How to Program Pixel Chases on Astera Tubes (2026)

How to Program Pixel Chases on Astera Tubes (2026)

Table of Contents

Last Updated: October 12, 2026

What You'll Need Before You Program a Pixel Chase

Most failed pixel chases on Astera tubes are setup failures, not creative ones. A beautiful chase in the app, patched to the console, and nothing moves in sync is almost always a version mismatch or a wrong pixel count.

So before you touch a single effect, line up these four things:

  • Firmware: Tubes and the wireless transmitter (the ART3 or a compatible DMX bridge) on matching current firmware
  • Control app: The latest Astera app on your tablet, paired to every tube
  • Console or software: A DMX source with enough universes free for your pixel count

A quick note on the app: Astera's own documentation and support pages are the authority on current firmware and app releases, so check them before a shoot day rather than trusting a forum post from three years ago. Astera official support and downloads

Firmware, App, and Console Versions That Matter in 2026

The rule never changes: every device in the chain must speak the same language. Astera pushes firmware updates that add pixel modes and fix DMX behavior, and a tube on old firmware may ignore a mode your console is sending.

Here's what to verify before a shoot:

  • Tube firmware matches across every fixture in the rig
  • App version is current on your tablet
  • Transmitter firmware is updated alongside the tubes

Updating some tubes and not others is the fastest way to get a rig where half the tubes chase and half sit still.

Watch Out Never update firmware on a shoot day. Updates can reset DMX profiles and addressing, and a mid-shoot reset can cost you a setup window you don't get back. Update in the shop, then test.

Astera Titan Tube Fixture Modes and Pixel Counts Explained

An Astera Titan Tube fixture mode tells the tube how to divide its LED engine into controllable segments for DMX. Every mode trades channel count for resolution: more pixels means finer chases but more DMX channels, and channel count is the limit you'll hit first.

Astera Titan Tube - Bluetooth
Astera Titan Tube - Bluetooth

The Titan Tube offers four pixel modes:

Mode Pixels Control Detail Best For
1-pixel 1 Single color across the whole tube Simple color washes, CCT and dimmer work
4-pixel 4 Four segments along the tube Basic chases, gentle color runs
8-pixel 8 Eight segments Smooth chases, moderate detail
16-pixel 16 Sixteen segments Fine chases, tight pixel effects

Each mode also carries RGB, CCT, dimmer, and RGB CCT DIM IND options.

1-, 4-, 8-, and 16-Pixel Modes: Which One to Choose

Pick the mode that matches the effect, not the maximum your console can handle. A 16-pixel mode eats four times the channels of a 4-pixel mode, which adds up fast on a large rig.

  • 1-pixel: Use when the tube is part of a wash or a background accent
  • 4-pixel: Good default for most chases and color runs
  • 8-pixel: Choose when the chase needs to read as motion, not just color

If you're unsure, start at 8-pixel. It reads as motion on camera and leaves channel headroom for the rest of the rig.

Astera Titan Tube DMX Setup: Profiles, Addressing, and Patching

Astera Titan Tube DMX setup is three steps in order: select the DMX profile in the app, assign each tube an address, then patch that address in your console or software. Skip a step and the tube won't respond.

Here's a clean workflow:

  1. Open the app and connect to the tube you're configuring
  2. Choose the DMX profile that matches your pixel mode
  3. Set the DMX address for that tube
  4. Repeat for every tube in the rig
  5. Patch the addresses in your console or software

Astera's app sets profiles, addressing, and pixel modes wirelessly, saving a lot of ladder time on a truss.

Worked Channel Map and Patch Example

Say you're running four Titan Tubes in 8-pixel mode. Each pixel carries RGB, so the channel math stacks quickly.

For a single tube in 8-pixel RGB mode:

  • Pixels 1 through 8, each with red, green, and blue
  • That's 8 x 3 = 24 channels per tube
  • Four tubes = 96 channels, comfortably inside one universe

Patch the tubes at addresses 1, 25, 49, and 73. Each owns a clean block, so your console can chase across all four without overlap. Get addressing wrong and two tubes mirror each other while the others stay dark, almost always an address collision, not a broken fixture.

Astera Titan Tube Pixel Mapping in Lighting Software

Pixel mapping connects the physical tube to the software's idea of the tube. Get it wrong and the chase fires on the wrong segments, runs backward, or spreads across tubes in the wrong order.

A correct map has four layers, and they must agree in this order:

  1. Fixture definition, pixel count, channel order, and personality (RGB, RGBW, or RGB CCT DIM IND)
  2. Physical layout, where each tube sits in the rig and which end is pixel 1
  3. DMX patch, the start address assigned to each tube
  4. Universe assignment, which universe each block of channels lives in

If any layer disagrees, the effect lands on the wrong pixels. The most common failure: a fixture definition that says 8 pixels while the tube is set to 16-pixel mode, so the software maps half the tube and the rest sits dark or mirrors.

