Pixelcontroller.com
Written and Edited by:
Jonathan DePlanche
Michael Downey
Mark Amber
Daryl Collins
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1 - OVERVIEW
SECTION 2 - POWER
SECTION 3 - DATA
SECTION 4 - SETTINGS/CONFIGURATIONS
Copyright © 2017 PixelController, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Rev 1.02 5th July 2017
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1. OVERVIEW
The F16v3 Pixel Controller is a popular, fully featured board that is suitable for both commercial
and hobbyist applications.
1.1. Features
● E1.31 and Artnet over Ethernet input
● 16 Pixel Outputs
● 1024 Pixels per output
● 16,384 Pixels per board
● 3 DMX/LOR outputs
● Built in power distribution of 5A per output to a maximum of 32A per 8 ports
● Up to two optional expansion boards can be connected to increase the number of
outputs to 48 and power distribution, whilst total number of pixels supported stays
the same.
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1.2. Physical Board
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Figure 1-2 - LED Status Indicators
1.3.2.2. LED 1
The center LED is LED 1. This LED will be solid green when the
controller is in Run Mode (see Sections 4.1.2.2. and 4.2.1.2.1).
This LED will flash green when resetting or updating firmware.
1.3.2.3. LED 2
The right-most LED is LED 2. This LED will be solid green when
the controller is in Test Mode (see Sections 4.1.2.2. and
4.2.1.2.2). This LED will flash green when resetting or updating
firmware.
Note that the LEDs will illuminate the fuses, especially when looking at
the controller in the dark, but the fuses themselves do not have LEDs
installed in them. See Section 6 for replacement fuses types.
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Fuse Indicator LEDs 1 through 8 will only illuminate when power is
applied to the V1 Power Connector. Fuse Indicator LEDs 9 through 16
will only illuminate when power is applied to the V2 Power Connector.
Figure 1-3 -Pixel Output Ports (white) and corresponding fuses (orange)
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2. POWER
Power is needed on the F16v3 for two purposes, to power the pixels which will be
attached to the controller and to power the controller itself. As most users will select
their pixel type and thus voltage prior to setting up the controller, it is covered in the
manual first. However, pixels do not need to be attached to the controller to power it up
and configure the controller.
WARNING: Do not connect the F16v3 directly to a typical household outlet (110V
AC Power) as this will damage the controller. A DC power supply is required for
operation.
Note that since the F16v3 uses power, it should be placed in a protective case whenever
it is being used. Furthermore, if being used outside, a weather resistant case should be
used to protect against the elements. The case may need to allow for air circulation to
allow for cooling of the controller during operation, especially in warm climates. There
are many premade cases and do it yourself alternatives for cases and mounting the
controller in them, which can be found on the many christmas light forums or group
pages.
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2.1. Pixel Power (V1 and V2 Power Connectors)
Power input on the V1 and V2 power connectors is sent directly to the pixels.
The V1 Power Connector is used to provide power to the pixels on Pixel Output
Ports 1 through 8 (left side of the board). The V2 Power Connector is used to
provide power to the pixels on Pixel Output Ports 9 to 16 (right side of the board).
The input power on these connectors can be between 5V and 13V DC,
depending on your pixel type. For pixels using 13V to 24V DC, see Section 12
for modifications to the controller that are required.
WARNING: The Power and Ground hook ups are NOT the same on the V1 and
V2 Power Connectors. The Ground is on the outside of the board and the Power
is towards the inside of the board (Figure 2-2)
Note that V1 and V2 may use different voltages if desired. This allows for the
same controller to control lights using two different voltages. Careful labelling of
the outputs or the use of different types of pigtail connectors is highly
recommended in order to ensure that you do not connect the strings to the wrong
output, as the incorrect voltage can damage your light strings.
The power connectors are rated for 32 amps maximum current. Care should
be taken to connect the proper amount of pixels on both left and right side of the
board. See Section 11 for a chart of the average current consumption of common
pixels used in lighting displays.
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The F16v3 is shipped with the jumpers configured for using 12V Power on the V2
Power Connector to power the controller. However, it is always recommended
that you check the jumpers before applying power to the controller.
● Use power from the V2 Power Connector to power the controller. This
will have the same voltage as the pixels plugged into connectors 9
through 16.
Note that if you are using 5V pixels with a high load (such as large
pixels counts on these ports, all set for white on full brightness),
the 5V power supply may experience a slight power drop. This
power drop may cause instability with the controller as it is
powered from the same source as the pixels. Using an
independent power source connected to the External Power
Source, as described below, is recommended in this case.
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2.2.1. Power Selection Jumper
The Power Selection Jumper located on the right side of the board
(Figure 2-1), is used to select which source of power, either the V2 Power
Connector or the External Power Connector, will be used for the
Controller Power. This must be set prior to applying power to the
controller in order for the board to function and to avoid damage to the
controller.
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2.2.2. Input Power Jumpers
The Input Power Jumpers located near the center of the board (Figure
2-1), are used to select which voltage, either 5V or 7V to 13V, is being
used to power the controller. Both jumpers must be set to the same
selection. These jumpers must be set prior to applying power to the
controller in order for the board to function and to avoid damage to the
controller.
Note that the Input Power Jumpers are ONLY for the power source which
will be running the controller, NOT that which is being output to the pixels.
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(set for 5V Input Power)
Once enabled, a CR1225 battery (one is shipped with the controller) will be
needed for the RTC to function. The battery slot is accessible from the left side
of the board. The positive (+) side of the battery (the side with the writing on it)
will face up when installed. It is not necessary to remove the OLED as shown in
Figure 2-8 to insert or remove the battery. The OLED was removed only to show
the components below for this manual.
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3. DATA
3.1. Inputs
The two ports are connected via a switch so that data is passed on to the
next device when the controller is powered. While either of the two
Ethernet connectors (ETH0 or ETH1) can be used to receive data, only
one of the two should be connected to the device sending the data to the
controller. The other is used to to send data to additional E1.31/Artnet
controllers, commonly called “daisy-chaining.”
Warning: The jacks for the Ethernet Connector (metal exterior) and
the Serial output ports (plastic exterior) on the right side of the
board are the same size. Plugging Ethernet into these jacks may
cause damage to the controller or device being plugged into the
other end of the cable.
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3.1.2. Wifi Module
There is a Wifi Module in the upper left corner of the controller. Use of
the Wifi Module is not currently supported, but will be supported in future
versions of the firmware.
The Micro SD card is inserted with notches in the card toward the bottom
of the F16v3, or having the writing on the top face of the card to the right
side of the F16v3 (Figure 3-3).
