F16v3

E1.31/Artnet Pixel Controller Manual - v1.02

(includes up to Firmware v2.00)

Pixelcontroller.com

Written and Edited by:

Jonathan DePlanche

Michael Downey

Mark Amber

Daryl Collins

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1 - OVERVIEW

SECTION 2 - POWER        

SECTION 3 - DATA

SECTION 4 - SETTINGS/CONFIGURATIONS

SECTION 5 - FIRMWARE UPGRADE OR RESET

SECTION 6 - OPTIONAL/SPARE PARTS

SECTION 7 - ADDRESSING MODE EXAMPLE

SECTION 8 - NETWORK CONNECTION

SECTION 9 - BASIC TERMINOLOGY

SECTION 10 - FULL DATA SHEET

SECTION 11 - TYPICAL PIXEL POWER USAGE

SECTION 12 - MODIFICATIONS FOR POWER GREATER THAN 13V

SECTION 13 - TROUBLESHOOTING/GETTING HELP

1. OVERVIEW

The F16v3 Pixel Controller is a popular, fully featured board that is suitable for both commercial and hobbyist applications.  

1. Features

• E1.31 and Artnet over Ethernet input
• 16 Pixel Outputs
• 1024 Pixels per output
• 16,384 Pixels per board
• 3 DMX/LOR outputs
• Built in power distribution of 5A per output to a maximum of 32A per 8 ports
• Up to two optional expansion boards can be connected to increase the number of outputs to 48 and power distribution, whilst the total number of pixels supported stays the same.

For a video highlighting the features of the F16v3, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcAXycWNSxM

2. Physical Board

Figure 1-1 - F16v3 Controller

3. On-Board Displays

1. OLED Display

The OLED is a small screen near the top left side of the controller (see Figure 1-1) which displays some controller information and can be used to make some changes to the settings configuration.  This is useful to show the controller has booted up, make initial network connection settings, show the status or firmware updates, as well as several other features.  See Section 4.1 for more information on the use of the OLED.

2. LED Status Indicators

There are three LED status indicator lights to the right of the 40 pin expansion connector (See FIgures 1-1 and 1-2).

Figure 1-2 - LED Status Indicators

1. Power LED

The left-most LED is the Power Status indicator.  This LED will be lit green when power is applied to the controller (see Section 2.2).

2. LED 1

The center LED is LED 1.  This LED will be solid green when the controller is in Run Mode (see Sections 4.1.2.2. and 4.2.1.2.1).  This LED will flash green when resetting or updating firmware.

3. LED 2

The right-most LED is LED 2.  This LED will be solid green when the controller is in Test Mode (see Sections 4.1.2.2. and 4.2.1.2.2).  This LED will flash green when resetting or updating firmware.

3. Fuse Indicator LEDs

Each Pixel Output Port on the controller has a 5 Amp Fuse associated with it, as shown in Figure 1-3.  To the right of each fuse is a LED which shows the status of the fuse.  A green lit LED indicates the fuse is intact and working.  A LED which is not lit indicates a blown or missing fuse as shown in Figure 1-4.  The status of the fuses can therefore be quickly and easily ascertained without the need of removing the fuse.

Note that the LEDs will illuminate the fuses, especially when looking at the controller in the dark, but the fuses themselves do not have LEDs installed in them.  See Section 6 for replacement fuses types.

Fuse Indicator LEDs 1 through 8 will only illuminate when power is applied to the V1 Power Connector.  Fuse Indicator LEDs 9 through 16 will only illuminate when power is applied to the V2 Power Connector.

Figure 1-3 -Pixel Output Ports (white) and corresponding fuses (orange)

Figure 1-4 - Fuse Indicator LEDs

2. POWER

Power is needed on the F16v3 for two purposes, to power the pixels which will be attached to the controller and to power the controller itself.  As most users will select their pixel type and thus voltage prior to setting up the controller, it is covered in the manual first.  However, pixels do not need to be attached to the controller to power it up and configure the controller.

WARNING: Do not connect the F16v3 directly to a typical household outlet (110V AC Power) as this will damage the controller.  A DC power supply is required for operation.

Note that since the F16v3 uses power, it should be placed in a protective case whenever it is being used.  Furthermore, if being used outside, a weather resistant case should be used to protect against the elements.  The case may need to allow for air circulation to allow for cooling of the controller during operation, especially in warm climates.  There are many premade cases and do it yourself alternatives for cases and mounting the controller in them, which can be found on the many christmas light forums or group pages.

Figure 2-1 - Power Connectors and Power Jumpers

4. Pixel Power (V1 and V2 Power Connectors)

Power input on the V1 and V2 power connectors is sent directly to the pixels.  The V1 Power Connector is used to provide power to the pixels on Pixel Output Ports 1 through 8 (left side of the board). The V2 Power Connector is used to provide power to the pixels on Pixel Output Ports 9 to 16 (right side of the board). The input power on these connectors can be between 5V and 13V DC, depending on your pixel type.  For pixels using 13V to 24V DC, see Section 12 for modifications to the controller that are required.

WARNING: The Power and Ground hook ups are NOT the same on the V1 and V2 Power Connectors.  The Ground is on the outside of the board and the Power is towards the inside of the board (Figure 2-2)

                        V1 Power Connector                V2 Power Connector

Figure 2-2 - V1 and V2 Power Connector Wiring

Note that V1 and V2 may use different voltages if desired.  This allows for the same controller to control lights using two different voltages.  Careful labelling of the outputs or the use of different types of pigtail connectors is highly recommended in order to ensure that you do not connect the strings to the wrong output, as the incorrect voltage can damage your light strings.

The power connectors are rated for 32 amps maximum current. Care should be taken to connect the proper amount of pixels on both the left and right side of the board. See Section 11 for a chart of the average current consumption of common pixels used in lighting displays.

5. Controller Power

There are two options for powering the F16v3, as follows below.  For either case, both the Power Selection Jumper (Section 2.2.1) and Input Power Jumpers (Section 2.2.2) must be set properly before applying power to the controller.

The F16v3 is shipped with the jumpers configured for using 12V Power on the V2 Power Connector to power the controller.  However, it is always recommended that you check the jumpers before applying power to the controller.  

WARNING: It is possible to damage your board if you set the jumpers incorrectly!

• Use power from the V2 Power Connector to power the controller.  This will have the same voltage as the pixels plugged into connectors 9 through 16.

Note that if you are using 5V pixels with a high load (such as large pixels counts on these ports, all set for white on full brightness), the 5V power supply may experience a slight power drop.  This power drop may cause instability with the controller as it is powered from the same source as the pixels.  Using an independent power source connected to the External Power Source, as described below, is recommended in this case.

• Connect an independent power source into the External Power Connector (see Figure 2-3).  

If using a 5V on the V2 Power Controller, using the External Power Connector rather than the V2 Power Connector is recommended as this is the most stable and reliable way to power the controller under this scenario.

Figure 2-3 - F16v3 External Power Connector and

Power Selection Jumper Pins (set for External Power)

4. Power Selection Jumper

The Power Selection Jumper located on the right side of the board (Figure 2-1), is used to select which source of power, either the V2 Power Connector or the External Power Connector, will be used for the Controller Power.  This must be set prior to applying power to the controller in order for the board to function and to avoid damage to the controller.  

WARNING: It is possible to damage your board if you set the jumpers incorrectly!

WARNING: Do not remove or install the jumpers while the board is being powered.

• If using the V2 Power Connector to power the controller, the jumper must be placed on the middle and bottom pins as shown in Figure 2-4. The F16v3 is shipped with the jumper in this position.

Figure 2-4 - Power Selection Jumper

(set for V2 Power)

• If using the External Power Connector to power the controller, the jumper must be placed on the top and middle pins as shown in Figure 2-5.

Figure 2-5 - Power Selection Jumper

(set for External Power)

5. Input Power Jumpers

The Input Power Jumpers located near the center of the board (Figure 2-1), are used to select which voltage, either 5V or 7V to 13V, is being used to power the controller.  Both jumpers must be set to the same selection.  These jumpers must be set prior to applying power to the controller in order for the board to function and to avoid damage to the controller.  

WARNING: It is possible to damage your board if you set the jumpers incorrectly!

WARNING: Do not remove or install the jumpers while the board is being powered.

Note that the Input Power Jumpers are ONLY for the power source which will be running the controller, NOT that which is being output to the pixels. 

• If using 7V to 13V to power the controller via the power source selected in Section 2.2.1, the Input Power Jumpers must be placed on the left and center pins as shown in Figure 2-6. The F16v3 is shipped with the jumpers in this position.

Figure 2-6 - Input Power Jumpers

(set for 7V to 13V Input Power)

• If using 5V to power the controller via the power source selected in Section 2.2.1, the Input Power Jumpers must be placed on the center and right pins as shown in Figure 2-7.

Figure 2-7 - Input Power Jumpers

(set for 5V Input Power)

6. Real Time Clock (RTC) Battery

There is a Real Time Clock (RTC) which is located below the OLED on the left side of the board.  The RTC is used to allow the F16v3 to function in stand-alone mode.  Use of the RTC and stand-alone mode is not currently supported, but will be supported in future versions of the firmware.  There is no need to install a battery at this time because of this.

Once enabled, a CR1225 battery will be needed for the RTC to function.  The battery slot is accessible from the left side of the board.  The positive (+) side of the battery (the side with the writing on it) will face up when installed.  It is not necessary to remove the OLED as shown in Figure 2-8 to insert or remove the battery.  The OLED was removed only to show the components below for this manual.  

Warning: As with any electronic device, the battery should be removed when storing the controller for long periods of time.  

Figure 2-8 - RTC and Battery location

3. DATA

1. Inputs

1. E1.31/Artnet (Ethernet Connectors)

The F16v3 controller receives E1.31/Artnet data on the Ethernet Connectors on the upper left side of the controller (Figure 1-1).  This is what would be connected to the Ethernet port on the device that is controlling your show, which is typically a computer or FPP.  

Figure 3-1: Ethernet Connectors

The two ports are connected via a switch so that data is passed on to the next device when the controller is powered. While either of the two Ethernet connectors (ETH0 or ETH1) can be used to receive data, only one of the two should be connected to the device sending the data to the controller.  The other is used to send data to additional E1.31/Artnet controllers, commonly called “daisy-chaining.”  

Warning: The jacks for the Ethernet Connector (metal exterior) and the Serial output ports (plastic exterior) on the right side of the board are the same size.  Plugging Ethernet into these jacks may cause damage to the controller or device being plugged into the other end of the cable.

2. Wifi Module

There is a Wifi Module in the upper left corner of the controller.  Use of the Wifi Module is not currently supported, but will be supported in future versions of the firmware.

Figure 3-2: Wifi Module

3. Micro SD Card Slot

The Micro SD card is currently used to update the firmware on the controller (see Section 5.1).  

The Micro SD card is inserted with notches in the card toward the bottom of the F16v3, or having the writing on the top face of the card to the right side of the F16v3 (Figure 3-3).

Figure 3-3: Micro SD Card Slot and Orientation

Note that the Micro SD card slot is a friction slot, and is NOT spring loaded.  Push the card fully into the slot to load the card.  Pull on the card to remove it.

The Micro SD card will also be used in the future as storage for sequence and audio information when the controller is in stand alone mode.  This feature is not currently supported, but will be supported in future versions of the firmware.

4. Analog (AN) Connectors

There are 4 Analog connectors on the upper right side of the board.  They are not functional at this time. In future versions of the firmware, these will allow for the use of current sensors or triggers to be utilized.  The functionality of the connectors is currently disabled, but will be enabled in future versions of the firmware.

Figure 3-4: AN Connectors

2. Outputs

1. Pixel Output Ports

There are 16 Pixel Output Port on the controller, numbered as shown in Figure 2-1, which is where the pixel strings are connected to the controller.  

The wiring for the output is as shown in Figure 3-5.  All Pixel Output ports use the same wiring configuration.