Worked Channel Map: Four Tubes in 8-Pixel RGB Mode

  • One pixel in RGB = 3 channels (red, green, blue)
  • One tube in 8-pixel RGB = 8 x 3 = 24 channels
  • Four tubes = 96 channels

Assign addresses so each tube owns a clean, non-overlapping block:

Tube Start Address Channels Used End Address
Tube 1 1 24 24
Tube 2 25 24 48
Tube 3 49 24 72
Tube 4 73 24 96

In your software, define the fixture as an 8-pixel RGB tube, place four instances in the layout view in the same order as the physical rig, and patch them at 1, 25, 49, and 73.

The Same Rig in 16-Pixel Mode

Switch every tube to 16-pixel mode and the math changes: one tube = 16 x 3 = 48 channels, four tubes = 192 channels (still one universe), with Tube 1 at 1, Tube 2 at 49, Tube 3 at 97, Tube 4 at 145. This is where channel budgeting bites: ten tubes in 16-pixel RGB mode = 480 channels, nearly a full universe, and adding RGB CCT DIM IND crosses into a second universe quickly.

AX1 Pixel Tube 8 Light Kit →

Defining the Fixture Profile

Most software lets you build a custom fixture profile when the built-in library doesn't match your tube's mode. The profile needs:

  • Pixel count matching the tube's mode (1, 4, 8, or 16)
  • Channel order matching the personality (RGB, RGBW, or RGB CCT DIM IND)
  • Footprint, total channels the fixture consumes, so the software reserves the right block

If your software supports a media server workflow, the map is also where you import a video or generative effect and stretch it across the tube layout. Resolume, MadMapper, and grandMA3 define fixtures differently but require the same inputs: pixel count, channel order, and footprint.

Pro Tip Photograph your rig from the console position before you map. When you place fixtures in the software's layout view, matching the map to what the camera actually sees saves a full round of re-patching, and it is the fastest way to catch a tube that is physically reversed.
Watch Out A map that looks correct on screen can still be wrong if the tube's pixel 1 is at the opposite end from where the software assumes. Test with a single-pixel chase from pixel 1 to pixel 16 before building anything complex. If the chase runs the wrong way, reverse the fixture in the layout view rather than re-addressing the tube.

Step-by-Step: Programming LED Tube Chases

Programming LED tube chases comes down to one idea: you're moving a value across a series of pixels over time. Everything else is timing and taste.

Total time: 30 to 60 minutes for a four-tube rig Difficulty: Intermediate

Here's the workflow we use:

  1. Confirm the mode. Set every tube to the pixel mode you chose
  2. Patch and map. Get addressing and software mapping locked
  3. Build a base look. Set a color, CCT, and dimmer level as your starting state
  4. Create the chase. Add an effect that steps a value across the pixel range
  5. Set the speed. Match the chase rate to the shot or the music
  6. Add a fade. A short fade softens the step and reads better on camera
  7. Test on set. Watch it on a monitor, not just on the console

Expected result: A smooth color or brightness run that travels down each tube in sync.

The step most people rush is number seven.

Chase Parameters and Creative Programming

The parameters that shape a chase are fewer than you'd think, and each changes the feel more than the last.

  • Speed: How fast the value moves across the pixels
  • Direction: Forward, reverse, or ping-pong
  • Width: How many pixels are lit at once

Offset is the one people miss: a small delay between tubes makes a chase appear to travel across the whole rig, not just down each tube, turning four separate chases into one coordinated effect.

For a music-driven look, sync the chase speed to the beat. For a slow reveal, drop the speed and widen the fade.

Key Takeaway The chase is the easy part. The offset between tubes is what makes a rig look programmed rather than patched.

Troubleshooting Wired, Wireless, and Network Control

When a chase will not run, the fault is almost always in the control path, not the effect. Don't rebuild the effect first, work backward from the tube to the source, and use one test to split the problem in half.

The Split Test

Set one tube to a solid color directly from the console or software, no chase, just a static value.

  • Tube responds: the control path is fine. The problem is in the effect, the map, or the chase parameters.
  • Tube does not respond: the problem is upstream, pairing, addressing, universe, or network.

This eliminates half the possible causes in under a minute.

Wireless Faults, In Order

  1. Pairing, is the tube actually paired to the transmitter (ART3 or compatible bridge)? A tube paired yesterday can drop after a firmware update.
  2. Firmware match, transmitter and tube on the same current firmware. Mixed firmware is the most common cause of a tube that receives some commands but ignores others.
  3. Channel and universe, the transmitter is broadcasting on a universe the tube is not listening to. Confirm both sides agree.
  4. Interference, other wireless gear on set (comms, video transmitters, Wi-Fi access points) can degrade the link. Move the transmitter, shorten the distance, or switch to a wired path.
  5. Battery and power, a tube on low battery can drop its radio before its LEDs. Check power before you re-pair.

