Sub Channels?

[Stone Roots]

Im Just curious - Is there any way to set up a sub-channel in a channel? For example, I want to run 2 or 3 colors on the same channel - but I want them to fire seprately, is that possible? I just purchased 2 more controllers, as it is all I can afford for this year, but I still am going to be short - so im trying to find a way to make it work.

Thanks! -SR

[k6ccc]

There are some ways to do sort of what you are trying to do. For example you can control a relay (or several) with a channel that will change what is actually powered. For example you could have let's say 6 mini trees that each have 1 channel. Then use a 7th channel to control several relays that switch each of those channels to different strings on each tree. That way you could have the trees white or green. All would operate at the color that was controlled by the relay on the 7th channel. That way you get 6 mini trees in green or white - what would normally take 12 channels and use only 7 channels.

BTW, visualizer will not know the difference so it won't quite look right.

[Stone Roots]

That's exactly what I want to do - how would I set the relay to power a varied strand?

[Stone Roots]

So if I want to run 3 colors (red,white&green) on 10 mini trees - I would be able to do that with 12 channels ( 10 channels + 2 relays ), rather than 30 channels?

[k6ccc]

OK. In this drawing, I am assuming 10 trees with white and green lights. Channel 11 controls a relay (or far more likely, several of them in parallel). When channel 11 is on, the relay switches the outputs of the 10 tree channels from the white string to the green string. This way, you still have control over what the tree lights are doing (dimming, which ones are on, etc), but with a single channel you can switch the group of trees from white to green. Most likely you would switch while the trees are off, but you could for example have the 10 trees chase from one end to the other in white, and then turn on channel 11 and chase back in green. With some more relays, you could add a 3rd or 4th color, or split them into groups, but then you are using more channels for relays. Sort of a diminishing return.

Hope that helps.

[Tim Fischer]

In the end you're still going to spend a bit of money, sequencing will be more difficult, and you're sequencing options are vastly limited compared to having 'real' channels for every color. For example, want to fade from red to green? Can't do it. Want to chase a red tree across a green tree background? Can't do it.

If you need to bring the costs down, buy LOR kits when they're on sale, come up with your own enclosure and cheaper cord sets, etc. But stick with the real deal. Just my $0.02

[k6ccc]

So if I want to run 3 colors (red,white&green) on 10 mini trees - I would be able to do that with 12 channels ( 10 channels + 2 relays ), rather than 30 channels?

Yes, you could. However as Tim said, you do limit your options some. The other thing is the cost and complexity of your relays. The more games you play with alternate control, the more complex your sequencing and relay box gets. Remember that although I drew only 1 relay for 10 channels, you will likely have more than that. Unless you spend big bucks (kinda defeats the purpose) you are only going to get between 2 and 4 sets of relay contacts per relay. That means that you will actually have 3 to 5 relays in place of the one that I drew. They add us in cost and potential failure.

That is sort of related to why I am going with so much RGB. I get any color I want for no more cost than it would be with just a couple colors.