Introduction
PixLite® Mk3 controllers from Advatek are professional-grade pixel controllers designed for reliability and flexibility. They accept industry-standard protocols such as sACN and Art-Net, meaning almost any lighting effects tool from lighting consoles to media servers or software generators can be used to create content. That data can then be captured using SHOWTime™, stored locally on a microSD card, and recalled at any time as recorded scene files or playlists.
With the release of the Crestron SIMPL driver, developed by Chowmain Software, there is now a native way to control this SHOWTime™ content natively from a Crestron system. The driver allows Crestron programmers to manage playback, adjust intensity, set static colors and monitor device health, all from within SIMPL. This creates a powerful combination:
- For Crestron users: control up to thousands of LEDs to recall static scenes, animated looks and more with a single SIMPL module, thanks to PixLite®’s ability to drive large numbers of pixels from one controller.
- For PixLite® users: gain seamless integration with Crestron automation platforms, making pixel lighting a natural part of broader system designs.
This guide explains what is possible with the Crestron SIMPL driver. If you are looking for more background on what pixel control is, how SHOWTime™ recording works, or how to prepare content, please refer to the companion Whitepaper.
Connecting Crestron SIMPL to PixLite® Mk3
The Crestron SIMPL driver communicates with PixLite® Mk3 controllers using the device’s HTTP(S) API. To connect:
- Enter the PixLite®’s IP address into the driver settings.
- If the PixLite® is password protected, the Admin password should be entered to establish a secure connection.
Once configured, the Crestron program can send commands and receive feedback directly from the PixLite® device, enabling all functionality described in the sections below:
Scene and Playlist Management
One of the most powerful features of the integration is the ability to work with PixLite®’s SHOWTime™ content directly from Crestron.
- Scene & Playlist Discovery: The driver can query the PixLite® to list all SHOWTime™ scenes and playlists stored on the device’s microSD card.
- Selection: Any available scene or playlist can be chosen for playback within Crestron.
- Playback Controls: Standard transport functions are supported – play, pause, and skip forward/back between items in a playlist.
This makes it possible to prepare content in advance using lighting software, record it into the PixLite®, and then manage it entirely from the Crestron system.
Playback and Control Features
In addition to scene and playlist playback, the driver provides direct control features:
- Global Intensity Control: A single slider adjusts the overall brightness of the PixLite® outputs. This applies regardless of whether content is live data, a SHOWTime™ scene, or a static color.
- Solid Static Colors: The driver includes RGBW controls that allow a fixed static color to be sent to all connected pixel LEDs. This option can be used as an alternative to, or alongside, SHOWTime™ playback.
Mode Selection: The driver can switch the PixLite® between two primary operating modes:
- Live Data Mode: the PixLite® outputs track incoming sACN or Art-Net data in real time.
- SHOWTime™ Playback Mode: the PixLite® outputs run recorded scene or playlist content from the microSD.
Freeze & Blank:
- Freeze temporarily holds the current output, pausing either live data or SHOWTime™ playback.
- Blank provides an immediate “all off” state, turning off all outputs.
Device Monitoring and Feedback
The driver provides detailed feedback to help integrators and users monitor system health and status:
- Device Information: Reports the PixLite® device name and firmware version.
- State Feedback: Displays the current playback state (e.g., play, pause, or file active).
- Error Feedback: Includes the last reported error message and a specific “card not found” feedback if the microSD is missing.
This ensures that any issues are immediately visible within the Crestron environment.
Advanced Monitoring (PixLite® A-Series Only)
For installations using PixLite® A-Series controllers, additional monitoring is available:
- Smart Fuse Monitoring: Provides real-time feedback on the state of onboard electronic fuses.
- Current Measurement: Reports live current draw from each pixel output.
These features provide the tools to create a predictive maintenance strategy, allowing Crestron systems to trigger alerts, log conditions, or even automate responses if an electronic fuse trips or current levels exceed thresholds (Power monitoring limited to A-Series products only).
Summary
The Crestron SIMPL driver unlocks direct control of Advatek PixLite® Mk3 controllers from within Crestron SIMPL systems. By combining SHOWTime™ playback, static color selection, intensity control, and system monitoring, it provides a straightforward and reliable method for integrating large-scale pixel lighting into commercial and residential projects.
For more detailed background and workflows, refer to the companion Whitepaper.
Getting Started / Resources
A combined download package is available to help you get started:
Annex: Full Feature List
For technical completeness, the following list outlines all supported features of the Crestron SIMPL driver as provided by Chowmain Software:
- Includes 3 modules, one for direct control, scenes and playlists
- Scene module has controls for selection and discovery
- Playlist module has controls for selection and discovery
- Scenes and Playlists can be selected directly using a serial input
- Control over Red, Green, Blue and White channels for direct control of all connected strips
- Control over Brightness
- Transport controls (Play, Pause, Previous and Next)
- Stop or Restart a scene
- Directly set Live Mode, Blank and Freeze Modes
- Overrides for Duration, Fade and Count settings for playlists and scenes
- Feedback for Playback state
- Feedback for current mode
- Feedback for the current transport state, Play, Pause or File
- Feedback for blown fuse(s)
- Feedback for Errors
- Dedicated Feedback for Card Not Found error
- Feedback for Brightness
- Feedback for current Red, Green, Blue and White levels
- Feedback for Temperature, Average Current and Total Current
- Feedback of device configuration, Nickname, Firmware, Bootloader version
- Feedback for the file that Playing now.
- Feedback for the last Error message