Newbie. Which package to start off?

[jtomason]

15 minutes ago, Otto said:

I'm not using anything right now. I have nothing . Lol.. 

OK..  Then that's the first step - choosing a sequencing/display platform.  Since you're on a Light-O-Rama forum, you're mostly going to find people who prefer their platform - and to be honest, while I know that there are others out there, I'm not well versed on them myself, so let's start with the assumption that you will want to use LOR.   Do you want to control "regular" incandescent or LED lights (that plug into regular outlets) as well, or only pixels? 

 

[Otto]

Only pixels for now. Possibly leds later ? 

[jtomason]

19 minutes ago, Otto said:

Only pixels for now. Possibly leds later ? 

OK, then I'd recommend using LOR since you can get controllers for both.   

Start with one of the RGB packages here: http://store.lightorama.com/newcococopac.html

You'll need a USB-RS-485 adapter to connect the PC to the controller and the S4 Sequencing Software: http://store.lightorama.com/spk800.html

If you are pretty sure you'll want to add LED lights, you might combine the USB adapter, sequencing software, and a 16-channel controller into a package: http://store.lightorama.com/rese16chstpa.html.  Otherwise, you can add that controller later. 

 

You'll also need to get the audio to your audience.   You can use outdoor speakers and an amp, a low-powered FM radio transmitter, or both.   

For the speakers/amp, just find a solution you like.  I use an old amp from Radio Shack and waterproof speakers I got from Best Buy.  

For the FM transmitter, LOR sells this one: http://store.lightorama.com/whhofmtr20.html

...but I (and many others here) prefer this: https://www.amazon.com/CZH-CZH-05B-Wireless-Broadcast-Transmitter/dp/B01JS39622/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1513803240&sr=8-3&keywords=CZH-05B

 

 

[Otto]

Sounds good. I really appreciate your time. I've been watching the videos on the sequence editor and pixel editor all day long.. I may go ahead and get that so I can play around with it. 

[jtomason]

18 minutes ago, Otto said:

Sounds good. I really appreciate your time. I've been watching the videos on the sequence editor and pixel editor all day long.. I may go ahead and get that so I can play around with it. 

My pleasure.  If you have questions, ask.  Lots of helpful and friendly folks here that are willing to help.  I know it's a lot to absorb (and most people don't get into the complications of RGB to start!), so definitely go with the assumption that the only stupid question is the unasked one. 

 

[FrankRizzo]

Not to hijack this thread, although seems Otto for his answer

Someone actually pointed me to this thread as asked similar question in other forum. 

I currently have 16 channel LOR Ac controller. Plan to get another for more LEDs, but also want to add RGB hope arches and some other props next year. Use LOR software and everything runs from my laptop. 

So question is, how do I add the RGB with existing setup so can control/sequence all?  Do I need to build e1.31 network, any advantage of doing so?

How do pixel controller and Ac controllers all talk to my laptop, well vice versa but you get the idea. 

 

Thanks!

[FrankRizzo]

7 hours ago, jtomason said:

I use S4. 

Parts list:

 

4-arch kit from Holiday Coro that came with an E1.31 pixel controller ready-to-go in an enclosure with 4 strips.  You can, of course, go with an LOR kit or assemble the components yourself.  One of the LOR kits I mentioned earlier would work nicely.

9.5' length PTFE tubing from McMaster-Carr (https://www.mcmaster.com/#50375K64) for each arch

2 rebar caps per arch: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Blue-Hawk-3-to-7-Plastic-Rebar-Safety-Cap/4067490 - the PTFE fits nicely on these.

2 hose clamps per arch to secure the PTFE to the rebar cap.

Flat steel to act as a base.

Long nails (I use 2 per arch) to keep everything upright on the lawn

Nuts and bolts to secure the rebar caps to the flat steel

Silicone to secure the ends of the strips.

 

Assembly:

Drill holes in the corners of the rebar cap (for the nails) and through the center (to secure it to the flat steel). Insert the  

Use nuts & bolts to secure the rebar caps through the center to the flat steel. 

Fit the PTFE on the rebar caps and use the clamps to secure the ends.  This should be the final shape of your arch.

Cut a small rectangular hole just above the end of each rebar cap on the inside of the arch for the very end of the pixel strip to poke through.

Run your strip through the PTFE, sticking both ends out of the holes you made.   Orient the assembly vertical (standing position) so the strip lays on the bottom inside of the arch and cut the strip to length.  Wire connectors on each end as desired/needed.

