What is ProtoPixel Framework

ProtoPixel Framework is a combination of technologies that ProtoPixel developed with the goal of controlling lights to create dynamic and expressive experiences.

ProtoPixel Framework is composed by the ProtoPixel Controller, the ProtoPixel Create software, and the ProtoPixel Node. In addition to that, a typical setup will also have LED strips or other types of fixtures, power supplies, network infrastructure and your computer.

The ProtoPixel Create software will take your content (in the form of video, images, scripts…) and map it to virtual light points, corresponding to real lights in your setup. ProtoPixel Create will send the color data to one or more ProtoPixel Controllers, through the network, and those will communicate with your LED fixtures, to do the right thing.

In permanent light installations, the ProtoPixel Create software can be replaced with a ProtoPixel Node, which is a mini-computer with a head-less version of the software already installed.

How ProtoPixel Create works

ProtoPixel create is a mapping software: it helps you to map visual content to physical lights in the real world. To do so, you will have to match places in your contents to individual lights in the real world. Fortunately this is very easy with ProtoPixel Create.

Some kewy concepts are needed to understand and use ProtoPixel Create:

Light

In ProtoPixel Create we use Light to refer to a single controllable point of light, which can only have one color. A Light will tipically be an addressable LED . We represent it as a point in space with a given color.

Fixture

A Fixture in ProtoPixel Create is a set of Lights that come together in a physical form. They are usually sold as a unit and can be physically connected to a ProtoPixel Controller. An LED matrix, a focus or an LED strip are examples of Fixtures.

Content

Anything that produces color that can be mapped into lights is a Content. Videos, images, and interactive animations are examples of Contents.

Controller and Outlet

A Controller represents how the physical Fixtures are connected in a particular ProtoPixel Controller. Controllers have several Outlets representing the physical connections where Fixtures can be plugged. A Controller has to be paired to a Device to work in the real world.

Device

Devices are how real-world ProtoPixel Controllers are represented in the software. Tipically you would setup a Controller, fill in its Outlets, and then pair it to the physical Device. How fixtures are connected to the outlets of the Controller must match how real fixtures are connected to the real Device.

Project

All these elements are placed together in a Project. A Project can be saved in a file for later use.