Continuously send artnet values

[jeffreykog]

Hi, Some Artnet interfaces require values to be sent continiously to be able to keep the lights on. For HTP operation, some interfaces have an timeout per sending host, and will forget all values if this timeout is reached. This will cause all lights to go to black a few seconds after sending the last value. Sending all values continiously every second will fix this. The full 40 fps is not required if nothing changes.
I'd love to have this feature enabled by default or able to enable via a config option.

[matteofranceschini]

Yeah, this could be useful.. Although, I've solved the issue by adding a "virtual" light on an unused channel, linked with an automation that toggles it every five seconds or so!

[martin3000]

I have a professionall stage light, a moving head wash light from lixada and changing a value, the lights go on for a second then off again. It definitly needs continuous values.
From the artnet specification:

The first complete DMX frame received at each input port is placed in an ArtDmx packet
as above and transmitted as an ArtDmx packet containing the relevant Universe
parameter. Each subsequent DMX frame containing new data (different length or
different contents) is also transmitted as an ArtDmx packet.
Nodes do not transmit ArtDmx for DMX512 inputs that have not received data since
power on.
However, an input that is active but not changing, will re-transmit the last valid ArtDmx
packet at approximately 4-second intervals. (Note. In order to converge the needs of ArtNet and sACN it is recommended that Art-Net devices actually use a re-transmit time of
800mS to 1000mS).