cheaper RGB light strips

[topgia]

hi guys,

i've been researching on the web for different kinds of lights to buy.

i've come across these RGB light strips from hong kong on ebay and they look just like the cosmic color ribbons that LOR sell but alot cheaper.

does anyone use these or should i stay away from them?

thanks

[Max-Paul]

Top,

read your post and tell me if anyone will know what "These" are? Please post a link or an item number or auction number. I assure you, you will then make it possible for some to give you an answer.

[topgia]

here you go max

http://www.ebay.com/itm/110950959090?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

sorry first time ive used a website like this.

they are like the cosmic color ribbons that light o rama sell

[topgia]

here max.

i found this video

thanks for your help

[Max-Paul]

What you are looking at are not the same as what LOR sells. LOR strip is 50 pixtels of 3 LEDs (R, B, & G). And you can control each pixtel separately. What it appears you are looking at is what we call a dumb strip that the whole strip changes at the same time. Although I cant say right now if your strip would work with the DC controllers. But many here use this one http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/24910-dumb-rgb-strips-for-next-years-display-2013/ Look at post #2. I am not personally started into these strips yet. Might look into the software section and read post in the E1.31 section. Or maybe someone will show up and point you to the right direction.

[Santas Helper]

What it appears you are looking at is what we call a dumb strip that the whole strip changes at the same time. Although I cant say right now if your strip would work with the DC controllers.

MP,

I can answer that for you.

Yes, the LOR DC controllers will run the dumb strips perfectly, as long as they are rated for 12VDC. I'm running 8 of those strips and haven't had any problems.

[scubado]

Max, those are smart strips in the video, but not the same ribbon as posted from Ebay. If you watch the top rolls they are changing from the inside out. The whole roll is not changing at once.

Sorry topgia, those are not smart strips for $17. The Ebay listing and the video are not the same ribbons. The leds are individual colors alternating on the ribbon in the Ebay listing. You won't be happy with this type of ribbon. You want 5050 RGB ribbon, whether dumb or smart.

Edited December 24, 2012 by scubado

[Max-Paul]

Thanks for chiming in Tom and Jim. Like I said I know enough about this subject to be dangerous. I didnt even bother to look at the video. So good catch there Jim.

Top if you stay on the Ali site, and look down just a bit at the pictures of other items in his store. You will find a 5050 strip with the W2811 chips. Now again I will say I am not sure if that is the best strip, but closer to what your looking for.

BTW what Tom said is true, but it also needs to be common anode. Common positive to the strip and the R,G, & B are the negative wires.

[Santas Helper]

BTW what Tom said is true, but it also needs to be common anode. Common positive to the strip and the R,G, & B are the negative wires.

Very good point. Thanks MP. I forgot to mention that part. Must be Common anode for the LOR DC controllers.

[WilliamS]

Remember you still need a controller for these (E682 or JS1-SYS boards), a case for these board, power supply, and the software license level to use those devices over 1.31 network. How many do you plan to use? Remember when you jump to DIY you are 100% on your own if they fail, dont work properly, or dont like them at all. With a CCR/CCB/CCP you get a warranty, case, power supply, as well a warranty. Are they built alike, yes although different protocol (2811 vs 6803) although they are still strips with IC's soldered on as well LED's that are RGB.

If you are looking for 1 or 2 strips, use the LOR route. You will be protected if they fail, you have LOR support, as well you wont need extra cables as these daisy chain into the network just like your normal controllers. If you jumping into this like a few of us have, prepare for some harsh answers as there are no easy ways. We learned from those who have done this a few years prior and this is not at all the same ball of wax as the normal controllers. To diagnose an issue takes lot more work, the setup takes a few more steps, and the lights themselves are an animal to play with.

Good luck and if you have questions thats why there is a forum. I would first step back and ask how many do you need.

[Santas Helper]

Remember you still need a controller for these (E682 or JS1-SYS boards), a case for these board, power supply, and the software license level to use those devices over 1.31 network.

Depends if its smart strips or dumb strips.

If just using dumb strips, an LOR DC controller and the normal software will work perfectly.

[Tindivall]

Topgia,

I am newer member here as well so I hope someone will correct me if I am wrong... The CCR is a 5m smart ribbon consisting of 150 pixels with 50 physical color pixels... What this means is there are 3 5050 chips in each section and those 3 are then controlled by the chip in that section, for a total of 30 pixels per meter and 10 chips per meter.....

What I found confusing as I started all this research is remember that the 5050 pixel contains within it 1R, 1G, 1B.... So when I say 3pixels per section controlled at one time it actually means 3 lights (pixels) that each have their own RGB. This means a CCR doesn't give you control of each pixel but rather a group of 3 per section.

