So, you’ve got your Ignis Pixel poi in hand. You’ve probably uploaded some ready-made pictures, but now you want to create something unique: flashing strobes, smooth gradients, or running lights. Let’s break down how it works and what you need to do.
Your poi consist of a vertical row of LEDs that move quickly through the air
The software divides any picture you upload into narrow vertical columns. As you spin, the poi read these columns one by one, strictly from left to right. This means the left edge of your picture is what lights up first, and the right edge lights up last
Basic Shapes: From a Single Dot to Running Lights
1. Static Pixel
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If you want only the top pixel to light up continuously while spinning, create a black image and draw a horizontal line of the desired color at the very top. The thicker the line, the more LEDs will light up.
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How to create the image: Use any graphic editor you are comfortable with. Even simple, free programs like paint.net work perfectly.
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Important Rule: Black color on the image means the LEDs will be turned off in that spot
2. Top-to-Bottom Movement
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To make a light smoothly "slide" from top to bottom, you need an image with a diagonal line going from the top-left corner to the bottom-right corner.
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Since the prop reads the image from left to right, the lit pixel will drop lower with every new column
3. Bottom-to-Top Movement
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For the reverse effect, draw a diagonal line from the bottom-left corner to the top-right corner. As the image is read left to right, the light will travel upwards (Image 5).
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If you want the light to move cyclically up and down, simply place both of these diagonal images one after another on the Timeline in the software. The Timeline plays in a continuous loop
Classic Special Effects
The possibilities are limited only by your imagination, but here are a few basic ideas:
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Dawn: Use a gradient that smoothly transitions from black to any bright color.
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Fade: Use a gradient transitioning from a color into black.
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Alarm (Strobe): Alternate vertical colored and black stripes. For a looping effect, just two stripes are enough.
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Running Dots: Draw several parallel diagonal lines to get multiple moving lights at once (for example, 4 simultaneous dots).
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Rainbow Upward Running Dots: Draw several parallel diagonal lines going from the bottom-left corner to the top-right corner using different colors (like a rainbow). This creates a stunning dynamic effect of multiple multicolored lights continuously traveling from the bottom to the top of your prop.
Adjusting Speed and Image Size
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Effect Speed: The movement speed of the lights is controlled by the "Stretching" parameter in the Ignis Pixel Utility 2 software. You can also change how long an image is displayed directly on the Timeline. If you notice a slight glitch during the transition between effects, try tweaking the Stretching value by +/- 0.01 or shifting the image on the Timeline by +/- 2 milliseconds.
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Image Sizes: You don't need to be a photo-cropping expert. The Ignis Pixel Utility automatically scales images to fit your device's resolution.
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We recommend making the image height equal to your device's resolution (for example, 200 pixels for the 200 HD model).
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If you upload a 250x700 image to a 200-pixel prop, the software will automatically scale it down proportionally to 200x560.
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Width Limit: Every device has a maximum width limit. For instance, the maximum uploaded image width for the 200 HD is 873 pixels. If your image is still wider than 873 pixels after the automatic height scaling, the software will automatically crop the right side of the image.
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Exact Math for Perfect Speed (Advanced Level)
If you want to calculate the exact timing for an effect, use these details:
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Every device has its own "render speed". For the 200 HD model, it is 2,600 columns per second.
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An image that is 2,600 pixels wide won't fit into the memory, so you can use a width of 650 pixels (2,600 divided by 4).
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With the standard Stretching set to 1, an image 650 pixels wide will play in 0.25 seconds (650 / 2,600).
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If you need the light to travel from top to bottom in exactly 1 second, change the Stretching parameter to 4 (1 divided by 0.25).
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When calculating, always consider three parameters: your device's render speed, the image width, and the Stretching value.
Creating custom effects for your Ignis Pixel poi is as simple as understanding how the prop reads an image (left to right, column by column). By using basic shapes, gradients, and diagonal lines on a black background, you can design stunning visual shows. Don't worry about perfect image sizing—the utility software handles most of the scaling for you. Experiment with the Stretching tool and Timeline to perfect your timing, and let your creativity flow!