Note that the Micro SD card slot is a friction slot, and is NOT spring
loaded. Push the card fully into the slot to load the card. Pull on the card
to remove it.
The Micro SD card will also be used in the future as storage for sequence
and audio information when the controller is in stand alone mode. This
feature is not currently supported, but will be supported in future versions
of the firmware.
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3.1.4. Analog (AN) Connectors
There are 4 Analog connectors on the upper right side of the board. They
are not functional at this time. In future versions of the firmware, these will
allow for the use of current sensors or triggers to be utilized. The
functionality of the connectors is currently disabled, but will be enabled in
future versions of the firmware.
3.2. Outputs
The wiring for the output is as shown in Figure 3-5. All Pixel Output ports
use the same wiring configuration.
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● Clock is used for timing on some pixel strings which have 4 wires.
Three wire pixels such as WS2811, GECE, TM18XX and
TLS3001 use will not use the “Clock” signal, and no wire should
be connected here.
● Data is the wire over which the signal telling the pixel what to do is
sent.
● V (+) is the input voltage to the pixel which provides the power to
light the pixel LEDs. The voltage output to the pixels will be the
same as that input to that side of the controller. See Section 2.1
for additional information.
The F16v3 supports a maximum of 1024 pixels per output port when no
expansion board is used. When expansion boards are used, the 1024
pixels is shared between the F16v3 and the expansion boards connected
to it. See Section 4.2.4.2 for how to set the maximum number of pixels
per port per board.
Note that the power from the controller alone will likely be
insufficient to control 1024 pixels and power injection will likely be
necessary. The actual number of pixels that can be powered without
power injection varies with a number of factors including distance
between the control and the pixels, distance between pixels, intensity or
brightness of the pixels, type of pixel, and voltage of the pixels. As a
general rule of thumb, approximately 50 of most 5V pixels or 125 of most
12V pixels can be powered directly from the controller at full brightness
without power injection. Note that this limitation is due to the power
consumption of the lights and microchips in each pixel, not the controller
itself.
Each of the Pixel Output ports has a 5A fuse and has a Fuse Indicator
LED associated with it. The 5A fuse helps to protect the controller from
damage should there be a problem with any strings connected to the port
trying to draw too much current. The Fuse Indicator LEDs allow for the
status of the fuses to be quickly determined. See Section 1.3.3 for more
information.
Note that only “Smart” type pixel strings are supported by the F16v3.
“Dumb” pixel strings, where all pixels on the string must be the same
color, are not supported. Connecting a dumb string to the controller may
damage the string or controller. It is possible to drive a
DMX/Renard/Pixelnet/LOR based “Dumb” string controller from the F16v3
serial ports (see Section 3.2.2).
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The connectors for the Pixel Output Ports are 4-Pin, 3.5mm Pitch Screw
Terminal Block Connectors, Pluggable Type with straight-pin. 16
connectors are provided with each controller. If additional connectors are
needed, see Section 6 of this Manual for a description and link.
The F16v3 has four dedicated RS-485 Serial circuits. The circuits are
made available to the user via three Serial Output Ports (RJ45 connector
jacks), located at the top right corner of the board. These are typically
referred to as the DMX output ports or DMX output jacks.
The DMX1 jack (nearest to the top of the board) has all four serial circuits
available. The DMX2 jack has only the Serial 2 data. The DMX3 jack has
only the Serial 3 data.
The “DMX1” connector can also drive all 4 ports on a differential receiver
without the need for a differential expansion board. A single port on the
differential receiver can be driven if connected to either DMX 2 or DMX 3
ports.
The outputs can be individually set to any universe and start address in
the range of data received by the controller. It is not necessary to have
the first channel of each output be the first channel in an E1.31 universe.
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Tables 3-1 and 3-2 describe how each of the DMX connectors are
connected to the quad RS-485 serial port driver.
Warning: The jacks for the Ethernet Connector (metal exterior) and
the Serial Output Ports (plastic exterior) on the right side of the
board are the same size (RJ45). Plugging Ethernet into these jacks
may cause damage to the controller or device being plugged into the
other end of the cable.
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● LOR (Light-O-Rama) - To set the pinouts for LOR based
controllers, move all three jumpers to the LOR position
which is furthest from the RJ45 connector (see Figure 3-8).
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Table 3-1: Serial Output Port Pinouts
Output DMX 1 DMX 2 DMX 3
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Table 3-2: Serial Output Port Capability
Usage DMX1 DMX2 DMX3
Notes:
1. Ports DMX2 and DMX3 are the preferred ports to use when outputting DMX or Renard
protocols. Those ports have a ground connection.
2. DMX1 does not have jumpers to configure it for LOR/Renard, so a special cable to map
the pins is required.
3. All Four Differential Receiver ports can be used.
4. Only Differential Receiver Port 1 is available for use and will carry Serial Output 2 data.
5. Only Differential Receiver Port 1 is available for use and will carry Serial Output 3 data.
6. Serial Output Pinout Jumpers must be positioned to DMX.
7. Serial Output Pinout Jumpers must be positioned to LOR.
8. Serial Output Pinout Jumpers may be positioned to either location DMX or LOR, and a
special cross-over cable will be needed.
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3.2.2.2. Differential Receiver
A single Falcon 4-port Differential Receiver (see Section 3.2.3.2.2)
can be connected to any of the serial outputs (also referred to as
DMX Ports). This allows for the Pixel Outputs to be placed up to
250’ from the F16v3 controller with a separate power supply.
The ports available for use will vary with the DMX port the
Differential Receiver is connected to as shown in Table 3-3.
DMX Port 2 1 2
DMX Port 3 1 3
Only the white PCB boards which match the F16v3 are recommended for
use with the F16v3. Use of previous expansion boards (red or blue in
color) with the F16v3 may result in damage to the controllers.
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Figure 3-10 - Expansion Board Ribbon Cable and Connector
The Main Board and Expansion Boards share the 1024 pixels per port
and the amount for each board is configurable from Web Page Interface
(See Section 4.2.4.2).
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Figure 3-11: F16v3 Expansion Board
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3.2.3.1.2. Board Port Selector Jumper
See Section 3.2.3.2.1.2. The jumpers function identical on
the Expansion Board and Differential Expansion Board.
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Figure 3-13: F16v3 Expansion Board Power Connectors
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Output Ports up to 250+ feet away from the F16v3 using
Cat5/5e/6 cable. Power is provided to the Differential Expansion
board via the 40-pin ribbon cable from the F16v3 or an external 5V
power source. If two Differential Expansion boards are being
used, it may be necessary to use an external 5V, 1A switched
power supply for differential receivers to be functional. Only one
of the two differential expansion boards need to be powered in this
fashion.
