Quick LED wiring question...

[zanclus]

Greetings, I  have 100 Smart WS2811 Modules (HolidayCoro) Which  I made  into  2 strings of 50 each because the   package  recommends no more than 50 in  an  end to  end   ling. My  question is  this: I  would   like  to  do  is   run the   2 strands  across a   foyer, along the  side of  my  garage and  then across the  eves of  the  garage. I  have just   1 Tinypix controller to  control these  lights.   I  would like  to   have  different effects for the  section that   runs along the  side of  the   garage.  I have thought  about   splitting the output side of the  controller  with a   waterproof "T" and  connecting the   2 strands  but  wouldn't that  make  the   2 strand  channels 1-150?

[Rhyph]

Hmm, bunch of views and no replies?

 

As I understand it (my disclaimer to fend off the know it mores and invite obvious corrections in my logic), you can not (or may not want to) do what you are suggesting.  I have 11 Tinypix, and I'm getting along with setting them up myself now for my own display.  

 

You would need 1 board per section I think to get the desired unique channel control you may be seeking on each section individually.   Alternatively, you would not want to "split" the output, otherwise you'd end up with multiple 1st pixels in your set-up, since the output of the board to the first pixel it see's in the line would always be #1.  

 

You could figure out a way to run everything end to end and inject power as often as needed, and maybe get really creative with some null or ghost pixels to carry signal, but that could be a big effort depending on how spread out your layout is.  

 

If your layout is very spread out as is mine, I would rather have multiple boards and power runs to localize, over trying to do something centralized and having to carry the post Tinypix data/clk signal over longer distances.

Edited October 16, 2013 by Rhyph

[Ken Benedict]

Yes, you can run the 2811 strings in parallel. The maximum others have tried is 4 strings and they all played the same, as you might expect.

 

Yes, you should use power injection on long strings; there's lotsa discussion on the forum on how that happens.

[KStatefan]

There are some videos on the HolidayCoro site that show why you need a power injector for more  and the results without one.