Data Path

The data path defines the physical route that data cables take through the panel grid, determining the order in which panels receive data on each string.

Path Patterns

Three pattern types control how cables route between rows or columns:

Zig Zag

The most common wiring pattern. Cables always travel in the same direction. At the end of each row, the cable drops down to the next row and starts from the same side again. This is the default pattern for new projects.

U-Turn

Cables alternate direction with each row (or column):

• Row 1: left to right
• Row 2: right to left
• Row 3: left to right
• ...and so on

This minimizes cable length because you never need to route a cable all the way back to the start of a row.

Isolated

Each row (horizontal direction) or column (vertical direction) is an independent string. No cables connect between rows/columns. Use this when each row has its own dedicated output port.

Direction

• Horizontal — The path runs across rows (left/right), moving to the next row at the end
• Vertical — The path runs down columns (top/bottom), moving to the next column at the end

Start Corner

The corner where the first panel in the data path is located:

• Top-Left — Most common starting position
• Top-Right — Mirror of top-left
• Bottom-Left — For bottom-up installations
• Bottom-Right — Mirror of bottom-left

Combining Options

The combination of pattern + direction + start corner gives 24 unique wiring configurations. The sidebar shows visual icons for each combination so you can match your planned physical wiring.

String Breaks

When the data path reaches the pixel limit for a string (based on processor capacity), it automatically breaks into a new string. The break point is shown in the LED Mapping view as a gap between panels, and in the Panel Map test pattern as a new string number.

Max Panels Per Port (User Override)

The calculated maximum panels per output port is based on the processor's raw pixel capacity divided by the pixel count of each panel. Sometimes you want a stricter cap than the calculated maximum — for example, to keep cable runs shorter, stay within install standards, or leave headroom for future changes.

The override lives in the Processor sidebar panel, just below the Max Pixels Per Output Port display. It applies to every screen driven by that processor.

The control has two modes depending on the panels attached to the processor's screens:

Uniform panels (panel count cap)

When all panels on linked screens have the same pixel count, the control shows as Max Panels Per Port with the calculated maximum displayed alongside (for example, calc max: 11). Enter any value from 1 up to the calculated max, and the data path will force a new string once that many panels have been added — even if the pixel limit hasn't been reached yet. Leave the field empty to use the calculated maximum.

Mixed panel pixel counts (pixel cap)

When the linked screens contain panels with different pixel counts (for example, a mix of full panels and half panels with different pixel dimensions), a panel count cap is ambiguous — ten big panels is not the same budget as ten small ones. The control falls back to Max Pixels Per Port (user cap), where you enter a pixel budget below the processor's hard maximum. A note explains that the fallback was forced by mixed pixel counts.

In both modes the override flows through all string-break behavior: automatic recalculation, Fill and Balance auto-assignment, and the validation check when you drag a manual wire connection in the LED Mapping view. Manual connections that would exceed the override are rejected with a message indicating how many more panels (or pixels) are available on the current string.

Clear the field or click the Clear button to remove the override and return to the full processor capacity.

Manual Overrides

When the automatic patterns don't match your physical installation, you can override individual panel connections using manual wiring in the LED Mapping view. Manual overrides can be mixed with the automatic pattern — only the connections you explicitly change are affected.

Viewing the Data Path

• LED Mapping View — Shows data path with arrows connecting panels in sequence
• Panel Map Test Pattern — Overlays arrows, string numbers, and panel coordinates on the surface content
• 2D Layout View — Shows cable routing between panels