                                                    Figure 3-5: Pixel Output Port Wiring

• G is the Ground (-) wire for the pixel string.
• Clock is used for timing on some pixel strings which have 4 wires. Three wire pixels such as WS2811, GECE, TM18XX and TLS3001 use will not use the “Clock” signal, and no wire should be connected here.
• Data is the wire over which the signal telling the pixel what to do is sent.
• V (+) is the input voltage to the pixel which provides the power to light the pixel LEDs.  The voltage output to the pixels will be the same as that input to that side of the controller.  See Section 2.1 for additional information.

The F16v3 supports a maximum of 1024 pixels per output port when no expansion board is used.  When expansion boards are used, the 1024 pixels are shared between the F16v3 and the expansion boards connected to it.  See Section 4.2.4.2 for how to set the maximum number of pixels per port per board.

Note that the power from the controller alone will likely be insufficient to control 1024 pixels and power injection will likely be necessary.  The actual number of pixels that can be powered without power injection varies with a number of factors including distance between the control and the pixels, distance between pixels, intensity or brightness of the pixels, type of pixel, and voltage of the pixels.  As a general rule of thumb, approximately 50 of most 5V pixels or 125 of most 12V pixels can be powered directly from the controller at full brightness without power injection.  Note that this limitation is due to the power consumption of the lights and microchips in each pixel, not the controller itself.

Each of the Pixel Output ports has a 5A fuse and has a Fuse Indicator LED associated with it.  The 5A fuse helps to protect the controller from damage should there be a problem with any strings connected to the port trying to draw too much current.  The Fuse Indicator LEDs allow for the status of the fuses to be quickly determined.  See Section 1.3.3 for more information.

Note that only “Smart” type pixel strings are supported by the F16v3.  “Dumb” pixel strings, where all pixels on the string must be the same color, are not supported.  Connecting a dumb string to the controller may damage the string or controller. It is possible to drive a DMX/Renard/Pixelnet/LOR based “Dumb” string controller from the F16v3 serial ports (see Section 3.2.2).

The connectors for the Pixel Output Ports are 4-Pin, 3.5mm Pitch Screw Terminal Block Connectors, Pluggable Type with straight-pin.  16 connectors are provided with each controller.  If additional connectors are needed, see Section 6 of this Manual for a description and link.

2. Serial Output Ports (DMX/Renard/Pixelnet/LOR)

The F16v3 has four dedicated RS-485 Serial circuits. The circuits are made available to the user via three Serial Output Ports (RJ45 connector jacks), located at the top right corner of the board.  These are typically referred to as the DMX output ports or DMX output jacks.  

The DMX1 jack (nearest to the top of the board) has all four serial circuits available.  The DMX2 jack has only the Serial 2 data.  The DMX3 jack has only the Serial 3 data.

Each Serial circuit can be individually configured to output DMX, Pixelnet, or Renard (see Section 4.2.5).  The DMX protocol can also be used to drive LOR Boards.

Figure 3-6: Serial Output Ports

Warning: Do not connect LOR devices to DMX1 as the wiring on these devices may cause damage to the F48 controller.  Use LOR devices only on DMX2 or DMX3.

The “DMX1” connector can also drive all 4 ports on a differential receiver without the need for a differential expansion board.  A single port on the differential receiver can be driven if connected to either DMX 2 or DMX 3 ports.

The outputs can be individually set to any universe and start address in the range of data received by the controller. It is not necessary to have the first channel of each output be the first channel in an E1.31 universe.

Tables 3-1 and 3-2 describe how each of the DMX connectors are connected to the quad RS-485 serial port driver.

Warning: The jacks for the Ethernet Connector (metal exterior) and the Serial Output Ports (plastic exterior) on the right side of the board are the same size (RJ45).  Plugging Ethernet into these jacks may cause damage to the controller or device being plugged into the other end of the cable.

4. Serial Port Pinout Jumpers

DMX ports 2 and 3 each have three jumpers to configure the pinouts of the RS45 connector (see Figure 3-7). LOR and standard DMX pinouts are supported. Setting the correct pinout for your DMX or LOR based controllers can eliminate the need to make a “Crossover Cable”. Pixelnet controllers also use the jumpers set for DMX and a standard cable.  

Renard users will need a special cable, typically made by the user.  As most Renard boards are DIY boards, Renard users should consult their controller assembly or user manual to determine the pins used for their controller.  Table 3-1 indicates the wiring for the Serial Ports from the F16v3.

Note that there are no jumpers for DMX Port 1.

Figure 3-7 - Serial Output Pinout Jumpers

(Jumpers shown in DMX Mode)

• LOR (Light-O-Rama) - To set the pinouts for LOR based controllers, move all three jumpers to the LOR position which is furthest from the RJ45 connector (see Figure 3-8).

Figure 3-8 - Serial Output Pinout Jumpers

(set for LOR Mode)

• DMX - To set the pinouts for standard DMX based controllers, move all three jumpers to the DMX position which is closest to the RJ45 connector (see Figure 3-9).  Pixelnet controllers also use this configuration.  Renard controllers will also generally use this configuration, but a special cable will be needed.  This is also used if a Differential Receiver is connected to this port with a standard cable.

Figure 3-9 - Serial Output Pinout Jumpers

(for DMX Mode)

Table 3-1: Serial Output Port Pinouts

Table 3-2: Serial Output Port Capability

Notes:

1. Ports DMX2 and DMX3 are the preferred ports to use when outputting DMX or Renard protocols. Those ports have a ground connection.  
2. DMX1 does not have jumpers to configure it for LOR/Renard, so a special cable to map the pins is required.  
3. All Four Differential Receiver ports can be used.
4. Only Differential Receiver Port 1 is available for use and will carry Serial Output 2 data.
5. Only Differential Receiver Port 1 is available for use and will carry Serial Output 3 data.
6. Serial Output Pinout Jumpers must be positioned to DMX.
7. Serial Output Pinout Jumpers must be positioned to LOR.
8. Serial Output Pinout Jumpers may be positioned to either location DMX or LOR, and a special cross-over cable will be needed.

5. Differential Receiver

A single Falcon 4-port Differential Receiver (see Section 3.2.3.2.2) can be connected to any of the serial outputs (also referred to as DMX Ports).  This allows for the Pixel Outputs to be placed up to 250’ from the F16v3 controller with a separate power supply.

The ports available for use will vary with the DMX port the Differential Receiver is connected to as shown in Table 3-3.

Table 3-3: Differential Receiver Ports when Connected to F16v3 Serial Output Ports

3. Expansion Boards

Up to two optional expansion boards can be connected to your F16v3 to provide additional Pixel Outputs Ports.  The expansion boards are connected to your F16v3 via short (8” = 20 cm), 40-pin ribbon cable (included with expansion board).  The ribbon cable will power the expansion boards themselves but a separate power supply is needed to power the pixels connected to the expansion boards.  

The 40 pin connector is keyed to ensure proper orientation of the cable.  When connected, the red wire (Pin 1) for the ribbon cable is on the left side of the boards.

Only the white PCB boards which match the F16v3 are recommended for use with the F16v3.  Use of previous expansion boards (red or blue in color) with the F16v3 may result in damage to the controllers.

Figure 3-10 - Expansion Board Ribbon Cable and Connector

The Main Board and Expansion Boards share the 1024 pixels per port and the amount for each board is configurable from Web Page Interface (See Section 4.2.4.2).

The different expansion board types can be used together as long as no more than 2 expansion boards are connected to a F16v3.

To use an expansion board, it must be configured.  See section 4.2.4.1 for further information.

6. F16v3 Expansion Board

The F16v3 (white) Expansion board provides an additional 16 pixel outputs per board.  A maximum of two expansion boards can be daisy chained for up to an additional 32 pixel output ports.  The expansion boards have two power inputs, one for each bank of 8 ports, similar to the F16v3.  These outputs and the power inputs are functionally equivalent to the pixel outputs on the F16v3.  

Figure 3-11: F16v3 Expansion Board

1. 40-Pin Cable Connectors

Each expansion board has two 40-pin cable connectors located near the top of the board (Figure 3-12).  The connectors are identical, and either can be used.  One of the connectors must be used to connect the expansion board to the F16v3.  The second connector can be used to connect a second expansion board.  No more than 2 expansion boards can be connected to a single F16v3.

Figure 3-12: F16v3 Expansion Board Features

2. Board Port Selector Jumper

See Section 3.2.3.2.1.2.  The jumpers function identical on the Expansion Board and Differential Expansion Board.

Note there was an error on the printing of the initial production run of the Expansion Boards, where the Board Port Selector Jumper is labelled “33-64”.  This should be “33-48”.  More than 48 output ports are not supported.

3. Power Connector

The Expansion Board controller power is provided over the 40-Pin Ribbon Cable.  

Pixel Power is provided on the V1 and V2 Power Connectors. Power input on the V1 and V2 power connectors is sent directly to the pixels.  The V1 Power Connector is used to provide power to the pixels on Pixel Output Ports 1 through 8 (left side of the board). The V2 Power Connector is used to provide power to the pixels on Pixel Output Ports 9 to 16 (right side of the board). The input power on these connectors can be between 5V and 13V DC, depending on your pixel type.  The Power and Ground Connections are labeled on the controller for each Power Connector, as shown in Figure 3-13.  

Note that V1 and V2 may use different voltages if desired.  This allows for the same controller to control lights using two different voltages.  Careful labelling of the outputs or the use of different types of pigtail connectors is highly recommended in order to ensure that you do not connect the strings to the wrong output, as the incorrect voltage can damage your light strings.

The power connectors are rated for 32 amps maximum current. Care should be taken to connect the proper amount of pixels on both the left and right side of the board. See Section 10 for a chart of the average current consumption of common pixels used in lighting displays.

Figure 3-13: F16v3 Expansion Board Power Connectors

7. Differential Expansion with Differential Receivers

1. Differential Expansion

Figure 3-14: F16v3 Differential Expansion Board

The F16 Differential Expansion v2.00 is a white board which when combined with 4-String Differential Receivers (see Section 3.2.3.2.2) provides the ability to locate up to 4 groups of 4 Pixel Output Ports up to 250+ feet away from the F16v3 using Cat5/5e/6 cable.  Power is provided to the Differential Expansion board via the 40-pin ribbon cable from the F16v3 or an external 5V power source.  If two Differential Expansion boards are being used, it may be necessary to use an external 5V, 1A switched power supply for differential receivers to be functional.  Only one of the two differential expansion boards needs to be powered in this fashion.

The Differential Expansion board requires the use of Differential Receivers to provide output to pixels.  The Differential Expansion Board on it’s own will not control any pixels or controllers other than the Differential Receivers.  A typical schematic of the F16v3 with a Differential Expansion Board and Differential Receivers is shown in Figure 3-15.

Figure 3-15: Schematic diagram showing F16v3 with

2 Differential Expansion Boards and 8 Differential Receivers

1. 40-Pin Cable Connectors

Each expansion board has two 40-pin cable connectors located near the top of the board (Figure 3-16).  The connectors are identical, and either can be used.  One of the connectors must be used to connect the expansion board to the F16v3.  The second connector can be used to connect a second expansion board.  No more than 2 expansion boards can be connected to a single F16v3.

Figure 3-16: F16v3 Differential Expansion Board Features

2. Board Port Selector Jumper

The Board Port Selector Jumper is used to set which ports, either 17-32 or 33-48 are used for the expansion board selected.  

• If a single expansion board is used, the jumper should be placed in the top and center pins as shown in Figure 3-17.  

Figure 3-17: Board Port Selector Jumper

(set for Ports 17 to 32)

• If two expansion boards are used, each board should be set for different ports, one as shown in Figure 3-17 and one as shown in Figure 3-18.  It does not matter which of the two expansion boards are set to which ports.  This can be configured as needed by the user for their display.

Figure 3-18: Board Port Selector Jumper

(set for Ports 33 to 48)

3. Power Selection Jumper

The Differential Expansion Board operation can be powered by either power coming over the ribbon cable or power connected to the External Power Connector.  The Power Selection Jumper is used to indicate which source of power is being used.  This is used only for the operation of the Differential Receiver, it is not output to any pixels.

