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| Double sided rgb strips? | Rating: 
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| Posted: Monday February 20th, 2012 04:33 pm |
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76th Post |
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harrison0550 Member 
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Thanks for checking on that Steven. So it sounds like the little 3 channels controllers running their factory sequence won't be a problem either way your show is ran. That's good news and hopefully the guys who were talking about it in that other thread will see this. I've got 20 more of those little guys on their way from Ray right now so I will hook all 20 up next month and see if there are any issues with lag, bandwidth, cpu usage or anything using the LOR usb485 instead of the enttec. I've read post about having to offset the channels with the LOR usb485 and multiple cheap controllers but until they come in I can't comment on it. Things are starting to come together!
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| Posted: Monday February 20th, 2012 05:11 pm |
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77th Post |
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Steven Member 
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harrison0550 wrote: I've read post about having to offset the channels with the LOR usb485... That's correct. At least in version 3.1.4, I set the channels in my sequence to 1,2,3 if using the Enttec Pro, but I have to set them to 2,3,4 when using the RS485. I assume that's an LOR bug that will be fixed in the next release.
____________________ LOR user since 2007 |
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| Posted: Monday February 20th, 2012 05:12 pm |
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78th Post |
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flogger7 Member
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I have to offset the channels when I have more than 3 DMX devices on a universe driven by the usb485. I am now using a DMX fusion pro without similar issues.
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| Posted: Monday February 20th, 2012 09:30 pm |
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79th Post |
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harrison0550 Member
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I wonder if there is currently or even in the near future a way to send the little 3 channel dmx controllers signal over e1.31?
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| Posted: Monday April 9th, 2012 02:52 am |
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80th Post |
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harrison0550 Member
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   Got a little disappointing/bad news tonight on the eBay strips I've been testing. They have now been outside since the first week of Feb so I moved them to the deck and mounted them under the hand rail. I've left them running 24/7 but after church we had a cookout and once the sun went down I noticed 4 LEDs bright red when the rest were purple and several other color mismatches. A closer look and I realized the blue led in each of the 4 rgb LEDs had failed. Not certain how common this is or when they failed exactly but oh well. Just a heads up. I will try to grab some pics in a few mins. Last edited on Monday April 9th, 2012 03:17 am by harrison0550 |
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| Posted: Monday April 9th, 2012 03:56 pm |
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81st Post |
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Jeff Millard Member 
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harrison0550 wrote: I wonder if there is currently or even in the near future a way to send the little 3 channel dmx controllers signal over e1.31? Well, that's pretty much what E1.31 is... DMX over Ethernet... So yes, there is a way to control them. I'll be using Robert Martin's E1.31 to DMX board, which is based on the Sandevices E681 firmware. It has outputs for four 512 channel DMX universes. Each one can be directly connected to devices like the 3 channel DMX controllers. Right now I have a $55 box full of parts from Mouser for this device. The $8 PCB should be available from RPM within the next week or so. How's the Dark Side sounding people? Jeff
____________________ ...did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? |
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| Posted: Monday April 9th, 2012 04:02 pm |
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82nd Post |
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JonB256 Member 
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flogger7 wrote:I have to offset the channels when I have more than 3 DMX devices on a universe driven by the usb485. This is not actually an LOR software bug, more of a hardware problem with RS485 adapters being used to send DMX. This is true with the LOR RS485 and with the RS485 sold by D-Light. They do not output a very good Open DMX waveform when compared to the industry standard (ENTTEC). The difference can make some (but not all) DMX devices be off by one channel. Thankfully, they are dependably off by one channel. So you can compensate in your programming setup or you can bite the bullet and get a "real" DMX dongle instead of the RS485.
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| Posted: Tuesday April 10th, 2012 04:01 am |
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83rd Post |
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harrison0550 Member
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Jeff Millard wrote:harrison0550 wrote:I wonder if there is currently or even in the near future a way to send the little 3 channel dmx controllers signal over e1.31? Good deal Jeff, I hadn't seen that board prior to now. Is there a holiday lighting forum your not on lol? Looks perfect to me. I went ahead and ordered the parts from Mouser as well and signed up for notification when the board is back in stock. Also ordered some new led dumb strips from yet another manufacturer to see if I can find a set that will last more than 2 months. On a slightly different subject have you Jeff, or anyone for that matter done a side by side video comparison of the 2801 or 6803 led strips with one ic every 3 LEDs VS one ic for each led? I'm still trying to decide how much control I want over my pixel strips. Curious to see side by side comparison of chases, alternating colors, etc.