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3.2.3.2.1.1. 40-Pin Cable Connectors
Each expansion board has two 40-pin cable
connectors located near the top of the board
(Figure 3-16). The connectors are identical, and
either can be used. One of the connectors must be
used to connect the expansion board to the F16v3.
The second connector can be used to connect a
second expansion board. No more than 2
expansion boards can be connected to a single
F16v3.
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Figure 3-17: Board Port Selector Jumper
(set for Ports 17 to 32)
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typical configuration if a single expansion
board is used.
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Differential Expansion Board as shown in Figure
3-21. The Power Selection Jumper must be set to
External Power for the external power to be used
(see Section 3.2.3.2.1.3)
1 17 18 19 20
2 21 22 23 24
17 to 32
3 25 26 27 28
4 29 30 31 32
33 to 48 1 33 34 35 36
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2 37 38 39 40
3 41 42 43 44
4 45 46 47 48
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3.2.3.2.2. 4-String Differential Receiver
The 4-String Differential Receiver connects to the
Differential Expansion board using an RJ45 ethernet
Cat5/5e/6 type patch cable. This cable can be up to
approximately 250’ long. This cable transmits data only,
and will not power any pixels connected to the receiver
board. A 5V or 12V DC power supply, based on your pixel
voltage, is needed for each differential receiver. A typical
schematic of the F16v3 with a Differential Expansion Board
and Differential Receivers is shown in Figure 3-15.
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Figure 3-23: 4-String Differential Receiver Layout
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connector, such as the ETH0 or ETH1 ports on the
F16v3, as this may cause damage to the
controllers.
The two ports are connected via a switch so that data is passed on to the
next device when the controller is powered. Either of the two Ethernet
connectors (ETH0 or ETH1) can be used to send E1.31/Artnet data, the
other is used to receive data, commonly called “daisy-chaining.” Note
that the F16v3 will only pass through data that is coming into the
controller on the Ethernet Connectors, it will not generate information to
be send out.
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Warning: The jacks for the Ethernet Connector (metal exterior) and
the Serial Output Ports (plastic exterior) on the right side of the
board are the same size. Plugging Ethernet into these jacks may
cause damage to the controller or device being plugged into the
other end of the cable.
The F16v3 has a connector for an optional 4 pin Fan on the board. The
power for the fan comes from the input on the V2 Power Connector.
Therefore, you need to use caution to ensure that the fan voltage is
correct for the power input at this location.
The fan controls can be set in the web settings interface (See Section
4.2.6.1)
Note that the USB port is not intended to be used for data storage at any
time. All files will be stored on the Micro SD card.
WARNING: D o NOT use the USB port as a power source for any
devices except an audio output device. Using the USB port to power
other devices may damage the controller or the device.
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3.2.7. Audio Connector
In the near future an audio board will be made available to output high
quality stereo audio on an analog 3.5mm jack.
4. SETTINGS/CONFIGURATION
The F16v3 has several settings which will need to be configured in order to make the
controller work with your setup. There are two general methods for changing the
settings on the controller, the OLED screen on the controller itself and through a web
page interface. The basic controller settings can be viewed and changed using either
method, however to access to all settings, such as string port settings, the Web Interface
needs to be used.
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Figure 4-1: OLED Screen and Push Buttons
The OLED operates through a series of menu screens for adjusting the settings.
Using the buttons below the OLED will advance between the various menus.
The current firmware provides a screen-saver feature for the OLED. The screen
will become blank after about 30 minutes after last button is pushed. This may
happen when the controller is being used for extended periods of time, such as in
your show. To return to the Startup Screen from the blank screen, press any of
the buttons below the OLED screen.
To return to the Startup Screen from other menus, use the Left Button.
Pressing several times may be required depending on the menu currently
displayed.
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4.1.1.1. Input Status
The top line of the screen indicates the current stats of the
controller input.
● “Idle” indicates that there is no input coming into the
controller. Note that under the F16v3 Test mode, this will
remain as “Idle”. If testing is being generated by a
sequencer, FPP, or other similar device, this will change,
as the controller is receiving data..
● A spinning line followed by “UNI:” indicates data is being
received by the controller. The numbers following the
colon (:) are the lowest and highest universes of data being
received. These are the controller universes, so will be
between 1 and 96.
4.1.1.2. Uptime
The duration of time since the controller has been rebooted or
powered up is shown below the “Uptime:” wording.
4.1.1.3. SW Version
To the right of the Uptime, is the SW Version. This is the Firmware
Version installed on the controller.
4.1.1.4. IP Address
The Internet Protocol (IP) address of the controller. The IP
address is what most sequencing software or show controllers use
to identify each light controller. It must be unique to each device
on a network or errors will occur.
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To change the IP Address from the OLED screen, see Sections
4.1.2 and 4.1.2.1.3. For additional information on IP Addresses,
see Section 4.2.2.4.
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Figure 4-5: OLED Network Screen
Figure 4-6: OLED Network Screen after changes have been made
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2. Discard Settings - All changes made on the
Network page are discarded. The controller will not
reboot as no changes will have been made.
4.1.2.1.2. Type
This defines the Network type which can be either DHCP
or Static. If selected, the Edit Network Type Screen will be
brought up (Figure 4-8). The current configuration will be
shown with an asterisk (*) before the name. To change the
type, select the desired type using the up/down buttons
until highlighted, and then press the select button.
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connection but no DHCP server, then it defaults to
192.168.1.50
4.1.2.1.3. IP
The Internet Protocol (IP) address of the controller. If
DCHP is selected, the IP address is selected automatically
and rather than by the user, and can not be edited here. If
Static is selected, the user can input their desired IP
address for the controller. (See Section 4.2.2.4 for more
information in IP addresses)
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Figure 4-9: OLED Edit IP Address Screen
4.1.2.1.4. Mask
This is the Subnet Mask. See section 4.2.2.6 for more
information. The Subnet Mask can be edited in the same
fashion as the IP address (see Section 4.1.2.1.3).
4.1.2.1.5. GW
This is the Gateway. See section 4.2.2.5 for more
information. The Gateway can be edited in the same
fashion as the IP address (see Section 4.1.2.1.3).
4.1.2.1.6. DNS
This is the Primary DNS. See section 4.2.2.7 for more
information. The Primary DNS can be edited in the same
fashion as the IP address (see Section 4.1.2.1.3).
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Figure 4-10: OLED Test Menu Screen
Note that selecting a test pattern does NOT start the test
pattern, it only chooses which pattern will be displayed when
the test function is selected.
