Ability to Define Multiple Colorlight Matrixes

[MrPaulAR]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe. No

Describe the solution you'd like Ability to define multiple colorlight matrices that use different ethernet ports.

My specific use case that I'm using 2 Pis for is that I have 3 dormers in my attic which don't fit within the bounds of the number of outputs available on the panel layout (O1 to O12) of FPP 5.2. Additionally 1 of the matrixes is quite a bit larger than the other two so it just makes more sense to define it differently.

Describe alternatives you've considered My workaround is for the 2 smaller dormers to use 1 output with the two dormers stacked vertically. Although I cannot use the visualizer in xLights because only one matrix is supported I can use the end of model and static channel count to make this work.

The larger matrix (2 more colorlight cards) is currently on a separate Pi and defined as normal.

Additional context The only reason I want these on the same Pi is to ensure that I don't have any timing slips on multisync which I have seen in the past. These 3 P5 panels are close enough together so this will be easily noticeable if/when this happens. Also, I can eliminate one Pi.

Below are some screenshots that I created for documenting my panels.

Smaller matrixes colorlight setup followed by fpp panel layout. Note that to use the UI which is limited to 12 outputs I decided to make this 4 rows wide in colorlight and then zig zag in FPP.

The larger panel is fairly generic other than my funky output ordering because I didn't plan ribbon lengths proprely.

[cpinkham]

This likely will take a while since it will be a bit of a rework because the LED Panel config page is shared by the BBB, Pi, ColorLight, and Linsn outputs none of which were designed to handle multiple instances. The backend ColorLight code should support multiple outputs fine, it is just UI work that should be needed.

If you don't mind editing a config file, you should be able to configure it yourself manually by setting up FPP for one ColorLight, saving off the config file, changing FPP to configure for the other ColorLight, then merging back in part of the original config file into the new config file. I can provide detailed instructions if you want to try it sometime.

[MrPaulAR]

If you wanna get together after Christmas I'm game. Only reason I'm not too interested in doing this now is because I would need to get into the attic and rewire some things...the FPP configs changes aren't a concern as I know it's a 5 second config rename.

On Mon, Nov 22, 2021 at 2:21 PM Chris Pinkham @.***> wrote:

This likely will take a while since it will be a bit of a rework because the LED Panel config page is shared by the BBB, Pi, ColorLight, and Linsn outputs none of which were designed to handle multiple instances. The backend ColorLight code should support multiple outputs fine, it is just UI work that should be needed.

If you don't mind editing a config file, you should be able to configure it yourself manually by setting up FPP for one ColorLight, saving off the config file, changing FPP to configure for the other ColorLight, then merging back in part of the original config file into the new config file. I can provide detailed instructions if you want to try it sometime.

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[TheFunkster]

@cpinkham - i might be a little late to the party, but would you possibly have those instructions for editing the config files. i believe i am trying to do something similar but not having much luck outputting to daisy chained colorlight cards for different led matrixs'. i keep getting the first matrix output to all matrixs' at the same time.

[darylc]

@TheFunkster I did this successfully in my 2023 show by editing the config file. Did you use a different ethernet usb adapter for each matrix?

[TheFunkster]

Hi @darylc, I did have them daisy chained from one ethernet adapter, but i am now looking at the config file and a second usb to ethernet adapter. i'm guessing there will need to be one ethernet port per matrix? How did you format the config file?

[darylc]

@jaredb7 do you think you'll find some time for this before FPP 8 release?

[jaredb7]

@darylc I can have another look. I did make some progress on the UI back in March but lost that work due to my own fault :( and then other commitments got in the way.

For the modifications you made to get multiple colorlight matrices wokring, do you still have that available so I see what needs to be output into channeloutputs.json?

@TheFunkster I did this successfully in my 2023 show by editing the config file. Did you use a different ethernet usb adapter for each matrix?

[darylc]

Here is the high level

and here is my specific channeloutputs.json channeloutputs.json

[jaredb7]

Awesome, thanks. I had a feeling that's how it was done but wasn't 100% sure. I'll see what I can do.

A layout something like this might work.