WARNING: Do not remove or install the jumpers while the board is being powered.

• If the Differential Expansion Board is being powered via the ribbon cable, the jumper should be placed over the top and middle pins as shown in Figure 3-19.  This is the typical configuration if a single expansion board is used.

Figure 3-19: Power Selection Jumper

(set for Ribbon Power)

• If the Differential Expansion Board is being powered via the External Power Connector, the jumper should be placed over the middle and bottom pins as shown in Figure 3-20.  If two Differential Expansion boards are being used, at least one of the two should be configured in this fashion.

Figure 3-20: Power Selection Jumper

(set for External Power)

4. External Power Connector

The External Power Connector located on the right side of the board can be used to provide power to the controller.  While this can be used at any time, it is generally only needed if two Differential Expansion Boards are being used on the same F16v3, as the power requirements both can become greater than is output by the F16v3 over the ribbon cable.  Only one of the two Differential Expansion boards would need to be powered in this fashion.

The power connected to the External Power Connector must be from an external 5V, 1A switched power supply.  It is connected to the Differential Expansion Board as shown in Figure 3-21.  The Power Selection Jumper must be set to External Power for the external power to be used (see Section 3.2.3.2.1.3)

Figure 3-21: Differential Receiver External Power Connector

5. Differential Receiver Connection Ports

Located at the bottom of the Differential Expansion board are four RJ45 jacks which are used to connect to the Differential Receivers.  These jacks are numbered 1 through 4 from left to right as shown in Figure 3-16.  The Pixel Output Port on the Differential Receiver is dependent on the Receiver Connection Port it is connected to.  Table 3-4 indicates the port numbering for different scenarios.  This is shown schematically in Figure 3-15.

Table 3-4: Differential Receiver Pixel Port Output Numbering

.

2. 4-String Differential Receiver

The 4-String Differential Receiver connects to the Differential Expansion board using an RJ45 ethernet Cat5/5e/6 type patch cable.  This cable can be up to approximately 250’ long.  This cable transmits data only, and will not power any pixels connected to the receiver board.  A 5V or 12V DC power supply, based on your pixel voltage, is needed for each differential receiver.  A typical schematic of the F16v3 with a Differential Expansion Board and Differential Receivers is shown in Figure 3-15.

Figure 3-22: 4-String Differential Receiver

A 4-String Differential Receiver can optionally be directly connected to the serial output ports on the F16v3.  The ports available for use will vary with the Serial Output Port the Differential Receiver is connected to.  See Section 3.2.2.2.

See Section 4.2.5 for details on configuring this scenario.

Figure 3-23: 4-String Differential Receiver Layout

6. Power Connector

The power for the pixels is input on the Power Connector on the right side of the controller, as shown in Figure 3-23.  The power input to the controller is the same as will be output to the pixels, and therefore must match the voltage of the pixels which will be connected to the controller.  The uppermost screw on the Power Connector is for the input power wire and the lower screw is for ground wire.  

7. Input Jack

On the lower left side of the Differential Expansion Receiver is an RJ45 jack which is used to connect the controller to either one of the ports on the Differential Expansion Board (see Section 3.2.3.2.1.5) or one of the F16v3 Serial Output Jacks (see Section 3.2.2.2).  Do not connect the Differential Expansion Receiver to an Ethernet connector, such as the ETH0 or ETH1 ports on the F16v3, as this may cause damage to the controllers.

8. Pixel Output Ports

There are four Pixel Output Ports on the Differential Expansion Receiver.  The numbering of the Pixel Output Ports is as shown in Figure 3-23.  The output to each of the Pixel Output Ports is dependent on which device and jack the DIfferential Expansion Receiver is connected to.  See Section 3.2.3.2.1.5 for port numbering when connected to a Differential Expansion Board, or section 3.2.2.2 when connected to a serial port on the F16v3.

The wiring for the Pixel Output Ports is identical to that of the F16v3. See Section 3.2.1 for more information.

9. Output Port Fuses

Each of the Pixel Output Ports has a 5A fuse on the output, and are numbered as shown on Figure 3-23.  These fuses function the same as on the F16v3, but do not have indicator LEDs on them.  See Section 6 for replacement fuses types.

4. E1.31/Artnet (Ethernet Connectors)

The F16v3 controller can pass on E1.31/Artnet data to additional controllers on the Ethernet Connectors on the upper left side of the controller (Figure 1-1).  

The two ports are connected via a switch so that data is passed on to the next device when the controller is powered. Either of the two Ethernet connectors (ETH0 or ETH1) can be used to send E1.31/Artnet data, the other is used to receive data, commonly called “daisy-chaining.”  Note that the F16v3 will only pass through data that is coming into the controller on the Ethernet Connectors, it will not generate information to be sent out.

Warning: The jacks for the Ethernet Connector (metal exterior) and the Serial Output Ports (plastic exterior) on the right side of the board are the same size.  Plugging Ethernet into these jacks may cause damage to the controller or device being plugged into the other end of the cable.

5. Fan Connector

Figure 3-24: Fan Connector

The F16v3 has a connector for an optional 4 pin Fan on the board.  The power for the fan comes from the input on the V2 Power Connector.  Therefore, you need to use caution to ensure that the fan voltage is correct for the power input at this location.

• If you have 5V connected to V2, a 12V fan will not function.
• If you have 12V connected to V2, using a 5V fan can cause damage.

The fan controls can be set in the web settings interface (See Section 4.2.6.1)

6. USB Port

The USB port on the board will be used as an audio output source in future versions of the firmware.  Use of the USB port is not supported at this time.

Note that the USB port is not intended to be used for data storage at any time.  All files will be stored on the Micro SD card.

WARNING: Do NOT use the USB port as a power source for any devices except an audio output device.  Using the USB port to power other devices may damage the controller or the device.

7. Audio Connector

In the near future an audio board will be made available to output high quality stereo audio on an analog 3.5mm jack.

4. SETTINGS/CONFIGURATION

The F16v3 has several settings which will need to be configured in order to make the controller work with your setup.  There are two general methods for changing the settings on the controller, the OLED screen on the controller itself and through a web page interface.  The basic controller settings can be viewed and changed using either method, however to access all settings, such as string port settings, the Web Interface needs to be used.

3. OLED Access

The OLED is a small screen near the top left side of the controller (see Figure 1-1) which displays some information and can be used to make some changes to the settings configuration using the 5 push buttons below the OLED (see Figure 4-1).  This allows for the basic configuration and status updates of the controller to be made without the need for external access via a computer or other device. This is helpful when first setting up the controller to connect to the network or for testing purposes.  The controller needs to be powered for the OLED to function, but does not require any network connection.

Figure 4-1: OLED Screen and Push Buttons

The OLED operates through a series of menu screens for adjusting the settings.  Using the buttons below the OLED will advance between the various menus.

The current firmware provides a screen-saver feature for the OLED. The screen will become blank after about 30 minutes after the last button is pushed. This may happen when the controller is being used for extended periods of time, such as in your show.  To return to the Startup Screen from the blank screen, press any of the buttons below the OLED screen.

8. Startup Screen

This is the screen that will appear when the controller is first powered up or when a button is pushed to remove the blank screen.  General information about the controller is displayed on this screen.

Figure 4-2: OLED Startup Screen - Idle Status

Figure 4-3: OLED Startup Screen - Receiving Data

To return to the Startup Screen from other menus, use the Left Button.  Pressing several times may be required depending on the menu currently displayed.

8. Input Status

The top line of the screen indicates the current stats of the controller input.  

• “Idle” indicates that there is no input coming into the controller.  Note that under the F16v3 Test mode, this will remain as “Idle”.  If testing is being generated by a sequencer, FPP, or other similar device, this will change, as the controller is receiving data..
• A spinning line followed by “UNI:” indicates data is being received by the controller.  The numbers following the colon (:) are the lowest and highest universes of data being received.  These are the controller universes, so will be between 1 and 96.

9. Uptime

The duration of time since the controller has been rebooted or powered up is shown below the “Uptime:” wording.

10. SW Version

To the right of the Uptime, is the SW Version. This is the Firmware Version installed on the controller.  

The list of firmware versions with updates included in each can be found following this link:

Current Firmware and Release Notes

To update the controller firmware, see Section 5.

11. IP Address

The Internet Protocol (IP) address of the controller.  The IP address is what most sequencing software or show controllers use to identify each light controller.  It must be unique to each device on a network or errors will occur.

If the controller is connected to a network, entering the IP address on a web browser’s address bar will show the controller's web page interface which can be used for making any changes to the controller setup rather than using the OLED screen.

To change the IP Address from the OLED screen, see Sections 4.1.2 and 4.1.2.1.3.  For additional information on IP Addresses, see Section 4.2.2.4.

9. Main Menu Screen

To get to the Main Menu screen, from the Startup Screen, press any of the buttons below the OLED.  On the main Menu, there are 4 choices which can be selected as follows:

1. Network
2. Test
3. Info
4. E131 Stats

To select a choice, use the up or down buttons to highlight the choice, and then push the Select button.

Figure 4-4: OLED Main Menu Screen

12. Network Screen

The network screen (Figure 4-5) displays several, but not all, of the network configuration parameters for the controller.  Each of the network configurations shown can be edited directly on the controller by selecting the desired item using the up/down buttons until highlighted, and then pressing the select button, which will bring up a new screen.  For more information on Networking Configuration, see Section 4.2.2.

Figure 4-5: OLED Network Screen

If a change was made to any of the Network Configuration Items on their individual screens, the OLED will display (◀▶ to save) after the word “Network” at the top of the screen (Figure 4-6).  This indicates that pressing the left or right buttons will take you to the Save Network Settings Menu (Figure 4-7).  No changes are saved until you prompt the controller to save the changes (See Section 4.1.2.1.1).  Edits to all 5 Network Configuration parameters can be made prior to saving settings.

Figure 4-6: OLED Network Screen after changes have been made

3. Save Network Settings Menu

This screen appears when the left or right button is pressed after making changes to the Network Screen (Figure 4-6).  Use the up and down buttons to highlight the choice and then push the select button to perform the operation.

1. Save and reboot - All changes made on the Network page will be saved to the controller.  The controller will reboot so that all changes take effect.  
2. Discard Settings - All changes made on the Network page are discarded.  The controller will not reboot as no changes will have been made.

Figure 4-7: OLED Save Network Settings Screen

4. Type

This defines the Network type which can be either DHCP or Static.  If selected, the Edit Network Type Screen will be brought up (Figure 4-8). The current configuration will be shown with an asterisk (*) before the name.  To change the type, select the desired type using the up/down buttons until highlighted, and then press the select button.

Figure 4-8: OLED Edit Network Type Screen

1. DHCP - Also known as Dynamic.  When this is selected, the controller IP address and other network configuration information will be automatically assigned by the router that the controller is connected to.  If the controller is not connected to a network, it should display 0.0.0.0.  If DHCP is selected and there is a network connection but no DHCP server, then it defaults to 192.168.1.50 

When DHCP is selected, the four addresses below it on the network menu screen (Figure 4-5) can not be selected or edited, as they are set by the router.

Selecting DHCP is the same as checking the “Enable DHCP” box on the controller Network page of the Web Interface (See Section 4.2.2.3).

2. Static - When this is selected, the controller IP address and other network configuration information is assigned by the user rather than automatically set by the router.  Selecting this is the same as NOT checking the “Enable DHCP” box on the controller Network page of the Web Interface (See Section 4.2.2.3)

5. IP

The Internet Protocol (IP) address of the controller.  If DHCP is selected, the IP address is selected automatically and rather than by the user, and can not be edited here.  If Static is selected, the user can input their desired IP address for the controller. (See Section 4.2.2.4 for more information in IP addresses)

Note: The IP address of each controller (or any other device) on the network must be unique.

The IP address can be changed 1 digit at a time.  Use the up/down buttons to raise or lower the number which is underlined on the OLED (Figure 4-9).  To select a different digit, use the left/right buttons.  When all edits are complete, press the select button to return to the Network screen.