To activate the Test Mode, hold the Test/Boot button (Figure 4-11)
for 2-3 seconds until LED 1 is off and LED 2 is on solid (Figure
4-12). To stop the Test Mode, hold Test/Boot button for 2-3
seconds until LED 1 is on solid and LED 2 is off. Note the Power
LED will be on solid for both the Run and Test Modes.
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The test Mode can also be activated via the Web Interface (see
Section 4.2.1.2.2)
Note that the test pattern will only be output to the string ports and
number of pixels which have been set up through the web
interface. By default, all string ports are set to 50 pixels. If a
string of more than 50 pixels are connected without reconfiguring
the string output, only the first 50 pixels will be lit. This is a
common error made and results in users thinking they have a
partially bad string of pixels. See Section 4.2.4 on how to
reconfigure the Pixel Output Ports.
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Section 4.2.6.1). This is displayed in both degrees Celsius
(C) and Fahrenheit (F).
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Figure 4-15: OLED E1.31 Stats Screen when receiving data
When no information is being receiver by the controller, the
number of packets received will not change. This is typical in idle
mode or controller test mode. When information is being received,
the numbers will be steadily increasing. This is typical of the
controller when running the show, or a test mode in a sequencer
or on the FPP (Figure 4-15 is a snapshot of this).
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Figure 4-17: OLED E1.31 Graphical Stats Screen
for Universe 2 - shown properly working
To access the web page interface, ensure the controller is connected to the
network and then enter the IP address of the F16v3 controller as shown on the
OLED screen (Figure 4-2) into the web address bar on a web browser.
To select the different configuration page, select the links below the Falcon
Christmas Logo at the top of the page.
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Figure 4-18: Web Status Page
(Power on V2 only. No Power on V1 or Fan Connected)
The Save Setting and Load Settings links are shown in the upper
right corner of the status page.
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4.2.1.1.1. Save Settings
Clicking on the link will save an XML file which contains the
user defined setting for universe, string ports, and serials
ports on the F16v3 controller. This is useful if the controller
is being used for multiple displays throughout the year
(Halloween, Christmas, etc) or performing testing. It is
also useful as a backup should you run into problems and
need to restore your settings. It is recommended that
settings be saved prior to starting you show display each
season. Should a controller be stolen or damaged due to
weather, this will allow a replacement controller to be
installed with the same settings as the previous controller
with minimal set-up time required.
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This is the default state when starting the controller from a
powered down state.
Note that the test pattern can be selected, but will not
be applied unless “Set Mode” is clicked.
Note that the test pattern will only be output to the string
ports and number of pixels which have been set up
through the web interface. By default, all string ports are
set to 50 pixels. If a string of more than 50 pixels are
connected without reconfiguring the string output, only the
first 50 pixels will be lit. This is a common error made and
results in users thinking they have a partially bad string of
pixels. See Section 4.2.4 on how to reconfigure the Pixel
Output Ports.
4.2.1.3.1. Name
The name assigned to the controller. This can be changed
on the Network Configuration page (see Section 4.2.2.2).
The controller name is displayed here, before the SW
Version to the right of this, and on many of the web
browser tabs (see Figure 4-18). This is useful for keeping
track of which controller you are accessing when making
changes, therefore, using unique names for each controller
is advantageous.
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4.2.1.3.2. SW Version
The current Firmware Version installed on the controller.
The version follows the name of the controller as shown in
the figures. The firmware version is also shown on the
tabs of many of the browser web pages.
4.2.1.3.3. Uptime
The duration of time since the controller has been rebooted
or powered up.
4.2.1.3.5. Temp 1
This is the ambient air temperature measured by the
pre-installed temperature sensor, displayed in both celsius
and fahrenheit. This is useful in extreme hot or cold
temperature applications, as well as when the controller is
in an enclosure or there is a large load on the controller
generating heat.
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Figure 4-20: T1 Temperature Sensor Location
4.2.1.3.6. Voltage 1
The voltage being applied on the V1 Power Connector (left
side). This voltage is the same as that output on Pixel
Output Ports 1 through 8. Voltage can be between 5V and
24V (Note voltages between 13V and 24V can ONLY be
used if the F16v3 is modified per Section 12 of the
manual). 0.0V indicates that no voltage is applied to this
side of the controller, and therefore Ports 1 through 8
would not be functional.
4.2.1.3.7. Temp 2
This sensor is located near the V2 connector. It is
displayed in both celsius and fahrenheit.
4.2.1.3.8. Voltage 2
The voltage being applied on the V2 Power Connector
(right side). This voltage is the same as that output on
Pixel Output Ports 9 through 16. This side also powers the
board processors if the external power connector is NOT
being used. The optional fan is also powered by the power
input at the V2 Power Connector.
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external power location at the top of the board. Ports 9
through 16 would not be functional if this is 0.0V.
The “Packet Count” will only be updated if the “Live Update” box is
checked. This is useful for troubleshooting to see if information is
coming into the controller as anticipated. Note that this is only
valid for E1.31 data, not Artnet.
In Figure 4-23, all of the packets have identical packet counts for
all universes, which indicates that there are no setup problems
between the show player (computer or FPP) and the F16v3
controller in terms of network configuration.
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Figure 4-23: E1.31 Packets Received Page - No errors apparent
In Figure 4-24, the packet count for universes 18, and 33 through
64 are not increasing while the remaining universes are increasing
together. This may be an indication that there is a
setup/configuration error or that data is not being sent by player or
sequencer. Errors which commonly occur are differences
between the IP address, universe number, or data type
(E1.31/Artnet) selected in the software, FPP, and/or the F16v3.
Verifying the information in all locations is the recommended first
step to resolve this problem.
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Figure 4-24: E1.31 Packets Received Page with
Potential Problems on Universe 18, and 33-64
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4.2.2. Network Configuration
The network configuration page allows for viewing and changing the
network connection settings.
Note that changing these settings may prevent access to the controller if
not done correctly. If you can not connect to the F16v3, the settings can
be viewed and changed via the OLED (see Section 4.1.2.1)
No changes are saved to the controller until the “Restart Interface” button
is pressed. If you do not wish to save the changes, navigate away from
this webpage or reload it.
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4.2.2.2. Host Name
The name assigned to the controller by the user. This defaults to
F16v3, but can be changed to something easily identifiable for
your use in your show. This is especially useful if you have
multiple controllers of the same type (several F16v3 controllers).
The name will be displayed on the status page as well as many of
the web browser tabs for easy identification (See Figure 4-18).
