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Pixel Port Licensing

Two pixel‑output protocols need a licence to use their advanced features: DPIPixels and BBBStrings48. No other use of FPP requires a licence. The advanced features are more than 50 pixels per port and support for remote receivers.

Note

If you are not using these protocols, or do not need their advanced functionality, you do not need a licence. There is a licensing FAQ at https://shop.falconplayer.com/faqs/.

Do I need a licence?

Raspberry Pi based controllers

  • Using a Pi hat for up to 3 ports (or pixels straight on the GPIO pins) with the PiHat protocol — no licence. (This uses the Pi's PWM, so on‑board audio is unavailable; use a USB audio adapter such as the SoundBlaster Play 3 — a very common setup.)
  • Using a hat that drives more than 3 ports, or wanting on‑board audio with a 2‑port hat — licence required, unless you use 50 pixels or fewer per port.

BeagleBone based controllers

  • 50 pixels or fewer per port — no licence (but Differential Remotes cannot be used without one).
  • More than 50 pixels on any port, or using remote receivers — licence required.

Getting a licence

The vendor you bought your controller from may have supplied a voucher — if so, see Redeeming a Voucher below. Otherwise decide how many ports you need, go to https://shop.falconplayer.com/, choose the key for that number of ports, and add it to your cart (the How To Guides at the top of the shop are helpful; click a key for more detail).

Note

For a DIY board, choose the appropriate key and enter the relevant coupon code at checkout to get the licence for free.

Purchasing a licence

Add the licence to your cart and pay with PayPal/Venmo, or Proceed to checkout for other methods. On completion you receive an Order Number and License Key on the confirmation page and by email. You can then sign your EEPROM as below.

Applying a licence key

There are two ways to apply a licence:

  • On‑Line Signing – easiest; use it if your FPP has internet access.
  • Off‑Line Signing – a few more steps, for when the FPP network has no internet (temporarily connecting the FPP to the internet just to sign may be easier).

On‑Line Signing

  1. Open Input/Output Setup → Channel Outputs → Pixel Strings. If no cape is detected, install the correct Virtual EEPROM first (see Channel Outputs → Configuring the Virtual EEPROM).
  2. Click the Cape Info link in the blue banner.
  3. On the Cape Info page, open the EEPROM Signature tab.
  4. Enter your Order Number and License Key and click Sign EEPROM.
  5. When it shows Signing Complete. Please Reboot, click Close, then Reboot and confirm.

Once signed, the Pixel Strings tab shows the cape type as its name and the blue banner disappears.

Off‑Line Signing

  1. As above, open Channel Outputs → Pixel Strings (installing the Virtual EEPROM if needed) and click the Cape Info link.
  2. Open the Offline Signing tab, enter your Order Number and License Key, and click Download Offline Signing Packet. The downloaded file's name includes the device's host name — so keep host names unique to match the right file to the right device.
  3. Move that file to a computer with internet access (physically move the computer, or copy via USB), go to https://shop.falconplayer.com/offline-signing/, enter the same Order Number and License Key, select the signing file, and click Sign. A signed EEPROM file is downloaded.
  4. Bring the signed file back to the computer connected to the FPP, return to Cape Info → Offline Signing, choose the signed file (its name contains signed and the host name), and click Upload Signed Packet.

After a few seconds it shows your EEPROM signature details.

Redeeming a voucher

A vendor may supply a voucher when you buy a controller (this does not apply to Falcon or KulpLights controllers, which are pre‑signed). There are two ways to redeem it:

  • FPP Redemption (easiest, needs internet on the FPP) – get the licence and sign the EEPROM directly from the FPP interface: go to Help → Cape Info, open the Voucher Redemption tab, fill in the details, and click Redeem Voucher.
  • shop.falcon Redemption – log in at https://shop.falconplayer.com/, redeem the voucher there to get your key, then apply the key on your FPP device as in Applying a Licence Key.

Screenshots pending — cape hardware required

The signing screens appear on the Cape Info and Pixel Strings pages, which need a cape/Virtual EEPROM present; these will be captured on a cape‑enabled system.