Vertex Illumina Light Studio Programming Thread

[Uncko Macko]

I'd like to start a thread for sharing Tips, Tricks, settings, ideas, Do's & Don'ts.

Let's keep this strictly regarding the Light Studio App. I don't want to hi-jack the awesome Illumina threads that helped me decide to make the Illumina investment in the first place.

First off...It would be nice to have a light studio manual. If anyone knows where to find it...Post it here.

It would be cool to share setting files. PM me for my email address. I'd like to check out your settings.

[Uncko Macko]

I'm trying something in expert mode and can't seem to make it happen. Here is my idea.

Blue & Royal blue West to East Triangle switching which is brighter every half hour throughout the day.

BUT.....Have the White LED's do a West to East "POINT" setting.

I've tried clicking on the points for specific colors. It appears that you can select Concurrent, E/W Triangle, Point, etc... for each color but when I upload and run the light preview, They are all in the POINT setting.

Can someone else give this a try?

[TheDogFather]

Originally Posted by Uncko Macko

I'd like to start a thread for sharing Tips, Tricks, settings, ideas, Do's & Don'ts.

Let's keep this strictly regarding the Light Studio App. I don't want to hi-jack the awesome Illumina threads that helped me decide to make the Illumina investment in the first place.

First off...It would be nice to have a light studio manual. If anyone knows where to find it...Post it here.

It would be cool to share setting files. PM me for my email address. I'd like to check out your settings.

Awesome thread! I'm sure it will be really helpful for new Illumina owners.

Here is a link to my drop box where I keep my Vertex files including the latest manual for the Vertex Light Studio Desktop app (manual_desktop_V1.0english.pdf): http://db.tt/xKxaj8X

Cheers!

-TDF

[Uncko Macko]

[QUOTE=TheDogFather;18483906]
Here is a link to my drop box where I keep my Vertex files including the latest manual for the Vertex Light Studio Desktop app (manual_desktop_V1.0english.pdf): http://db.tt/xKxaj8X

Now we're talkin! Thanks

[Midnightsun]

Thanks a million however, why in the world is this manual not available on the Vertex site or am I blind?

[nemosworld]

Don't own one of these, but i have to say, that is some nice software.

[Uncko Macko]

Originally Posted by Midnightsun

Thanks a million however, why in the world is this manual not available on the Vertex site or am I blind?

I must be blind too!

[Sambo5860]

Needs some help in expert mode...
I have set up my sunrise from east and sunset from west.
I have also set the lunar calendar. Everything seems to be working with exception to the moon light which remains off.
I set the days to full moon, however the number seems to fluctuate every time I open the time/date setting. In the vertex manual it makes reference to the fact that if the moon light does not come on it might because it is close to full moon day??? This does not make sense. Shouldn't the moon be getting bigger, therefore brighter, closer to a full moon?

[Kolognekoral]

Sambo5860,

do you have the fixture set to one of the Moon options? And is the calendar properly set? Do you have the colour mix (Compose Moon Color) set? If this is at zero, you won't have light.

Just naming the obvious.

Why is the Sunset from West? It should go from East TO West, the same as Sunrise.

[Sambo5860]

Hi Jamie
Thanks for your reply.
I have the light set to Lunar Cycle. I have set the calendar properly and the have checked the Colour Mix as well, and this too is set. It was not at zero but at 30% as indicated on the graph.
I have the moon rise set at 6:30pm. However, I have noticed that the moonlight does not turn on at 6:30pm. I suspect that this has something to do with the Lunar Cycle Program, because tonight I checked on the tank at 10:00pm and the moon light had come on in the first console at the correct brightness. So it seems to be working.
It must be that it takes a few hours for it to rise. I just thought maybe when I Download the settings to the Desktop, the graph should show me what time the moon will rise?? But this does not seem to be the case.
The Sunrise is in the east, illuminating console by console until all are on.
Sunset is in the west, dimming console by console from East to West until all are off.