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| Posted: Wednesday April 11th, 2012 03:56 pm |
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84th Post |
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Jeff Millard Member
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No, 32 LEDs per meter on the WS2801 strips, still 3 LEDs per IC is as dense as I see a need for. In fact, that's just too many channels to sequence for me. I've grouped them up in 2s in my display. So 6 LEDs act as one Pixel on my ribbons. You'll need a $15 USB prop plug from Parallax to program the Propeller CPU with firmware for that E1.31 to DMX board. Here's the link. For you, PM me and you can send the chip to me and I'll put the firmware on it for you. I have a Propeller Ed Kit breadboard I can put the CPU on and load it for you if you want, but the plug is a necessary tool for anyone who intends to regularly use the Prop devices made in the DIY (Dark Side) Jeff
____________________ ...did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? |
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| Posted: Wednesday April 11th, 2012 06:18 pm |
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85th Post |
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dougd Member 
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Do you have a link to the strips that have one ic for every 3 leds? Is there much savings?
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| Posted: Wednesday April 11th, 2012 07:18 pm |
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86th Post |
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harrison0550 Member
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dougd wrote:Do you have a link to the strips that have one ic for every 3 leds? Is there much savings? Here ya go Doug.....http://www.aliexpress.com/fm-store/701799/209843764-519162566/5m-led-digital-strip-DC12V-input-WS2801IC-256-scale-12pcs-IC-and-36pcs-5050-SMD-RGB.html And just for reference here is the strip with one ic per led...http://www.aliexpress.com/fm-store/701799/209843764-465132154/5m-led-digital-strip-DC5V-input-WS2801IC-256-scale-32pcs-IC-and-32pcs-5050-SMD-RGB.html We need to get together soon and play with some of this stuff. Last edited on Wednesday April 11th, 2012 07:20 pm by harrison0550 |
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| Posted: Thursday April 12th, 2012 12:03 am |
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87th Post |
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dougd Member
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harrison0550 wrote:
Sounds good. I have my 2 E681's built and tested. Have an ELOR. I tested a little bit to get an understanding on how it worked and then I have been re-doing my bathroom ever since. I will have it finished by tommorow night so my plan is to do some more testing this weekend. You seem to have your head around normal DMX, I need some help understanding that stuff, so I need to pick your brain on that. Maybe we can put our parts together for some good testing.
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| Posted: Friday May 11th, 2012 06:04 am |
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88th Post |
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DocBrown86 Member 
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Anyone know where to get these $6 or $7 DMX decoders? This will be my first year using the RGB strips, haven't even purchased them yet. I want to convert my spiral trees over to them, Cracker did this and it looks awesome! I'm just wondering if to do it, I'd have to double up the amount by sticking them back-to-back... I hope not, as that would be twice as expensive. Also, can multiple 5m reels be attached to one DMX decoder? I am wondering this because if not, ie. one of my spiral trees, which is 1 channel, soon to be 3 when it is RGB, would then have to be 6 channels in LOR, due to the extra decoder or 2 used due to the length/multiple reels. This would be a pain in the programming aspect. Any thoughts on all this?
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| Posted: Friday May 11th, 2012 06:04 am |
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89th Post |
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DocBrown86 Member
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- Last edited on Friday May 11th, 2012 06:05 am by DocBrown86 |
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| Posted: Friday May 11th, 2012 11:42 am |
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90th Post |
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flogger7 Member
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Take a look at holidaycoro.com He has all the controller parts, a bunch of how-to videos, and he's great to work with. Also check out the ACL 101 manual over at auschristmaslights it has a ton of info on RGB that will answer a lot of your questions.
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| Posted: Friday May 11th, 2012 01:07 pm |
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91st Post |
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jerrymac Member 
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Kind of back to the original thread. Not 2 sided strips but if the issue is the led's pointed the wrong direction on the back side then try cutting the strip at the point the strip starts it turn to the back and solder back together 180 degrees. When the strip starts it turn backward again on the opposited side do the same. A bit of work but would keep the leds viewable from the front and sides (not back). I am working on this solution now, (does take some planning since the circumfrence gets greater as the string goes down the tree). Other idea is stick 2 stings back to back (doubles the cost), with prices dropping, this may be a viable solution.
