Controller Options

[mattpatt]

I've been doing lots of reading and watching videos and I think I have the basics of DMX. I have a project that I would like to work on for my Christmas display that will consist of 20 - 2.5 foot "dumb" 5050 RGB strips. I'm looking for suggestions on controllers? I've been looking and there's the cheap 27 channel controller from China which would require 3 of those for 20 RGB strips. Or 2 and 2 of the $6 controllers. Or I could just go with 20 of the $6 controllers. I found a 96 channel controller but it only is rated for 300ma output on each channel and I'm not sure how much amperage a 2.5 foot SMD strip will draw. Are there any other controllers out there that I've missed?

Thanks,

Matt

[aussiephil]

Matt,

12V, dumb RGB 5050 strip by the specs should draw around 200mA per Color per Meter, Those a full range of options out there but none quite as cost effective as the 27ch controllers. You could use LOR DC boards of course.

controller advise would depend somewhat on yard layout..... 5,12,24v DC brings along some baggage with voltage drop and cable distance that is often solved in different ways

Phil

[mattpatt]

Phil,

Thanks for the info. Here's the link to the 96 channel controller I found. If the strips will only draw about 200mA per meter then it might just work.

http://www.usledsupply.com/shop/rgb-32-spi-dmx-decoder.html

Matt

[Caleb Linburg]

It says up to 5' on this diagram. http://www.usledsupply.com/shop/catalog/product/gallery/id/99/image/1280/

[mattpatt]

It says up to 5' on this diagram. http://www.usledsupp.../99/image/1280/

Thanks Caleb. I guess I must have missed that graphic somehow. The dumb strips I'm looking at say <.6A per meter. Of course, we all know never to trust Chinese amperage ratings when it comes to these things.

Matt

[Shubb]

If you are just planning to use 12v DC strips, I would just plan on using a 12v DC controller. The LOR DC controller will connect in series to your existing network and program the same as your existing controllers.

If you go the DMX route, you will have to buy other adapters plus the controller and it will complicate the installation and set-up.

Keep it simple, and you will be much happier.

Scott

[mattpatt]

Scott while I agree that it would make it much simpler... 20 strips \ 5 channels per controller for the LOR DC controller = 4 controllers needed at $100 a pop for just one element. OUCH

[jonnyci]

Welcome to the world of LOR Matt.

[Max-Paul]

Never said that what we do is cheap. If we all wanted was cheap. Then we all would have bought a few ican strings at the end of season along with several cards of replacement / flasher bulbs and been done hanging the lights in less than 30 minutes. And that would have included maybe one of them timer thingys so we would not have to mess with plugging and unplugging the lights every night. No sure re bob, tant cheap at tall.

[mattpatt]

Since this is my first year, I can see that jumping in with BOTH feet is not going to be possible. Maybe I'll stick one foot in now and get a couple of DC controllers during the summer sale and build around that along with the two AC controllers I already have for this year and then add a couple more next year. Yep, I better start my 2013 controller fund right now! If I could just stick back $40 a month between now and when LOR has their spring sale I'll be in good shape.

[Max-Paul]

Lets see, I am going to take an educated guess and say that the spring sale will be in March. So we have Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb. I got a count of 7 months X $40 = 280 bucks.Ya that should get you two DC controllers. But then too, Spring Sale does not include all items in the store. Only those things that they feel are over stocked.