E682

[Steelers95]

Im starting to plan for next year, I have one e682 and i am planning on adding another one. I want to change out the led's on my house with the ws2811 smart pixels but im not sure how far the pixels can be from the controller. Does anyone know the distance that the pixels can be from the controllers. Also what type of wire would I use to do this. Right now I believe im just using thin 22 gauge wire but the pixels are right next to the controller, does anyone have any suggestions.  

 thank you to anyone with any input

Edited December 17, 2014 by Steelers95

[k6ccc]

The 2811s will generally do about 25 feet.  If you need longer than that, you can use null pixels.  Do some tests to see what works during the off-season.  If you're going very far or lots of pixels, I would use 18 or 16 gauge (I have both in stock).

[sax]

Go here and I have posted some results of my testing. There is a lot of useful information in the thread.

Quick answer, 25 ft not possible without changing the resistor packs. I can get 20ft then null, then 20 ft etc. but the resistor packs are easy to change.

http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/32606-wire-type-does-matter/

[sax]

Also see this post

http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/32871-grid-and-long-cables-with-e682/

[k6ccc]

Thanks sax.  I remembered that thread, but could not make any real effort to find it on my phone....

 

Thanks for bringing it up...

[Steelers95]

Alright thanks. I was also wondering how I would be able to max out a controller with 16 strings because each universe can only handle 170 pixels which means that I can really only use 12 strings if im using 50 count strings. would I need to cut each string down to 42 pixels? 

[KStatefan]

Alright thanks. I was also wondering how I would be able to max out a controller with 16 strings because each universe can only handle 170 pixels which means that I can really only use 12 strings if im using 50 count strings. would I need to cut each string down to 42 pixels? 

 

Why would you need to cut them down to 42 pixels?

 

I have 12 strings of 72 on mine and will be adding more to it next year.

Edited December 18, 2014 by KStatefan

[Darryl Lambert]

If using the sandevice in unicast you can have up to 12 dmx universes. So 170 pixels per universe x 12= 2040 pixels.

Sorry have to edit the 6804 will do 12 universes. The e682 does 6. So you can still use 1020 pixels

Edited December 18, 2014 by Darryl Lambert

[KStatefan]

If using the sandevice in unicast you can have up to 12 dmx universes. So 170 pixels per universe x 12= 2040 pixels.

Sorry have to edit the 6804 will do 12 universes. The e682 does 6. So you can still use 1020 pixels

 

The 682 will do 7 universes on multicast and 12 on unicast.

[sax]

If you put a string of lights on a sans connector, it does the max number of pixels you program for it. For example, if I put 50 lights on it it will be channels 1-150 of whatever universe I programmed. If I put another light on that string, I would have to program for 51 pixels. Now, if I put so many that the universe needs to change, the sans will do that. So pixel 171 would be the next universe channels 1,2,3. It knows that 2 channels needs to be skipped too. (Since RGB requires 3 channels per pixel and in the dmx universe of 512 max channels there are 2 extra channels, the sans cuts this off so there are no oddball channels)

The way this works is you just program the starting universe, starting channel and number of pixels and the sans assigns them properly. So it doesn't have to be channels 1-150 in my above example.

I personally like to have each element it's own universe. I am lucky not to have so many pixels per element I guess. Anyway, I have 2 50 pixel strips on my roof. To keep them separated, I tell the sans that each connector is 170 pixels even though they are only 50 so my next channel will be a new universe. Yes, there are wasted pixels or channels, but I don't need them.

This is just another way the sans works.

The manuals are free downloads. It has a wealth of information of course.

[Darryl Lambert]

The 682 will do 7 universes on multicast and 12 on unicast.

I thought that was the case but I checked the e682 product Page & it's states 6. That's why I edited my original post. I think KsStatefan is correct & Jim hasn't changed the page to reflect the added capacity. Sorry for the confusion. Edited December 18, 2014 by Darryl Lambert

[godman]

I just purchased a 682 for my 16 Strip tree (Like a CCR tree). I purchased the 682 because it has 16 outputs and I can plug 1 strip into each output and I was told this would eliminate any power injection. My question is how do I spread out the universes to cover all 16 outputs? How do I set it up in SE?

 

Read the manual but just not getting it....

[k6ccc]

The page is quite outdated.  The E6804 and E682 both support 7 universes in multi-cast and 12 universes in uni-cast.  This does require version 4.xxx firmware.  I sent an E-Mail to Jim at SanDevices suggesting that he needs to update that page...

Edited March 6, 2015 by k6ccc

[Darryl Lambert]

I just purchased a 682 for my 16 Strip tree (Like a CCR tree). I purchased the 682 because it has 16 outputs and I can plug 1 strip into each output and I was told this would eliminate any power injection. My question is how do I spread out the universes to cover all 16 outputs? How do I set it up in SE?

 

Read the manual but just not getting it....

 

You need to know how many pixels are on each strip. If it's 50 ( like a CCR ) you will need 150 channels for each strip ( 3 channels per pixel x 50 pixels ) 

So for 16 strips you would need 2400 channels. If you used every channel in a DMX universe, 510 ( channels 511 &512 are not used because you cannot have a pixel addressed to 2 different universes ) you would need 4.7 universes or 4 full universes plus 360 channels in universe #5

[k6ccc]

godman, give me a phone call this evening (I think you have my number).  I will walk you through all kinds of stuff with live examples.  I will have you connect to my controllers so you can see what's going on and explain what you are seeing...

 

I should be done with dinner by shortly after 7:00 PM and up until at least 11:00 PM.  Almost any time over the weekend if tonight does not work.

[sax]

This is how I have my pixels setup.  I like to keep each element in its own universe.  And I made it so that I didn't need to have power injection.  I have 3 30 long pixel strings, one for each part of the tree.  So it just worked out for me to make these breaks where I did.  As I get more elements I will have to redo how this is setup.  But for now, this works without power injection...and my trees are over 50 feet away from the controller.

 

One thing to notice....I use plugs 3-1 and 3-2 as 2 universes but the strips I have plugged in are not full universes.  Normally, plug 3-2 would start where 3-1 ends. 

 

So 3-1 ends at Universe 1, channel 141.  Plug 3-2 would normally start at Universe 1, channel 142.  I just tell the sans that they are full universes to allow me to keep each element on its own universe while minimizing the plugs used.

[Steelers95]

Sax you have pixels that are 50 feet away from your controller without power injection?

[CLD Kevin]

Sax is using 12V to get the 50ft without power injection which should be no problem with distance for this scenario....it's the data hence why he needed null pixel every 20ft. I've only personal gone 30ft without power injection but needed 1 null pixel between. Sax probably needed 2 nulls.

Just assuming....Sax would better answer your question of what method he is using.

Edited March 7, 2015 by CLD Kevin

[sax]

Kevin nailed it. But I am more like 60'. 12v and a null pixel every 25'. I have 2 nulls, 2 25' extensions and a 10' extension into the element.

However, I did have to change out the resistor packs on the e682 to use the standard 25' extensions Ray sells. Without changing the resistors every now and then the pixels would flicker. I initially corrected this with a third null and 15' extensions, but the resistor pack is a better and cheaper fix.

[anthonyrusso3]

How exactly do you guys do null pixels ?