Complete Noob Starting With Nothing

[BobW]

6 hours ago, DeBoardfam said:

Great info Grant. Definitely doing lowkey at first.  It is an expensive hobby and a big initial buy in.  I ordered the pixie16 kit I linked to above. $86 in shipping.. ouch.. but.. its on its way!

You should now start thinking about where your pixel strings will be, in relation to the controller, and what you might need in the way of extension cables to reach the strings. Maybe someone here can suggest what might be the longest extension you can reliably use with this setup.

Bob W

 

[DeBoardfam]

3 hours ago, BobW said:

You should now start thinking about where your pixel strings will be, in relation to the controller, and what you might need in the way of extension cables to reach the strings. Maybe someone here can suggest what might be the longest extension you can reliably use with this setup.

Bob W

Yeah that would be good info. Also, how many can you connect together from one pigtail with the 12v system and still run (I may need to hook two together to reach the top side of the house)

[dgrant]

There are two types of pixels. Dumb and Intelligent. The dumb ones you can add them together as long as you add in a power injection like every other strip or so. Dumb strips are all one color, any color you program them to be and change colors, intensities, fades, shimmers and twinkling on the fly within your sequence. The usual controller for these is a CMB24D and it runs on a RS485 protocol.

Now Intelligent strips come in many different types along with lots of different controllers. Pixcon16, Pixie controllers, AlphaPix, PS12, San Devices and more. These provide the capability to address each pixel or pixel group individually therefore, animation, chases, color changes for each pixel and so on. There are limits too as in how many pixels can be connected to a single output. Usually 510/512 channels which there are 3 channels for each pixel. The average result is 170 pixels/pixel groups for each output. Let's say you have 3 strips of intelligent pixels, each with 150 led's in groups of 3. That gives you 50 pixels but it consumes 150 channels. Multiply that times 3 strips, now you have consumed 450 channels out of 510 for one output. Yes, you still need to do a power injection between strips 2 and 3. So cabling, power injection, connectors and so on. Depending on the controller, usually we run these on E1.31 which is DMX over TCPIP or internet. The Pixcon will run on either but NOT both. I'm not sure about the Pixie's as I don't have any. Whatever direction you are going with pixels and controllers, all of them (I think), use the Cat5 cables. Do Not Mix up your cables and connect the wrong communication to the wrong type of controller. You will FRY either or both, the computer and or controller.

[dibblejr]

On 10/7/2020 at 6:20 PM, BobW said:

You should now start thinking about where your pixel strings will be, in relation to the controller, and what you might need in the way of extension cables to reach the strings. Maybe someone here can suggest what might be the longest extension you can reliably use with this setup.

Bob W

 

He doesn't have to worry about distance unless he is going over 120'. After that it just depends.

JR

[dibblejr]

2 hours ago, dgrant said:

There are two types of pixels. Dumb and Intelligent. The dumb ones you can add them together as long as you add in a power injection like every other strip or so. Dumb strips are all one color, any color you program them to be and change colors, intensities, fades, shimmers and twinkling on the fly within your sequence. The usual controller for these is a CMB24D and it runs on a RS485 protocol.

Now Intelligent strips come in many different types along with lots of different controllers. Pixcon16, Pixie controllers, AlphaPix, PS12, San Devices and more. These provide the capability to address each pixel or pixel group individually therefore, animation, chases, color changes for each pixel and so on. There are limits too as in how many pixels can be connected to a single output. Usually 510/512 channels which there are 3 channels for each pixel. The average result is 170 pixels/pixel groups for each output. Let's say you have 3 strips of intelligent pixels, each with 150 led's in groups of 3. That gives you 50 pixels but it consumes 150 channels. Multiply that times 3 strips, now you have consumed 450 channels out of 510 for one output. Yes, you still need to do a power injection between strips 2 and 3. So cabling, power injection, connectors and so on. Depending on the controller, usually we run these on E1.31 which is DMX over TCPIP or internet. The Pixcon will run on either but NOT both. I'm not sure about the Pixie's as I don't have any. Whatever direction you are going with pixels and controllers, all of them (I think), use the Cat5 cables. Do Not Mix up your cables and connect the wrong communication to the wrong type of controller. You will FRY either or both, the computer and or controller.

The OP ordered the pixie16, DMX, E1.31 are all out the window until the pixielink hits the ground.

Strictly ELOR protocol with his pixie controller.

PI is not a "must" have, at no time. It depends on the situation. I am running 170 pixels on a couple pixies with no loss or PI. Intensity handles the situation. i also have 8 mini trees with 170 pixels all powered with 1 controller DMX but use no PI.

JR

 

[dgrant]

At this instant, on my halloween matrix, 24x50, I'm running 3 WS2811 strips in series, times 8 groups. Within the 3 strip groups, I find that if I don't do a P.I. then the colors change such as white changes from "cool white" to "warm white". SO between strips 2 and 3 of each group, I do a P.I. which solves the problem. I agree, it depends on the situation.