4.2.2.4. IP Address
The Internet Protocol (IP) address of the controller. If DCHP is
selected, the IP address is selected automatically and rather than
by the user. If DCHP is not selected, the user can input their
desired IP address for the controller.
Entering the IP address on the web browser address bar will show
the controller's web page interface for making any changes to the
controller setup (Figure 4-18).
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The IP address on the web page will match that on the OLED
screen on the controller (See Section 4.1.1), and may also be
updated via the push buttons below the screen (See Section
4.1.2.1).
Note that changing the IP address manually may alter how the
controller is accessed. If a mistake is made in entering the IP
address, the controlled may become inaccessible thru the web
interface. If this occurs, the buttons below the OLED screen can
be used to select an IP address that is accessible or to choose
DHCP.
Note - Changing any of the below items will change how your controller is accessed. As
there are many different possible configurations of routers, switches, network
configurations, and settings, it is not possible to include all of these within this manual.
The manual only covers a basic connection and access.
To determine the “default” settings these items, click on the DCHP and then click “Restart
Interface”. The values shown on the webpage or the OLED will be the default values. These
will not change no matter if the IP address is set via DCHP or is set statically. These values will
be different however, if connected to a device such as the FPP.
4.2.2.5. Gateway
This is normally the address of the router or other device that
serves to direct data coming into or out of the controller. It is
needed to be able to access the webpage interface.
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4.2.2.6. Subnet Mask
This is the subnet Mask used by the controller. A value of
255.255.255.0 is typically used for most situations. Other values
may be used here, but those circumstances are beyond the scope
of this manual.
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4.2.3. E1.31/Artnet
This page is used to setup the configuration of the E1.31 or Artnet
universes that are being input to the controller.
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4.2.3.1. Addressing Mode Drop Down
Both Absolute and Universe/Start Channel addressing are
supported and can be chosen from the drop down box. The
settings are converted by the program if this is changed, so there
is no need to convert otherwise.
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If you do not wish to save changes, navigate away from this web
page or hit reload to revert to the previously saved version.
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universe number (which is under the # symbol). This value
can be any value between 1 and 63999.
Note that the First Universe here should not overlap with
any existing universes. There is no check for overlaps on
this screen, but once added if there are overlaps they will
be indicated by a red highlighted cell once a cell is clicked.
These changes will not be saved unless the Save button is
clicked.
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Universe and number of universes to be added in the
pop-up window. However, overlapping universes will be
checked when returning to the E1.31 Setup screen (see
Section 4.2.3.4.1)
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4.2.3.7. “Delete All” Button
Deletes all universes. This is useful to returning to a “blank”
universe set-up screen, and then re-adding all universes.
You do not have to add universes in numerical order but they will
be displayed in numerical order after you save.
4.2.3.10. Size
Number of channels (not the number of nodes or pixels) included
in the universe. This has a maximum value of 512. If a value
greater than this is entered, the cell will turn red to indicate that
this is not possible. If this is not corrected prior to hitting save, the
value will be set to the maximum value (512) when save is
pressed.
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Figure 4-31: E1.31 Setup Page
Error on the size of Universe 1 is highlighted in red.
4.2.3.13. Type
This allows for the selection of each universe based on either
E1.31 or Artnet protocol.
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Figure 4-33: E1.31 Setup Page with Artnet Support
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Figure 4-35: String Port Configuration Web Page Interface
○ 2 - Expansion Boards
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○ 2 - Differential Expansion Boards
■ This configuration may require the use or an
external 5V, 1A switched power supply if
using 6 to 8 differential receivers (see
Section 3.2.3.2). Only one of the two
differential expansion boards need to be
powered in this fashion.
If the number of string does not adjust after making the selection,
press the “Save” Button.
Note that the Port Mode is used only to select expansion boards
connected via the 40-pin connector. Additional controllers
connected via the Ethernet connectors or serial output ports are
not defined here.
Falcon Tip: Since each board is set to have the same maximum
number of nodes per port, preplanning your display so that you
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hook up a similar numbers of nodes or elements to each port on
each board is recommended or you may inadvertently be
“wasting” channels. For example, if using 100 pixels on Ports 1
through 15 on the main controller and 900 pixels on Port 16, the
Main Board would have to be set to 900 pixels. The would leave
only 124 pixels per port on any expansion boards. If the 900
pixels on Port 16 were spread out over the other ports, more
channels would be available for the expansion boards.
Note that if changing the Port Mode from Two Expansion Boards
to One Expansion Board, Slider 2, may remain on the screen, but
will not be functional. To remove this, either click the Save button
or reload the page.
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The sum of the maximum number of nodes on the main board and
any expansion boards will total 1024 in all cases.
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Figure 4-40: Sample Node Settings
for Main Board with One Expansion
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Figure 4-42: Sample Node Settings
for Main Board with Two Expansions
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If you do not wish to save changes, navigate away from this web
page or hit reload to revert to the previously saved version.
4.2.4.5. Type
Defines the type of RGB string connected to the output port, which
can be selected from the drop down menu. Only 1 type of string
can be selected per output port, however, each of the 16 ports can
have a different type. The types of strings supported are shown in
Table 4-3.
WARNING - The type selection does NOT change the voltage that
is being output to the string, even though some string types only
operate at a certain voltage. Voltage is entirely controlled by that
coming into the V1 and V2 Power Connectors.
TM18XX TM1803,TM1804,TM1809,TM1812
LX1203 LX1203
WS2801 WS2801,WS2803
LPD6803 LPD6803
LPD8806 LPD880X
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What is a virtual string?
Virtual strings are a way of dividing up a physical string or multiple strings
connected to a single output port, so that it acts as if it were several
different strings. This allows you to use non-sequential channel numbers,
forward or backward numbering, add null pixels, as well as other options
described below. A single F16v3 can have up to 160 virtual strings, so
many variations and combinations are possible.
The minus sign is only present if there are virtual strings set up for
a Pixel Output Port. If there are no virtual strings, this will not be
shown.
4.2.4.8. Desc.
A user entered description of what the string is used for, which can
be up to 30 characters long. It is recommended that only
alphanumeric characters are used, as some special characters
can cause problems. The descriptions is useful for keeping track
of what is connected to each output, especially if you have a large
number of controllers or they are used for different displays at
different times of the year. This is not required to be filled it.
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4.2.4.10. Start Channel
Used to specify the starting channel number which contains the
data to be sent to this port.
Note that if a Port has already been defined with a certain number
of pixels, and then the sliders are adjusted such that the pixel
count now exceeds the maximum, the Pixel Count will
automatically be reduced to the maximum number of pixels set by
the slider. The Universe and/or Start Channels will NOT be
changed however.
