How to Enable Expanded Mode on Advatek Mk3 Devices
If you are using Advatek Mk3 controllers, such as the PixLite A4 Mark III, you can utilize Expanded Mode to double your physical outputs.
This feature is ideal for installations that require more individual connection points rather than a high density of pixels per port. Here is a simple, step-by-step guide to enabling Expanded Mode on your controller.
Step 1: Open Advatek Assistant
Launch the Advatek Assistant software on your computer. Locate your controller (e.g., A4 Mark III) in the device list and double-click it to open its settings.
Step 2: Access Administrator Settings
Once the device window is open, navigate to the Administrator tab. This area allows you to perform advanced hardware configuration changes.
Step 3: Enable Expanded Mode
To change your output configuration:
Navigate to the Pixel Outputs section.
Locate and select the option to Enable Expanded Mode.
Click Apply and Save to commit the changes to the hardware.
Step 4: Verify Your New Outputs
Go to the Pixel Data tab to confirm the change. You will now see that your available outputs have doubled—for example, an A4 controller will now show eight individual outputs instead of four.
Understanding the Trade-off
While Expanded Mode doubles your physical connection points, it divides the capacity of each port in half to maintain the total universe count of the controller:
Capacity Per Port: Each port is now capped at a maximum of 3 universes.
Pixel Count: Each output can now drive up to 510 RGB pixels or 384 RGBW pixels.
Total Power: The total universe count remains the same (e.g., 24 universes for an A4 Mark III); you are simply spreading that power across more physical ports.
Expanded Mode provides significantly more flexibility for complex installations, but remember that it is an "all or nothing" setting. You cannot split the universes unevenly (like across 6 or 7 ports)—it will always default to the full expanded count (8 ports for an A4 device).