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Comporder1 View Drop Down
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  Quote Comporder1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Output errors
    Posted: 14 Dec 2007 at 8:58am
I had time yesterday to make "The Switch"! And ran my show last night using Aurora for the first time. I had a few problems:
 
1) I am not sure if this is a application problem or a USB driver issue (it happened with d-light as well) - If I remove the USB adaptor before I close the scheduler, I get a BSOD when I do close the app. The blue screen references something about USB and IRQ (sorry for not being specific, I could write it down for you if you are interested) and then dumps the memory.
 
2) I am a little concerned with the CPU usage during the show. It pegs at 100% non-stop. I belive I read somewhere that this is normal and does not indicate insuffecient hardware. I hope that is the case. I actually run the show with a Pentium M 1.6GHz laptop. The fan on it runs full blast non-stop for the entire show. I am afraid it will "take off"! Big%20smile
 
3) My biggest issue is in a few instances I noticed Aurora is not actually outputing what is sequenced! I first noticed it when in one of my sequences I programmed about a .5 second fade in followed by a 2 second fade out on all (16 total) but 2 channels. The lights faded in properly then immediatly turned off followed by another on pulse near the end of where the fade out should end. I confirmed this many times. I even went in and reprogrammed all of the events in that area and removed unnecessary intervals. It happens with both the scheduler and the sequencer. I would be happy to submit the file for review if desired.
 
Over all I am happy with the performance of Aurora. I am expecially pleased with the almost nonexistant delay between songs! I look forward to V1 release!
 
Thanks
Carey
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deweycooter View Drop Down
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  Quote deweycooter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Dec 2007 at 10:30am
1)  Don't do that.  ;)

2)  I had asked Michael about the CPU being pegged a while back:  "CPU at 100% is ok.  I've kept the timing loop really tight for maximum accuracy.  The program will still multitask ok... it is just taking whatever is available."  I imagine a sleep cycle could be put in the looping part of the code if you're looking for a quieter machine.

3)  I've seen missing events as well.  But I haven't fired up Spectrum to see if it's repeatable.  One of the primary events that bigs the heck out of me is concurrent ramps.  On an ACx8, I have one channel ramping up while another ramps down, then the swap - one down while the other up.  Each ramp is about 1.5 sec long.  Instead of ramping, I get channel A on for 1.5 seconds with ch B off, then channel B on for 1.5 seconds with A off.

Another type of event that I see fairly regularly - I have 3 mega trees with 7 channels each.  When making the individual channels dance, my ACx8 trees do fine.  But the 3rd is on a ACx16.  I need to flash from v1.12 to v1.13 first...hopefully that will get it knocked out.
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  Quote LightsOnLogan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Dec 2007 at 10:35am
#1 sounds like a driver issue.
 
#2 is ok.  The commands are put out in frames so it is possible to release the CPU between frames (instead of just iterating a loop doing nothing like Aurora presently does).  That of course means creating an algorith to properly determine how much time to release... being an early beta it is best to just leave the plumbing simple for now and pick that up later.
 
#3 I can think of a couple possibilities to look into.  First, for my own information, what hardware (ACx8, ACx16, LOR, etc.) and what firmware version is being used?  Does adjusting the length of the ramp (1 second or 3 seconds for instance) seem to "fix" it or do those settings cause a glitch as well?
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Comporder1 View Drop Down
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  Quote Comporder1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Dec 2007 at 4:15pm

I use one ACx16 with the latest firmware 1.13

Here is a screen shot of the area in question:
 
Here is the dls file:
 
Here is the Wav:
(password protected - email me if you need it = comporder1 (at) - Gmail)
 
Thanks for the help,
Carey


Edited by Comporder1 - 14 Dec 2007 at 4:26pm
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peteandvanessa View Drop Down
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  Quote peteandvanessa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Dec 2007 at 9:13am
I ran the scheduler last night for the first time. I had imported seven 48 channel sequences into Aurora. The sequences played very well without the fade in, fade out issues reported above.
The scheduler used at 50% of the CPU (dual core Centrino latop with 2 Gig RAM, Windows XP) which seem perfectly acceptable. It was alittle trickly to get the comms port set up initially, I had to switch comms ports since the initial on refused to connect. After that if ran perfectly for 2 1/2 hours. Very nice!!!
 
I think the scheduler is far far superior to the current Spectrum scheduler.
 
The sequencer is pretty good too, but I'd like to see the wave time line being played back at the same time as the visalizer so you can track the beats better.
 
Also I'd like to see channel copies (meaning the whole channel can be copied by just right clicking on the channel) and then being able to paste the copied channel onto another channel.
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Comporder1 View Drop Down
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  Quote Comporder1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Dec 2007 at 9:37am
Originally posted by peteandvanessa

The scheduler used at 50% of the CPU (dual core Centrino latop with 2 Gig RAM, Windows XP) which seem perfectly acceptable.
 
Yeah... I noticed that as well. My desktop (x64) is a Athlon X2 dual core and it's CPU usage peaks at about 58% while importing and playback. While my Pentium M laptops pegs at 100% for all aspects of Aurora. Seems like the app does not take full use of both cores. Just a thought ;)
 
Carey
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Comporder1 View Drop Down
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  Quote Comporder1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Dec 2007 at 2:53pm
Did anyone have a chance to take a look at this?? I haven't been able to do anything today. My display is floating in a couple inches of rain right now! Ouch
 
Just to clearify... It looks fine in the virtulizer, just freeks out in the yard.
 
Thanks
Carey
 
Originally posted by Comporder1

I use one ACx16 with the latest firmware 1.13

Here is a screen shot of the area in question:
 
Here is the dls file:
 
Here is the Wav:
(password protected - email me if you need it = comporder1 (at) - Gmail)
 
Thanks for the help,
Carey
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LightsOnLogan View Drop Down
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  Quote LightsOnLogan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Dec 2007 at 4:56pm
I am looking into this and will report back tomorrow.
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Comporder1 View Drop Down
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  Quote Comporder1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Dec 2007 at 5:32pm
Thanks! I appreciate your help.
Carey
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peteandvanessa View Drop Down
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  Quote peteandvanessa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Dec 2007 at 9:31am
I just downloaded your sequence. I can't run it in the scheduler right now, but I zoomed into the area you have having an issue with. The only thing I can see that looks a bit strange is the Spiral trees. On their fade it shows them as :

1. No fade in (they aren't the same as the other channels)
2.Intensity is 100% and end is grayed out at the first part of that channel (in the area you are having problems with)

So something is strange on that channel in that area.
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