Figure 4-9: OLED Edit IP Address Screen

Note: The first digit of each octet (set of three digits between the decimal points) can only be 0, 1, or 2 due to network addressing standards.  Numbers 3 through 9 are not possible to select at these locations.

6. Mask

This is the Subnet Mask.  See section 4.2.2.6 for more information.  The Subnet Mask can be edited in the same fashion as the IP address (see Section 4.1.2.1.3).

7. GW

This is the Gateway.  See section 4.2.2.5 for more information.  The Gateway can be edited in the same fashion as the IP address (see Section 4.1.2.1.3).

8. DNS

This is the Primary DNS.  See section 4.2.2.7 for more information.  The Primary DNS can be edited in the same fashion as the IP address (see Section 4.1.2.1.3).

13. Test Menu

The Test Menu lists the available test patterns which may be selected.  There are a total of five test patterns available, but only four will be displayed on the screen at any time.  The arrow on the right side of the OLED will indicate which button can be pressed to see additional patterns.  Note that these patterns will be the same as those found on the Web Interface Page (see Section 4.2.1.2.2 and Figure 4-19)

Figure 4-10: OLED Test Menu Screen

The currently selected test pattern will be preceded by an asterisk (*).  To change the test pattern, use the up/down buttons to highlight the choice and then press the select button.  

Note that selecting a test pattern does NOT start the test pattern, it only chooses which pattern will be displayed when the test function is selected.

To activate the Test Mode, hold the Test/Boot button (Figure 4-11) for 2-3 seconds until LED 1 is off and LED 2 is on solid (Figure 4-12).  To stop the Test Mode, hold the Test/Boot button for 2-3 seconds until LED 1 is on solid and LED 2 is off.  Note the Power LED will be on solid for both the Run and Test Modes.

Figure 4-11: Test/Boot Mode Button

Figure 4-12: Status LEDs

The test Mode can also be activated via the Web Interface (see Section 4.2.1.2.2)

Note that the test pattern will only be output to the string ports and number of pixels which have been set up through the web interface.  By default, all string ports are set to 50 pixels.  If a string of more than 50 pixels are connected without reconfiguring the string output, only the first 50 pixels will be lit.  This is a common error made and results in users thinking they have a partially bad string of pixels.  See Section 4.2.4 on how to reconfigure the Pixel Output Ports.

14. Info Menu

This Information Menu provides controller information similar to that shown on the Web Interface Status page (see Section 4.2.1.3).  The information shown here is for information only and cannot be edited.

Figure 4-13: OLED Info Menu Screen

1. V1 is the Voltage Input on the V1 Power Connector.  0.0 V indicates that no power is connected to this side of the board.

2. V2 is the Voltage Input on the V2 Power Connector.

3. CPU Temp is the temperature of the processor on the F16v3.  This is displayed in both degrees Celsius (C) and Fahrenheit (F).

4. Temp1 is the Temperature as measured by sensor 1 which is located by the V1 Power input (see Figure 4-20).  This temperature can be used to control the fan speed (see Section 4.2.6.1).  This is displayed in both degrees Celsius (C) and Fahrenheit (F).

5. Temp2 is the Temperature as measured by sensor 2 which is located by the V2 power input (see Figure 4-21). This temperature can be used to control the fan speed (see Section 4.2.6.1). This is displayed in both degrees Celsius (C) and Fahrenheit (F).

1. E1.31 Stats Menu

The right column of this menu displays the number of packets received by the controller for each universe, similar to the web page interface (see Section 4.2.1.4). The universes are identified as the universe set up in your sequencer, which may not be the same as the controller universe number (see Sections 4.2.3.4 and 4.2.3.9).  The universe is the number after the U.  

Figure 4-14: OLED E1.31 Stats Screen

Only 5 universes are shown on the OLED screen at a time.  To see additional universes, use the up/down arrow to highlight the SEL=Next text and press the Select Button. There are up to 20 screens of universes which can be displayed.

Figure 4-15: OLED E1.31 Stats Screen when receiving data

When no information is being received by the controller, the number of packets received will not change.  This is typical in idle mode or controller test mode.  When information is being received, the numbers will be steadily increasing.  This is typical of the controller when running the show, or a test mode in a sequencer or on the FPP (Figure 4-15 is a snapshot of this).

Note that if the number of packets being received on a universe is remaining zero or not increasing when all other universes are doing so, there is likely a configuration error with the universe not being defined properly.  An example of this is shown in Figure 4-16 on Universe 18.  This error may be on either the controller, software, or FPP, and is often due to an error when entering the IP address for the controller.  

Figure 4-16: OLED E1.31 Stats Screen

with possible problem on Universe 18

Highlighting a universe using the up/down arrow buttons and then pushing select will bring you to a graphical version of the packets being received on that universe as shown in Figure 4-17.  This can be useful for additional troubleshooting.

Figure 4-17: OLED E1.31 Graphical Stats Screen

for Universe 2 - shown properly working

4. Web Interface Access

If the F16v3 is connected to a network, the controller settings may be viewed and modified via a Web Interface.  The Web Interface allows for additional settings to be changed, such as the E1.31 setup, string port assignments, and serial outputs, that cannot be changed via the OLED interface. The Web Interface also allows for remote changes to take place easily rather than having to be at the controller itself.

To access the web page interface, ensure the controller is connected to the network and then enter the IP address of the F16v3 controller as shown on the OLED screen (Figure 4-2) into the web address bar on a web browser.  

To select the different configuration page, select the links below the Falcon Christmas Logo at the top of the page.

For more information on connecting the F16v3 to a network, see Section 8.

10. Status Page

The Status Page is the default web interface page which is loaded when entering the IP address of the controller into the web browser.  The status of several controller functions are included on this page.

Figure 4-18: Web Status Page

(Power on V2 only.  No Power on V1 or Fan Connected)

2. Save Settings/Load Settings

The Save Setting and Load Settings links are shown in the upper right corner of the status page.

Figure 4-19:  Web Status Page

9. Save Settings

Clicking on the link will save an XML file which contains the user defined setting for universe, string ports, and serial ports on the F16v3 controller. This is useful if the controller is being used for multiple displays throughout the year (Halloween, Christmas, etc) or performing testing.  It is also useful as a backup should you run into problems and need to restore your settings.  It is recommended that settings be saved prior to starting your show display each season.  Should a controller be stolen or damaged due to weather, this will allow a replacement controller to be installed with the same settings as the previous controller with minimal set-up time required.

The XML file is titled “settings.xml” by default and will be saved on the device accessing the F16v3.  Note the XML file is not stored on the F16v3, the MicroSD card, or a USB drive connected to the USB port.  Changing the file name to something more descriptive can be done via a file manager or similar program after the file is saved.  If you are using multiple controllers, it is recommended that you include the controller name or location in the filename to help determine which file is for which controller.

10. Load Settings

Clicking on the link will open up a dialog box asking for an XML file which contains the settings for the F16v3.  This would be the file saved in Section 4.2.1.1.1.  The current settings on the controller will be overwritten when this is loaded.  

3. Controller Mode

The controller can be set between Run Mode and Test Mode, with 5 different build in test patterns.  The mode can be selected from this screen or by pressing the Test/Boot button on the controller (Figure 4-11) for 2-3 seconds.

11. Run Mode

Toggle on the radio button after “Run Mode” AND then click “Set Mode” to set the controller to run a sequence.  This is the default state when starting the controller from a powered down state.

12. Test Mode

Toggle on the radio button after “Test Mode” AND then click “Set Mode” to set the controller to run a test pattern.  Test mode sends a test pattern to all Pixel outputs and also DMX/Serial outputs.  

The drop down menu allows you to select 5 different test patterns as shown in Figure 4-19.  

Note that the test pattern can be selected, but will not be applied unless “Set Mode” is clicked.

Note that the test pattern will only be output to the string ports and number of pixels which have been set up through the web interface.  By default, all string ports are set to 50 pixels.  If a string of more than 50 pixels are connected without reconfiguring the string output, only the first 50 pixels will be lit.  This is a common error made and results in users thinking they have a partially bad string of pixels. See Section 4.2.4 on how to reconfigure the Pixel Output Ports.

Test Mode can also be activated by pressing the Test Button on the controller for 2-3 seconds (see Section 4.1.2.2).

4. Controller Information

This area of the page displays some general information about the controller settings and status (see Figures 4-18)

13. Name

The name assigned to the controller.  This can be changed on the Network Configuration page (see Section 4.2.2.2).  The controller name is displayed here, before the SW Version to the right of this, and on many of the web browser tabs (see Figure 4-18).  This is useful for keeping track of which controller you are accessing when making changes, therefore, using unique names for each controller is advantageous.

14. SW Version

The current Firmware Version installed on the controller.  The version follows the name of the controller as shown in the figures.  The firmware version is also shown on the tabs of many of the browser web pages.

The list of firmware versions with updates included in each can be found following this link:

Current Firmware and Release Notes

To update the controller firmware, see Section 5.

15. Uptime

The duration of time since the controller has been rebooted or powered up.

16. Processor Temp

This is the temperature of the processor, displayed in both celsius and fahrenheit.  This is useful for monitoring the status of the controller.

17. Temp 1

This is the ambient air temperature measured by the pre-installed temperature sensor, displayed in both celsius and fahrenheit.  This is useful in extreme hot or cold temperature applications, as well as when the controller is in an enclosure or there is a large load on the controller generating heat.

The temperature measured on this sensor can be used to control the speed of the fan, if attached (see Section 4.2.6.1).

Figure 4-20: T1 Temperature Sensor Location

18. Voltage 1

The voltage being applied on the V1 Power Connector (left side).  This voltage is the same as that output on Pixel Output Ports 1 through 8.  Voltage can be between 5V and 24V (Note voltages between 13V and 24V can ONLY be used if the F16v3 is modified per Section 12 of the manual). 0.0V indicates that no voltage is applied to this side of the controller, and therefore Ports 1 through 8 would not be functional.

19. Temp 2

This sensor is located near the V2 connector. It is displayed in both celsius and fahrenheit.  

The temperature measured on this sensor can be used to control the speed of the fan, if attached (see Section 4.2.6.1).

Figure 4-21: T2 Temperature Sensor Location

20. Voltage 2

The voltage being applied on the V2 Power Connector (right side).  This voltage is the same as that output on Pixel Output Ports 9 through 16.  This side also powers the board processors if the external power connector is NOT being used.  The optional fan is also powered by the power input at the V2 Power Connector.

Voltage can be between 5V and 24V (Note voltages between 13V and 24V can ONLY be used if the F16v3 is modified per Section 12 of the manual).   0.0V indicates that no voltage is applied to this side of the controller and would indicate that the board is being powered by the external power location at the top of the board.  Ports 9 through 16 would not be functional if this is 0.0V.

21. Fan RPM

This indicates the rotations per minute (RPM) of a fan if connected to the F16v3.  The fan will run at 20% of the maximum fan RPM when the temperature is below the selected temperature on the sensor selected in the settings (see Section 4.2.6.1)  When the temperature is above the selected temperature on the sensor selected, the fan will run at 100% of the maximum fan RPM. The fan only runs at either 20% or 100% of the maximum RPM at this time.

If no fan is connected, “0 RPM” will be displayed.

5. E1.31 Packets Received

The E1.31 Packets Received information shows the number of packets coming into the controller for each of the defined universes.  The column with the # heading is the Controller Universe number.  This will always start at 1 and increment sequentially to the number of universes selected for the controller (maximum of 96).  Controller Universes can be added or deleted, but the Controller Universe number cannot be changed.  (See Section 4.2.3.8)

The Universe column is the Sequence Universe number.  This is defined in your sequencer and may or may not match the Controller Universe number.  (See Section 4.2.3.9)

The “Packet Count” will only be updated if the “Live Update” box is checked.  This is useful for troubleshooting to see if information is coming into the controller as anticipated.  Note that this is only valid for E1.31 data, not Artnet.

The E1.31 packets received can also be accessed on the OLED (see Section 4.1.2.4)

In Figure 4-23, all of the packets have identical packet counts for all universes, which indicates that there are no setup problems between the show player (computer or FPP) and the F16v3 controller in terms of network configuration.