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Note that in most scenarios, the power from the controller
alone will be insufficient to light the maximum number of
pixel per port and power injection would be necessary. The
actual number of pixels that can be powered without power
injections varies with a number of factors including distance
between the control and the pixels, distance between pixels,
intensity or brightness of the pixels, type of pixel, and voltage of
the pixels. As a general rule of thumb, approximately 50 of most
5V pixels or 125 of most 12V pixels can be powered directly from
the controller without power injection. Note that this limitation is
due to the power consumption of the lights and microchips in each
pixel, not the controller itself.
A typical use for this is when there are several nodes inside a
display element or on something such as an arch, where these
nodes are always going to be displaying the same color.
Grouping them here means that the model in your sequencer only
needs to have a single node defined regardless of how many
nodes are actually grouped together.
4.2.4.14. Direction
● Forward - The node closest to the controller uses the start channel
input.
● Reverse - The node farthest from the controller uses the start
channel input.
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4.2.4.15. Order
Defines which color lights up when the first, second, and third
channels of a node are turned on, respectively. This can be any
combination of R-Red, G-Green, and B-Blue.
4.2.4.16. Null
Used to define the number of nodes which will not light up at the
start of the string. These nodes will pass data to the next node but
will not light up. This is useful when there is gap between display
elements larger than your pixel spacing and you don’t want to
cut/splice the string between the nodes to accommodate for this.
This is useful for items such as a mega tree or matrix, where the
model in the sequencer was based on all strings being connected
on one side, but in the actual display the strings are “folded” and
thus reverse direction. If a Zig Count or similar is used in the
sequencer, do not set the zig count here as well.
4.2.4.18. Brightness
This is used to reduce the brightness on the string connected to
the port by the percentage selected. 100% is full brightness.
These are available only in the values present in the drop down
box. This is useful for either reducing the brightness of show
elements which may be too bright compared to other elements in
the show, or to reduce the amount of power being used by a
string. In many cases, there will not be a noticeable visual
difference between pixel at 90% and 100%, but there will be a
10% reduction in power consumption. This may decrease the
number of power supplies required or increase the number of
pixels that can be powered from a single port. Even lower
brightness values may not be able to be detected visually.
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setting is too low, it may not allow for the lights to be seen or
ramps/fades may become jumpy, or colors may be off (especially
those such as yellows, purples, oranges, etc). Therefore, it is
recommended that you visually observe the physical lights as
opposed to a preview in the software when applying this setting in
order to ensure they are functioning as intended.
4.2.4.19. Blank
If this checkbox is selected, this string will be sent a signal to turn
off if no data is received after the number of seconds defined on
the E1.31 Configuration or E1.31/Artnet Tab (Section 4.2.3.2).
This is useful as some string types will not turn off unless an off
signal is received.
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4.2.4.21. Examples of Port Configuration
Below are several examples showing different Port Configuration
settings. These are shown for both Absolute and Universe/Start
Addressing modes. Also shown is a string line showing what the
pixel (node) numbering would be, as well as the channel
numbering. All examples are for a total of 15 nodes connected on
Port 1 of the controller.
Universe/Start Mode:
Absolute Mode:
Universe/Start Mode:
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3. Port Configuration Example 3 - 15 RGB nodes in forward order
with groups of 3 nodes (5 groups total).
Absolute Mode:
Universe/Start Mode:
Universe/Start Mode:
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5. Port Configuration Example 5 - Same as 4 above, but grouping
adjacent non-null pixels.
Absolute Mode:
Universe/Start Mode:
Absolute Mode:
Universe/Start Mode:
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7. Port Configuration Example 7 - 15 nodes in forward order - first 10
nodes are RGB, next 5 nodes are GBR.
Absolute Mode:
Universe/Start Mode:
Absolute Mode:
Universe/Start Mode:
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4.2.5. Serial Outputs
This page is used to configure the settings on the 3 RJ45 Serial Output
Ports located on the upper right side of the controller (Figure 3-6). There
are 4 circuits, or outputs, that can be controlled from these 3 Output
Ports.
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4.2.5.1. Save
Click to save the current setup. Forgetting to hit this is a common
mistake.
If you do not wish to save changes, navigate away from this web
page or hit reload to revert to the previously saved version.
4.2.5.2. Output #
This is the number of the serial output. Table 3-2 indicates which
4 Serial Outputs are available on each of the 3 Serial Output
Ports.
4.2.5.3. Mode
This is used to select the type of data which is output on the Serial
Output. The 2 modes available are as follows:
● Serial Data - This is used for DMX, Pixelnet, or Renard
Type Data. DMX is also used for LOR data. This would
be used for non-Falcon based controllers which are NOT
using E1.31/Artnet data.
● Pixel Data - This is used when connecting a Differential
Receiver board directly to one of the Serial Output Ports
rather than to a Differential Expansion Board (see Section
3.2.2.2)
4.2.5.4. Type
This is used to set the type of data being sent to each of the Serial
Outputs (also see Section 3.2.2), if the Mode is set to Serial Data.
The following types are supported:
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2. Pixelnet - A protocol used by some lighting controllers,
primarily used for RGB nodes, and is primarily a hobbyist
protocol.
Note that if the Serial Port Data selected here is also being used
on the Main or Expansion Board(s), the same data will be output
in both locations. This means that the lights connected to both
ports would be responding in an identical fashion. This is often not
desirable. To avoid this, you can change the Port Mode (Section
4.2.4.1) to include one more expansion board than is physically
connected to the F16v3. This will allocate 16 additional output
ports for use, which can then be selected in the Port Index. This
can not be done if two expansion boards are used with a
differential receiver connected to the main board, as the maximum
number of Output Ports is limited to 48.
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Figure 4-49: Serial Port Configuration for Differential Receiver
on DMX1 (no other expansion board used)
Note that many Serial type controllers limit the number of channels
to 1 universe or 512 channels. The start address entered here will
be converted such that it is sent out the Serial Output Port as
channel 1. This allows any channel number to be used on a serial
device.
Also note that many serial port controlled devices have their start
channels set in the controller code or via jumpers, and are not
readily able to be changed. This needs to be taken into account in
your start address. For example, if you have sequenced a show
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to use a RGB flood light on absolute channel 1369, 1370, and
1371 in your sequencer, and have a DMX flood light with a start
channel of 7, the Start Address for entered here would need to be
1363, based on the following logic:
PixelNet 1 Mbps 2
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4.2.6. Misc. Settings
At the current time, this page only contains the Fan Settings for the
onboard fan connector. In the future additional controls will be added to
this page.
