Dumb or Smart Strings VS Super Strings

[scubado]

For those that have switched over to pixel strings, any regrets, pros or cons?

I have a mix of ways of changing colors on my elements except for smart ribbon or pixels. I see super strings as a visual plus over RGB strings for such things as bushes and trees. Lets say you have a bush that requires 200 bulbs for decent coverage of a single color. With dumb strings you only have one single color on at a time, but any color you want. With smart strings, you can have multiple colors, but you only have 200 points of light. With the old school led super strings, you can have more than one color on at a time such as red and blue and have 400 points of light. You'll have an overall purple hue but yet still have the individual colors. Even better with 4 colors and 800 points of light.

The advantage of having dumb or smart pixels is less strings weighting down your bush plus making any color you want. But then one of the three colors dies on you and that pixel will stand out like a sore thumb. Same thing on an RGB ribbon. Especially when trying to make white. I try to have a seperate white as a power saver and offers extra options as well.

I just thought I'd throw this out there for some thing to think about for those wanting to switch to RGB for healthy discussion or a war of words

[JeffF]

I still really like the look of incandescent super strings. And so does my family. And so do our friends. And so does the handful of people I talked with who came to watch our lights.

I hear people complain about the maintenance associated with incans, but to me it's just part of the hobby. And hell, sometimes I actually like going out there for and hour or so and tinker(with or without an adult beverage).

I think people who do this hobby year-round(personally I am only really into it 2 or 3 months out of the year) forget that most people don't... so what may be blah to them is still awesomely cool to the average person who drives around at Christmas time looking at lights.

And I agree 110% with your "points of light" statement. Seeing our three colors jump back and fourth and have each color generate it's own pattern of light makes for some incredible effects. This year a few people really noticed our house wreaths doing this. Funny thing is each wreath has just 50 lights of each color. How you'd pick those out over the other 70,000ish lights is beyond me.

I may do a single 10-ish foot pixel tree for 2013... or we may go with a 20-ish foot clear incandescent spiral tree. Either way I'm sure everybody who comes to see our lights will smile.

-Jeff

[WilliamS]

Coming from the all pixels on my house, I still like the super string look. The laser sharp lines of the pixel strips are nice, the colors are endless, the effects are endless. The feel of christmas lights are gone though. Sure I have million of combinations of color and effect but something about the way incans, or leds like the m5 just randomly line up and light I no longer have. There are strings that are part of both worlds but that warm glow is gone. Again my house is 100% pixels, not a single string of lights anywhere to be found, and in terms of the christmas feel the tradtional lights are better in my opinion. Im not going back, Im adding more pixels next year to try and fill that void in my heart for the ol' christmas lights that is missing with my display.

[TonyD]

Coming from the all pixels on my house, I still like the super string look. The laser sharp lines of the pixel strips are nice, the colors are endless, the effects are endless. The feel of christmas lights are gone though. Sure I have million of combinations of color and effect but something about the way incans, or leds like the m5 just randomly line up and light I no longer have. There are strings that are part of both worlds but that warm glow is gone. Again my house is 100% pixels, not a single string of lights anywhere to be found, and in terms of the christmas feel the tradtional lights are better in my opinion. Im not going back, Im adding more pixels next year to try and fill that void in my heart for the ol' christmas lights that is missing with my display.

I'm glad you said this because i was wondering what i was missing with all the talk about pixels, RGB, etc. Now i've not actually seen any of these in person mind you, so it could be once i see them i'll be like "oh yeah now i get it!" I have seen some really good use in videos though, to be sure.

So for now i think i'll just start out with the good old strings! (ok, maybe an RGB flood strip or 2)

Tony

[dknahoolewa]

RGB may still have a ways to go as far as the way they look physically but it's the ability to make them any color and control each pixel that make them the new interesting thing.

I'm still fairly new at animated displays but I'm going to go with a mixture of both. Just depends on what your trying to accomplish. Most views come back the next year just to see what has changed.

[olmsb4d2]

Scubado thanks for asking this question as it has helped me make up my mind. I have been learning as much as I can about RGB in anticipation of changing my display but after watching videos and having the opportunity to see a show done in RGB M5 type lights and RGB strips I've changed my mind. As you and some others have noted here it's just not the same and doesn't look like a traditional Christmas display. Don't get me wrong..what some people have done with RGB's is mind boggling but at the end of the day I feel the same as William...the warm glow is not there.

[jlowe]

I think the rgb pixels that are bulb form still reflect a Christmas feel, even though they do lose that interesting bit that different strings of color lighting gives.

But pixel strips make me think of dance floors.

[Ron Boyd]

I'm going to continue to do some of both. My first foray into pixels was a success with the exception of 2 wet controllers. That being said, all of the "Christmas lights" are all LEDs. I really don't like the look of incans ( and problems) and warm white LEDs. Im doing more pixels in 2013, but will still have about 160 LOR channels.

[WilliamS]

Im going to triple my pixel count this year. Ive gotten deep into the pixel world and Im not going backwards. The strips have a feel of the holidays, but lose the randomly scattered lights that the m5's or incans have. I love that on my christmas tree, love all the displays with it as well. I am not one to say my way is best, but in my neighborhood its best for me as I can only decorate on a 2D plane. In my townhouse I have no ownership of the yard so no mini trees, no candy canes, I have to stick close the shrubs as possible. If you want a few RGB elements there will be no one to fault you. Heck run them on your eaves or make a big ass start they look great. If you have the room, I love the mini trees and weber trees. Keep those mini lights and you cant go wrong. As for me, in my first year this is all I could come up with.

http://vimeo.com/56957016

Edited January 12, 2013 by WilliamS

[scubado]

This year I'll be loosing a large corner bush and adding another RGB flowerbed in it's place. I'll have extra strings to repurpose else where. I'll try to find another 7' artificial tree at rumage sales this year just to help maintain that string look. I also bought a couple of 10' 1/2" plastic conduit to use in the yard to see where I can possibly add some arches.

Some good feedback guys.

WilliamS> Nice work of the verical space, I thought I had a small yard until I saw yours

Edited January 12, 2013 by scubado