rgb_dmds:¶
Config file section
| Valid in machine config files | YES |
| Valid in mode config files | NO |
The rgb_dmds: section of your machine config is where you configure
the settings for physical RGB DMDs (dot matrix displays). You only need this
section if you have a RGB DMD connected via USB. If you have a mono DMD,
configure that in the dmds: section.
If you want to show a virtual RGB DMD in an on-screen window, you configure that
as a display widget with a dot filter. You don’t need to use this rgb_dmds: section
to do that.
Note there are no height and width settings here. The pixel size of
your DMD is determined by the size of the source: display which drives the
content for this DMD.
Here’s an example:
displays:
dmd:
width: 128
height: 32
rgb_dmds:
smartmatrix: # name of this DMD which can be whatever you want
hardware_brightness: .5
fps: 25
gamma: 2.5
displays:
dmd:
width: 128
height: 32
rgb_dmds:
smartmatrix: # name of this DMD which can be whatever you want
hardware_brightness: .5
fps: 25
gamma: 2.5
Note that this section is called rgb_dmds: (plural). Just like
“switches” and “coils” and most everything else in MPF, this is a section that
contains all your DMDs. Now since this is a DMD, you probably only have one,
(though MPF can support as many as you want), but it’s important to note that
you add a rgb_dmds: section to your config, then under that you
add an entry for a specific DMD (which can be whatever you want), and then
you enter one or more of the following settings:
Optional settings¶
The following sections are optional in the rgb_dmds: section of your config. (If you don’t include them, the default will be used).
brightness:¶
Single value, type: number (will be converted to floating point). Default: 1.0
Brightness value multiplied in software (as an OpenGL shader in MC).
Using hardware_brightness is preferred if your hardware supports it.
channel_order:¶
Single value, type: string (case-insensitive). Default: rgb
Channel order of your rgb dmd.
Change this if colors are swapped on your hardware.
Any order (such as rgb, grb, brg and so) will work.
fps:¶
Single value, type: integer. Default: 30
How many frames per second this DMD will be updated. Note that some RGB DMDs cannot handle the full 30fps, so you might have to dial this back to around 25 or so or else the DMD won’t be able to keep up and will get behind.
gamma:¶
Single value, type: number (will be converted to floating point). Default: 2.2
Sets the gamma of the DMD. See Gamma correction in MPF for details.
Note that the default setting of 2.2 will probably be ok, though if your
RGB DMD does its own internal gamma correction, you’ll want to set the gamma
to 1.0 (which is effectively disabling it).
Note that gamma is closely related to brightness (below). You’ll probably want to adjust both of them together.
Important
Gamma setting is important!
We can’t stress enough that setting the gamma for your DMD is important for making it look right. So click the link above and make the adjustment. It’s a one-time thing.
hardware_brightness:¶
Single value, type: template_float. Default: 1.0
A brightness multiplier for the DMD (because RGB DMDs are crazy bright). Note that brightness is closely related to gamma (see above). You’ll probably want to adjust both of them together.
Also note that you can use dynamic values here if you want to do math or use settings to make this configurable.
only_send_changes:¶
Single value, type: boolean (Yes/No or True/False). Default: False
Specifies whether every frame is sent to the DMD, or only changed frames.
platform:¶
Single value, type: string.
Name of the platform this DMD is connected to. The default value of None means the
default hardware platform will be used. You only need to change this if you have
multiple different hardware platforms in use and this coil is not connected
to the default platform.
See the Mixing-and-Matching hardware platforms guide for details.
source_display:¶
Single value, type: string. Default: dmd
The name of the display (from the displays: section of your machine config) that is the source for this physical
DMD. Whatever’s on the source display will be displayed on the DMD. If you don’t specify a source, MPF will
automatically use a source display called “dmd”.
console_log:¶
Single value, type: one of the following options: none, basic, full. Default: basic
Log level for the console log for this device.
debug:¶
Single value, type: boolean (Yes/No or True/False). Default: False
Set this to true to see additional debug output. This might impact the performance of MPF.
file_log:¶
Single value, type: one of the following options: none, basic, full. Default: basic
Log level for the file log for this device.