Equipment Start

[MichaelF]

I am new with Smart pixels, Ive been doing dumb. Looking for a starter set to experiment with.

I'm thinking G3-MP3 control and IP68 100 Pixel String, 12V with connection dangle, and the LOR software. A couple of questions...1) Do I need a separate power supply to control the G3, if so which one? 2) Can this particular string be connected end to end?

 

 

[dibblejr]

21 minutes ago, MichaelF said:

I am new with Smart pixels, Ive been doing dumb. Looking for a starter set to experiment with.

I'm thinking G3-MP3 control and IP68 100 Pixel String, 12V with connection dangle, and the LOR software. A couple of questions...1) Do I need a separate power supply to control the G3, if so which one? 2) Can this particular string be connected end to end?

 

 

You should link us to what you are actually looking at. The G3-MP3 is not a light controller. The G3-MP3 mini director can get its power from either a 12v ps that can be purchased from LOR or from the controller through the data cable.

JR

Edited September 4, 2017 by dibblejr

[Mr. P]

Can you please be specific about the items you would like to use? The G3MP3 is a Showtime controller which takes the place of a computer. In order to connect lights to it you need a pixel controller (Pixie or Pixcon) or Cosmic Color device (CCR, CCP, CCB) which has it's own controller built into it. You stated an IP68 100 pixel string, well that string of pixels has to connect to a pixel controller which in turn would connect to the G3MP3.

[MichaelF]

I would prefer to not have a dedicated computer, so the showtime controller makes sense, plus room for possible future expansion.. I may be way off track, so any help to get where I need to be is much appreciated. If you can suggest a list of what I need?

On 9/4/2017 at 2:15 PM, MichaelF said:

I'm thinking G3-MP3 control and IP68 100 Pixel String, 12V with connection dangle, and the LOR software. A couple of questions...1) Do I need a separate power supply to control the G3, if so which one? 2) Can this particular string be connected end to end?

The lights listed above would be a start for the "project evaluation" stage, with the balance to be ordered a little later.

Would the Pixie 16 or Pixcon 16 be appropriate for the 200' or so of lights listed below?

 

This is the original request I sent to the help desk, below underlined.

"I want a relatively simple setup...A string of LED's around edge of house, approx. 200'.  I like the look of the "12v pixels,100 count". I would like to leave these mounted all of the time. I want the ability to do patterns, chasing, flashing, blinking, etc plus the ability to have random colors, or holiday specific colors that can be changed with the season. such as red/white/green/gold for Christmas, or red/white/blue for national holidays, purple/yellow/green for Mardi Gras, etc.
 Is there a stand alone unit that I can put a memory card in for different colors or sequences that I program on computer and just plug the card in the standalone controller?   Do I have to have a dedicated computer to run this? 
Can you advise exactly what I need to do this? All inclusive, how many strings of the lights, adaptors, cables."
 

[dibblejr]

29 minutes ago, MichaelF said:

I would prefer to not have a dedicated computer, so the showtime controller makes sense, plus room for possible future expansion.. I may be way off track, so any help to get where I need to be is much appreciated. If you can suggest a list of what I need?

The lights listed above would be a start for the "project evaluation" stage, with the balance to be ordered a little later.

Would the Pixie 16 or Pixcon 16 be appropriate for the 200' or so of lights listed below?

 

This is the original request I sent to the help desk, below underlined.

"I want a relatively simple setup...A string of LED's around edge of house, approx. 200'.  I like the look of the "12v pixels,100 count". I would like to leave these mounted all of the time. I want the ability to do patterns, chasing, flashing, blinking, etc plus the ability to have random colors, or holiday specific colors that can be changed with the season. such as red/white/green/gold for Christmas, or red/white/blue for national holidays, purple/yellow/green for Mardi Gras, etc.
 Is there a stand alone unit that I can put a memory card in for different colors or sequences that I program on computer and just plug the card in the standalone controller?   Do I have to have a dedicated computer to run this? 
Can you advise exactly what I need to do this? All inclusive, how many strings of the lights, adaptors, cables."
 

I believe either controller will work. I have pixies. Since you are talking only 200 I would just use 2 pixie channels not to push it to the 150. I know the pixie16 will push it as long as you have the correct power supply.

The g3mp3 will run it, I have tested mine just because where my tree and other props are right now I didn't want to buy/ make a longer data cable. Took a minute to get it running on the pixies, note you MUST have a Kingston class 4 SD card or better to run the pixie16. I have always used PNY without fail on the AC controllers but I spent 2 days trying to figure out why the g3mp3 was not working. Erased my LOR Kingston SD card and like magic it worked. My PNY's are class 4 and 6 so go figure.

Ribbons are noted to be better to mount year round but its speculation since I do not have year round mounted lights. I recently visited another member 2 hours away and hes had ribbons mounted for 2-3 years without failure.

JR

[MichaelF]

2 minutes ago, dibblejr said:

I believe either controller will work. I have pixies. Since you are talking only 200 I would just use 2 pixie channels not to push it to the 150. I know the pixie16 will push it as long as you have the correct power supply.

The g3mp3 will run it, I have tested mine just because where my tree and other props are right now I didn't want to buy/ make a longer data cable. Took a minute to get it running on the pixies, note you MUST have a Kingston class 4 SD card or better to run the pixie16. I have always used PNY without fail on the AC controllers but I spent 2 days trying to figure out why the g3mp3 was not working. Erased my LOR Kingston SD card and like magic it worked. My PNY's are class 4 and 6 so go figure.

