Linking two cubes to sync?
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Nicci Whatever
Jan 21, 2016, 1:32:56 PM1/21/16
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Is there any info on how to link two cubes so theiR displays 'sync', i.e. the graphic moves from one cube to another?
Werner M.
Jan 21, 2016, 6:01:24 PM1/21/16
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Hi Nicci,
The answer to your question is yes, but it involves a bit of computer and network setup, and use of third-party software (free). If you are 'faint-hearted' in these matters, what I'm about to tell you may scare you away.
The procedure I'm about to paste in here was taken off an old thread. At the end I
<< snipt <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Let's go!
Options menu > Output > Patch Artnet/TPM2.Net:
Careful with the brightness levels - don't fry your cube!! 
the Level and Master sliders act as a fader (in this case
it'll control the brightness of the LEDs. So before doing anything, make
sure these are adjusted within the left-middle range (unless you've got
a beefy PSU feeding your cube externally).
Alright,
so get going. There isn't going to be any "hand-holding" - questions
will be answered only if they haven't been covered here. I shall remind
everyone I slaved over this for the past days. I'm giving it to you for
free. Least you can do is try to get it going on your own.
>> snipt >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
If you survived reading through this (and more importantly, if you perform the above steps successfully), you will be rewarded with a breath-taking custom display that shows animations streamed in real-time from the program.
Ta,
-Werner (the un-beloved. Haha.)
The answer to your question is yes, but it involves a bit of computer and network setup, and use of third-party software (free). If you are 'faint-hearted' in these matters, what I'm about to tell you may scare you away.
The procedure I'm about to paste in here was taken off an old thread. At the end I
<< snipt <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
So you all need to download the program. It's going to be either Jinx! or Glediator. Windows users can choose
either, Linux/Mac users will have to go with Glediator (actually much
fancier, but both are extremely similar and provide astounding effects -
so if you're a Windows user, I suggest you go for both, to see what
little differences are between the two, and pick which one delights you
most).
Configuration steps below are for Glediator.
For those who will try jinx! a little bit of fiddling will reveal it's
pretty much the same stuff located in different places.
Let's go!
First, download the "Spark Pixels v2" sketch from the Cubetube gallery. You will also need to install the "Spark Pixels" Android app in your phone.
In addition to having the cube running the attached sketch, there's a few settings in the program, that you need to make sure are correctly done - here's a quick run-down for GLEDiator:
In addition to having the cube running the attached sketch, there's a few settings in the program, that you need to make sure are correctly done - here's a quick run-down for GLEDiator:
Options menu > Matrix Size:
Options menu > Output:
Options menu > Output:
Options menu > Output > Patch Artnet/TPM2.Net:
This
is the tricky part. It is critical that you do this correctly, or else your cube will display gibberish instead of nice graphics.
NOTE FOR MULTIPLE CUBES SETUP:
The procedures below are for patching one 8x8x8 cube, to form a 8x8 matrix display in the program.
If you have more cubes and want to form a unified display, you need to create the appropriately sized matrix and then patch each 8x8 "section" individually in the program.
Start on the right panel, add the IP address of your cube, max. channel is 192 (64 * 3 if your cube is an 8x8x8 type; otherwise, double the values except the 3), leave remaining fields unaltered.
NOTE ON SETTING THE IP ADDRESS OF YOUR CUBE:
It is important that you know the exact IP address of each cube you want to set up - more important is to make sure you have DHCP server set up in your WiFi AP and add all of your cubes' MAC addresses to the DHCP list in order to enforce that the WiFi AP will always assign the same IP (which you will have set up beforehand) to your cubes, so that you do not have to come back to these settings in the program every time the DHCP lease time is due and the AP assigns another IP address dynamically to your cubes.
NOTE FOR MULTIPLE CUBES SETUP:
The procedures below are for patching one 8x8x8 cube, to form a 8x8 matrix display in the program.
If you have more cubes and want to form a unified display, you need to create the appropriately sized matrix and then patch each 8x8 "section" individually in the program.
Start on the right panel, add the IP address of your cube, max. channel is 192 (64 * 3 if your cube is an 8x8x8 type; otherwise, double the values except the 3), leave remaining fields unaltered.
NOTE ON SETTING THE IP ADDRESS OF YOUR CUBE:
It is important that you know the exact IP address of each cube you want to set up - more important is to make sure you have DHCP server set up in your WiFi AP and add all of your cubes' MAC addresses to the DHCP list in order to enforce that the WiFi AP will always assign the same IP (which you will have set up beforehand) to your cubes, so that you do not have to come back to these settings in the program every time the DHCP lease time is due and the AP assigns another IP address dynamically to your cubes.
Make sure parameters CH-R / CH-G / CH-B are set
respectively, at 0 / 1 / 2. Then select the patch order (the correct patch order should be set to "vertical line wise - starting bottom right), then check the Auto Inc. box.