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| Posted: Friday May 11th, 2012 03:08 pm |
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92nd Post |
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harrison0550 Member
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Sticking two strips together back to back works extremely well, especially if the strips came with the 3m sticky back. Cost of course is double now but if your ordering double the amount of strips I recommend contacting whomever you are buying them from and see if the offer a discount for ordering multiple strips. Every distributor I've contacted so far does. A quick update on the eBay strips linked and tested in this thread, at this point I would not recommend them to anyone. After my last disappointment with a few LEDs failing I swapped the strips on my deck with strips from 2 other manufactures and they are out back running now. I will keep you posted on them. However the eBay strips have been sitting on my deck unplugged for almost a month. I plugged them up this weekend and over 20 LEDs on each strip were burnt out. There doesn't appear to be any water damage or shorts so the only thing I can figure caused their failure is the heat/sunlight as they havnt even been plugged up. With the cost of these strips being what they are replacing them each season is not an option so I can no longer recommend the ebay strips with over 20 led failures on each strip. Like I said I'm torturing several new strips now and if they hold up I will link their suppliers website in a month or so. Thanks, Andy Edit: sorry I didn't answer your question Doc. Yes you can run 2 strips with one $6 DMX controller but that is the max I would personally run. As stated above holiday coro has them in stock as well as the power supply needed to run them. Order the sample pack and you will get the usb address programmer as well and you will need that. I highly recommend ordering from them and the 2 strips running on my deck now are powered and controlled from hardware purchased from holiday coro. Ray Wu also has everything as well but the savings will be minimal unless you need a large order say 50+ of each the savings won't be anything to write home about ordering from Ray. I've ordered from both and both are stand up sellers so compare what you need and pick on price+shipping because both have great service. Edit Edit: If your just wanting to recreate the spiral trees like what cracker did you can using those white pre maid trees with the fishing line and plastic spiral. You can simply lay the strips flat on top of the white plastic and zip tie them down. You know so the strip is actually facing upward. The strips are extremely bright and will look consistent from all angels but below the tree of course. With the turn radius being so wide on those trees you wouldn't have to cut or double them up. I think I have a couple of those trees in storage, if so I will try it this weekend and post some pictures for you. Edit Edit Edit: I just like being able to edit again hahahahaha! Good Luck! Last edited on Friday May 11th, 2012 03:32 pm by harrison0550 |
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| Posted: Friday May 11th, 2012 04:55 pm |
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93rd Post |
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Steven Member
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DocBrown86 wrote: I'd have to double up the amount by sticking them back-to-back.If you don't need to view your trees from the back (i.e. you have a normal display where everything faces the street, then you can twist the strips 360° every rotation around the tree, meaning the front of the strip will always face (approximately) the same direction. I did this on my 12' spiral mega tree, and there are no dark spots when viewed from the street. (It's not as bright when viewed from the house.)
____________________ LOR user since 2007 |
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| Posted: Saturday May 12th, 2012 07:19 pm |
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94th Post |
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DocBrown86 Member
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harrison0550 wrote:Sticking two strips together back to back works extremely well, especially if the strips came with the 3m sticky back. Cost of course is double now but if your ordering double the amount of strips I recommend contacting whomever you are buying them from and see if the offer a discount for ordering multiple strips. Every distributor I've contacted so far does. Ok, so from your "Edit Edit" part :-P How could you lay the tape strip flat and still go around the spiral tree? I wouldn't think they bend that way...
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| Posted: Saturday May 12th, 2012 09:18 pm |
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95th Post |
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harrison0550 Member
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I found a couple of those spiral trees in the shed this morning. Unfortunately they were all tangled so after I cut the (fishing line) string of them. I will restring them and try putting a rgb strip on and post a video or pics back. Maybe later tonight or maybe tomorrow.
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| Posted: Sunday May 13th, 2012 01:15 am |
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96th Post |
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DocBrown86 Member
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Was there ever a final decision on the best place to get RGB strips? I'm going with the 150s. Don't wanna spend a fortune, but also don't wanna end up with a pile of crap.
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| Posted: Sunday May 13th, 2012 02:37 am |
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97th Post |
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harrison0550 Member
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DocBrown86 wrote: Was there ever a final decision on the best place to get RGB strips? I'm going with the 150s. Don't wanna spend a fortune, but also don't wanna end up with a pile of crap. I personally have yet to find the "perfect" strip but I do have 2 new ones being tested right now so once Im done torturing them I will comment back. The strip is coated in silicon but not in a sleeve. If it was in a sleeve this method probably would not work and yes before anyone mentions it the trees are probably all trash. I found 5 of them in the shed today but they were all twisted and were holding some funny twists memory. Will have to replace or fix if I actually decide to use them. Anyway here is just a quick thrown together spiral tree with rbg strip tie wrapped facing up.
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