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Control4 Guide

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Photo Credit: Digital Ambience

Introduction

Advatekโ€™s PixLiteยฎ Mk3 controllers are trusted around the world to deliver pixel lighting control at various scales. They work with industry standard DMX over Ethernet protocols (eDMX), namely sACN and Art-Net, allowing creative tools like lighting desks, media servers and pixel mapping software to be used to generate dynamic effects. Using the SHOWTimeโ„ข feature set included in PixLiteยฎ Mk3 controllers, these lighting effects can be recorded, saved to the controllerโ€™s microSD card, and triggered to playback without the original content source present.

The PixLiteยฎ Mk3Control4 driver, created by Chowmain Software, makes it possible to bring this functionality directly into Control4 projects. Through Composer, installers can link a PixLiteยฎ Mk3 controller and expose simple controls for solid colors, brightness, and SHOWTimeโ„ขย scene or playlist playback. Device information and fault feedback are also available to ensure reliable operation.

For Control4 dealers, this means pixel lighting can be treated much like any other lighting load in a project: color and brightness controls appear in the familiar interface, and advanced options such as SHOWTimeโ„ขย content are just a few clicks away. For PixLiteยฎ users, it provides a straightforward path to integrate with Control4โ€™s ecosystem in residential, hospitality, and light commercial spaces.

Connecting Control4 to PixLiteยฎ Mk3

The driver communicates with PixLiteยฎ over its built-in API. Setup is straight forward:

  • In Composer Pro, add the driver to the project.
  • Enter the IP address of the PixLiteยฎ controller in the driver properties.
  • If a password has been set on the web interface for the PixLiteยฎ controller, supply the admin password.

Once the driver is connected, Control4 will begin exchanging commands and feedback with the controller automatically.

Direct Color and Intensity Control

The simplest and most immediate feature of the driver is the ability to set a solid color across all pixels attached to a PixLiteยฎ. Using the RGBW parameters, a dealer or end user can pick any color value, and the controller will set every connected LED to that color.

Alongside color, the driver exposes a master intensity control. This acts like a dimmer for the entire pixel load, scaling brightness up or down no matter which content source is active.

This functionality is especially useful as it aligns with how Control4 handles conventional lighting. Dealers donโ€™t need to build complex logic: one driver parameter can affect hundreds or even thousands of LEDs, giving large installations an intuitive control surface that behaves the way clients expect.

SHOWTimeโ„ข Scene and Playlist Playback

Beyond static colors, the driver unlocks full SHOWTimeโ„ข integration. Any scenes or playlists recorded onto the microSD card are automatically discovered by the driver. These appear in Composer as selectable options, meaning dynamic content can be recalled as easily as part of a state within Control4.

Scenes provide single effects that can be played on demand, while playlists string multiple scenes (and even solid colors) together into a sequence. Playback can be started directly from Control4, giving end users the ability to trigger animations, chases, or pre-programmed shows as part of their Control4 interface.

This makes it possible to blend everyday use, such as static accent colors, with more dramatic, event-style effects, all without leaving the Control4 ecosystem.

Playback and Control Features

The driver provides several options for managing how content is run on the PixLiteยฎย Mk3, including:

  • Transport controls: start, pause, skip forward, or go back through playlists.
  • Input mode selection: switch the controller between live streaming (sACN or ArtNet input) and SHOWTimeโ„ข playback.
  • Freeze: hold the current output frame in place, whether the content is coming from live data or a recorded file.
  • Blank: immediately black out all outputs with a single command.

These controls ensure the integrator or end user always has a way to step in, pause, or reset the lighting as needed.

Device Monitoring and Feedback

The driver returns useful system information from the PixLiteยฎ, so installers can keep track of the hardware within Control4:

  • Device information, including the user-assigned name and firmware version.
  • Playback state, showing whether the controller is idle, playing, or paused.
  • Error reporting, such as the last error logged or a notification if the microSD card is missing.
  • Device temperature.

This feedback is displayed within Composer and can also be tied into programming logic for alerts or conditional actions.

Advanced Monitoring (PixLiteยฎ A-Series Only)

For projects using PixLiteยฎ A-Series controllers, the driver unlocks additional monitoring features:

  • Electronic fuse status, reported live to Control4.
  • Current measurement, showing the real-time load on each pixel output.

These values can be used to anticipate faults, notify technicians of issues, or log long-term performance data. For environments where reliability is critical, this allows Control4 to act as both a control system and an early-warning monitor.

Getting Started / Resources

A resource bundle is available for anyone integrating PixLiteยฎ with Control4. This includes:

Get the Driver

Here

Get the Technical Notes

Here

Get the Whitepaper

Here

Get the Complete Download Packet (Including SHOWTimeโ„ข Example files/playlist, Driver, Technical Notes and Whitepaper)

Here

Annex: Full Feature Reference

For technical completeness, the driver supports the following functions as provided by Chowmain Software:

  • FREE Manufacturer sponsored driver
  • 2-way IP Control
  • Native Control4 Color Lighting Functionality
  • Lighting Extras
  • Status
  • Mode
  • Operation
  • Playback State
  • Temperature
  • Current Draw
  • eFuse Status
  • Mode
  • Live
  • Freeze
  • Blank
  • Playback
  • Play
  • Pause
  • Play/Pause
  • Restart
  • Previous
  • Next
  • Previous Scene
  • Next Scene
  • Scenes
  • Scene List
  • Playlists
  • Playlist List
  • Programming Commands
  • Execute Playlist
  • Execute Scene
  • Playback Controls
  • Set Intensity
  • Set Mode
  • Actions
  • Identify
  • Test Mode
  • Driver Events
  • Connected
  • Disconnected
  • eFuse Good
  • eFuse Bad
  • Error
  • No Error
  • SD Card Not Found
  • Keypad Bindings
  • Intensity On
  • Intensity Off
  • Intensity Toggle
  • Play
  • Pause
  • Play/Pause
  • Restart
  • Previous
  • Next
  • Previous Scene
  • Next Scene
  • Mode Live
  • Mode Freeze
  • Mode Blank

Summary

The Control4 driver for PixLiteยฎ Mk3 allows dealers to integrate pixel lighting as naturally as any other lighting load in a project. Solid color control and intensity provide the most familiar interface, while SHOWTimeโ„ขย scenes and playlists add dynamic options when needed. Monitoring and feedback ensure that the system remains reliable, and A-Series controllers add advanced diagnostics for predictive maintenance.

With a single driver, Control4 projects can now include thousands of LEDs, all managed through the same interface that dealers and clients already know.

Photo Credit: Digital Ambience