Design Question

[P. Short]

How difficult would it be for Vixen to interface with a controller that accepts higher-level commands than just a list of intensity values? For example, would it be easy for a Vixen plugin to take advantage of a controller that had built-in ramping, built-in twinkle or random intensity levels, etc?

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Phil

[A Marchini]

How difficult would it be for Vixen to interface with a controller that accepts higher-level commands than just a list of intensity values? For example, would it be easy for a Vixen plugin to take advantage of a controller that had built-in ramping, built-in twinkle or random intensity levels, etc?

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Phil

I think a good way to do that is some kind of "pre-program" processing which could anylize the channel and look for where the command sequence of "ramp (start,end,rate , rate of rate change?)" would give greater channel utilization as opposed to just sending a simple set level commands.

I was thinking before that "behavor codes" could be added to the levels, allowing for remote intensity programs to be executed with simple commands. For example, right now the intensity level sent is a byte with levels 0 through 255, but sending a 2 byte intensity would allow say 256 to be a twinkle effect on and a 257 to be twinkle effect off.

I think in the spec I was trying to put forward I was actually trying to seutp a method of sending a "intensity program" (can't think of what I was calling it then). All this would be is a set of intensities over a fixed time that would be stored in EEPROM on the controller and played back when a command is given.

Anyways, probably the easiest way right now, would be to work off of the existing level output but call... say 250 to be the top then reuse codes 251-255 or something for remote effect playback. This is keeping with the current renard output spec with minimal changes.
This breaks of course if you actually want to send a ramp command with supplied arguments. I suppose a value of 255 could be a "special" value which would then have known following arguments like effect code and arguments.

The handy thing here (work necessary from K.C.) would be some color effect on the vixen grid that would indicate "something special happening here". I imagine the plugin could handle all the special code processing.


Tony

[A Marchini]

How difficult would it be for Vixen to interface with a controller that accepts higher-level commands than just a list of intensity values? For example, would it be easy for a Vixen plugin to take advantage of a controller that had built-in ramping, built-in twinkle or random intensity levels, etc?

--

Phil

In looking at your design criteria, I see that you are intending "built in" functions. Have you thought about downloable functions? "Light fonts" that sort of thing.
Tony

[P. Short]

I'm thinking about putting the functions in that 8-pin PIC, which has very limited memory, so maybe just a few functions like ramp, maybe a chase, and one or two other functions which don't need many parameters.

Right now I'm just thinking about it, not very serious yet.

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Phil