Figure 4-23:  E1.31 Packets Received Page - No errors apparent

In Figure 4-24, the packet count for universes 18, and 33 through 64 are not increasing while the remaining universes are increasing together.  This may be an indication that there is a setup/configuration error or that data is not being sent by player or sequencer.  Errors which commonly occur are differences between the IP address, universe number, or data type (E1.31/Artnet) selected in the software, FPP, and/or the F16v3.  Verifying the information in all locations is the recommended first step to resolve this problem.

Figure 4-24:  E1.31 Packets Received Page with

Potential Problems on Universe 18, and 33-64

Note that the lack of packets received on Universe 18 shown in Figure 4-24 was also shown on the OLED (Figure 4-16), but the photo was taken after more information was transmitted.  

11. Network Configuration

The network configuration page allows for viewing and changing the network connection settings.  

Note that changing these settings may prevent access to the controller if not done correctly.  If you can not connect to the F16v3, the settings can be viewed and changed via the OLED (see Section 4.1.2.1)

No changes are saved to the controller until the “Restart Interface” button is pressed.  If you do not wish to save the changes, navigate away from this webpage or reload it.

Figure 4-25:  Network Configuration Web Interface

6. MAC Address

The Media Access Control address of the controller.  This is a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces for communications at the data link layer of a network segment.  This is provided mainly for informational purposes.  Under most circumstances you will not need to know or use the MAC address.

7. Host Name

The name assigned to the controller by the user. This defaults to F16v3, but can be changed to something easily identifiable for your use in your show.  This is especially useful if you have multiple controllers of the same type (several F16v3 controllers).  The name will be displayed on the status page as well as many of the web browser tabs for easy identification (See Figure 4-18).

8. Enable DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)

When this is selected, the controller IP address and related configuration information will be automatically assigned by the router.  This may change over time, so is considered to be Dynamic.  The information below this line will not be able to be changed by the user if this is selected.  

When not selected, the IP address and other configuration information is “static” and assigned by the user rather than automatically set by the router.

• Connected to Router - If you are connecting the F16v3 directly to a router this option may be checked or unchecked, based on if you want to use a static (will not change) or dynamic (may change upon reboot) IP address.

• Connected to FPP - If you are connecting the F16v3 via FPP or other similar device, this can not be checked as the FPP can not assign the information needed.

1. IP Address

The Internet Protocol (IP) address of the controller.  If DHCP is selected, the IP address is selected automatically and rather than by the user.  If DHCP is not selected, the user can input their desired IP address for the controller.

The IP address of each controller (or any other device) on the network must be unique.

Entering the IP address on the web browser address bar will show the controller's web page interface for making any changes to the controller setup (Figure 4-18).

The IP address on the web page will match that on the OLED screen on the controller (See Section 4.1.1), and may also be updated via the push buttons below the screen (See Section 4.1.2.1).

Note that changing the IP address manually may alter how the controller is accessed. If a mistake is made in entering the IP address, the controller may become inaccessible through the web interface.  If this occurs, the buttons below the OLED screen can be used to select an IP address that is accessible or to choose DHCP.

Note - Changing any of the below items will change how your controller is accessed.  As there are many different possible configurations of routers, switches, network configurations, and settings, it is not possible to include all of these within this manual.  The manual only covers a basic connection and access.

To determine the “default” settings for these items, click on the DHCP and then click “Restart Interface”.  The values shown on the webpage or the OLED will be the default values.  These will not change no matter if the IP address is set via DHCP or is set statically.  These values will be different however, if connected to a device such as the FPP.

See Section 8 for additional information on connecting to a network.

2. Gateway

This is normally the address of the router or other device that serves to direct data coming into or out of the controller.  It is needed to be able to access the webpage interface.  

If you are connecting the F16v3 directly to a router or a switch connected to a router, this is the router’s IP address.  Common gateway addresses are 192.168.0.1 and 192.168.1.1, but others are possible.

If connecting the F16v3 via a FPP or other similar controller, the gateway address will be that of the FPP ethernet connection.  You will need to ensure that you have the enable routing button checked on the FPP Networking page as well.  Setting the device you are using to allow for access or adjusting router settings may also need to be necessary (see Section 8 for additional information).

3. Subnet Mask

This is the subnet Mask used by the controller.  A value of 255.255.255.0 is typically used for most situations.  Other values may be used here, but those circumstances are beyond the scope of this manual.

4. Primary DNS

This is the address that allows the F16v3 to connect to the web for updates and web configuration access.  In general, this is not needed as the F16v3 gets all of the information for playing a sequence from either a PC or FPP.  This is only needed to be able to access the Help Tab Link on the web page interface.

• Connected to Router - If you are connecting the F16v3 directly to a router or a switch connected to a router, this is the router’s IP address.  

• Connected to FPP - If connecting the F16v3 via a FPP or other similar controller, the gateway address will be that of the FPP ethernet connection.

1. Secondary DNS

This is a backup DNS address should the Primary DNS not be available.  This is typically not needed, but can be entered if desired.

12. E1.31/Artnet

This page is used to set up the configuration of the E1.31 or Artnet universes that are being input to the controller.

Figure 4-26:  E1.31 Setup Page - Absolute Addressing

Figure 4-27:  E1.31 Setup Page - Universe/Start Channel Addressing

2. Addressing Mode Drop Down

Both Absolute and Universe/Start Channel addressing are supported and can be chosen from the drop down box.  The settings are converted by the program if this is changed, so there is no need to convert otherwise.

A basic example of the different addressing modes is presented in Section 7, to illustrate how using the same mode as the sequencer software is beneficial.

The different addressing modes will result in different settings being required or displayed on the various web interface pages.  

22. Absolute Addressing

This mode is used to map string ports to an absolute address. If your start addresses in your sequencer can be larger than '512' this mode most likely is for you. Some sequencers/players that support this mode are FPP, Xlights, LSP, Vixen and others.

23. Universe/Start Channel

This mode is used to map string ports to a universe and start channel pairs. If your start addresses in your sequencer are less than or equal to '512' and you also specify a universe too, this mode is needed. Some sequencers/players that support this mode are LOR, HLS, XLights, and others.

3. Blanking Timeout

Blanking Timeout is the time in seconds that can elapse without data being sent to the port before strings that have 'Blank' turned on (on the String Port Tab) will send blanking data to pixels.

4. “Save” Button

Click to save the current setup.  Forgetting to hit this is a common mistake.

If you leave the page without pushing this button, changes will NOT be saved.  No warning is given that changes will not be saved.

If you do not wish to save changes, navigate away from this web page or hit reload to revert to the previously saved version.

5. “Add Universes” Button

Click this button to add universes to the current setup.  This will bring up a pop-up window in which additional information about the universes to be added can be specified.  The options are described further below and vary with the Addressing Mode selected.

Note that no existing universes will be overwritten when adding universes.

Figure 4-28:  Add Universes Window

(Absolute Addressing Mode)

Figure 4-29:  Add Universes Window

(Universe/Start Channel Mode)

24. First Universe

This is used to select the universe number for the first universe to be added to the list.  This is the user selected universe number (see Section 4.2.3.9), not the controller universe number (which is under the # symbol).  This value can be any value between 1 and 63999.  

If multiple universes are being added (see Section 4.2.3.4.2) then all additional universes will be added sequentially starting from this universe value.

Note that the First Universe here should not overlap with any existing universes.  There is no check for overlaps on this screen, but once added if there are overlaps they will be indicated by a red highlighted cell once a cell is clicked.  These changes will not be saved unless the Save button is clicked.

Figure 4-30:  Error indicating Overlapping Universe Numbers

25. Number of Universes

This specifies the number of universes to be added.  

A maximum of 96 universes can be used by the F16v3.  If the number of universes added results in the total number of universes for the F16v3 to be greater than 96, the added universes will be truncated so that only the first 96 universes will be displayed.  In other words, this value cannot be greater than 96 minus the highest controller universe number as displayed under the # sign (See Section 4.2.3.8); anything greater than this value is disregarded.

As indicated in the previous section, there is no check for overlapping universe numbers resulting from the First Universe and number of universes to be added in the pop-up window.  However, overlapping universes will be checked when returning to the E1.31 Setup screen (see Section 4.2.3.4.1)

26. Start Channel

In absolute addressing mode, this is the start channel for the first universe to be added.  

In universe/start channel mode, this input is not present.

27. Universe size

This is used to define the size of all the universes which are to be added.  No changes will be made to previously defined universes.

See Section 4.2.3.10 for more information about universe sizes.

28. Universe Type

This is used to define the type (E1.31 or Artnet) of all universes to be added. No changes will be made to previously defined universes.

See Section 4.2.3.13 for more information about universe types.

6. “Copy Selected” Button

Makes copies of the currently selected universe based on the currently selected cell.  The size of the universe is copied directly, with the universe and start channels being incremented accordingly.  When the button is pushed, a pop-up window will appear which asks for the number of copies to be made.  The number of copies is limited to a maximum of the number of universes below the selected universe.

7. “Delete” Button

Deletes the currently selected universe based on the currently selected cell.  Only 1 universe can be selected and deleted at a time using this button.

8. “Delete All” Button

Deletes all universes.  This is useful for returning to a “blank” universe set-up screen, and then re-adding all universes.

9. # Column (Controller Universe)

The column with the # header is the Controller Universe number.  A maximum of 96 universes can be used by the F16v3.  These values will always begin at 1, and increase incrementally by 1, up to a maximum of 96.  Controller Universes can be added or deleted, but the Controller Universe number cannot be changed.

10. Universe (Sequencer Universe)

This is used to define the sequence universe numbers which will be used by universes within this controller.  This number should match that entered into your sequencer.  

Each universe number on a controller must be unique. For example, you can not have two universes with 101, no matter what size they are.  If overlapping universes are detected, the cell will turn red indicating an error (see Figure 4-30).

You do not have to add universes in numerical order but they will be displayed in numerical order after you save.

Universes do not have to be sequential.

11. Size

Number of channels (not the number of nodes or pixels) included in the universe.  This has a maximum value of 512.  If a value greater than this is entered, the cell will turn red to indicate that this is not possible.  If this is not corrected prior to hitting save, the value will be set to the maximum value (512) when save is pressed.

Note that as 512 is not evenly divided by 3 (the number of channels per RGB node), many people will use 510 as the largest value for the universe size.  There is no requirement to do this.

Figure 4-31:  E1.31 Setup Page

Error on the size of Universe 1 is highlighted in red.

12. Start Channel

This is only shown in absolute addressing mode, and is the absolute start channel for the selected universe.

If the cell is highlighted in red, this indicates there is an overlapping start channel with another universe.

Figure 4-32:  E1.31 Setup Page

Overlapping Start Channel indicated

13. End Channel

The end channel is only shown in absolute addressing mode.  It is calculated by the program based on the Start Channel and Size.

14. Type

This allows for the selection of each universe based on either E1.31 or Artnet protocol.

Figure 4-33:  E1.31 Setup Page with Artnet Support

13. String Ports

The configuration of the Pixel Output Ports (also called String Ports) are set via this web page interface.  The physical output port numbers are shown in Figure 4-34 which correspond to the Port # shown in the first column in Figure 4-35.

Figure 4-34:  String Port Numbering

Figure 4-35:  String Port Configuration Web Page Interface

15. Port Mode

Used to select Main board only or Main board with one or two expansion boards.

• Main Board Only will result in 16 output ports.  This is used when only the F16v3 is used, with nothing connected to the 40 Pin Expansion Connector.

• Main Board w/ One Expansion will result in 32 output ports.  This is used when either the Expansion Board or Differential Expansion Board is connected to the F16v3 via the 40 Pin Expansion Connector.  The type of expansion board does not need to be entered as they are controlled identically.  A slider to determine the maximum number of nodes per port on each board will appear to the right of this drop down when this option is selected (see Section 4.2.4.2)

• Main Board w/ Two Expansions will result in 48 output ports.  This can be used with the following configurations.