Use silicone to seal the ends of the strips. 

 

Display:

Place the assembly upright, and use the nails to secure it upright on the lawn.  Wire connectors to your controller and optionally to other display elements. 

 

 

How is the holiday coro product quality?  Also, would love to know how you made the candy canes, they are awesome!!!!!

[jtomason]

15 minutes ago, FrankRizzo said:

Not to hijack this thread, although seems Otto for his answer

Someone actually pointed me to this thread as asked similar question in other forum. 

I currently have 16 channel LOR Ac controller. Plan to get another for more LEDs, but also want to add RGB hope arches and some other props next year. Use LOR software and everything runs from my laptop. 

So question is, how do I add the RGB with existing setup so can control/sequence all?  Do I need to build e1.31 network, any advantage of doing so?

You can use an LOR controller which will connect in-line with your existing AC controllers: http://store.lightorama.com/newcococopac.html

E1.31 would be more necessary if you weren't using LOR equipment already.    You *can* use E1.31, but you don't have to.  You might want to use an E1.31 controller that you found cheap, for example, or that offered more features.  You might also just want to use E1.31 simply because it is based on TCP/IP over Ethernet and you are more comfortable with that.   

 

15 minutes ago, FrankRizzo said:

How do pixel controller and Ac controllers all talk to my laptop, well vice versa but you get the idea. 

 

Thanks!

Pixel controllers that you would integrate into an LOR setup generally fall into two categories:

1. LOR's controllers - which connect to your existing AC controllers and look similar in Sequence Editor. 

2. E1.31 controllers - which connect to your Ethernet network and are configured in Sequence Editor as DMX universes (and set up in the Network Editor, which tells LOR which DMX universe goes to the controller at a given IP address). 

 

 

 

[jtomason]

1 minute ago, FrankRizzo said:

How is the holiday coro product quality?  Also, would love to know how you made the candy canes, they are awesome!!!!!

I'm quite happy with it.   The candy canes are a kit from them as well.  I love them.   

[FrankRizzo]

One last question for now (I think). With the LOR pixel controllers, I can still get pixels anywhere right?  Pretty sure of the answer, but just checking there isn't some integration between LOR pixel strips and controller. 

 

Thanks again!!!

[TheDucks]

19 minutes ago, FrankRizzo said:

One last question for now (I think). With the LOR pixel controllers, I can still get pixels anywhere right?  Pretty sure of the answer, but just checking there isn't some integration between LOR pixel strips and controller. 

 

Thanks again!!!

Yes.

Just remember a single controller can only be configured for(string)  one chip type (and voltage) . If you have 2 different chip types, you need 2 controllers

[FrankRizzo]

55 minutes ago, TheDucks said:

Yes.

Just remember a single controller can only be configured for(string)  one chip type (and voltage) . If you have 2 different chip types, you need 2 controllers

And I can just Daisy chain multiple controllers the various props?  They get cat5 between?  What goes between end of light strip and controller (ie: use to running spt wire from each led string to a channel on Ac controller). 

[Otto]

I've learned more from these post than I have reading and watching any video... anxious to get started. 

[TheDucks]

24 minutes ago, FrankRizzo said:

And I can just Daisy chain multiple controllers the various props?  They get cat5 between?  What goes between end of light strip and controller (ie: use to running spt wire from each led string to a channel on Ac controller). 

Pixels( smart floods) get connected via (3 or 4) core cable.  Dumb RGB gets 4 core cables (LOR 1W floods come with cable and pigtail). I happen to use a combination of home brew and HC Weather proof cables

Pixies daisy chain BUT they need to be on a HS (red) dongle and can't share the net with GEN2 (old, slow,black dongle) controllers.

[FrankRizzo]

On 12/20/2017 at 11:16 AM, jtomason said:

I use S4. 

Parts list:

 

4-arch kit from Holiday Coro that came with an E1.31 pixel controller ready-to-go in an enclosure with 4 strips.  You can, of course, go with an LOR kit or assemble the components yourself.  One of the LOR kits I mentioned earlier would work nicely.

 

For my arches, I would like to have 2 arches on either side of a small garden island I have in my yard and put the controller behind the garden out of sight.  Looking at the HC kit, it says there is about 7' between the pair, which would not be enough by default.  Do you know if would work (either based off of this kit or pixels in general) where I could have ~15' runs from each arch to the controller?    I have also decided to build an e1.31 network (have IT background, so this just conceptually makes more sense in my head). 

