SteveMaris Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Hello,I am new here and planning for this years display.I read a post on the site(can't find it) that detailed some of the new products and updates coming out soon. I thought I read that new controllers would be coming soon that handle more than 16 channels.My question is, does anyone know what the new channel counts will be? I will be purchasing the 16 channel controllers as well, but a lot of my lights will be LED so power draw won't be an issue, and I would like to plan ahead.If this has already been discussed somewhere, I am sorry for asking it once again...Thanks,Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItsMeBobO Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Welcome Steve!All questions are ok for a first post! There has been some talk of new controller configurations. Both size and communication method. Unfortunately there has not yet been an official product announcement let alone an available date.You are doing it right by checking out your options and asking around. If you have 'watch topic' selected you will be notified when a post is made here with your answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMaris Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 Thanks for the tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-klb- Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Actually, one of not yet officially announced controllers that I find most intriguing is fewer channels, not more. On the diagram of the PLC communication, one of the items that they used as an example is a 4P. And, it appears that a prototype of them was in one of the PLC demo videos. The idea is a 4 channel controller that only has one connector in for power and data, and 4 outlets on it.Imagine a row of 4 color LED mini trees. Have a PLC signal injector somewhere with your other controllers, and it injects the control signal into your SPT2 extension cord that runs to your row of mini trees. At each mini tree, you put an attach on SPT2 socket, and plug in the 4P controller, now connect the 4 channels of lights to the controller, and you have your whole row of mini trees off of a single SPT2 cord.. Heck, you might even permanently install each controller into the tree, and then you just have one connection to make.Or similarly, I prototyped that 4 color LED net light. Put a 4P controller on each net light, and only have one cord running along the shrubs for all those channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Kevin,I see the economy of cords, but I must be missing something else... Are you describing a setup with a four-channel controller in each mini tree? I'm thinking they'd have to be pretty darn cheap to make something like that doable for the masses, wouldn't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMaris Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 I don't think I understand that completely myself. Then again I never claimed to be the brightest bulb around either. Although the 4 color net light sounds very cool.On a side note: George Simmons,Just spent an hour watching your videos repeatedly. Your display and sequencing is absolutely amazing. :shock: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-klb- Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 George Simmons wrote: Kevin,I see the economy of cords, but I must be missing something else... Are you describing a setup with a four-channel controller in each mini tree? I'm thinking they'd have to be pretty darn cheap to make something like that doable for the masses, wouldn't they?Maybe I'm being overly optomistic on price point, and possibly over optimistic on packaging. But they potentially get to leave out the case, strain relief, dongles, & RJ-45 jacks. Put polarized outlets and power plug soldered right to the PCB, & then mould the whole thing in plastic. In the unlikely case they keep it down to $55, it is an absolute no brainer, as it is one quarter the number of channels, and one quarter of the price of a CTB16PC. And my expansion for quite a while would be buying them, to use in mini trees and shrubs, and free up other controllers..Oh wait, I'll be freeing up two already when I convert my home half mega tree to CCB. I would probalby wind up using these first on the city show, because the CCB I want to use there are all for new elements. I am also increasingly all about focusing on making set up for the city show easier, and not having to get all the right cords in the right places is a huge step in the right direction.At $65 to $75, depending on your show layout, I think it still makes sense, just from the savings in extension cords.. Above that, and it may be tougher to justify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caniac Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 SteveMaris wrote: I don't think I understand that completely myself. Then again I never claimed to be the brightest bulb around either. Although the 4 color net light sounds very cool.On a side note: George Simmons,Just spent an hour watching your videos repeatedly. Your display and sequencing is absolutely amazing. :shock:I would have to agree with you on George's sequencing skills!!! could watch those all day if I wasn't expected to earn a living! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickByrd Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Kevin,You are saying that everyting for 4 channels (power and signal) could go through 1 SPT2 extention cord?I'm not that tech smart to understand, but that would be pretty cool. It just seems like you would need some type of special cord to make it work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 caniac wrote: SteveMaris wrote: On a side note: George Simmons,Just spent an hour watching your videos repeatedly. Your display and sequencing is absolutely amazing. :shock:I would have to agree with you on George's sequencing skills!!! could watch those all day if I wasn't expected to earn a living!Thanks guys. I appreciate the kind words. If either of you cross paths with Alex Baldwin please give my work a nod, okay... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddmoon Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 First off George is a Master Programmer.The way I understood the new controllers would be using low power which allows the programming sequences to be sent on the neutral leg of the power line and allows the controller to eliminate the need for a Ethernet or phone cord to control it.It is a common practice in the power companies to send signals over the power lines to read power meters and control systems. Wireless communications is another common communications system and I wonder if Dan will build into any of his controllers in the future? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Amedee Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 After watching "Time" By Pink Floyd...I give....YOU THE MAN !!!!! Awsome job.. I hate to say it...Just give me a million dollars and 10 month off and I could give you a run for your money...GREAT JOB !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 Ron Amedee wrote: After watching "Time" By Pink Floyd...I give....YOU THE MAN !!!!! Awsome job.. I hate to say it...Just give me a million dollars and 10 month off and I could give you a run for your money...GREAT JOB !!!!Give ME the million dollars and you can run all you want - I'll be retiring somewhere warm with lovely senoritas to tend to my every need, and you can have my controllers AND my sequences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wbottomley Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 +1 for George!I couldn't agree more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeH Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 George Simmons wrote: Ron Amedee wrote: After watching "Time" By Pink Floyd...I give....YOU THE MAN !!!!! Awsome job.. I hate to say it...Just give me a million dollars and 10 month off and I could give you a run for your money...GREAT JOB !!!!Give ME the million dollars and you can run all you want - I'll be retiring somewhere warm with lovely senoritas to tend to my every need, and you can have my controllers AND my sequences.Will you take a check?MikeH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crackchecker Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 George you must be OLD!!!Kidding of course.. I haven't heard many of the songs you have on Vimeo in a long time.The only problem I can see with sequencing any Pink Floyd songs to the display is getting people to leave. And it would be a good thing that my house sits UP WIND most of the time if you know what I mean. I would make a killing on muchies though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarlSmith Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Holy Shrimp! That square in a circle is flippin awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 KarlSmith wrote: Holy Shrimp! That square in a circle is flippin awesome.If you're referring to my display, those are CCRs. The "square" is actually a spiral. In person it/they really is fricken awesome, but I'm still working on shooting video of the durn things. They're actually too bright compared to everything else in the yard. Stupid yard... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caniac Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 George Simmons wrote: KarlSmith wrote: Holy Shrimp! That square in a circle is flippin awesome.If you're referring to my display, those are CCRs. The "square" is actually a spiral. In person it/they really is fricken awesome, but I'm still working on shooting video of the durn things. They're actually too bright compared to everything else in the yard. Stupid yard...No, No, No, grasshopper!! When opportunity presents itself Confuscius say buy more lights!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbzeus Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Hey George, I saw your video and noted on the left there was a CCR it looked like with a middle that "spun in" I was wondering if you wrapped a CCR that tight or cut one up?Thanks,Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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