Note that fan controls are only effective if a 4-wire fan is utilized.
A 2-wire or 3-wire fan may function, but all controls will not be
functional, and therefore are not recommended for use.
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4.2.6.1.2. Fan on High Temperature
This setting is used to select the temperature at which the
fan will turn on to the maximum (100%) speed. The fan
will run at 100% until the temperature falls below this
value. The Temperature is given in Celsius first and then
in Fahrenheit in parentheses second.
Note that the fan never turns off but rather reduces to 20%
when below the temperature selected here.
4.2.7. Help
If the controller has access to the internet, it will direct you to this user
manual.
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5. FIRMWARE UPGRADE OR RESET
5.1. Firmware upgrade via MicroSD Card
This method is the fastest method of updating the firmware, but requires hands
on access to the controller in order to insert and remove the SD card. This
method is also useful if the controller were to lose power during a network update
and no longer function.
8. After about 30 seconds or less, the Status LED1 and LED2 will remain
solid, and the OLED will display as shown in Figure 5-1a. This indicates
that the firmware update is complete.
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Figure 5-1a: OLED Message after firmware upgrade is complete
9. As indicated on the OLED, remove the MicroSD card from the F16v3.
10. Power down the F16v3 for at least 20 seconds
11. The next time you power up your controller, it will boot up and display the
new firmware version on its OLED display.
1. Power on your F16v3 controller and make sure you can access it’s web
page.
2. Open the Falcon Update Tool
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3. If your F16v3 is on the local network, it should be auto detected and
appear in the “Controllers” list. If it does not appear, manually enter the
IP address and press the “Add” button.
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4. Press Choose File and select the location of the new firmware file (.fal
file).
Figure 5-3: Falcon Update Tool with Controller and Firmware Selected
First you will see it “Sending FPGA file” This takes around 1 minute.
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Next you will see it “Sending Firmware”. This will take 5-8 minutes to
complete.
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5.3. Reset F16v3 back to factory defaults
This process is used to reset all settings set by the user on the controller. This
does not reset the firmware.
1. Power off your controller and wait at least 20 seconds before proceeding.
2. Hold down the “Select” button. Keep holding it down while applying
power to the controller.
3. Keep holding down the “Select Button” until you see Status LED1 and
LED2 rapidly blink together and the OLED Display will display “Resetting
Controller”
4. Release the “Select Button”, the controller will reboot with the default
settings.
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6. OPTIONAL/SPARE PARTS
● Fuses
○ 5A Auto Car Micro Mini Blade Fuse Fast Quick Blow Fuse - Available from most
auto parts and some big box stores. Do NOT use higher than 5A fuses or you
can cause damage.
● Pixel Output Port Connectors
○ 4 - Pin Pitch 3.5mm Screw Terminal Block Connector Green Color Pluggable
Type with straight-pin
■ http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-pcs-4pin-way-Pitch-3-5mm-Screw-Terminal-
Block-Connector-Green-Pluggable-Type-/230778118917?hash=item35bb
72a305
● 40 Pin Ribbon Cable
○ Flat Cable 40 Pin Wires Ribbon 50mm Wide 3 Ft. Long With 4 Sets IDC
Connector
○ http://www.ebay.com/p/Flat-Cable-40-Pin-Wires-Ribbon-50mm-Wide-3-Ft-Long-
With-4-Sets-IDC-Connector/1948462733?_trksid=p2047675.m4096.l9055
● Fan
○ 4 Pin PWM Fan. The fan voltage needs to match the voltage applied at the V2
Power Connector. The maximum fan speed, diameter, and other features are
selectable by the user based on their setup needs.
■ 12V Fan -
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H3SWJ24/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_UTM
qzbBMEKR7P
● Case
○ The F16v3 and a typical power supply will fit in a CableGuard CG-1500 Coax
Demarcation Enclosure which can be found from several vendors.
● RTC Battery
○ CR1225 battery
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7. ADDRESSING MODE EXAMPLE
This example shows the two different ways (absolute and universe/start channel) of
addressing channels for models. Each has benefits and drawbacks to them, and users
will have their own preferences. The purpose of this example is to show how the F16v3
can be used to mimic the sequencer settings, so that the user does not have to do
manual calculations to determine universe or channel numbering. No matter which
method is used, it is recommended that the method used in the sequencer is also used
for the controller to simplify your set-up.
Keep in mind that the Addressing Mode can be changed at any time on the F16v3. This
will change the way the information is displayed, but not any of the data entered for
either.
To enter this into the F16v3 with Absolute Channel Addressing, the start
channels would be entered very similar to as entered into the sequencer, as
shown in Figure 7-2.
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Figure 7-2: F16v3 String Port Settings with Absolute Channel Addressing for both models
and controller
Figure 7-3: F16v3 String Port Settings with Universe/Start Channel Addressing for
controller and Absolute for models.
The first two ports are easily defined above, as they both start on the first
universe. Port #3 started part way through Universe 2, which means it does not
have an intuitive start channel number.
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7.2. Universe/Start Channel Example
This setup is for 6 stars, each using 100 pixels (same as in the previous
example). In this case however, each star is set to be on it’s own universe,
starting a channel 1 on that universe. Each star is also shown as being
connected to its own output port on the controller.
To enter this into the F16v3 with Universe/Start Channel Addressing, this
information would be entered very similar to as entered into the sequencer, as
shown in Figure 7-5.
Figure 7-5: F16v3 String Port Settings with Universe/Start Channel Addressing for both
models and controller
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If Absolute addressing were to be used on the F16v3, careful attention and
calculations would be needed in order to verify the correct values are being used
for the start channels, as shown in Figure 7-6.
Figure 7-6: F16v3 String Port Settings with Absolute Addressing for controller and
Universe/Start Channel for models.
As the universes have been all been defined as 510 channel in this case, all start
channels increment by 510 from the previous start channel. While this is
relatively simple to calculate, it does require knowledge of the number of
channels per universe to determine, whereas if Universe/Start Channel is used
this does not need to be known.
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8. NETWORK CONNECTION
The F16v3 must be connected to a network in order to fully configure the controller.
There are two common methods for connecting the controller to a network both for
configuring the controller and running a show.
The F16v3 web interface can then be accessed by typing the controller’s IP
address (Figure 4-2) into a web browser on your computer or other device. The
F16v3 can also be controlled via your sequencing software using this IP address.
