because text messages are wrapping to the center and not scrolling edge to edge.

So, here's where I ran into problems...after powering up the matrix again, I can't get into FPP - the network keeps timing out and won't connect. I tried running more sequence stuff in xLights and it ouputs immediately to my matrix, but I still can't connect to FPP. Hmmm...

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks - test mode did indeed light up every node. I do have one last question though, since I seem to have issues trying to get FPP to flash from the SD to the internal eMMC: Would it be so terrible to keep the image on the SD and just load from that? What capabilities would I lose on the BBB, if any? I am only going to use this BBB to be either a standalone player or slave to run my matrix. Can't I just stick the sequences onto the USB flash drive and let either the Pi drive it or let the BBB run itself?
 
Stormyblade said:
Anyway, just wanted to say thanks - test mode did indeed light up every node. I do have one last question though, since I seem to have issues trying to get FPP to flash from the SD to the internal eMMC: Would it be so terrible to keep the image on the SD and just load from that? What capabilities would I lose on the BBB, if any? I am only going to use this BBB to be either a standalone player or slave to run my matrix. Can't I just stick the sequences onto the USB flash drive and let either the Pi drive it or let the BBB run itself?
Click to expand...

If you have a large enough SD card, you can run completely off the SD card and ignore the eMMC entirely. If you go the same advanced settings page where the "flash" button was, there is a button there to expand the filesystem to use the entire SD card. (default is a <4GB partition). After you do that and reboot, you can select the SD card for the storage and it will hold everything. I actually kind of like doing that cause if something happens, moving the card to a new BBB is trivial as everything is self contained.

You can also run FPP from the SD card and use an USB thumb drive for storage, but with only a single USB port, that limits things a bit.
 
Dan,

Thanks again for some great advice. I can easily afford to "give up" that SD card - it came with the BBB and I've purchased others for other things and devices in the house. Okay, the BBB came right up into FPP after booting from the SD card and I was able to perform the system expansion. The display appears quite normal from both testing and bridging via xLights.

I guess my only question is just what capability do I lose by using the SD card and the USB flash storage together? Can I still tell a Pi to run a show or load shows/sequences via the USB thumb drive?
 
Thank you of the great write up. Should the P10 panels be "broken in" so to speak before you guys are mounting them and sealing them in boxes? I wanted to burun in the pixels but not sure if you guys run certain patterns to break them in like we used to do back in the day with plasma screens and such,
 
thats what ill do, I ran a lot of patterns last night on them just to have some fun, it worked great, although LOR chokes as DMX universes. start to add up
 
You would be better off switching to xlights. I ran192 channels in LOR and 12 universes DMX and when I tried to do p-10 panels it was no go so I went to xlights and it runs perfect videos and animations. I admit I had to get plenty of help from the people on the forums and they always came through for me.
Good luck and xlights is free software but it would be nice to donate as I did if you should switch over.
Look up Ron Howard on face book and look at the effects that he gets on his p-10 panel and that should make a easy decision to switch.
John
 
brichi said:
is it easy to get my LOR sequence over to XLights?
Click to expand...
I found it difficult and tried the ones on you tube with no luck. I finally got help and did it the hard way by using the custom model. I had to do it 192 times, one for each channel. I would post for help and see if one of the posters could show you an easier way.
You will love your p-10 panel. You will have such clear movies and animation as well as pictures and it's super easy.
John
 
thank you John! Cant wait to get them all up and running, waiting on hardware from Boscoyo,. they have been off for 2 weeks because of the holidays

one question, I have 4 panels setup in a rectangle 2x2 just to learn the ins and outs between FPP, Xlights and LOR and I notice a lot of lag at times when pixelation, is this caused by the Beagle bone, router or just lag cause theres a lot going on?
 
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