Outlining house eaves, questions

[flomas]

Hi,

Finally getting back into this for this coming year, I want to outline my house eaves with RGB strips, I'm looking for the easiest solution :-) If I was to purchase several CCC II, am I able to daisy chain them together, if so is there a max?

Or, am I better off going with a PixCon16 controller. If I use a PixCon16, how long can each run be back to the controller without injecting power or is injection a must do? is it correct that each strip has to be wired back to the PixCon16? 

I also have a CTB16PC that I purchased years ago and have used once, can this tie into the same chain with either the PixCon16 or the CCC II?

Are there any recommended third party RGB smart strip sellers?

[TheDucks]

CTB16 and PIX* don't play well on the same network. You need a HS (red) adapter for Pixies (and Pixcon if running on a LOR (RS485) network)

Strips are fragile (and a pain to do dead node, repair splices). They need to be securely mounted so they do not flex.

How many LINEAR feet of Eves? Distance is your enemy  . What Shape is the eve (if not a basic Ranch, straight line?

12V allows 100 nodes per port without PI (170 with PI.)

I used 3 controllers for a 'L' shaped, with the base L tip (Garage sidewall) facing the street..

2 Ports(NetB Pixie): 50 nodes, Garage Back, facing Neighbor. 100Nodes Garage Gable, facing street.

3 ports (NetA Pixie located in corner of the L): 232 nodes total . 100 (<reversed port), 32 in the corner, 100 across the front.  All 3 wires run up the corner

1 port (NetA Pixie): 50 nodes carport/storage to the far right (viewer)

No cable is longer than 15'.  Note, there are other things on NetB than just the Pixies and I don't really push my controllers (butt simple show)

 

 

[dibblejr]

We need to stop saying “more than 100 pixels = must have power injection”.

That is false- wrong information - PERIOD.

OP- To PI or not depends on the situation.

I have ZERO PI in any props. I run 156 nodes on 2 of the 8 sections of my roofline and the distance from the controller for those are 120’.

All with either pixie4 or 8’s on my roof and outline.

It all depends and the 100 is something that someone started in paper a long time ago.

Pixels and controllers have come a long way since then.

JR

 

[flomas]

Thank you both for the replies, I can see the problems using strips would cause when a LED goes bad. I need to take measurements on my total run, I have three peaks and three straight runs. @dibblejr what I gather from what you stated, I should be able to get away with putting one Pixie controller in the middle and running all my nodes back to one controller and not have two or three in this mix, is that not correct? @TheDucks do you know what types of issues the CTB16 causes if I network them together? or is it just not suggestable to do? 

How are you both mounting these and are they behind your eaves fascia or in front of it, what type of pixels are you using bullet or square nodes, advantage or disadvantage of either?

Here's some pic's of what I'll be working with

[dibblejr]

You can run your CTB16's with your pixie controller just fine. I had plenty of CTB16's running after my CCR tree. 12 of them when I had my 24' LED mega tree. 

You should be able to do as you plan and use a pixie 16 but with only 6 runs a pixie8 would be enough. Just ensure 12 volts since that is all I tested from beta current. I have never used a 5v pixel of any kind. Keeping them all the same voltage is good for interchangeability and confusion.

Any you will not need PI. Sounds cool though, but you will not need it. If using a pixie8 I recommend two 350w psu's, one per bank. If you buy a kit it is easy to add. If you build your own, even easier.

For my outline I use a Ws2811 5050 chip, they are rectangular with 3- RGB nodes per section. About 4" apart. You can see my video in the Christmas show section. They are mounted to PVC and held on to the eves by HC clips.

They have been on the roof 365 days a year for the 5th year, The hurricane before Halloween damaged some and I made some repairs but they will be replaced this season for the 4th of July. I feel I got my monies worth.

Need info feel free to PM me.

I do have a question.

Is there a reason you are lighting the back of your roof on two sections? It may be a better plan to bring that section over the peak. If I could get to my peak I would light it in a heartbeat but its over 60' and a 8/12 pitch. Not gonna happen.

JR

Short Video from a Drone Pilot Last Night - My Christmas Display - Light-O-Rama Forums

 

Edited January 26, 2021 by dibblejr

[k6ccc]

On 1/24/2021 at 2:56 PM, dibblejr said:

We need to stop saying “more than 100 pixels = must have power injection”.

That is false- wrong information - PERIOD.