Ribbons are noted to be better to mount year round but its speculation since I do not have year round mounted lights. I recently visited another member 2 hours away and hes had ribbons mounted for 2-3 years without failure.

JR

I may go ahead and try the ribbon, thanks...thats what my current "dumb string" is. Just to clarify...Im talking 200'-250' of whatever light I go with. Any idea how many feet of the ribbon I can connect to this controller at the center point of the string, would 125' each direction, from the pixie, on 2 channels, be acceptable?

Will I need to supplement/inject power at the ends?

Thanks again, MLF

[dibblejr]

2 minutes ago, MichaelF said:

I may go ahead and try the ribbon, thanks...thats what my current "dumb string" is. Just to clarify...Im talking 200'-250' of whatever light I go with. Any idea how many feet of the ribbon I can connect to this controller at the center point of the string, would 125' each direction, from the pixie, on 2 channels, be acceptable?

Will I need to supplement/inject power at the ends?

Thanks again, MLF

Not sure on power injection, my 20' tree has 100 count ribbons and my newest tree has pixels 18' 145 pixels. My guess is with 12v PS and keeping the lights at around 100 per channel you may be ok. You can get pixel strings that have the pixels farther apart to accomplish your run

If needed you could use all 16 channels to your advantage if you have power problems. I believe there are more people here using the Pixcon that have large runs but I do not keep track because I am using pixies.

[Vince4xmas]

I have had to inject all my pixels when counts are over 100 (at 12v) and lengths are greater than 20".

I am using a Pixcon16 and find that "data" lengths are not an issue, only 12v power. So I have had to inject power on almost every prop that has a significant distance from my 12v power supplies.

 

 

 

[dibblejr]

31 minutes ago, Vince4xmas said:

I have had to inject all my pixels when counts are over 100 (at 12v) and lengths are greater than 20".

I am using a Pixcon16 and find that "data" lengths are not an issue, only 12v power. So I have had to inject power on almost every prop that has a significant distance from my 12v power supplies.

 

 

 

I think that is common, its been known to keep the power supplies as close to the controller as possible. My tree is 20' tall. Controller mounted right next to my tree, no power injection. Nor my matrix 8X4 with ps mounted (test mounted) to wall close to the matrix.

JR

[caniac]

11 hours ago, dibblejr said:

I think that is common, its been known to keep the power supplies as close to the controller as possible. My tree is 20' tall. Controller mounted right next to my tree, no power injection. Nor my matrix 8X4 with ps mounted (test mounted) to wall close to the matrix.

JR

I have never had to do that, my tree is the same height and I have 20ft+ runs to the tree with no issues.  Also no power injection, each output runs 100 pixels.

[dibblejr]

1 hour ago, caniac said:

I have never had to do that, my tree is the same height and I have 20ft+ runs to the tree with no issues.  Also no power injection, each output runs 100 pixels.

You have your power supply 20' or more from your controllers? That's a lot of waster cable.

I'm not talking about Data, my data line is well over 100' to my prop whenever I use my computer.

JR

Edited September 6, 2017 by dibblejr

[caniac]

40 minutes ago, dibblejr said:

You have your power supply 20' or more from your controllers? That's a lot of waster cable.

I'm not talking about Data, my data line is well over 100' to my prop whenever I use my computer.

JR

hmmmmm, $5.99 x 8 for twenty footers = $47.92 (plus shipping) vs fried RGB controller due to being left out in the elements $399.  Think I will go with extra cable lengths and keep my controllers out of the elements except for the AC ones.  Mother Nature is brutal here.  And I have college kids to contend with so there is that.  They violated my 9' fuzzy santa bear, what do you think they will do to an RGB controller?

[dibblejr]

1 hour ago, caniac said:

hmmmmm, $5.99 x 8 for twenty footers = $47.92 (plus shipping) vs fried RGB controller due to being left out in the elements $399.  Think I will go with extra cable lengths and keep my controllers out of the elements except for the AC ones.  Mother Nature is brutal here.  And I have college kids to contend with so there is that.  They violated my 9' fuzzy santa bear, what do you think they will do to an RGB controller?

Ok, it sounds like your controllers are mounted in your home and you run your controller cables from your controllers to your tree, that's my point. The power supply is near the RGB controller, not 100' away.  

I realize I said Data cable, that is also true. The Data cable and your controller cables from the controller itself can be pretty long. However to prevent power loss the ps should be close to the controller. That is the cables/ wires I am talking about. thhn is not very cheap.

JR

[caniac]

19 minutes ago, dibblejr said:

Ok, it sounds like your controllers are mounted in your home and you run your controller cables from your controllers to your tree, that's my point. The power supply is near the RGB controller, not 100' away.  

I realize I said Data cable, that is also true. The Data cable and your controller cables from the controller itself can be pretty long. However to prevent power loss the ps should be close to the controller. That is the cables/ wires I am talking about. thhn is not very cheap.

JR

yup, have several 100ft ethernet cables.  my 20ft cables are from the outputs of my RGB controller to their respective lights.  Can't think of any good reason to NOT mount the power supply in the controller.  Even for power injecting I have my power supply in a case with my distro panel and RGB pigtails on those.