Using the Gate SPI Wired in Standalone Mode

Create a recording

In order to use the Gate SPI Wired in standalone mode you will first need to make content for the Gate to playback. This is done using the ProtoPixel Mapping Tool software which will allow you to make recordings that can be uploaded to the Gate.

1. Lighting Fixtures

First define the fixtures in the Mapping Tool that you to control using the Gate SPI Wired.

Make sure that you have a controller with 1 or 2 outputs configured and that these are assigned to the corresponding fixtures that you intend to make the recording for. The recording will capture the all of the information generated when you run the content in the Mapping Tool and “hit record”, this includes which output the fixtures are connected to.

2. Lighting Content

You can now start designing and laying out the content in Mapping Tool that you wish to capture with the recording process.

👆🏼 If you think that you may upgrade your install to use a ProtoPixel Brain Experience to control the Gate SPI Wired in the future now is a great time to export the project 👆🏼

3. Set where the recordings will be stored

In the Mapping Tool inspector panel, you will find the Recording section.

Here you need to define the recording name, select your controller and the path where you want to store the recording.

By default, the recordings will be saved in your Documents folder (e.g. on Windows: C:\Users\YourName\Documents\ProtoPixel\Recordings)

You will also need to define the frame rate you want your recording to be saved.

👆🏼 Note that the format you must select from the recording panel in Mapping Tool for the Gate SPI Wired is V1👆🏼

💡 TIP: Add a suffix in your recording name indicating the frame rate (e.g. *_60fps). It will be useful when uploading the file to your Gate SPI Wired with the Player WebApp 💡

4. Make the recording

Once you have completed steps 1, 2 and 3 you are ready to record. Run the content sequence that you wish to capture then click on the “Start” button to record. Once your content sequence is done you need to click the “Stop” button. Your recordings will be automatically saved to the path you defined in step 3.

👆🏼 A REC hint will appear in the Mapping Tool canvas (bottom right) to show when you are recording 👆🏼

Uploading a recording

Once you have created recordings with ProtoPixel Mapping Tool, you can then upload them to the Gate SPI Wired you plan to use in stand-alone mode. If you have multiple Gates that you wish to use in Standalone Mode with the same content then you can simply reuse the same recorded content and uploaded it to the individual Gate SPI Wired.

1. Access the WebApp

In your internet browser enter the URL of the Gate SPI Wired that you wish to upload the recordings to.

• If you are connected directly to the Gates’s Wi-Fi with the computer that is running Mapping Tool then enter the Gates’s default URL which is 192.168.4.1.
• If you have connected the Gate to your network via Ethernet or it is connected to you network using Wi-Fi Bridge mode then you will need to find it’s IP address manually. You can do this by using the “find controller” function in Mapping Tool, logging into your router or by using a network scanner. Note: You may find that the device manufacturer name shows up as Espressif Inc.

2. Enter the menu

Click on the (hamburger) menu top right to display more options

3. Prepare to upload a recording

Tap/Click on the Upload a Recording icon to open the UPLOAD RECORDING page

4. Browse to the file to upload

Click the browse button to locate the recording that you wish to upload. e.g. The default location when using Windows is C:\Users\YourName\Documents\ProtoPixel\Recordings

Select the file you wish to upload and click “Open”

5. Choose a name for your recording

Give the recording a meaningful name (as you want it to be shown in the playlist)

6. Set the Framerate

In the FPS section specify the Framerate the uploaded recording was made at.

7. Submit

Once you are ready to upload click the “Submit” button to copy the recording to the Gates’s SD card

8. Success

Once your recording is uploaded you will be notified by the “Success” message. You are will be given the option to go to the Playlist in the WebApp or Upload more.

👆🏼 Note: make sure that from the recording panel the format is selected in V1, which is suitable for the Gate SPI Wired. The recordings with V1 format are compatible for devices that allow content to be reproduced autonomously using WebApp 👆🏼

☝️ Keep in mind that the Gate SPI Wired only supports the storage of up to 50 recordings. ☝️

Playback control with the WebApp

🚨 Never manually modify the contents or directly copy recording to the SD card, doing so will corrupt the recordings playlist. 🚨

When recordings are uploaded to the Gate SPI Wired using the WebApp, a playlist will be created in the same order that they were uploaded. The WebApp allows you control the playlist along with the brightness.

• Play: The selected track will play or stop.
• Loop: You can loop an individual track or the whole playlist. If you want to play a sequence of recordings in loop, first disable any recording that you do not want to be included in the loop.
• Next Recording: Navigate to the next recording in the playlist.
• Previous recording: Navigate to the previous recording in the playlist.
• Brightness: Adjust the playback brightness. The value will be applied to all of the recordings in the playlist.

Rename a recording in the WebApp of the Gate SPI Wired

1. In the WebApp go to the Playlist.

2. Click/Hold on the recording name you wish to modify.

3. Click/Tap the Edit Icon.

4. Enter a new name that you wish to use and click “Ok”.

Delete a recording from the Gate SPI Wired

1. In the WebApp go to the Playlist

2. Click/Hold on the recording name you wish to delete

3. Click/Tap Bin Icon

🚨 Caution: Recordings will be deleted immediately. Be careful to not accidentally delete items from the playlist otherwise, you will have to re-upload them. 🚨

Mode Button Playback Control

In standalone mode briefly pressing the Mode Button on the Gate SPI Wired will cycle through to the next recording in the Gate’s playlist.

👆🏼You must upload one or more recordings to the Gate SPI Wired to allow the Mode Button to control Playback👆🏼