LedFx General Discussion

Just wanted to start up a thread for general discussions about the project. My main focus currently is building up the core backed to be extensible such that adding new devices and effects is easy. My second focus will be on updating the front end to support the full REAT API (essentially user friendly version of the developer tools page) which I am looking into using React.js

Is there any core functionality that people think is missing? Open to any architectural changes as well (better sooner rather than later!)

Please create new issues (tagged with enhancement) for any feature request

I also created a discord channel to make discussions easier if necessary: https://discord.gg/wJ755dY

Jul 20 '18 22:07 ahodges9

Long "my vision" text moved here from "First impressions" …

Please keep it up! Looks like we come nearer my vision of having devices with both MQTT and E1.31/1.33 control, and a separate "audio/effects controller".

I’m still a little undecided on how it might be used in live situations, like DJ’ing in a club or live performances of bands or even on the show truck of the local radio station. Somehow I think it must be easy, and controllable by something the LJ (light jockey) knows, like his physical DMX controllers. (I’m a great fan of preparing effect "functions" and have the LJ use them via a button or even a fader, like you can do in QLC+. And experience shows that—in a more professional surrounding—DJs or LJs don’t like to play around with a zillion "mini web sites", one for each device. They usually prefer to have things set up by a pro then simply use it, mostly with physical devices like buttons, light control boards, or even devices like a KORG nanoPad2.)

So I wonder where this might be going … Either together with a nice control app (like not-matt’s), or maybe headless and being itself controllable via DMX or the like? Keeping everything modular (separating functionality and device control, using standards) is the right way, I think.

Eventually, it might just be great to arrive at something that …

… can be used by a hobbyist and pro alike.
… can be used for …
- a Christmas/Halloween show
- at home in the "party zone"
- in a club
- on stage
- on a show truck
… has a strong separation of the following modules:
- control input (web page, not-matt-app, DMX/E1.31?, MIDI?)
- audio input (should work with Windows, Mac, Linux, ALSA, JACK, maybe PulseAudio)
- control output (E1.31/1.33)
- internal effects engine, extensible, maybe even using a plugin concept?

Some rationale behind my ideas:

Think of "building blocks". I love these. Standard input, standard output, some functionality inside.
Having kinda "effects engine" with audio input in between Radio/Club DJ’ing/Party and DMX light control would "just be it".
We all have lots of old "dumb" lighting (and maybe even show) equipment lying around that could be used much smarter. Think of "pumping" the strobe light or even the fog machine from the bass beat …
One can’t update existing equipment.
We all tend to start using "ever smarter" equipment like WS2812B LED strips, the ESPixelStick (I just love it!).
But one can press only so much functionality into a device like an ESP8266, so it should probably have a standard interface (E1.31) and be controlled by something smart (building block).
Building blocks using standard protocols prevent a mess of proprietary "mini solutions"—everything can be tied together. Think of having a "normal" Home Assistant controlled living room suddenly converted to a DMX-controlled "party zone", and the flood lights in the patio pump to the music …
There’s no limit to creativity. :-)

Phew! VISIONS! :-) … Just thinking out loud …

Jul 22 '18 16:07 Moonbase59

Whilst i'm installing, seems like it's taking forever, thats a good 15mins already... random make crap on the screen.... I tried the original took nowhere near this long to install.

But yeah what i want is for this to run on the raspberry pi as a headless server.

I want to boot up the pi, connect over the network and have a basic ui to control it.

I want the option to be able to select the input device and possibly some sort of local audio loopback.

My planned usage, plug in any device into the mic in (usb sound card) . anything i play through it, the lights react. If i go into the ui, have the ability to change the input source. I.e to a separate usb mic, or the output from the device itself (local loopback thing).

Hopefully finishes installing soon and i can see what it can already do.

*EDIT

First attempt failed, Python 2.7 was set as default, updated bashrc with an alias, also had to install scipy apt-get install python3-pyaudio before the installer would run again, currently compiling.. will report back.

Jul 25 '18 21:07 raymiec

I’ll be developing/testing on a Linux Mint 19 laptop, but eventually it’ll end up in a Raspi next to my main HiFi stereo system, connected to it using an el cheapo USB audio adapter and driving some ESPixelSticks.

Then again … I might use it in the (radio) studio, to pep up the studio a little …

Jul 27 '18 12:07 Moonbase59

@Moonbase59 i can confirm its running on the pi and communication with ws2812 lights hooked up to esp8266 module with ESPixelSticks firmware.

All working fine.

Jul 27 '18 12:07 raymiec

Was hoping someone could help me.