• 2 - Expansion Boards

• 2 - Differential Expansion Boards

• This configuration may require the use of an external 5V, 1A switched power supply if using 6 to 8 differential receivers (see Section 3.2.3.2). Only one of the two differential expansion boards needs to be powered in this fashion.

• 1 - Expansion Board and 1- Differential Expansion Board

The type of expansion board does not need to be entered as they are controlled identically.  With this selection, both of the two boards connected must be v3, which has the two 40-pin connections and a jumper to select which expansion board is first and second.

If the number of strings does not adjust after making the selection, press the “Save” Button.

Note that the Port Mode is used only to select expansion boards connected via the 40-pin connector.  Additional controllers connected via the Ethernet connectors or serial output ports are not defined here.  

16. Maximum Nodes Slider

This slider appears only when the Port Mode is selected to use one or two expansion boards in addition to the main board.  The slider is used to determine the maximum number of nodes/pixels that can be used all on Pixel Output Ports for each controller.  Note that this is done for all ports on the controller or expansion boards, not on a port-by-port basis.    

To adjust the maximum number of pixels per port on the boards, slide the slider to the left or right using your mouse or touch screen.  For fine tuning, keyboard arrow keys can be used.  The maximum number of nodes per port is displayed below the slider as shown in Figures 4-36 and 4-37 for one and two expansion boards, respectively.  

Falcon Tip: Since each board is set to have the same maximum number of nodes per port, preplanning your display so that you hook up a similar number of nodes or elements to each port on each board is recommended or you may inadvertently be “wasting” channels.  For example, if using 100 pixels on Ports 1 through 15 on the main controller and 900 pixels on Port 16, the Main Board would have to be set to 900 pixels.  This would leave only 124 pixels per port on any expansion boards.  If the 900 pixels on Port 16 were spread out over the other ports, more channels would be available for the expansion boards.

Note that if changing the Port Mode from Two Expansion Boards to One Expansion Board, Slider 2, may remain on the screen, but will not be functional.  To remove this, either click the Save button or reload the page.

Figure 4-36:  Sliders for Main Board with One Expansion

Figure 4-37:  Sliders for Main Board with Two Expansions

The sum of the maximum number of nodes on the main board and any expansion boards will total 1024 in all cases.  

• When only the main board is used, the maximum number of nodes per port  is the full 1024.  No slider is shown for this case.

• When one expansion board is used, the maximum number of nodes per port on the expansion board is 1024 less the number of nodes set for the main board.  

Exp. Max. Node = 1024 - Main Max. Nodes

Table 4-1: Sample Maximum Node Counts for Main Board with One Expansion

Figure 4-38: Sample Node Settings for

Main Board with One Expansion

Figure 4-39: Sample Node Settings

for Main Board with One Expansion

Figure 4-40: Sample Node Settings

for Main Board with One Expansion

• When two expansion boards are used, the maximum number of expansion board nodes shown above, is split between the two expansion boards.  

Exp. Max. Nodes = 1024 - Main Max. Nodes

Exp. 2 Max. Nodes = Exp. Max. Nodes  - Exp. 1 Max. Nodes

OR

Exp. 2 Max. Nodes = 1024 - Main Max. Nodes - Exp. 1 Max. Nodes

Table 4-2: Sample Maximum Node Counts for Main Board with Two Expansions

Figure 4-41: Sample Node Settings for

Main Board with Two Expansions

Figure 4-42: Sample Node Settings

for Main Board with Two Expansions

Figure 4-43: Sample Node Settings

for Main Board with Two Expansions

17. “Clone String” Button

Makes copies of the currently selected string.  All properties of the selected row for the string are copied directly, with the universe and start channels being incremented accordingly.  When the button is pushed, a pop-up window will appear which asks for the number of copies to be made.  The rows will be copied to any strings (regular or virtual) below the selected string.

Figure 4-44:  String Clone Pop-up Window

18. “Save” Button

Click to save the current setup.  Forgetting to hit this is a common mistake.

If you leave the page without pushing this button, changes will NOT be saved.  No warning is given that changes will not be saved.

If you do not wish to save changes, navigate away from this web page or hit reload to revert to the previously saved version.

19. Type

Defines the type of RGB string connected to the output port, which can be selected from the drop down menu.  Only 1 type of string can be selected per output port, however, each of the 16 ports can have a different type.  The types of strings supported are shown in Table 4-3.

WARNING - The type selection does NOT change the voltage that is being output to the string, even though some string types only operate at a certain voltage.  Voltage is entirely controlled by that coming into the V1 and V2 Power Connectors.

Table 4-3: Pixel Output Types Supported

20. Plus Sign (+)

Clicking the plus adds a Virtual String using the same settings as on the currently selected line (with universe and start channels being incremented accordingly)

What is a virtual string?

Virtual strings are a way of dividing up a physical string or multiple strings connected to a single output port, so that it acts as if it were several different strings.  This allows you to use non-sequential channel numbers, forward or backward numbering, add null pixels, as well as other options described below.  A single F16v3 can have up to 160 virtual strings, so many variations and combinations are possible.

21. Minus Sign (-)

Clicking the minus removes the Virtual String from this row. Note there is no undo function for this action. If a mistake has been made, refreshing the page will bring back all strings deleted since the last save. This is true for all configuration pages.

The minus sign is only present if there are virtual strings set up for a Pixel Output Port.  If there are no virtual strings, this will not be shown.

22. Desc.

A user entered description of what the string is used for, which can be up to 30 characters long. It is recommended that only alphanumeric characters are used, as some special characters can cause problems.  The descriptions are useful for keeping track of what is connected to each output, especially if you have a large number of controllers or they are used for different displays at different times of the year.  This is not required to be filled in.  

Figure 4-45:  String Port Options

23. Universe (only present in Universe/Start Channel addressing mode)

Used to specify the universe which contains the data to be sent to this port.  This must be one of the universes entered on the E1.31 page.

24. Start Channel

Used to specify the starting channel number which contains the data to be sent to this port.  

• In absolute mode, this is the absolute channel number.  

• In Universe/Start Channel, it is the start channel for the universe defined in the previous column.  Start channel will always be less than the size of the Universe defined on the E1.31 tab (512 maximum) for this addressing mode.

25. Pixel Count

The number of pixels (nodes) attached to the output port.  The number of pixels can not be greater than 1024 if using the Main Board only, or greater than the maximum number of nodes set per port  board in Section 4.2.4.2 if using the Main Board with an Expansion board(s).  If a value greater than this is entered, the cell will turn red to indicate that this is not possible.  If this is not corrected prior to hitting save, the value will be set to the maximum value  when save is pressed.

Figure 4-46:  String Port Configuration Setup Page

Error on the Pixel Count of Port #2 is highlighted in red.

Note that if a Port has already been defined with a certain number of pixels, and then the sliders are adjusted such that the pixel count now exceeds the maximum, the Pixel Count will automatically be reduced to the maximum number of pixels set by the slider.  The Universe and/or Start Channels will NOT be changed however.

If the sliders are adjusted to increase the maximum number of pixels on a part, no changes are made to the Pixel Count on the port.

Note that in most scenarios, the power from the controller alone will be insufficient to light the maximum number of pixels per port and power injection would be necessary.   The actual number of pixels that can be powered without power injections varies with a number of factors including distance between the control and the pixels, distance between pixels, intensity or brightness of the pixels, type of pixel, and voltage of the pixels.  As a general rule of thumb, approximately 50 of most 5V pixels or 125 of most 12V pixels can be powered directly from the controller without power injection.  Note that this limitation is due to the power consumption of the lights and microchips in each pixel, not the controller itself.

26. Group Count

Used to make several adjacent pixels act together as one.  This is typical if several nodes are used to make a display element brighter or always act together.  Grouped pixels will always show as the same color.  Default setting is 1 (single node).  Note if the node count is not evenly divisible by the group count, the end channel will have a decimal point.

A typical use for this is when there are several nodes inside a display element or on something such as an arch, where these nodes are always going to be displaying the same color.  Grouping them here means that the model in your sequencer only needs to have a single node defined regardless of how many nodes are actually grouped together.

27. End Channel

This is the last channel to be used on the port.  It is calculated by the program based on the data input.  Note that 1 pixel (node) uses 3 channels (one each for Red, Green, and Blue).  The end channel is equal to the start channel added to three times the number of pixels minus 1.  

28. Direction

• Forward - The node closest to the controller uses the start channel input.
• Reverse - The node farthest from the controller uses the start channel input.

1. Order

Defines which color lights up when the first, second, and third channels of a node are turned on, respectively. This can be any combination of R-Red, G-Green, and B-Blue.

2. Null

Used to define the number of nodes which will not light up at the start of the string.  These nodes will pass data to the next node but will not light up. This is useful when there is a gap between display elements larger than your pixel spacing and you don’t want to cut/splice the string between the nodes to accommodate for this.

3. Zig Cnt

This is the number of nodes which will go in the direction chosen, which is then reversed for the same number of nodes. This pattern continues for the total number of pixels.  This is a simplified way of including pixels which reverse order at regular intervals, rather than using multiple virtual strings.  

This is useful for items such as a mega tree or matrix, where the model in the sequencer was based on all strings being connected on one side, but in the actual display the strings are “folded” and thus reverse direction.  If a Zig Count or similar is used in the sequencer, do not set the zig count here as well.

4. Brightness

This is used to reduce the brightness on the string connected to the port by the percentage selected.  100% is full brightness. These are available only in the values present in the drop down box.  This is useful for either reducing the brightness of show elements which may be too bright compared to other elements in the show, or to reduce the amount of power being used by a string.  In many cases, there will not be a noticeable visual difference between pixels at 90% and 100%, but there will be a 10% reduction in power consumption.  This may decrease the number of power supplies required or increase the number of pixels that can be powered from a single port.  Even lower brightness values may not be able to be detected visually.

Note that applying this reduction will be on top of any settings in the software used to create the sequence.  If the brightness setting is too low, it may not allow for the lights to be seen or ramps/fades may become jumpy, or colors may be off (especially those such as yellows, purples, oranges, etc).  Therefore, it is recommended that you visually observe the physical lights as opposed to a preview in the software when applying this setting in order to ensure they are functioning as intended.

5. Blank

If this checkbox is selected, this string will be sent a signal to turn off if no data is received after the number of seconds defined on the E1.31 Configuration or E1.31/Artnet Tab (Section 4.2.3.2).  This is useful as some string types will not turn off unless an off signal is received.

6. Autoaddressing (F2)

Only available for devices such as Keyboards with a F2 function key (many tablets do not have this capability).  Select the row where you want the auto addressing to start. Each time you press the 'F2' key the row below will have the start channel auto addressed based on the end channel of the currently selected row. The selected row will change to the altered row allowing for multiple 'F2' key presses.  Unlike the Clone String option, this only changes the Start Channel, not any of the other column settings.

7. Examples of Port Configuration

Below are several examples showing different Port Configuration settings.  These are shown for both Absolute and Universe/Start Addressing modes.  Also shown is a string line showing what the pixel (node) numbering would be, as well as the channel numbering.  All examples are for a total of 15 nodes connected on Port 1 of the controller.

1. Port Configuration Example 1 - 15 RGB nodes in forward order.

Absolute Mode:

Universe/Start  Mode:

2. Port Configuration Example 2 - 15 RGB nodes in reverse order.

Absolute Mode:

Universe/Start  Mode:

3. Port Configuration Example 3 - 15 RGB nodes in forward order with groups of 3 nodes (5 groups total).

Absolute Mode:

Universe/Start  Mode:

4. Port Configuration Example 4 - 15 RGB nodes in forward order with null 5 null pixels (every third node).

Absolute Mode:

Universe/Start  Mode:

5. Port Configuration Example 5 - Same as 4 above, but grouping adjacent non-null pixels.

Absolute Mode:

Universe/Start  Mode:

6. Port Configuration Example 6 - 15 RGB nodes - first 10 nodes in forward order, next 5 nodes in reverse order.

Absolute Mode:

Universe/Start  Mode:

7. Port Configuration Example 7 - 15 nodes in forward order - first 10 nodes are RGB, next 5 nodes are GBR.

Absolute Mode:

Universe/Start  Mode:

8. Port Configuration Example 8 - 15 nodes in with a Zig Count of 5 and Forward Direction.

Absolute Mode:

Universe/Start  Mode:

Sting shown as would be on Matrix or Mega-Tree

14. Serial Outputs

This page is used to configure the settings on the 3 RJ45 Serial Output Ports located on the upper right side of the controller (Figure 3-6).  There are 4 circuits, or outputs, that can be controlled from these 3 Output Ports.