True.  With some pixels, it's LESS than 100.  Depends on a lot of variables.  Can be more too - under some circumstances.  You MUST test the pixels and wiring YOU intend to use in order to know for sure.

 

[flomas]

32 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

True.  With some pixels, it's LESS than 100.  Depends on a lot of variables.  Can be more too - under some circumstances.  You MUST test the pixels and wiring YOU intend to use in order to know for sure.

 

Thanks for the tip Jim,  I recall seeing that lots here in the forums, test, test ,test. I will definitely test my full length wire run back to my controller before doing any mounting.. :-)

[k6ccc]

Testing on the bench sure beats putting lights up in a hard to reach location and finding that there is an issue!

 

[flomas]

1 hour ago, dibblejr said:

You can run your CTB16's with your pixie controller just fine. I had plenty of CTB16's running after my CCR tree. 12 of them when I had my 24' LED mega tree. 

You should be able to do as you plan and use a pixie 16 but with only 6 runs a pixie8 would be enough. Just ensure 12 volts since that is all I tested from beta current. I have never used a 5v pixel of any kind. Keeping them all the same voltage is good for interchangeability and confusion.

Any you will not need PI. Sounds cool though, but you will not need it. If using a pixie8 I recommend two 350w psu's, one per bank. If you buy a kit it is easy to add. If you build your own, even easier.

For my outline I use a Ws2811 5050 chip, they are rectangular with 3- RGB nodes per section. About 4" apart. You can see my video in the Christmas show section. They are mounted to PVC and held on to the eves by HC clips.

They have been on the roof 365 days a year for the 5th year, The hurricane before Halloween damaged some and I made some repairs but they will be replaced this season for the 4th of July. I feel I got my monies worth.

Need info feel free to PM me.

I do have a question.

Is there a reason you are lighting the back of your roof on two sections? It may be a better plan to bring that section over the peak. If I could get to my peak I would light it in a heartbeat but its over 60' and a 8/12 pitch. Not gonna happen.

JR

Short Video from a Drone Pilot Last Night - My Christmas Display - Light-O-Rama Forums

 

Thanks JR, I will definitely give you a ping on the side. not following you on the back roof sections, everything in red is viewable from the street level. The first two peaks toward the bottom of the pic are my garage, the one above that is the peak where the house starts, the peak on the far right is where my two rooms are that peak is full facing the street.

5 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

Testing on the bench sure beats putting lights up in a hard to reach location and finding that there is an issue!

 

Amen! 🙂

[KYHI]

garage has 3 straight runs & house has 6 straight runs

Length of each run?

Pixel spacing?

Pixel Type?

[flomas]

1 hour ago, dibblejr said:

You can run your CTB16's with your pixie controller just fine. I had plenty of CTB16's running after my CCR tree. 12 of them when I had my 24' LED mega tree. 

You should be able to do as you plan and use a pixie 16 but with only 6 runs a pixie8 would be enough. Just ensure 12 volts since that is all I tested from beta current. I have never used a 5v pixel of any kind. Keeping them all the same voltage is good for interchangeability and confusion.

Any you will not need PI. Sounds cool though, but you will not need it. If using a pixie8 I recommend two 350w psu's, one per bank. If you buy a kit it is easy to add. If you build your own, even easier.

For my outline I use a Ws2811 5050 chip, they are rectangular with 3- RGB nodes per section. About 4" apart. You can see my video in the Christmas show section. They are mounted to PVC and held on to the eves by HC clips.

They have been on the roof 365 days a year for the 5th year, The hurricane before Halloween damaged some and I made some repairs but they will be replaced this season for the 4th of July. I feel I got my monies worth.

Need info feel free to PM me.

I do have a question.

Is there a reason you are lighting the back of your roof on two sections? It may be a better plan to bring that section over the peak. If I could get to my peak I would light it in a heartbeat but its over 60' and a 8/12 pitch. Not gonna happen.

JR

Short Video from a Drone Pilot Last Night - My Christmas Display - Light-O-Rama Forums

 

Awesome video, one day I'll get there. I ran a small show with my CTB16 when I first got it, I think back in 2014. I had old vinyl siding all over my house and this past year the wife I and some buddies removed it, patched, repaired everything underneath, new molding around all the windows, painted. It was fun.. NOT. and now it's time to get my eaves RGB'd out, my goal is to make them permanent and build the show out from there.

[dibblejr]

30 minutes ago, flomas said:

Thanks JR, I will definitely give you a ping on the side. not following you on the back roof sections, everything in red is viewable from the street level. The first two peaks toward the bottom of the pic are my garage, the one above that is the peak where the house starts, the peak on the far right is where my two rooms are that peak is full facing the street.

