Meridian 45 rolling pattern using camera

[exnisstech]

Not sure what to call but I just set up a meridian 45 and when I try to use a camera I get a rolling change of light. It reminds me if an old film projector slapping the end of a roll of film over and over for lack of a better description. Young folks may not get it. I have a lot of different lights including a meridian 11 and this is the only light that causes this. I've changed light setting and used filters with no change.
I figure it must have something to do with the leds but am curious since it's only this one light.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

is this the same light that you have @VintageReefer ?

 

[VintageReefer]

That’s crazy, I don’t get that effect on video. Can You record in a different fps or hz?

 

[oreo54]

Not sure what to call but I just set up a meridian 45 and when I try to use a camera I get a rolling change of light. It reminds me if an old film projector slapping the end of a roll of film over and over for lack of a better description. Young folks may not get it. I have a lot of different lights including a meridian 11 and this is the only light that causes this. I've changed light setting and used filters with no change.
I figure it must have something to do with the leds but am curious since it's only this one light.

Most LEDs use pwm to dim LEDs.
This can cause the effect you see depending on shutter speed and pwm frequency.
The frequency is usually software determined.
If all channels are at 100 ( or 0) you normally won't see it
Many use (d) like 500-ish hz.

 

[fish_collector]

^^^This

It's the frequency of the LEDs turning on and off that your camera is capturing.

 

[exnisstech]

That’s crazy, I don’t get that effect on video. Can You record in a different fps or hz?

It fits the exact same thing even taking still shot.

^^^This

It's the frequency of the LEDs turning on and off that your camera is capturing.

Most LEDs use pwm to dim LEDs.
This can cause the effect you see depending on shutter speed and pwm frequency.
The frequency is usually software determined.
If all channels are at 100 ( or 0) you normally won't see it
Many use (d) like 500-ish hz.

Im running the same program on the 45 as my meridian 11 but this effect only happens with the meridian 45. The effect is present viewing through the camera and not even taking a photo or video which doesn't make sense to me.
I have radions, noopsyche, Hydra, black boxes, photons and two meridians but only the meridian 45 causes this effect.

 

[oreo54]

It fits the exact same thing even taking still shot.



Im running the same program on the 45 as my meridian 11 but this effect only happens with the meridian 45. The effect is present viewing through the camera and not even taking a photo or video which doesn't make sense to me.
I have radions, noopsyche, Hydra, black boxes, photons and two meridians but only the meridian 45 causes this effect.

Your " viewing" has a frame rate.
It's not continuous.

And other lights are irrelevant.

45's software ( firmware ) has its own rate and others have theirs.

Now is this " normal" for a 45?

That is the question.

For fun you can run it at .25 speed in you tube.

 

[exnisstech]

Your " viewing" has a frame rate.
It's not continuous.

And other lights are irrelevant.

45's software ( firmware ) has its own rate and others have theirs.

Now is this " normal" for a 45?

That is the question.

For fun you can run it at .25 speed in you tube.

I see the effect slowed down. It looks like blue cycling on and off. It's baffling to me because the effect is present even just being viewed through the camera without activating the shutter to make a recording of a video or still image. What the video shows is exact what the camera shows as soon as it starts getting close to the tank lightning.
I guess I just won't be taking any tank shots or videos of this set up lol. The light seems normal to the naked eye.
@Reef Breeders is this anything you've seen on other meridian 45s?

 

[oreo54]

I see the effect slowed down. It looks like blue cycling on and off. It's baffling to me because the effect is present even just being viewed through the camera without activating the shutter to make a recording of a video or still image. What the video shows is exact what the camera shows as soon as it starts getting close to the tank lightning.
I guess I just won't be taking any tank shots or videos of this set up lol. The light seems normal to the naked eye.
@Reef Breeders is this anything you've seen on other meridian 45s?

All LED channels set to 100 would ( could/ should) eliminate that.

Btw think about your TV ..which is what the phone screen really is. What is its frame rate (screens/ second)?

Eyes have a hard time seeing " flicker" at more than 60Hz.
I've never known LEDs to use less than 500Hz for the PWM dimming.
Of course I've not measured all of them.
Aduino based has 490- ish as it's default pwm.
Not sure about esp32 microprocessors "default" if there is one.
It can be set from 1Hz to dozens of kHz depending.

It's a bit more complicated though.

 

[tharbin]

That is very odd if your other Meridians are running the same schedule. Does it do it the same at different light intensities? It is probably the worst case of shutter to PWM mismatch I've seen. Are all of your Meridians the same generation and type (shallow reef or original).

 

[exnisstech]

That is very odd if your other Meridians are running the same schedule. Does it do it the same at different light intensities? It is probably the worst case of shutter to PWM mismatch I've seen. Are all of your Meridians the same generation and type (shallow reef or original).

Both are original version not shallow reef.
Its very strange. In addition to the flickering the tank has a light blue cast that I can't get rid of even if I turn the royal blue channel to 0. I'm trying to obtain a look like I have with my meridian 11 but can't get rid of the blueish cast of the 45.

