Pixel Daisy Chaining

[bbig]

What are the disadvantages of daisy chaining pixels?  

I have a pixie16 controller with 50 pixel strings that are serving to outline the house.  Because of the long runs involved, it is difficult to run each string all the way back to the controller.  I do recall seeing a statement that certain functions won't work on the second string but now I can't find that comment.  Other than having to go back and reprogram every sequence, what are the disadvantages of connecting a second string of 50 pixels to a single channel?  Thanks

[Little_b]

Daisy chaining pixels isn't always a bad thing.  I have some runs that are just over 300 pixels long, with most that are about 150-200.  Certain controllers have a max limit of pixels per output that you need to watch for, but the thing you run into is needing to insert power after about every 100 pixels for 12v and about 50 pixels for 5v.  I'm sure there may be other reasons to not have longer runs, but power insertion is the one that comes to my mind first.

[k6ccc]

As far as I know, the only pixels that have a hard count limit are the GE Color Effects - which have a limit of 64 pixels.  While doing some testing a few years ago, I made up a string of 500 pixels of WS2811 strips (ten 5 meter reels). The only reason I stopped at 500 pixels is that is all I had available.

 

[TheDucks]

The Data Protocol must have some Physical and Logical limits.

You can only packetize so many bits to send (and unpacket them at each node) before timing creates a bottleneck and errors happen.

Lets face it. Lighting is at the cheap end of data error correction methods