Figure 4-47:  Serial Port Configuration Setup Page

(Absolute Addressing Mode)

Figure 4-48:  Serial Port Configuration Setup Page

(Universe/Start Channel Mode)

8. Save

Click to save the current setup.  Forgetting to hit this is a common mistake.

If you leave the page without pushing this button, changes will NOT be saved.  No warning is given that changes will not be saved.

If you do not wish to save changes, navigate away from this web page or hit reload to revert to the previously saved version.

9. Output #

This is the number of the serial output.  Table 3-2 indicates which 4 Serial Outputs are available on each of the 3 Serial Output Ports.

10. Mode

This is used to select the type of data which is output on the Serial Output.  The 2 modes available are as follows:

• Serial Data - This is used for DMX, Pixelnet, or Renard Type Data.  DMX is also used for LOR data.  This would be used for non-Falcon based controllers which are NOT using E1.31/Artnet data.
• Pixel Data - This is used when connecting a Differential Receiver board directly to one of the Serial Output Ports rather than to a Differential Expansion Board (see Section 3.2.2.2)

1. Type

This is used to set the type of data being sent to each of the Serial Outputs (also see Section 3.2.2), if the Mode is set to Serial Data.  The following types are supported:

1. DMX (also used for LOR) - A common lighting control protocol used by many devices, both professional and hobbyist, for both AC lights and RGB nodes.  Light-O-Rama (LOR) users would also use this setting.  DMX and LOR use different cable pin-outs.  See Section 3.2.2.1 for jumpers which can be configured rather than having to utilize special cables.

2. Pixelnet - A protocol used by some lighting controllers, primarily used for RGB nodes, and is primarily a hobbyist protocol.

3. Renard - A protocol used by some lighting controllers, primarily used for both AC lights and RGB nodes, and is primarily a hobbyist protocol.

1. Port Index

This is used to set the String Port Data which will be output to the Differential Receiver, if the Mode is set to Pixel Data. Any of the String Ports available on the String Port Data Page will be available for selection.  These do not need to be selected in consecutive or in numerical order.

• If connected to DMX 1 Serial Output, the 4 ports on the web interface page will correspond to the same ports on the Differential Receiver.
• If connected to DMX 2, only Serial Output 2 will be sent to the Differential Receiver and will be output on Port 1.
• If connected to DMX 3, only Serial Output 3 will be sent to the Differential Receiver and will be output on Port 1.

Note that if the Serial Port Data selected here is also being used on the Main or Expansion Board(s), the same data will be output in both locations.  This means that the lights connected to both ports would be responding in an identical fashion. This is often not desirable.  To avoid this, you can change the Port Mode (Section 4.2.4.1) to include one more expansion board than is physically connected to the F16v3.  This will allocate 16 additional output ports for use, which can then be selected in the Port Index.  This can not be done if two expansion boards are used with a differential receiver connected to the main board, as the maximum number of Output Ports is limited to 48.

Figure 4-49:  Serial Port Configuration for Differential Receiver

on DMX1 (no other expansion board used)

2. Universe (only present in Universe/Start Channel addressing mode)

Used to specify the universe which contains the data to be sent to this port.  This must be one of the universes entered on the E1.31 page.

3. Start Address

Used to specify the starting channel number which contains the data to be sent to this port.  

• In absolute mode, this is the absolute channel number.  

• In Universe/Start Channel, it is the start channel for the universe defined in the previous column.  Start channel will always be less than the size of the Universe defined on the E1.31 tab (512 maximum) for this addressing mode.

Note that many Serial type controllers limit the number of channels to 1 universe or 512 channels.  The start address entered here will be converted such that it is sent out the Serial Output Port as channel 1.  This allows any channel number to be used on a serial device.

Also note that many serial port controlled devices have their start channels set in the controller code or via jumpers, and are not readily able to be changed.  This needs to be taken into account in your start address.  For example, if you have sequenced a show to use a RGB flood light on absolute channel 1369, 1370, and 1371 in your sequencer, and have a DMX flood light with a start channel of 7, the Start Address for entered here would need to be 1363, based on the following logic:

• Sequence Channel 1363 -> DMX Channel 1
• Sequence Channel 1364 -> DMX Channel 2
• Sequence Channel 1365 -> DMX Channel 3
• Sequence Channel 1366 -> DMX Channel 4
• Sequence Channel 1367 -> DMX Channel 5
• Sequence Channel 1368 -> DMX Channel 6
• Sequence Channel 1369 -> DMX Channel 7
• Sequence Channel 1370 -> DMX Channel 8
• Sequence Channel 1371 -> DMX Channel 9

1. Baud Rate

This is the rate at which information is transferred in a communication channel.  This is selected automatically to the values in Table 4-4 for all types except Renard.  For Renard Controllers, this should be set to match the controller’s specifications.

2. Stop Bits

Stop bits are a way for a computer to "catch its breath" while sending or receiving data, while still letting the other end know that the connection is still there and is still valid; they're also used in error detection.  This is selected automatically to the values in Table 4-4 for all types except Renard.  For Renard Controllers, this should be set to match the controller’s specifications.

Table 4-4: Serial Baud Rates and Stop Bits

15. Misc. Settings

At the current time, this page only contains the Fan Settings for the onboard fan connector.  In the future additional controls will be added to this page.

Figure 4-50: Misc. Setting Web Interface Page

3. Fan Control

This is used to set the controls for the fan speed if using a fan connected to the fan controller (see Section 3.2.5).  The fan is for providing air circulation in order to cool the controller if the temperature becomes too high.  The use of a fan is optional, and a fan is not included with the F16v3.

Note that fan controls are only effective if a 4-wire fan is utilized.  A 2-wire or 3-wire fan may function, but all controls will not be functional, and therefore are not recommended for use.

29. Temperature Sensor

Either the left (T1) or right (T2) temperature sensors (Figures 4-20 and 4-21) to determine which temperature sensor will be used to control the fan functionality.

Figure 4-51: T1 Temperature Sensor Location

30. Fan on High Temperature

This setting is used to select the temperature at which the fan will turn on to the maximum (100%) speed.  The fan will run at 100% until the temperature falls below this value.  The Temperature is given in Celsius first and then Fahrenheit in parentheses second.

Note that the fan never turns off but rather reduces to 20% when below the temperature selected here.  

Figure 4-52: Temperature values for turning fan on High (100%)

16. Help

If the controller has access to the internet, it will direct you to this user manual.

5. FIRMWARE UPGRADE OR RESET

1. Firmware upgrade via MicroSD Card

This method is the fastest method of updating the firmware, but requires hands on access to the controller in order to insert and remove the SD card.  This method is also useful if the controller were to lose power during a network update and no longer function.

You will need:

• 32 GB maximum MicroSD card (not included)
• New Firmware for F16v3 (manual will be updated with link when new firmware is released)

To perform the Upgrade:

1. Power down F16v3
2. Install the MicroSD card in your computer.
3. Delete any existing falcon firmware files (.fal) from the MicroSD card.
4. Copy the firmware file (.fal) you want to install from your computer to the MicroSD card.
5. Eject the MicroSD card from the computer and install it into the MicroSD slot on the F16v3.  The label on the card faces the right side, and the flat side of the card faces the top of the board.
6. Turn on the power to the F16v3.
7. The OLED will indicate that the Bootloader is reading and loading files.  During this time Status LED1 and LED2 will blink rapidly.  

Figure 5-1: LED Status Indicators

8. After about 30 seconds or less, the Status LED1 and LED2 will remain solid, and the OLED will display as shown in Figure 5-1a. This indicates that the firmware update is complete.

Figure 5-1a: OLED Message after firmware upgrade is complete

9. As indicated on the OLED, remove the MicroSD card from the F16v3.
10. Power down the F16v3 for at least 20 seconds
11. The next time you power up your controller, it will boot up and display the new firmware version on its OLED display.

2. Firmware upgrade via Network

This method is slower than using the MicroSD card, but allows for remote updating of the controllers.

You will need:

• Windows PC
• Network connectivity from PC to F16v3
• Falcon Update Tool (available from http://pixelcontroller.com/apps/Falcon%20Update%20Tool-1.0.exe)
• New Firmware for F16v3 (manual will be updated with link when new firmware is released)

To perform the Upgrade:

1. Power on your F16v3 controller and make sure you can access its web page.
2. Open the Falcon Update Tool

Figure 5-2: Falcon Update Tool Start Screen

3. If your F16v3 is on the local network, it should be auto detected and appear in the “Controllers” list.  If it does not appear, manually enter the IP address and press the “Add” button.

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4. Press Choose File and select the location of the new firmware file (.fal file).

Figure 5-3: Falcon Update Tool with Controller and Firmware Selected

5. Make sure the IP address of the controller you want to upgrade is selected and press Update to start the firmware upgrade process.  

IMPORTANT: do not power off your controller during this process!

        First you will see it “Sending FPGA file”  This takes around 1 minute.

Figure 5-4: Falcon Update Tool Sending FPGA File

Next you will see it “Sending Firmware”.  This will take 5-8 minutes to complete.

Figure 5-5: Falcon Update Tool Sending Firmware Files

6. Once the Firmware upgrade is complete you will see a message “Committing files and rebooting controller”.  At this stage, if the controller does not reboot it is safe to manually power cycle it by removing power from your F16v3 for at least 20 seconds and reconnecting it.  Your controller will boot up and display the new firmware version on its OLED display.

Figure 5-6: Falcon Update Tool Complete Upgrade

3. Reset F16v3 back to factory defaults

Figure 5-7: Button for Reset of F16v3

This process is used to reset all settings set by the user on the controller.  This does not reset the firmware.

Perform the following steps:

1. Power off your controller and wait at least 20 seconds before proceeding.
2. Hold down the “Select” button.  Keep holding it down while applying  power to the controller.
3. Keep holding down the “Select Button” until you see Status LED1 and LED2 rapidly blink together and the OLED Display will display “Resetting Controller”
4. Release the “Select Button”, the controller will reboot with the default settings.

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6. OPTIONAL/SPARE PARTS

• Fuses

• 5A Auto Car Micro Mini Blade Fuse Fast Quick Blow Fuse - Available from most auto parts and some big box stores.  Do NOT use higher than 5A fuses or you can cause damage.

• Pixel Output Port Connectors

• 4 - Pin Pitch 3.5mm Screw Terminal Block Connector Green Color Pluggable Type with straight-pin  

• http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-pcs-4pin-way-Pitch-3-5mm-Screw-Terminal-Block-Connector-Green-Pluggable-Type-/230778118917?hash=item35bb72a305

• 40 Pin Ribbon Cable

• Flat Cable 40 Pin Wires Ribbon 50mm Wide 3 Ft. Long With 4 Sets IDC Connector
• http://www.ebay.com/p/Flat-Cable-40-Pin-Wires-Ribbon-50mm-Wide-3-Ft-Long-With-4-Sets-IDC-Connector/1948462733?_trksid=p2047675.m4096.l9055

• Fan

• 4 Pin PWM Fan.  The fan voltage needs to match the voltage applied at the V2 Power Connector.  The maximum fan speed, diameter, and other features are selectable by the user based on their setup needs.

• 12V Fan - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H3SWJ24/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_UTMqzbBMEKR7P

• Case

• The F16v3 and a typical power supply will fit in a CableGuard CG-1500 Coax Demarcation Enclosure which can be found from several vendors.  

