channel value, based on time / maximum schedules ?

[Sn00zerman]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a way to adjust channel values, based on time settings.
I have 2 channels:
- Channel 1, value needs to be adjusted by hour of the day. (so, if it's 8 hour, I want the value of this channel to be 8, if it's 23 hour, I want toe value of this channel to be 23)
- Channel 2, value needs to be adjusted bu minutes of the hour. (is it it's 8:24, I want toe value of this channel to be 25, when it's 11:58, I want this channel to be 58)

I'm building arpnet nodes (this wil be opensource in the future), based on Rpi Zero, and because these things don't have a battery to keep the RTC up-to-date, and they can't sync with an NTP server (don't have internet on location),
I want to "abuse" 2 channels to get hour/minutes onto my arpnet nodes.
My main QLC+ device is a RPI 4, with backup battery for RTC, so I want to "share" my QLC+ device his time via this way

Can anyone help me out with this one ?

Follow-up / bonus-question:
Creating a fixture with 2 dimmers, and making a schedule for every minute, seems like a "valid" solution.
I can write a (python-)script to generate those 1440 schedules automatically, no problem, can be done quickly.
However, how will QLC+ perform on a RPI4, with 1440 scenes and 1440 schedules ? (one for every minute)
I will have about 20 full universes, once done with my project. (I'm going to use several addressable LED-strips, they require 510 channels for every 5 meter of strip,
so my universes will add up quickly)


thanks & best regards from Belgium,
Kris

[GGGss]

Kris,

You'll need a chaser for the minutes and one for the hours.
1 holding 59 scenes + 1
1 holding 1 + 23 scenes
The '+1' scene will hold a trigger thru a loopback universe for the hours-chaser to proceed.
(the 1 + scene in the hours-chaser resets the 59th + 1 pulse in the loopback universe)

I don't have experience with QLC+ timing precision in the (very) long term.

additionals:
Yes, you could write a python-script generating the needed scenes -> output to a project file which is .xml
Don't break the structure. QLC+ won't be able to open it anymore.

If your led-wall only will deal with the hourly clock, I guess the Pi will have sufficient power.
Running animations and the like, will need a tad more power I'm afraid. Dedicated network by cable-connections.

[Sn00zerman]

Hello Fredje,

Thank you for your help, much appreciated !
Following your description, I will surely manage what I want to accomplish.
104 scenes is better then 1440
My Microcontrollers do have an RTC, but no backup battery.
I'm developing an ArtNet/DMX controller with a small TFT. (320x240)
I just need a way to show the current time on these displays.
I think I can even manage a way to see how long they are connected and running in QLC+.
The PI Zero is more then powerful enough to handle 4 DMX universes.
My initial setup was with a lilygo ttgo T8, but that was just a bit to short in computing power with all the things I wanted to do.
And the price difference between a Pi Zero and a Lilygo ttgo T8 isn't that much, and I didn't need to change that much code, because I stay within the Python environment

I see you are also from Belgium, interesting little country we live in hé

best regards,
Kris

[GGGss]

Jip Roeselare

[GGGss]

Jip from Roeselare

[janosvitok]

You may as well install NTP server on the RPI4 and NTP client on nodes, and forget about it...

https://serverfault.com/questions/80627 ... -on-ubuntu
Say it's not such a great idea, but tell you how to configure, and someone suggests simply setting time with ssh.

[GGGss]

(OP mentioned: no internet on premisses...)

[janosvitok]

OP also mentions artnet so tcp/ip is most probably available. I meant NTP based on local clock, "island mode".

[GGGss]

"island mode" can be extended with a cheap GPS receiver - the only thing is that the antenna has to be in line of sight to the sky.
But we're getting off topic