Wired Faults, In Order

  1. Cable and pinout, a single bad DMX cable or a reversed pinout kills the whole run downstream. Swap one cable at a time.
  2. Address collision, two tubes on the same start address mirror each other. If two tubes move together and the rest are dark, this is almost always the cause.
  3. Universe limit, the console is outputting a universe the tube is not patched to, or the universe is full. Recheck the channel math from your patch.
  4. Termination, long DMX runs without a terminator can produce erratic behavior that looks like a programming fault.

Network Faults (Art-Net and sACN), In Order

  1. IP range, console and node must be on the same subnet. A node on 2.x.x.x and a console on 10.x.x.x will never talk, no matter how correct the patch is.
  2. Universe mapping, Art-Net and sACN both map universes to numbers, and the node's universe numbering must match the console's output. A one-off in universe numbering is a classic silent failure.
  3. Node addressing, the node must be told which universes to listen for and where to send them.
  4. Switch behavior, an unmanaged switch under load can drop packets, which shows up as stuttering or dropped frames in a chase rather than a total failure. If the chase stutters only on large rigs, suspect the network before the effect.
  5. Latency, wireless and network paths add latency. A chase that looks tight on the console can read as slightly behind on camera. If sync matters, shorten the path or move to a wired connection for the master clock.

Reading the Symptom

Symptom Most Likely Cause
Nothing responds Pairing, universe, or IP range
Two tubes mirror each other Address collision
Half a tube chases, half sits still Fixture definition pixel count does not match tube mode
Chase runs backward Pixel 1 orientation reversed in the map
Chase stutters on large rigs only Network packet loss or wireless interference
Chase looks late on camera Latency in the control path
Watch Out Do not troubleshoot a chase by rebuilding the effect. Nine times out of ten the effect is fine and the addressing, pairing, or network is the real fault. Fix the path first, then touch the effect.
Key Takeaway The split test, one tube, one solid color, from the console, tells you whether to look upstream at the control path or downstream at the effect. Run it before anything else.

Scaling and Synchronizing Pixel Chases Across Multiple Tubes

Scaling a chase from four tubes to forty changes the math, not the method. Pixel count per tube stays the same, but channel count and sync become the real constraints.

Plan for these as you scale:

  • Channel budget: 16-pixel mode on many tubes fills universes fast
  • Sync source: One master clock, not several
  • Offset strategy: Decide the delay between tubes before you build

For a large rig, group tubes into banks, program the chase at the bank level, then apply a small offset between banks.

This is where wireless control earns its place.

If you'd rather not own the whole kit for a single shoot, our AX1 Pixel Tube 8 Light Kit gives you eight battery-powered RGB tubes with charging and mounting, ready to patch and chase. For smaller setups, the single Astera Titan Tube is a reliable option.

AX1 Pixel Tube 8 Light Kit
AX1 Pixel Tube 8 Light Kit

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you program a pixel chase on Astera Titan Tubes?

Set each tube to the pixel mode you need (4-, 8-, or 16-pixel), give every tube its own DMX start address in the Astera app, then patch those addresses into your console or media server. Build the chase as a cue stack or effect that steps through the pixel channels. Set speed, direction, and fade in the effect parameters, then record the look to a playback fader so you can trigger it live.

Which DMX mode should I use for pixel mapping Astera Tubes?

Use the pixel mode that matches your effect. 1-pixel mode treats the whole tube as one RGB CCT DIM IND fixture, which is fine for color washes. 4- and 8-pixel modes give you segmented control for simpler chases. 16-pixel mode gives the smoothest gradients and the tightest chase timing, but it uses far more DMX channels, so confirm your console or media server has the universe capacity before committing.

Can I control Astera Tubes with a lighting console or media server?

Yes. Astera tubes accept DMX over wired connections and Art-Net over a network, so they patch into GrandMA2, Resolume, MadMapper, Isadora, and similar platforms like any other fixture. The Astera app handles the fixture-side configuration (mode, address, wireless settings), and the console or server handles the creative side. Run both on the same network and confirm the universe and address ranges line up.

Why is pixel mapping not working on my Astera Titan Tube?

The most common causes are a mismatched DMX mode, an overlapping start address, or a firmware version that does not support the profile you selected. Check that every tube has a unique address, that the profile in the app matches the profile patched in your software, and that all tubes are on the same firmware version. If you are running wireless, confirm pairing and network channel before assuming the patch is wrong.

Pixel chases look simple until the rig scales, and that's when setup discipline matters most. At Walter Lighting & Grip, we supply and rent the Astera tubes, DMX gear, and expendables that keep a chase running from the first take to the last. Our team can help you match the right tube, pixel mode, and control setup to your shoot. Get started with Walter Lighting & Grip and walk onto set with a rig that's already addressed, mapped, and ready to chase.

AX1 Pixel Tube 8 Light Kit
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