• RTC Battery

• CR1225 battery

7. ADDRESSING MODE EXAMPLE

This example shows the two different ways (absolute and universe/start channel) of addressing channels for models.  Each has benefits and drawbacks to them, and users will have their own preferences.  The purpose of this example is to show how the F16v3 can be used to mimic the sequencer settings, so that the user does not have to do manual calculations to determine universe or channel numbering.  No matter which method is used, it is recommended that the method used in the sequencer is also used for the controller to simplify your set-up.  

Keep in mind that the Addressing Mode can be changed at any time on the F16v3.  This will change the way the information is displayed, but not any of the data entered for either.

4. Absolute Channel Addressing Example

This setup is for 6 stars, each using 100 pixels which is equal to 300 channels.  In this case, absolute addressing is used when creating the models in xLights as shown below.  Each star is shown as being connected to its own output port on the F16v3.

Figure 7-1:  xLights Model with Absolute Channel Addressing

To enter this into the F16v3 with Absolute Channel Addressing, the start channels would be entered similar to as entered into the sequencer, as shown in Figure 7-2.  

Figure 7-2: F16v3 String Port Settings with Absolute Channel Addressing for both models and controller

If Universe/Start Channel were to be used on the F16v3, careful attention and calculations would be needed in order to verify the correct values are being used for the universe and start channels, as shown in Figure 7-3.  

Figure 7-3: F16v3 String Port Settings with Universe/Start Channel Addressing for controller and Absolute for models.

The first two ports are easily defined above, as they both start on the first universe.  Port #3 started part way through Universe 2, which means it does not have an intuitive start channel number.  

5. Universe/Start Channel Example

This setup is for 6 stars, each using 100 pixels (same as in the previous example).  In this case however, each star is set to be on it’s own universe, starting a channel 1 on that universe.  Each star is also shown as being connected to its own output port on the controller.

Figure 7-4:  xLights Model with Universe/Start Channel Addressing

To enter this into the F16v3 with Universe/Start Channel Addressing, this information would be entered similar to as entered into the sequencer, as shown in Figure 7-5.  

Figure 7-5: F16v3 String Port Settings with Universe/Start Channel Addressing for both models and controller

If Absolute addressing were to be used on the F16v3, careful attention and calculations would be needed in order to verify the correct values are being used for the start channels, as shown in Figure 7-6.

Figure 7-6: F16v3 String Port Settings with Absolute Addressing for controller and Universe/Start Channel for models.

As the universes have all been defined as 510 channels in this case, all start channels increment by 510 from the previous start channel.  While this is relatively simple to calculate, it does require knowledge of the number of channels per universe to determine, whereas if Universe/Start Channel is used this does not need to be known.  

8. NETWORK CONNECTION

The F16v3 must be connected to a network in order to fully configure the controller.  There are two common methods for connecting the controller to a network both for configuring the controller and running a show.

6. Connect to Router

This is the easiest method and recommended for first time users or those not familiar with network configurations.  In this method, the F16v3 is connected to your router (or a switch connected to the router) using a Cat5/5e/6 patch cable via one of the Ethernet Ports (Figure 3-1).  Your computer or other device used to access the controller web interface must also be connected to that same router.  The computer or other device connection to the router can be done either wired or wirelessly.

Prior to connecting the controller to the router, it is recommended that the Network Type is set to DHCP (See section 4.1.2.1.2) to ensure there are no IP address conflicts between the F16v3 and other devices on the network.  This will automatically set the IP address for the controller, as well as the other network parameters.  If you are sure there are no IP address conflicts and are familiar with setting the other network parameters, using a Static IP address can also be done.

The F16v3 web interface can then be accessed by typing the controller’s IP address (Figure 4-2) into a web browser on your computer or other device.  The F16v3 can also be controlled via your sequencing software using this IP address.

7. Connection to Falcon Pi Player (FPP)

The Falcon Pi Player (FPP) is free software that runs on a micro-computer such as a Raspberry Pi (RPi), BeagleBone Black (BBB), or other similar devices.  For more information on the FPP, visit falconchristmas.com.  The show sequence can be stored and played using the FPP, rather than using a computer.  This is useful for those who do not want to use their computer to run the show, or for those with large or remote displays where having a computer controlling all elements is not practical.

The F16v3 can be connected to a FPP, or a switch connected to the FPP, using a Cat5/5e/6 patch cable via one of the two Ethernet Ports (Figure 3-1).

To access the F16v3 web interface, network configuration on both the FPP and F16v3 is required.  The following gives an example of how this can be done.  Note that each network is different, so there may be variations in your particular setup.  In addition, the IP addresses used are for example only, many variations are possible, and so these exact values do not need to be used.

It is recommended that you set up, configure, and test access to the FPP prior to connecting the F16v3, as the FPP is set up via a wired connection access and then switched to wireless.

Note that F16v3 network settings are shown in Figure 8-3 are on the F16v3 web page interface screen.  However, without configuring these to the proper settings, you will not be able to access this webpage through the FPP.  Therefore, these settings would need to be made via the OLED screen (Section 4.1.2.1) or with the F16v3 connected to a router directly (Section 8.1).

17. Sample Network Configuration for F16v3 to FPP

Figure 8-1: FPP Wireless (wlan0) Network Interface Setting Example

Figure 8-2: FPP Wired (eth0) Network Interface Setting Example

Figure 8-3: F16v3 Network Configuration Example

The Interface mode on the FPP for both wlan0 (wireless) and eth0 (wired) must be set to Static.  Also on the FPP, the “Enable Routing between network interfaces” box must be checked.

The “Enable DHCP” on the F16v3 must be unchecked (Figure 8-3) or set to Static on the OLED (Figure 4-8).

The Netmask or Subnet Mask on both devices should be set to 255.255.255.0 in all locations.

The Gateway for the eth0 (wired) settings on the FPP must be blank (Figure 8-2).

• A (192.168.1.1) – This is the IP address of the wireless router used to access the FPP.  This address is used for both the Gateway and the DNS server on the FPP wlan0 (wireless) settings.
• B (192.168.1.41) – IP address of the FPP on the wlan0 (wireless) network.  This will be on the same network as the router (the first 3 sets of numbers will be the same as A above), with the last set of numbers being different.  These can be anything between 0 and 255, but cannot be the same as used by any other device connected to the router.  This is also the IP address used to access the FPP web interface.
• C (192.168.41.1) – IP address of the FPP for the eth0 (wired) connection between the FPP and the F16v3 controller.  This must be on a different network than the wireless network, which means that at a minimum, the third set of numbers must be different from A and B above.  This is also used for the Gateway and Primary DNS on the F16v3 Controller.
• D (192.168.41.51) – IP address of the F16v3.  This should be on the same network as the FPP (the first 3 sets of numbers will be the same as C above).  This value can be anything between 0 and 255, but cannot be the same as used by any other controller or device connected to the FPP.  This is the IP address used to access the F16v3 web interface.

In addition to the above setting, you must also configure your router or computer to be able to access the F16v3 via the FPP.  Due to great variation in routers and computers, this is not included in this manual.  There is a thread on the Falcon Forums which provides more detail on how to do this.

http://falconchristmas.com/forum/index.php/topic,4231.0.html

Note that Option 1 will allow any device connected to the router to access the F16v3.  Option 2 will only allow the device that the command is entered on to access the F16v3.  Option 2 can be entered on multiple devices, if needed.

9. BASIC TERMINOLOGY

A channel is the smallest controllable element.  A channel will control either the Red, Green, or Blue intensity.

A pixel or node is a combination of Red, Green, and Blue channels in any order.  This can be, but is not necessarily, the same as the number of LEDs.  Some strings will use multiple LEDs in a single pixel.  All LEDs that act together based on the hardwiring of the lights are considered a single pixel.  Each pixel consists of 3 channels.

A string is a group of pixels connected on a single output.  All pixels connected together are considered to be on the same string whether or not they are on the same physical string or multiple physical strings connected together.  Therefore two physical strings of 50 pixels connected together are considered the same as a single string of 100 pixels.  

A universe is a contiguous group of channels.  This group of channels is identified by a Universe Number between 1 and 63999.  The maximum number of channels in any universe is 512.

Universe = 512 channels (maximum)

Each Pixel Output Port is limited to:         6 full universes

                                        = 6 strings of 512 channels

= 6 strings of 170.67 pixels*

= 1024 pixels

The F16v3 controller is limited to 96 universes = 16 ports of 6 universes = 16,384 pixels

* Note that it is physically impossible to have a fractional pixel on a string.  Therefore, some users will limit their universe size to 170 pixels = 510 channels, so that pixels are not split between universes.  The F16v3 can be used with either 6 full universes of 512 channels per port or 6 truncated universes of 510 channels per port.  

10. FULL DATA SHEET

A comparative data sheet for all Falcon controllers is located using the following link:

F16v3, F16v2, F16v2-R and F4V2 Datasheet

11. TYPICAL PIXEL POWER USAGE

Typical amount of current and power used by typical pixel types.

12. MODIFICATIONS FOR POWER GREATER THAN 13V

In order to control pixels which are between 13V and 24V, the F16v3 needs to be modified.  This is needed if power between 13V and 24V is applied to EITHER the V1 or V2 Power Connector.  This modification should only be done by users who are experienced in soldering and removing components from PCBs.

Modifying the board to operate with pixels that are between 13V and 24V will disable all of the Fuse Indicator LEDs on the controller.

To operate with 13V to 24V, remove the resistor labelled “R92” located above the V2 Power Connector, as shown in Figure 12-1.  The Input Power Jumpers would then need to be set to 7V to 13V (see Section 2.2.2) if powered via the V2 Power Connector.

WARNING: Applying Power greater than 24V may damage the controller.

Figure 12-1: Resistor removal for greater than 13V operation

13. TROUBLESHOOTING/GETTING HELP

1. Frequent Problems

• My Screen is Blank

• Try pressing one of the buttons below the OLED screen.  The screen saving mode may be active.
• Please reset the controller to factory defaults using the “Factory Reset” procedure.

• My F16v3 won’t power on

• Check power connections, jumpers and power supply.  See Section 2.2 for further information on how to power the F16v3.
• Email or call technical support

• None of my pixels light up

• If using outputs 1-8, check that you are applying power to the V1 power connection.  
• If using outputs 9-16, check that you are applying power to the V2 power connection.
• Check pixel connector connections to verify wire order and check if they are loose.
• Try using test mode to help rule out PC/sequencer problems.

• Only the first part of my lights turn on in regular or test modes.

• Make sure the string port has the correct number of pixels (nodes) defined for that channel.
• Make sure there is no damage to the wires between the working and non-working nodes.

• My pixels are flickering

• Plug the flickering string of pixels directly into the F16v3, removing any other power injection and test that it works correctly, ruling out the F16v3 as a source of the problem.
• If driving pixels from a sequencer(s). Make sure you are not driving from two sources, such as xLights and FPP both outputting.

• One of my outputs doesn’t work

• If using outputs 1-8, check that you are applying power to the V1 power connection.
• If using outputs 9-16, check that you are applying power to the V2 power connection.
• Check the fuse indicator LED on the output port.  If the LED is not lit, the fuse is either missing or blown. Replace the fuse.
• Check to make sure the pixel connector is firmly installed into the jack, and that all wires are connected to the pixel connector.
• Check to make sure there is no damage to the wires connected to the output.
• If pigtails are being used, make sure the lights are connected to the pigtails, and there is contact between the pigtail and the lights (pins at the connection may be damaged or corroded)
• Try plugging lights from a working output in the non-working output to determine if it is a problem with the lights or the output.

• Can’t connect to the web interface

• Check to make sure all cables are connected and the controller has power.
• Verify you are using the IP address shown on the OLED to access the web interface.
• If you have the controller for a static IP, change to DHCP, restart and see if you can connect.  If so, there is an error in your network settings.  
• If you are connecting via a FPP or other device, rather than directly to the router of the device you are trying to access with, check your network settings.  

2. Further Information

Additional information available at:         http://pixelcontroller.com/

http://www.falconchristmas.com/wiki/F16v3

Community based forums are available at: http://falconchristmas.com/forum

3. Getting Help

Pixel Controller LLC is here to help you with your controller.  

Please contact David Pitts directly:

(719) 454-3322

david@pixelcontroller.com