I'm trying to access LedFx on my local lan and I am having issues.

On the machine that is running LedFx I can only access it via localhost:8888 or 127.0.0.1:8888 but if I try the machine's IP address 192.168.2.XXX:8888 it will not connect and therefore when I try on another computer on the network it will not access it either. I tried adding python and _conda to windows firewall but that did not help.

Nov 24 '19 02:11 rocksolidsr

You need to set the IP to listen on, in the config file, set it to 0.0.0.0 it should listen on all interfaces.

On Sun, 24 Nov 2019, 02:06 rocksolidsr, [email protected] wrote:

Was hoping someone could help me.

I'm trying to access LedFx on my local lan and I am having issues.

On the machine that is running LedFx I can only access it via localhost:8888 or 127.0.0.1:8888 but if I try the machine's IP address 192.168.2.XXX:8888 it will not connect and therefore when I try on another computer on the network it will not access it either. I tried adding python and _conda to windows firewall but that did not help.

— You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/ahodges9/LedFx/issues/4?email_source=notifications&email_token=ADSF6JM332LIL6EJLNIUPSLQVHORDA5CNFSM4FLFL7MKYY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOEFAB7BA#issuecomment-557850500, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ADSF6JL5NEOTFCUAGRQLVDDQVHORDANCNFSM4FLFL7MA .

Nov 24 '19 02:11 raymiec

the .condarc config file located in my home directory? how is the syntax to set the IP to listen on 0.0.0.0?

Nov 24 '19 13:11 rocksolidsr

Ledfx config file!

On Sun, 24 Nov 2019, 13:30 rocksolidsr, [email protected] wrote:

the .condarc config file located in my home directory? how is the syntax to set the IP to listen on 0.0.0.0?

— You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/ahodges9/LedFx/issues/4?email_source=notifications&email_token=ADSF6JNFU6GP6EJ5J3B7LKLQVJ6Y7A5CNFSM4FLFL7MKYY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOEFALJ6I#issuecomment-557888761, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ADSF6JKUVYPRJ2BRDJCVYL3QVJ6Y7ANCNFSM4FLFL7MA .

Nov 24 '19 13:11 raymiec

heh ok i need a little more help i'm in the C:\Users\username.conda\envs\ledfx directory but don't see a config file

Nov 24 '19 13:11 rocksolidsr

I can't remember off the top of my head but I'm sure the config file ends up in a folder .ledfx, been that long since i set this up now.

Just check other posts you'll find it. But yeah setting ip to 0.0.0.0 will allow it to work on all interfaces not really any other way round it.

On Sun, 24 Nov 2019, 13:48 rocksolidsr, [email protected] wrote:

heh ok i need a little more help i'm in the C:\Users\username.conda\envs\ledfx directory but don't see a config file

— You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/ahodges9/LedFx/issues/4?email_source=notifications&email_token=ADSF6JM2ZLA27Y2VLCMEODLQVKAZHA5CNFSM4FLFL7MKYY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOEFALU4Y#issuecomment-557890163, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ADSF6JKFW2JJJ7YYCZTUHMDQVKAZHANCNFSM4FLFL7MA .

Nov 24 '19 13:11 raymiec

For Windows it's in your user's appdata/roaming/.ledfx

Search for how to access appdata it's tucked away

On Sun, 24 Nov 2019, 13:48 rocksolidsr, [email protected] wrote:

heh ok i need a little more help i'm in the C:\Users\username.conda\envs\ledfx directory but don't see a config file

— You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/ahodges9/LedFx/issues/4?email_source=notifications&email_token=AHXFVTE4K5G5QFMPSAFZLZTQVKAZJA5CNFSM4FLFL7MKYY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOEFALU4Y#issuecomment-557890163, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AHXFVTBZPPMTJZIM3TXP7BDQVKAZJANCNFSM4FLFL7MA .

Nov 24 '19 13:11 not-matt

thanks got it!

Nov 24 '19 16:11 rocksolidsr

I installed anaconda and LEdFX to a windows 10 Latitude e5470 i7, but it is very laggy maimum 3-5 FPS with 881 LEDS, is it normal with this amount of leds? Or did I miss something?

May 12 '20 16:05 Merwenus

Hello, first let me say that I love the software, and it works great. I do have a problem however, it seems to shut itself down daily? I followed the instructions for installing on a raspberry pi 4 as shown on post #62 which seem to have worked well (though I understand the possibility that these aren't officially supported install methods) but it seems that whenever I stop using it, and come back to it the next day it's unavailable. I have to SSH in and