Then, on the left panel, starting from cell 1.1, drag the mouse all the way down to cell 8.8 (make sure every cell has been selected). Click Patch Selection.
To confirm that the patch is done correctly, check the left panel boxes: starting from cell 8.8, the R: /G: /B: values should increment from bottom to top, then continue on to the bottom on left neighbour column, like so:
Cell 1.1: R:189/G:190/B:191 | Cell 1.2: R:165/G:166/B:167 | Cell 1.3: R:141/G:142/B:143 | Cell 1.4: R:117/G:118/B:119 | Cell 1.5: R:93/G:94/B:95 | Cell 1.6: R:69/G:70/B:71 | Cell 1.7: R:45/G:46/B:47 | Cell 1.8: R:21/G:22/B:23
Cell 2.1: R:186/G:187/B:188 | Cell 2.2: R:162/G:163/B:164 | Cell 2.3: R:138/G:139/B:140 | Cell 2.4: R:114/G:115/B:116 | Cell 2.5: R:90/G:91/B:92 | Cell 2.6: R:66/G:67/B:68 | Cell 2.7: R:42/G:43/B:44 | Cell 2.8: R:18/G:19/B:20
Cell 3.1: R:183/G:184/B:185 | Cell 3.2: R:159/G:160/B:161 | Cell 3.3: R:135/G:136/B:137 | Cell 3.4: R:111/G:112/B:113 | Cell 3.5: R:87/G:88/B:89 | Cell 3.6: R:63/G:64/B:65 | Cell 3.7: R:39/G:40/B:41 | Cell 3.8: R:15/G:16/B:17
Cell 4.1: R:180/G:181/B:182 | Cell 4.2: R:156/G:157/B:158 | Cell 4.3: R:132/G:133/B:134 | Cell 4.4: R:108/G:109/B:110 | Cell 4.5: R:84/G:85/B:86 | Cell 4.6: R:60/G:61/B:62 | Cell 4.7: R:36/G:37/B:38 | Cell 4.8: R:12/G:13/B:14
Cell 5.1: R:177/G:178/B:179 | Cell 5.2: R:153/G:154/B:155 | Cell 5.3: R:129/G:130/B:131 | Cell 5.4: R:105/G:106/B:107 | Cell 5.5: R:81/G:82/B:83 | Cell 5.6: R:57/G:58/B:59 | Cell 5.7: R:33/G:34/B:35 | Cell 5.8: R:9 /G:10/B:11
Cell 6.1: R:174/G:175/B:176 | Cell 6.2: R:150/G:151/B:152 | Cell 6.3: R:126/G:127/B:128 | Cell 6.4: R:102/G:103/B:104 | Cell 6.5: R:78/G:79/B:80 | Cell 6.6: R:54/G:55/B:56 | Cell 6.7: R:30/G:31/B:32 | Cell 6.8: R:6 /G:7 /B:8
Cell 7.1: R:171/G:172/B:173 | Cell 7.2: R:147/G:148/B:149 | Cell 7.3: R:123/G:124/B:125 | Cell 7.4: R:99/G:100/B:101 | Cell 7.5: R:75/G:76/B:77 | Cell 7.6: R:51/G:52/B:53 | Cell 7.7: R:27/G:28/B:29 | Cell 7.8: R:3 /G:4 /B:5
Cell 8.1: R:168/G:169/B:170 | Cell 8.2: R:144/G:145/B:146 | Cell 8.3: R:120/G:121/B:122 | Cell 8.4: R:96/G:97/B:98 | Cell 8.5: R:72/G:73/B:74 | Cell 8.6: R:48/G:49/B:50 | Cell 8.7: R:24/G:25/B:26 | Cell 8.8: R:0 /G:1 /B:2
Click Done.
The last step is to open up the "Spark Pixels" app in your phone (assuming you have set it up with your cube as the "Neopixel Driver" in Settings) and select the "LISTENER" mode.
Then, if everything's done right, your target cube should be already playing back random animations streamed by the program (they should be on par with what the main screen is showing). Otherwise, go back to the Output options screen, click Open Socket (btw, you will need to do this every time you restart the program).
Then, on the left panel, starting from cell 1.1, drag the mouse all the way down to cell 8.8 (make sure every cell has been selected). Click Patch Selection.