Here is a smart strip equivalent to the CCR but remember this is only the strip and not the power supply, controller etc you would need: http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/5m-led-digital-strip-DC12V-input-WS2811IC-256-scale-10pcs-IC-and-30pcs-5050-SMD-RGB/701799_568458133.html

Edited December 28, 2012 by Tindivall

[Santas Helper]

Lets just keep it simple,

"From LOR"

The CR150D is a flexible, weatherproofed linear circuit

board with 150 super bright RGB SMD LEDs spaced evenly

along it. It includes the 150 channel controller and universal

voltage power adapter as shown above.

Each set of three RGB LEDs has its own ribbon resident

IC-controller and can be directed to any of two million colors.

In its raw form at full resolution, the ribbon appears as

150 channels. The RGB feature of the Sequence Editor reduces

this to 50 channels, one per RGB pixel. To make the

ribbon easier to use, there are three new concepts.

The first is on-the-fly logical resolution selection. The ribbon

can be set to one of eight logical resolutions. When the ribbon

is configured as one logical pixel, the entire ribbon is

controlled by one RGB channel in the Sequence Editor.

The second is macro effects. A macro effect allows you to

manipulate the entire ribbon with one channel. If you

wanted to make an arch leap from left to right, you could

set the color with one RGB channel and then fade the

macro effect channel. As the fade went from 0 to 99%, the

arch would fill from left to right. The leap occurs at the full

50 pixel resolution of the ribbon, but instead of programming

150 channels, you only program 3 channels (1 for

color, 1 to set the effect number and 1 to use the effect.)

The third is color effects. A color effect is used instead of

the RGB channels. It allows the ribbon to be filled with colors.

You can then put a macro effect like a chase on top of

the color effect allowing complex elements to be added to

you show with minimal programming.

[Tindivall]

Yep clear as mud

[topgia]

hi guys thanks for your help.

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/5m-led-digital-strip-DC12V-input-WS2811IC-256-scale-10pcs-IC-and-30pcs-5050-SMD-RGB/701799_568458133.html

i found these strips which look the same as the LOR CCR ones?

are they just as good as LOR's or are they just an 8th of the price cause they are crap?

[Max-Paul]

Top when are you going to learn to quit comparing apples and oranges? Did you by chance notice that there are some major items missing from the one that Ali sells? How about a power supply and a controller? Think if you add those to the price for that strip you might be closer to the price that LOR sells their unit for? The difference in price them would be the middle mans mark-up and customer service and support. And I wonder what kind of warranty Ali will give you? Or for that matter the seller of the controller that you still need to purchase, what kind of warranty they offer.

You really need to be able to look at the big picture before trying to weigh things out.

[topgia]

Yes max i am well aware that you do need other items... when you can save over a hundred dollars buying a power supply, dmx controller and a 5 meter string of lights i think its a pretty fair question to ask the forum ( a place to ask questions). Besides with the dmx controller you can run multipe strings or strips of RGBs off one unit also saving you more in the long run....

Thank you for your help

[Santas Helper]

hi guys thanks for your help.

http://www.aliexpres..._568458133.html

i found these strips which look the same as the LOR CCR ones?

are they just as good as LOR's or are they just an 8th of the price cause they are crap?

Coming from Ray Wu, they will be a good product, at least from what I hear.

But for just an 8th of the price compared to LOR? You might consider the shipping with Ray Wu is $20 so now your over $50 just for one strip and redo the math.

I myself cannot justify spending that much for 16' of lights but others here have.

And MP (max) is just trying to point out concerns and what to think about and means nothing personal.

[Max-Paul]

Ok, lets add it up. 32 for strip + 20 shipping = 52 for the strip. Ray also sells a P.S. for 20 bucks + shipping. And Sandisk has the E682 controller as a solder kit for 109 + 13 =122 bucks. Lets see is that close to the price of the LOR CCR? Again, what about warranty and customer service? Now I will grand you this the E682 can accept many more strings. But when you try to compare a single strip from Ray to a complete system offered up by LOR, then you are mixing apples and oranges. And then to ask or state that one must be crap cuz it only cost 1/8 the cost of the other. Well ya just aint firing on all cylinders.

[james campbell]

if you are doing multiples then you will save more,because ghe 682 will handle more than one strip.I am looking into using some of these next season,I havelearned that you will need to protect those strips from weather better than tey are. bought several 5050 dumb strips from ebay,and two of them have problems do to rain