Success

[David Spangler]

Nebbie with new equipment, I finally got everthing working. I was having trouble getting my usb adapter working. I ended up unloading the drivers twice and down loading them again. I'm not sure where it starting working but five hours later the software started recognizing the controller and bingo on went my lights. My dilemmia now is I can't decide to start my first year with leds which I do have a plan and pretty much set up with sequences I built and lights or start right out with rgb. Any thoughts would be appreciated. I see rgb taking alot more time sequencing with different results, is it worth the expense?  

[SteveMaris]

Up to you. I would say do whatever you feel comfortable with. Don't get in over your head right away. Some start out small, and I have seen others jump right into huge RGB displays as well. 

 

The sequencing does get a lot more complicated with RGB and pixels. 

[thevikester]

4th Year for me before jumping into RGB...I still like the classic look of "normal bulbs" but RGB's for some of the effects are just too cool to pass up

[Herbaclaus]

Up to you but first year using LEDs (which I agree look better) gives you a good feel and eliminates frustration. Maybe do some limited RGB to just get tuned into it? That way if it becomes too time consuming you won't have an entire display depending on it.

[kelly jett]

david,

welcome.  this will be my 5th year with a animated display.  best advice is start slow and read alot.   then back up and read some more. 

leds are great a more bang for the buck.  rgb have lots of cool options but also lots of added time to control.

 

i added some rgb floods to a display that i did and it wasn't hard to do but very time consuming.  cool addition but more programming and learning than i was expecting.

 

if you think you can figure it out then i would add an rgb item or 2 and get confortable with that and then grow.  adding a big amount of rgb just may be too much for you to get confortable with before you want to turn on the lights.

 

you have to look at it in multiples.  if you get a strip or nodes or lights that are individually controllable then each pixel/blub is a seperate item to deal with.  1 led string is 1 location to deal with in a sequence.  a 50ct rgb string is like adding 50 different led string to your sequence.  it can be really cool but that 1 led string is now multiplied by 50.

 

good thing is is that your asking about this in march and not wanting to start in november. 

 

good luck and again welcome.