To confirm that the patch is done correctly, check the left panel boxes: starting from cell 8.8, the R: /G: /B: values should increment from bottom to top, then continue on to the bottom on left neighbour column, like so:
Cell 1.1: R:189/G:190/B:191 | Cell 1.2: R:165/G:166/B:167 | Cell 1.3: R:141/G:142/B:143 | Cell 1.4: R:117/G:118/B:119 | Cell 1.5: R:93/G:94/B:95 | Cell 1.6: R:69/G:70/B:71 | Cell 1.7: R:45/G:46/B:47 | Cell 1.8: R:21/G:22/B:23
Cell 2.1: R:186/G:187/B:188 | Cell 2.2: R:162/G:163/B:164 | Cell 2.3: R:138/G:139/B:140 | Cell 2.4: R:114/G:115/B:116 | Cell 2.5: R:90/G:91/B:92 | Cell 2.6: R:66/G:67/B:68 | Cell 2.7: R:42/G:43/B:44 | Cell 2.8: R:18/G:19/B:20
Cell 3.1: R:183/G:184/B:185 | Cell 3.2: R:159/G:160/B:161 | Cell 3.3: R:135/G:136/B:137 | Cell 3.4: R:111/G:112/B:113 | Cell 3.5: R:87/G:88/B:89 | Cell 3.6: R:63/G:64/B:65 | Cell 3.7: R:39/G:40/B:41 | Cell 3.8: R:15/G:16/B:17
Cell 4.1: R:180/G:181/B:182 | Cell 4.2: R:156/G:157/B:158 | Cell 4.3: R:132/G:133/B:134 | Cell 4.4: R:108/G:109/B:110 | Cell 4.5: R:84/G:85/B:86 | Cell 4.6: R:60/G:61/B:62 | Cell 4.7: R:36/G:37/B:38 | Cell 4.8: R:12/G:13/B:14
Cell 5.1: R:177/G:178/B:179 | Cell 5.2: R:153/G:154/B:155 | Cell 5.3: R:129/G:130/B:131 | Cell 5.4: R:105/G:106/B:107 | Cell 5.5: R:81/G:82/B:83 | Cell 5.6: R:57/G:58/B:59 | Cell 5.7: R:33/G:34/B:35 | Cell 5.8: R:9 /G:10/B:11
Cell 6.1: R:174/G:175/B:176 | Cell 6.2: R:150/G:151/B:152 | Cell 6.3: R:126/G:127/B:128 | Cell 6.4: R:102/G:103/B:104 | Cell 6.5: R:78/G:79/B:80 | Cell 6.6: R:54/G:55/B:56 | Cell 6.7: R:30/G:31/B:32 | Cell 6.8: R:6 /G:7 /B:8
Cell 7.1: R:171/G:172/B:173 | Cell 7.2: R:147/G:148/B:149 | Cell 7.3: R:123/G:124/B:125 | Cell 7.4: R:99/G:100/B:101 | Cell 7.5: R:75/G:76/B:77 | Cell 7.6: R:51/G:52/B:53 | Cell 7.7: R:27/G:28/B:29 | Cell 7.8: R:3 /G:4 /B:5
Cell 8.1: R:168/G:169/B:170 | Cell 8.2: R:144/G:145/B:146 | Cell 8.3: R:120/G:121/B:122 | Cell 8.4: R:96/G:97/B:98 | Cell 8.5: R:72/G:73/B:74 | Cell 8.6: R:48/G:49/B:50 | Cell 8.7: R:24/G:25/B:26 | Cell 8.8: R:0 /G:1 /B:2
Click Done.
The last step is to open up the "Spark Pixels" app in your phone (assuming you have set it up with your cube as the "Neopixel Driver" in Settings) and select the "LISTENER" mode.
Then, if everything's done right, your target cube should be already playing back random animations streamed by the program (they should be on par with what the main screen is showing). Otherwise, go back to the Output options screen, click Open Socket (btw, you will need to do this every time you restart the program).
Usage - Main screen:
There
are 3 main channels - think of this screen as a mixing console for
audio. Left is left playback, right is right playback. Center is mixed
(left + right) playback. It's what you'll actually see on the cube.
Apart
from that, each channel has 5 buttons numbered 1-2-3-4-5. Each can be
assigned a different animation , and these will mix together and play
simultaneously, so the combinations are virtually infinite. At the
leftmost panel, you can see examples of that. The effects
on these panels were created by mixing different effect types. You
choose one by clicking it. Then load it by clicking the Set L or Set R
button. Way
cool!!
Even cooler is the rightmost panel: It runs preset sequences of animations. Click Start Playing and lean back on your chair in awe!! 😱
the Level and Master sliders act as a fader (in this case
it'll control the brightness of the LEDs. So before doing anything, make
sure these are adjusted within the left-middle range (unless you've got
a beefy PSU feeding your cube externally).>> snipt >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
If you survived reading through this (and more importantly, if you perform the above steps successfully), you will be rewarded with a breath-taking custom display that shows animations streamed in real-time from the program.
Ta,
-Werner (the un-beloved. Haha.)
Nicci Whatever
Jan 22, 2016, 4:26:15 AM1/22/16
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Thank you! I will give this a try over the weekend :)
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