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8.2. Connection to Falcon Pi Player (FPP)
The Falcon Pi Player (FPP) is free software that runs on a micro-computer such
as a Raspberry Pi (RPi), Beagle Bone Black (BBB), or other similar devices. For
more information on the FPP, visit falconchristmas.com. The show sequence
can be stored and played using the FPP, rather than using a computer. This is
useful for those who do not want to use their computer to run the show, or for
those with large or remote displays where having a computer controlling all
elements is not practical.
The F16v3 can be connected to a FPP, or a switch connected to the FPP, using
a Cat5/5e/6 patch cable via one of the two Ethernet Ports (Figure 3-1).
To access the F16v3 web interface, network configuration on both the FPP and
F16v3 is required. The following gives an example of how this can be done.
Note that each network is different, so there may be variations in your particular
setup. In addition, the IP addresses used are for example only, many variations
are possible, and so these exact values do not need to be used.
It is recommended that you set up, configure, and test access to the FPP prior to
connecting the F16v3, as the FPP is set up via a wired connection access and
then switched to wireless.
Note that F16v3 network settings are shown in Figure 8-3 are on the F16v3 web
page interface screen. However, without configuring these to the proper settings,
you will not be able to access this webpage through the FPP. Therefore, these
settings would need to be made via the OLED screen (Section 4.1.2.1) or with
the F16v3 connected to a router directly (Section 8.1).
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8.2.1. Sample Network Configuration for F16v3 to FPP
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Figure 8-3: F16v3 Network Configuration Example
The Interface mode on the FPP for both wlan0 (wireless) and eth0 (wired) must
be set to Static. Also on the FPP, the “Enable Routing between network
interfaces” box must be checked.
The “Enable DHCP” on the F16v3 must be unchecked (Figure 8-3) or set to
Static on the OLED (Figure 4-8).
The Gateway for the eth0 (wired) settings on the FPP must be blank (Figure 8-2).
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third set of numbers must be different than A and B above. This is also
used for the Gateway and Primary DNS on the F16v3 Controller.
In addition to the above setting, you must also configure your router or computer
to be able to access the F16v3 via the FPP. Due to great variation in routers and
computers, this is not included in this manual. There is a thread on the Falcon
Forums which provides more detail on how to do this.
http://falconchristmas.com/forum/index.php/topic,4231.0.html
Note that Option 1 will allow any device connected to the router to access the
F16v3. Option 2 will only allow the device that the command is entered on to
access the F16v3. Option 2 can be entered on multiple devices, if needed.
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9. BASIC TERMINOLOGY
A channel is the smallest controllable element. A channel will control either the Red, Green, or
Blue intensity.
A pixel or node is a combination of Red, Green, and Blue channels in any order. This can be,
but is not necessarily, the same as the number of LEDs. Some strings will use multiple LEDs in
a single pixel. All LEDs that act together based on the hardwiring of the lights are considered a
single pixel. Each pixel consists of 3 channels.
A string is a group of pixels connected on a single output. All pixels connected together are
considered to be on the same string whether or not they are on the same physical string or
multiple physical strings connected together. Therefore two physical strings of 50 pixels
connected together is considered the same as a single string of 100 pixels.
* Note that it is physically impossible to have a fractional pixel on a string. Therefore, some
users will limit their universe size to 170 pixels = 510 channels, so that pixels are not split
between universes. The F16v3 can be used with either 6 full universes of 512 channel per port
or 6 truncated universes of 510 channels per port.
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10. FULL DATA SHEET
A comparative data sheet for all Falcon controllers is located using the following link:
F16v3, F16v2, F16v2-R and F4V2 Datasheet
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11. TYPICAL PIXEL POWER USAGE
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12. MODIFICATIONS FOR POWER GREATER
THAN 13V
In order to control pixels which are between 13V and 24V, the F16v3 needs to be
modified. This is needed if power between 13V and 24V is applied to EITHER the V1 or
V2 Power Connector. This modification should only be done by users who are
experienced in soldering and removing components from PCBs.
Modifying the board to operate with pixels that are between 13V and 24V will disable all
of the Fuse Indicator LEDs on the controller.
To operate with 13V to 24V, remove the resistor labelled “R92” located above the V2
Power Connector, as shown in Figure 12-1. The Input Power Jumpers would then need
to be set to 7V to 13V (see Section 2.2.2) if powered via the V2 Power Connector.
WARNING: Applying Power greater than 24V may damage the controller.
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13. TROUBLESHOOTING/GETTING HELP
13.1. Frequent Problems
● My Screen is Blank
○ Try pressing one of the buttons below the OLED screen. The screen
saving mode may be active.
○ Please reset controller to factory defaults using “Factory Reset”
procedure.
● My F16v3 won’t power on
○ Check power connections, jumpers and power supply. See Section 2.2
for further information on how to power the F16v3.
○ Email or call technical support
● None of my pixels light up
○ If using outputs 1-8, check that you are applying power to the V1 power
connection.
○ If using outputs 9-16, check that your are applying power to the V2 power
connection.
○ Check pixel connector connections to verify wire order and check if they
are loose.
○ Try using test mode to help rule out PC/sequencer problems.
● Only the first part of my lights turn on in regular or test modes.
○ Make sure the string port has the correct number of pixels (nodes)
defined for that channel.
○ Make sure there is no damage to the wires between the working and
non-working nodes.
● My pixels are flickering
○ Plug the flickering string of pixels directly into the F16v3, removing any
other power injection and test that it works correctly, ruling out the F16v3
as a source of the problem.
○ If driving pixels from a sequencer(s). Make sure you are not driving from
two sources, such as both xLights and FPP are both outputting.
● One of my outputs doesn’t work
○ If using outputs 1-8, check that you are applying power to the V1 power
connection.
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○ If using outputs 9-16, check that your are applying power to the V2 power
connection.
○ Check the fuse indicator LED on the output port. If the LED is not lit, the
fuse is either missing or blown. Replace the fuse.
○ Check to make sure the pixel connector is firmly installed into the jack,
and that all wires are connected to the pixel connector.
○ Check to make sure there is no damage to the wires connected to the
output.
○ If pigtails are being used, make sure the lights are connected to the
pigtails, and there is contact between the pigtail and the lights (pins at the
connection may be damaged or corroded)
○ Try plugging lights from a working output in the non-working output to
determine if it is a problem with the lights or the output.
● Can’t connect to the web interface
○ Check to make sure all cables are connected and the controller has
power.
○ Verify you are using the IP address shown on the OLED to access the
web interface.
○ If you have the controller for a static IP, change to DHCP, restart and see
if you can connect. If so, there is an error is you network settings.
○ If you are connecting via a FPP or other device, rather than directly to the
router of the device you are trying to access with, check your network
settings.
310.963.3022
david@pixelcontroller.com
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