Fades
Printed From: Aurora
Category: The Vault
Forum Name: I'm New From Spectrum And I Need Help!
Forum Discription: General usage questions from former Spectrum users
URL: http://www.aurorashow.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=536
Printed Date: 31 Oct 2024 at 6:01pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.06 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Fades
Posted By: beavis
Subject: Fades
Date Posted: 25 Nov 2008 at 11:27pm
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Just fired our show up for the first dry run. I was on spectrum last year, and it seems like the fading is much less subtle than it was with Spectrum.
Like where there's a long fade out from 100 to 0, the channel seems to turn completely off well before the end of the interval.
Anyone else seen this? Also it seems like short quick fades that worked ok in spectrum now act erratically in Aurora. More of a quick flash than a quick fade.
Any suggestions on how to handle this better?
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Replies:
Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Date Posted: 25 Nov 2008 at 11:33pm
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First question... what firmware is the controller running? D-Light has been working on fixes for ramp timing so the ramps may vary depending on the firmware version . ------------- http://www.aurorashow.com/"> 
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Posted By: beavis
Date Posted: 25 Nov 2008 at 11:40pm
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My first controller from last year is running 1.13. The new one I bought this year is 1.14, which I think only adds wireless support. I haven't updated the 1.13 controller since I used it last year though, and it's driving the same fades it was last year. |
Posted By: Pony_God
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2008 at 8:25am
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How short/long are the fades? ------------- Fine. You're so smart you rig up the lights. http://www.frappr.com/dlight - D-Light users Unite! 
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Posted By: Jonathan
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2008 at 12:51pm
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If you are using LED's, you'll see this. That's because they only need a fraction of the power incandescents use. So while an incandescent uses 0 - 100 in 240 steps, the LED's will do the same thing in far fewer steps. ------------- ~Jonathan |
Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2008 at 1:28pm
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Jonathan is partially correct (LEDs behave differently and do so in fewer steps).
The exact reason isn't the power requirements though. In the most basic circuit design with a way oversimplified explaination, it has to do with the fact that the "perceived resistance" of the LED is not fixed as it is with an incandescent. As the current changes, so does the resistance that must be used in ohms law calculations. The controllers are designed to alter the overall power going into a fixed resistance, not a varying one. The result is a non-linear gamma curve. Add to that the fact that some LED vendors are now using voltage doubler circuits and other capacitive devices and the exact shape of the gamma curve becomes even more complex.
The only good way to get a linear fade out of an LED is through current regulation on a DC circuit. Firefly is a good example of this.
Now back to the topic at hand... we don't even know if the OP has LEDs...
I do know D-Light has been working on numerous fixes to the ramp timings, so this might be a firmware thing. The ramp calculations in Aurora are the correct ones. I've noticed the same effect on Firefly though when helping in the Red to black through yellow thread. It might be possible to add an option in playback preferences to "pad" the ramps some, but I suspect the option would look really bad on LOR or hybrid LOR/D-Light networks. I will look into this. ------------- http://www.aurorashow.com/">
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Posted By: beavis
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2008 at 10:25pm
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These circuits aren't LED's. It's wierd because it looks good in the visualizer, but the ramps are definitely happening much faster than the interval. I sequenced a short test sequence, and same thing. Fades out are happening way faster in lights than they do in design (and as shown in the visualizer) It's really bad in one sequence that's fade heavy. I think I'll hold it out of the show on Friday until I figure out how to fix it.
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Posted By: beavis
Date Posted: 26 Nov 2008 at 10:56pm
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Changed some of the fades to bottom out at 15%. Seems like they race to 15%, and then stay at that same brightness for a noticable time before switching off at the end of the interval.
The fading definitely doesn't seem linear.
I also copied the same test sequence over to some channels on my 1.14 controller so I could watch them together, and it performs exactly the same as the 1.13 controller.
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Posted By: LightsOnLogan
Date Posted: 28 Nov 2008 at 10:49am
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Edit: Misunderstood the above but I get it now... I will look into this and involve the beta testers early next week, but as I mentioned earlier this might be a firmware issue and not Aurora itself. ------------- http://www.aurorashow.com/">
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