Dan C Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Sounds like pretty much everyone is jumping on the RGB LED Strip bandwagon. So I figured I might as well jump too.I've been reading so much about DMX vs Dumb strips that I've decided for now to just stick with the dumb RGB 5050 strip and add it to a multi star pole topper. I will controll it with a DC controller and 12v power source.I've been trying to find a good source for RGB strips. So I've searched the web; Ebay, Raywu, Amazon etc. From what I can tell they vary greatly in price. What I can't tell is do they vary in quality, brightness, color depth etc?Also, there are a few different methods of waterproofing these strips. How does the Silicone tube vs. epoxy coated match up? And is either one easier to cut/re-seal?Has anyone done any comparison between all the different strips and what would the cost diffidence be?Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Slonka Jr Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Dan,Check out this thread:http://forums.lightorama.com/forum75/31181.htmlEd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beeiilll Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Ahh, and therein lies the rub!Seems like a lot of people on here (myself included) are getting into the RGB world this year.There are several on here who have begun playing with some of the various strips, pixels, and controllers. The information for all the different types is somewhat spotty but there is a wealth of information on the forum if you search through threads for it.I can't say that there is any one source yet for the "best deal" out there other than a lot of people are getting their supplies from Ray Wu it seems.I have some strips on order through eBay right now myself and am waiting for them to arrive so that I can begin my own testing.Like you I am going to start with "dumb" strips and use a CMB16D controller for them. After I have a chance to see how they work I may step up next year and go to smart pixels but by then probably the whole style will have changed and who knows what will be the new thing to go with. Some of this is also waiting on LOR to implement the E1.31 software support into the product for control of the newer RGB things.I believe that if you hang out for a couple of months and watch the forum here you will see a lot of people putting up their results for some of this stuff and hopefully they will share good sources for obtaining these parts at good prices.It is also the Chinese New Year so it is hard if not impossible to order much of anything until the first of February at this point.That gives you some time to absorb the information on here as well as what David Moore over on Holiday Coro has done for testing as well as the auschristmaslighting.com forum which is a valuable source of info as well.Good luck with your search and projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdeditch Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 This is where I have been getting mine. If you want a price list LMK.http://www.surlinkled.com/Products.aspx?ClassID=78 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hdracer Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I believe a few weeks ago Cracker(Kevin) posted that he would be in the market for RGB sales & devices... I would PM him to see what exactly it is you are looking for. I tried to find the thread but couldn't... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanBry77 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 bdeditch wrote:This is where I have been getting mine. If you want a price list LMK. http://www.surlinkled.com/Products.aspx?ClassID=78I'd be curious to see what kind of pricing they have on just the standard 5050 RGB dumb strips and some 6803 strips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Benedict Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 I've purchased several from here and been very happy: http://www.ebay.com/itm/180784140733?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H1 Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Ken Benedict wrote: I've purchased several from here and been very happy: http://www.ebay.com/itm/180784140733?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649Ken,what is type of waterproofing that is provided on the above referenced strips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Benedict Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 It's the clear flexible epoxy coating that smells like it should be a banned chemical.Waterproof, yes, but some said if it's outside too long, the sunlight may yellow it.I'll be cutting (sacrificing) one up this week to see how easy they are to splice together; window outlines and other props are a-waiting custom RGB decorating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmjordan Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 You're not kidding about the smell! The RGB strips and I were quickly banished to the garage! :shock: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan C Posted January 19, 2012 Author Share Posted January 19, 2012 Ken Benedict wrote:I've purchased several from here and been very happy: http://www.ebay.com/itm/180784140733?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649Looks like a pretty good deal. I made him an offer on two of them. Lets see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Don Gillespie Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Dan C wrote: Ken Benedict wrote:I've purchased several from here and been very happy: http://www.ebay.com/itm/180784140733?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649Looks like a pretty good deal. I made him an offer on two of them. Lets see what happens.so what is the difference from these strips to the CCRs that are available?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffF Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Here's where I've bought twenty 30-5050 RGB strips from here...http://www.ebay.com/itm/220888921557?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649If you email him and buy 10 at a time he discounts by 10% with free shipping. Shipping takes about a week and so far out of the 10 I've tried, they have all worked wonderfully and seem to match colorwise.I have to try the next 10 out this weekend and then *hopefully* I will start playing with them all over the next month. I want to get some mounted outside under the eave to see how they hold up.-Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Benedict Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Don Gillespie wrote:Dan C wrote: Ken Benedict wrote:I've purchased several from here and been very happy: http://www.ebay.com/itm/180784140733?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649Looks like a pretty good deal. I made him an offer on two of them. Lets see what happens.so what is the difference from these strips to the CCRs that are available??Those strips are the Dumb versions; the CCR is the Smart 6803 version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgardner518 Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 So would these be the same thing as the CCR, but cheaper?http://www.ebay.com/itm/Magic-Dream-Color-6803-IC-Chip-5M-5050-Flash-RGB-LED-Strip-RF-Remote-Controller-/160695955480?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item256a39b018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Bev Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Ken Benedict wrote:I've purchased several from here and been very happy: http://www.ebay.com/itm/180784140733?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649Ken are these strips http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/220888921557?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649the same? I have also bought some from ebay and I would not fully trust that this type is fully waterproof as on the under side there is no protection where the joins are. But they would still work fine under eve's etc. Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Benedict Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Yankee: They SHOULD, but testing them would find out for sure. Sometimes, the manufacturers change the order of the colors; RBG or GRB instead of RGB, so it may mess up your programming.Andrew: NOT the same; yours are half as bright as the ones I use. Twice as many LEDs meand more light output. The weatherproofing is the same; clear flexible epoxy. The 3M adhesive strip on the back is meant to stick onto something, not just hang out in mid-air. don't expect good adhesion on your wood outside; try plastic or a square metal bar. I usually leave the adhesion on and use 4 inch ty-wraps to attach them to hooks or nails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan C Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 Well The guy you recommended on eBay Ken, I offered him $60 for two. He wouldn't come down much at all. He replied that there was little profit in them for him so he came down to $69 for two. Originally two would have been $69.98So here is my question. If there is little profit and he's only willing come down $0.98 why bother having a "Make offer" on the auction?I haven't decided if I'm going to buy them yet.As for the underside waterproofing issue. I have a question. are the contacts bare on the underside? and is that where you are supposed to solder the wires on?This will make a huge difference in how I build the framework.Also, if you do peal the sticky backing off, and the connections are bare, If you applied it to square steel, wouldn't it short out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgardner518 Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Dan C wrote:So here is my question. If there is little profit and he's only willing come down $0.98 why bother having a "Make offer" on the auction?Also, if you do peal the sticky backing off, and the connections are bare, If you applied it to square steel, wouldn't it short out?I always wondered why they (mostly overseas sellers) do that too, with the "Make Offer", It really pisses me off, when that happens to me!And I totally agree with the second statement! I would love to know that answer?On a different note, what does everyone use to make there own heat sinks, on lor controllers, that don't have them? Say like the one pictured below: Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny M. Carter Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 ny_yankee_25 wrote:Dan C wrote:So here is my question. If there is little profit and he's only willing come down $0.98 why bother having a "Make offer" on the auction?Also, if you do peal the sticky backing off, and the connections are bare, If you applied it to square steel, wouldn't it short out?I always wondered why they (mostly overseas sellers) do that too, with the "Make Offer", It really pisses me off, when that happens to me!I say, why make an offer when you can just steal everything you need to do a display? Works for some! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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