Regards
Stephen

[aufo8mycat]

Originally Posted by Sambo5860

Hi Jamie
Thanks for your reply.
I have the light set to Lunar Cycle. I have set the calendar properly and the have checked the Colour Mix as well, and this too is set. It was not at zero but at 30% as indicated on the graph.
I have the moon rise set at 6:30pm. However, I have noticed that the moonlight does not turn on at 6:30pm. I suspect that this has something to do with the Lunar Cycle Program, because tonight I checked on the tank at 10:00pm and the moon light had come on in the first console at the correct brightness. So it seems to be working.
It must be that it takes a few hours for it to rise. I just thought maybe when I Download the settings to the Desktop, the graph should show me what time the moon will rise?? But this does not seem to be the case.
The Sunrise is in the east, illuminating console by console until all are on.
Sunset is in the west, dimming console by console from East to West until all are off.

Regards
Stephen

Hi Stephen,
why not try the time lapse, thingy, sorry cant use correct terminology as i just packed up my light and put away until tank arrives, but it is the second option down it will show you the full cycle of what you have set in i think a 3 minute window

[Kolognekoral]

Originally Posted by Sambo5860

Hi Jamie
Thanks for your reply.
I have the light set to Lunar Cycle. I have set the calendar properly and the have checked the Colour Mix as well, and this too is set. It was not at zero but at 30% as indicated on the graph.
I have the moon rise set at 6:30pm. However, I have noticed that the moonlight does not turn on at 6:30pm. I suspect that this has something to do with the Lunar Cycle Program, because tonight I checked on the tank at 10:00pm and the moon light had come on in the first console at the correct brightness. So it seems to be working.
It must be that it takes a few hours for it to rise. I just thought maybe when I Download the settings to the Desktop, the graph should show me what time the moon will rise?? But this does not seem to be the case.
The Sunrise is in the east, illuminating console by console until all are on.
Sunset is in the west, dimming console by console from East to West until all are off.

Regards
Stephen

Stephen, if you are in the rising moon cycle, the moonlight will start dim and get brighter. I've not played wiht this, yet, so I can't say how much effect it has, but it could be the LEDs are so low they are not easy to see. Something is certainly working, just not as imagined/expected. I think playing with the variables over the next days will give you a better idea of the functions and what they actually do.

[TheDogFather]

I am asked frequently to share my Illumina config file so I have posted it for download here: http://db.tt/xiFKQk4

Cheers!

-TDF

[Sambo5860]

Thanks Jamie.
The moon cycle is definitely working. This morning there were more moon lights on...I will just let it run and will monitor it over the coming days.
Regards
Stephen

[deangelr]

I am now frustrated and having trouble connecting to the light. I went out and got a USB extender but still no luck. I was able to connect in the past but lately the application just keeps failing mid adjustments. Maybe the wrong thread for this, but any suggestions? I am on a Mac

[eums]

A few issues i've run into:

I cant get this running on a mac book pro(2010), had to boot into windows for things to work. If some one knows how to manually build or install the driver it needs please let me know, the bash script that comes with the install does not work for me in OSX.

Last night I managed to FUBAR the light some how with light studio, my light is serial number "3" and was running the original firmware (1446 i think). Some how the light was only using pad 0 and 5 (has 6 pads, 0-5 so the first and last were the only ones working).
After a bit of a panic, rebooting the fixture(did not help) and looking up how to emergency recover each pad(far too much effort) I decided to try updating the firmware to the latest (1631). after ~5 min of updating pad 0 (only) the fixture seemed to reboot, I uploaded a known working save and the light worked again, it even ramped down in east first (something that it would not do with 1446)

Radio channel is set on the light fixture(took me a bit to remember this), keep it at 0 to be able to update firmware!
Be as close as possible, I get -56.0db sitting on the sofa next to the tank, if I move 5' to the other side of the sofa it drops to -70.0db

After firmware updates you need to re-auth the fixture by confirming the connection on the fixture, then look for it again in the program.

Adjusting colors/ramp in expert mode: use the up/down arrows after selecting the point, makes life easier.