 

[jtomason]

48 minutes ago, FrankRizzo said:

For my arches, I would like to have 2 arches on either side of a small garden island I have in my yard and put the controller behind the garden out of sight.  Looking at the HC kit, it says there is about 7' between the pair, which would not be enough by default.  Do you know if would work (either based off of this kit or pixels in general) where I could have ~15' runs from each arch to the controller?    I have also decided to build an e1.31 network (have IT background, so this just conceptually makes more sense in my head). 

 

You could do that, or just two runs - one to one arch, daisy-chained to the next, and the other run to the other two arches. 

 

 

[FrankRizzo]

If did one run to each pair, I can still control them separately correct?  Would the pair show as one channel in my sequencer?

[jtomason]

19 minutes ago, FrankRizzo said:

If did one run to each pair, I can still control them separately correct? 

Yes.  Assuming your controller had 4 ports, and assigned them DMX universe 1 through 4, then you could do it either way (let's assume your arches have 25 pixels each):

4 cable runs, 1 from each port to an arch: Arch #1 is DMX universe 1, curcuits 1-75 (each pixel will use 3 channels in your sequence - although LOR S4 will combine them).  Arch 2 is DMX universe 2, circuit 1-75, etc, etc. 

2 cable runs, 1 from port #1 to Arches 1 & 2, and then 1 from port #2 to Arches 3 & 4: Arch #1 is DMX universe 1, circuits 1-75, and Arch 2 is also DMX universe 1, but circuits 76-150.  Arch 3 is DMX universe 2, 1-75 and Arch 4 is also universe 2 but 76-150.  

..Think of DMX universes like IP subnets, if that helps, with the pixels as nodes on that subnet and the circuits as ports. 

 

The logical assignment looks like this, with sample addressing:

PC: 192.168.1.1

Pixel Controller: 192.168.1.2

Pixel controller port 1: DMX universe 1

  Pixels connected to Port 1: DMX universe 1, circuits 1-xxx.

Pixel controller port 2: DMX universe 2, circuits 1-xxx

Each pixel when configured in LOR has three "circuits" - one each for red, green, and blue. 

 

In the LOR network utility, you tell LOR where each universe is by IP address.    So 192.168.1.2 has universes 1-4, 192.168.1.3 might have universes 5 & 6, etc. 

In the sequencer, you configure an RGB channel as DMX universe x, circuits  a, b, and c.    

 

As a practical example, my first arch is connected to the pixel controller at 192.168.2.2.   It has 4 ports, DMX universe 1-4.   The arch is connected to port #1, so:

The first pixel is addressed as DMX universe 1, circuits 1-3. 

The second pixel is addressed as DMX universe 1, circuits 4-6. 

...Etc. 

 

19 minutes ago, FrankRizzo said:

 

Would the pair show as one channel in my sequencer?

A "channel" in LOR terms can be any individual element.  In the AC controller, a channel is one AC plug to which AC power is supplied to whatever is plugged into it - say a string of lights.   For pixels, a channel is technically either the red, green, or blue element of the pixel node, but LOR allows you to group them together as a "logical channel" for each pixel.   You will still sequence it at the R/G/B level, saying which color is on or off and the intensity at any given time. 

 

Here is part of a sequence showing my left arch - pixels 9-22 are visible in this portion, and I've expanded the RGB channels for Pixel 15.   I've painted some of each color, and the "master" channel for the pixel shows the color that will result when this part of the sequence is reached.   You fill in the colors on the grey RGB channels, and the black master channel updates to show you the result. 

 

This will be clearer once you get some experience working with it.  

 

 

 

[FrankRizzo]

Ahh that makes a lot of sense, especially the subnet analogy.  This is great!!!  

You are so right and keep telling myself, once start using and see it first hand, it will make much more sense. Just tough to get to the point where I have enough clue to atleast have a chance to order the right stuff initially.  I think I am going to go with

* HC 4 arch kit (january sale)

* get some type of wire to move the controller about 15' away with single runs from each pair of arches

* on fence with livinglightshow arch base kit - kind of a hefty price for what you get I think

* pick up some HDPE next time I drive through Jersey

* get other materials locally

Start builing away and see how it works....

[jtomason]

2 hours ago, FrankRizzo said:

* HC 4 arch kit (january sale)

* get some type of wire to move the controller about 15' away with single runs from each pair of arches

 

The strips you will get will have 3-pin connectors on each end.  They sell extension cables with the same connectors.    Don't forget to show us what you built!