This is under the median 11 no filter

I can't get a good shot of the 45 but the blue tint that is visible is how the entire tank looks even tho I'm running the same schedule on both the 11 and the 45. When I was discussing lighting with reefbreeders I was told the 45 is just like four 11s so I would expect to be able to achieve the same color just with more coverage but that isn't the case. Hopefully @Reef Breeders will chime in here.

The 45

 

[tharbin]

Both are original version not shallow reef.
Its very strange. In addition to the flickering the tank has a light blue cast that I can't get rid of even if I turn the royal blue channel to 0. I'm trying to obtain a look like I have with my meridian 11 but can't get rid of the blueish cast of the 45.

This is under the median 11 no filter

I can't get a good shot of the 45 but the blue tint that is visible is how the entire tank looks even tho I'm running the same schedule on both the 11 and the 45. When I was discussing lighting with reefbreeders I was told the 45 is just like four 11s so I would expect to be able to achieve the same color just with more coverage but that isn't the case. Hopefully @Reef Breeders will chime in here.

The 45

I have an 11 and a 35, both originals also. My panels all look identical as they are all (11 and 35) running the same schedule. My understanding is the panels are all identical for a version and generation. It is a little hard to see because of your camera issues but when I look over at my 35 and compare it to your photo, our light patterns seem very similar. I think I see two whites on each of your panels and the only difference I see is that it seems your are driving Channel 6 more than I am but again it is a guess as it is a little hard to make out and of course our, or at least my, lights change configuration during the day. I'm running @VintageReefer's schedule with modified start end times and slightly lower intensities.

 

[oreo54]

I see the effect slowed down. It looks like blue cycling on and off. It's baffling to me because the effect is present even just being viewed through the camera without activating the shutter to make a recording of a video or still image. What the video shows is exact what the camera shows as soon as it starts getting close to the tank lightning.
I guess I just won't be taking any tank shots or videos of this set up lol. The light seems normal to the naked eye.
@Reef Breeders is this anything you've seen on other meridian 45s?

Is there an "overall" slider separate from the color sliders?

I know you said the color channels were the same but if the overall slider is different it will change the PWM pattern.

 

[exnisstech]

Is there an "overall" slider separate from the color sliders?

I know you said the color channels were the same but if the overall slider is different it will change the PWM pattern.

I don't see a master slider like could be used set color temp like say a 14k spectrum. I only see individual sliders doe the color channels. The settings on the 45 are identical to what the 11 is set to as far as percentages of each color channel so I would expect the lighting be identical just more of it from the 45 vs the 11. But I'm far from knowledgeable when it comes to lighting and how LEDs actual function.

 

[exnisstech]

I have an 11 and a 35, both originals also. My panels all look identical as they are all (11 and 35) running the same schedule. My understanding is the panels are all identical for a version and generation. It is a little hard to see because of your camera issues but when I look over at my 35 and compare it to your photo, our light patterns seem very similar. I think I see two whites on each of your panels and the only difference I see is that it seems your are driving Channel 6 more than I am but again it is a guess as it is a little hard to make out and of course our, or at least my, lights change configuration during the day. I'm running @VintageReefer's schedule with modified start end times and slightly lower intensities.

Ya I tried vintage reefers schedule but it's way too blue for my taste.

 

[fish_collector]

Well thats going to be a bummer if you can never photograph it.

 

[exnisstech]

Well thats going to be a bummer if you can never photograph it.

I'm also not digging the bluish cast to the water that the 11 does not cause.

 

[fish_collector]

Perhaps there is something wrong with it? Some new firmware they're using that wasn't tested enough, wrong driver settings? Wrong diodes installed on the board? Call them Monday morning, we're curious what they say. Not being able to photograph the tank would be a definite return for me, and if you don't like the color now you never will. Sometimes plug and play isn't lol.

 

[exnisstech]

Perhaps there is something wrong with it? Some new firmware they're using that wasn't tested enough, wrong driver settings? Wrong diodes installed on the board? Call them Monday morning, we're curious what they say. Not being able to photograph the tank would be a definite return for me, and if you don't like the color now you never will. Sometimes plug and play isn't lol.

I'll reach out to reefbreeders this week if they don't stop by here. They've been very responsive when I've had questions. I'm really happy with the par numbers I'm getting over the entire tank, even in the corners so hopefully we can get it figured out. I was going to just bring over two photon 32 v2 pros I have but decided I wanted a single fixture which is the only reason I splurged on the meridian. That and I'm happy with the 11 so I figured it would be smooth sailing.

 

[tharbin]

Ya I tried vintage reefers schedule but it's way too blue for my taste.

It is pretty blue but I added 14k edges later on and it balances out nicely. The main point though is the the light from my 35 is identical to my 11. If you are running the exact same schedule on both lights they should be identical. If the 45 is different from the 11 something is wrong with one of them. The only difference would be you have four times as many of each wavelength.