Lastly the fixture is complex technically, It's possible to disable some or all functionality through improper use of light studio as I some how managed to do. Always keep a save of your program in light studio and understand how to recover the pads if something goes wrong (recovery info is in the firmware update file thats downloadable from vertex, in the txt file)

[Kolognekoral]

I've checked-up on the Mac problem and it is real. Apparently, the latest Vertex up-date 1.6 is no longer compatable due to an update in Mac. The problem is being worked on. This is why it worked before and now isn't. More, I don't know and, frankly, I'm not personally Java compatable and can't read that stuff.

[eums]

Originally Posted by Kolognekoral

I've checked-up on the Mac problem and it is real. Apparently, the latest Vertex up-date 1.6 is no longer compatable due to an update in Mac. The problem is being worked on. This is why it worked before and now isn't. More, I don't know and, frankly, I'm not personally Java compatable and can't read that stuff.

It seems like an issue with the driver as I can launch the program with out issue, I've emailed vertex RE the upgrade path from Philips to Cree xp-g LED's and will ask about the OSX issue once I get a response back.

On the upgrade path note, the fixture I have has 2x GS220A24-R7B 221w @24v ballasts. With the over capacity i cant see why this would be an issue, can some one with a 260 model verify the ballast type?

[deangelr]

The ballast is the same in the 260 model

[deangelr]

Originally Posted by Kolognekoral

I've checked-up on the Mac problem and it is real. Apparently, the latest Vertex up-date 1.6 is no longer compatable due to an update in Mac. The problem is being worked on. This is why it worked before and now isn't. More, I don't know and, frankly, I'm not personally Java compatable and can't read that stuff.

Thanks for checking! I knew something was up

[alin2]

I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a Vertex Illumina for my new reef tank. However, I use a Mac exclusively and hopefully by the time I get this up and running, any MacOS issues should be resolved.

OTOH, I was wondering if the Vertex Light Studio would work with Windows 7 or just XP? I have XP with Fusion emulator, but need to get Win7 for work which I'll install as a bootcamp volume.

Thanks everyone.

[Midnightsun]

Originally Posted by alin2

I'm pretty sure I'm going to get a Vertex Illumina for my new reef tank. However, I use a Mac exclusively and hopefully by the time I get this up and running, any MacOS issues should be resolved.

OTOH, I was wondering if the Vertex Light Studio would work with Windows 7 or just XP? I have XP with Fusion emulator, but need to get Win7 for work which I'll install as a bootcamp volume.

Thanks everyone.

I use windows 7 with bootcamp with my Mac book pro. Works no problem.

[Kolognekoral]

I'm using Windows XP.

Some interesting notes since I've been using the Vertex Illumina 260. many of the corals are changing colour to brighter turqouises, from greens, and pinks are really developing, which I didn't expect, as there is literally no warm spectrum in the tank now. Also, many Montis are developing coloured edges and some are changing polyp colour. It is really quite amazing what spectrum can do.

[notclear]

Originally Posted by Kolognekoral

I'm using Windows XP.

Some interesting notes since I've been using the Vertex Illumina 260. many of the corals are changing colour to brighter turqouises, from greens, and pinks are really developing, which I didn't expect, as there is literally no warm spectrum in the tank now. Also, many Montis are developing coloured edges and some are changing polyp colour. It is really quite amazing what spectrum can do.

What white-blue-royal blue intensity do you use?

[Kolognekoral]

I'm still experimenting, but, with a 70cm depth, I like 100% both blues and between 50-60% white. I am running a long sunrise-sunset, 3 hours, as I like seeing the slow changeover from actinic to daylight. I may change the settings in a few weeks to a miday white of 90-100%, but just for 2-3hours, plus add a few storm clouds to break it up. What i really like about this unit is that is never gets hot, no matter how high I run the whites. Plus, it can apparently sense overheating and will automatically reduce the intensity of the whites, should the lamp get too hot. With these fans, which also run at different speeds according to heat load, I can only imagine this function tripping in during an extremely hot Summer or if the fans were turned off via the controler by the aquarist. Nice to know stupid moments are being thought about!