gizmomkr Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I had been playing with several samples for a while, and finally recieved my full order from China yesterday.I bought 100 RGB Led Pixel's (2 strings of 50) from Ray Wu via Ali Express. I ran them into a DMX adapter, Setup DMX in LOR (using Enttec adapter) and BAM, 300 channels of RGB Lights.70 for tha advanced license upgrade60 for Enttec adapter35 for 6803-dmx driver85 for pixel strings.250.00 total.Could have bought a CCR, but I like the pixel look, and adding DMX was well worth the adapter and license upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny M. Carter Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Care to share links for the 6803-dmx driver and the pixel strings you used? Thanks!Donny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizmomkr Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 Sure :6803 Driver -http://www.aliexpress.com/product-gs/369742166-LT-6803-DMX-Decoder-DC5-24V-input-LPD6803-specific-protocol-output-signal-Max256-steps-wholesalers.html50 Pixel String of RGB LEDhttp://www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/404076974-12mm-LPD6803-pixel-module-IP68-DC5V-input-full-color-wholesalers.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heystew Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I've used the same 6803 pixel driver with success so far. I picked mine up at http://www.usledsupply.com/shop/rgb-dmx-lpd6803-decoder.html for about the same price with shipping and they've usually been delivered in several days.I've driven this box both with the Entec Pro as well as the USB-485B adapter with great success. The biggest problem is generally figuring out what the pinout is on the pixels you are using. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heystew Posted November 17, 2011 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Unfortunately I do not have any CCR's to compare with. I have not yet done a direct side by side comparison, but I can tell you that the fading of the 6803 based pixels is definitely more coarse than the 2801 based pixels. (15bit vs 28bit).In the next few days i will see if i can compare them side by side when driving them with LOR.dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizmomkr Posted November 17, 2011 Author Share Posted November 17, 2011 Jeff -I would if I could, but I also have no CCR to compare to.I have drivers for both 6803 and 2801's. Agreed the 2801 has a much higher level of control.I could definately see how issues could arrise with the top or bottom of the dimming curve, it just doesnt bother me. Im just not that picky, and I tend not to have a lot of slow fades.If you are just buying the driver, USLED is the same after shipping from china. But USLED wants 4-5 bucks per pixel. I ended up paying about .80 / pixel buying overseas.The overseas shipping is higher, but if you combine several light weight items, and the seller give a decent deal on combined shipping, its not bad at all. On the chanel count - I have conflicting specs for the driver - sme say 300 somthing, some say 512. I dont have enough pixels yet to know who is right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H1 Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Does US LED or Ray Wu have a comparable driver for the 2801 chip ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBullard Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Dave H1 wrote:Does US LED or Ray Wu have a comparable driver for the 2801 chip ??Did a 30 second search on Ray Wu's site:http://www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/440556576-DMX-WS2801-decoder-decoding-1024-address-IIC-signal-output-wholesalers.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizmomkr Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 He sells the one above and another one that best I can tell, has a fixed DMX address, and only doue 100 somthing channels. (but he sells it for like 15.00)I bought the one above. by the way - it showed up EXACTLY as pictured. as in whatever that green connector with the pins is ( I dont know the name) thats all you get.I know the connectors are fairly common, but he should AT LEAST include the female / mate that converts that to screw terminals. There is also no manul or spec sheet. I opened the box, and thats what was in it. Period.Same story with the other stuff I order from that side of the globe - the instructions are GOD AWFULL! (if you even get any) THE WORST BROKEN ENGLISH you could imagine."Blue wire connector take power supply make go"I opdered 2 fiber optic dmx illuminators, the instructions explaining how to set the dmx address are cut off the page. and 1 of the two I ordered came with a european plugWhen I contacted the seller, he sent me a scaned pdf of the instructions with the same section cut off the page... You just have to be prepared to do a bit of homework on your own, and keep your expectations low.But still - with everything I have bought - I had to figure out a bit on my own, replace a 12v european adapter, and I'm in good shape, well worth 200-300 bucks I saved if I had ordered this stuff state side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H1 Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 gizmomkr wrote: He sells the one above and another one that best I can tell, has a fixed DMX address, and only doue 100 somthing channels. (but he sells it for like 15.00)I bought the one above. by the way - it showed up EXACTLY as pictured. as in whatever that green connector with the pins is ( I dont know the name) thats all you get.Gizmonkr,Do I read the spec sheet correct that it only controls 32 pixels ??If incorrect, how many do you estimate ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizmomkr Posted November 19, 2011 Author Share Posted November 19, 2011 All part of the fun of ordering from China.I'm thinking its going to do 300 - 500 channels, but thats just my guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafter Bar R Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 Same story with the other stuff I order from that side of the globe - the instructions are GOD AWFULL! (if you even get any) THE WORST BROKEN ENGLISH you could imagine."Blue wire connector take power supply make go"Actual instructions, one from one of those hot air paper lanterns, "Wishing lighr rose slowly the sky, do not forget Wishing oh ----------. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnson8ryley Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Well, sorta off topic but I'm also looking at getting some 6803 RGB strips but am still learning about DMX. Your post has helped me a lot and this may seem dumb but, in what order does everything hook up? I thought you need a pixel controller along with a DMX driver but this ENTTEC driver is news to me. Could someone explain how this all works? Also, If i were to add more RGB strips in the future, would I need to buy driver and a adapter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnson8ryley Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Well, sorta off topic but I'm also looking at getting some 6803 RGB strips but am still learning about DMX. Your post has helped me a lot and this may seem dumb but, in what order does everything hook up? I thought you need a pixel controller along with a DMX driver but this ENTTEC driver is news to me. Could someone explain how this all works? Also, If i were to add more RGB strips in the future, would I need to buy driver and a adapter?**sory for double post** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizmomkr Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 Ok:First lets seperate smart "pixels" from strips.The term pixel most will agree means a source than can be controlled with a data signal. A pixel recieves constant power, but only turn on or changes color with a data signal.A "dumb strip" has no data to process - it does NOT recieve constant power. connecting the power ( 1 red wire, 1 green, 1 blue) for example, and varying the voltage produces the different colors.With a strip all LED's within the strip are on at the same time. With a string of pixels, only the specific pixel is ON.Pixels are individually conrollable, dumb strips are not.Dont let the look of the device fool you - a string of seperate leds COULD be pixels or just DUMB RGB ( but that should tell you when you order what you are getting)In the same respect, a tube / rope light looking segment could be smart or dumb.If the light is DUMB, it wont mention a protocol like DMX, 2801 or 6803, because there isnt one.Now that asside.For PIXELS, you need a pixel controller - this will send power and data to the pixels. Since LOR can only talk to LOR devices or DMX devices, You probably want to get a controller that has DMX input. So the controller connects to a supported LOR DMX adapter (like the Enttec unit) and then that connects to the computer running S3 with the license for DMX.So to to to computer (USB connector)IF you add "strips" that are dumb, they will need some sort of controller. you could use a LOR DC board, or something like a rainbow brain (or any DMX to constant current driver) - but the short answer is YES, it would be another DIFFERENT driver for DUMB strips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamS Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 How are you guys setting up 6803 strips on DMX in LOR software? Does the controller just setup a ton of addresses for the strip. For example if the strip has 32 pixels the controller is just a 96 channels addressable. So if I have not confused myself the first pixel will be channels 1,2,3 and the second will be 4,5,6 like a standard RGB controller? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny M. Carter Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 What I do is right click on a channel and select insert device (above or below), then I choose what universe I want and the amount of channels. I also check the box to group them. Then I right click on the first channel in the group and click convert to RGB. Make sure to check the box "also do this for the following channels". Also remember that the 6803 strips from Ray are not RGB, so that will also need to be changed! There may be an easier way that I'm not aware of, but that's what I do!And yes, the channels are pixel #1=1,2,3 and so on!Donny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamS Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Donny M. Carter wrote: What I do is right click on a channel and select insert device (above or below), then I choose what universe I want and the amount of channels. I also check the box to group them. Then I right click on the first channel in the group and click convert to RGB. Make sure to check the box "also do this for the following channels". Also remember that the 6803 strips from Ray are not RGB, so that will also need to be changed! There may be an easier way that I'm not aware of, but that's what I do!And yes, the channels are pixel #1=1,2,3 and so on!DonnyIll play with it tonight when I get home. I had an idea how worked but before I started throwing money at it I wanted to be sure. So for example once again if my DMX controller start address is say 128 then the channels for the strip start at 128 forward so my first pixel will be 128,129,130As well in this design I assume macros and such arent usable, its a sequence however I make it and the lights change as if I were playing with my RBG trees in order of channels. I appreciate you replying how to make them into the strip like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny M. Carter Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Yes you are correct about the channels order! Each pixel takes 3 channels from your 512 universe. It does not matter where they start! It can be 1,2,3 or 110,111,112!Donny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamS Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Now the fun part, making the Lor controllers and the DMX controller all into DMX mode and using only 1 adapter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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