Amen! 🙂

That explained its- viewable

[flomas]

3 minutes ago, KYHI said:

garage has 3 straight runs & house has 6 straight runs

Length of each run?

Pixel spacing?

Pixel Type?

when I did a vague measurement years ago, each run was about 14', I'm busting the ladder out this weekend weather permitting and getting some definite numbers to work with.

still not sure about the pixel spacing or type, I actually have 16 dumb RGB strips that I  purchased along with the controllers years ago, I was originally going to go with just dumb,  just never went throw with it because of the siding mess on the house, but that's' gone now.

I actually made a make shift tree this year out of the dumb strips and a tree frame I had, just ran it as standalone on CMB-24, turning off and on with a timer, I think I'm going to use the dumbs around the windows.

I wanted to use strips originally, but now I'm thinking of going with square ones, I want to mount on the front of the fascia board and I want a good sequential rolling effect going across from one side of the house to the other. Is there a general rule for spacing, is there a standard?

DumbTree: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1gxQjRcQEwHpa38j8

 

 

[TheDucks]

5 hours ago, flomas said:

Awesome video, one day I'll get there. I ran a small show with my CTB16 when I first got it, I think back in 2014. I had old vinyl siding all over my house and this past year the wife I and some buddies removed it, patched, repaired everything underneath, new molding around all the windows, painted. It was fun.. NOT. and now it's time to get my eaves RGB'd out, my goal is to make them permanent and build the show out from there.

2014, That may be a Gen 2 (red status LED). Those DO NOT play with a high speed Pixie Network.  You just need to add the second network with a RED adapter. No biggie.

Can you even SEE the back half of House Ridge2 from the street (assumes Garage door faces a street)?

[PhilMassey]

7 hours ago, flomas said:

still not sure about the pixel spacing or type, I actually have 16 dumb RGB strips that I  purchased along with the controllers years ago, I was originally going to go with just dumb,  just never went throw with it because of the siding mess on the house, but that's' gone now.

I ran one season in 2012 with dumb strips on eaves Didn't like the look and lost several sections during the season. Next year I went to smart pixels, spaced about 3.3 in apart. My eaves are 60 feet, two sections of 108 pixels fed from the center. 12V pixels, 0.5W per pixel, SanDevices 6804 controller. I see a little pinking at 100%. Still using the same props eight years later and l still have several spools of dumb strips laying around.  Some of them wound up in our china cabinets.

[flomas]

17 hours ago, TheDucks said:

2014, That may be a Gen 2 (red status LED). Those DO NOT play with a high speed Pixie Network.  You just need to add the second network with a RED adapter. No biggie.

Can you even SEE the back half of House Ridge2 from the street (assumes Garage door faces a street)?

Yes you can totally see that half of peak #2 back side of the garage from the front of the house and the side. The RED adapter, does LOR sell this?

Edited January 27, 2021 by flomas

[TheDucks]

3 hours ago, flomas said:

Yes you can totally see that half of peak #2 back side of the garage from the front of the house and the side. The RED adapter, does LOR sell this?

Yes. It is labeled HS (high speed) and is good for up to 1M (and it can do slow just fine) . It is just a couple of bucks more than the black one.

[flomas]

Thanks for all the replies and input. I'm going to get some measurement's done this weekend and get a shopping list together. I'm sure I'll be back.. 

[Dcroc]

On 1/25/2021 at 11:43 PM, dibblejr said:

You can run your CTB16's with your pixie controller just fine. I had plenty of CTB16's running after my CCR tree. 12 of them when I had my 24' LED mega tree. 

You should be able to do as you plan and use a pixie 16 but with only 6 runs a pixie8 would be enough. Just ensure 12 volts since that is all I tested from beta current. I have never used a 5v pixel of any kind. Keeping them all the same voltage is good for interchangeability and confusion.

Any you will not need PI. Sounds cool though, but you will not need it. If using a pixie8 I recommend two 350w psu's, one per bank. If you buy a kit it is easy to add. If you build your own, even easier.

For my outline I use a Ws2811 5050 chip, they are rectangular with 3- RGB nodes per section. About 4" apart. You can see my video in the Christmas show section. They are mounted to PVC and held on to the eves by HC clips.

They have been on the roof 365 days a year for the 5th year, The hurricane before Halloween damaged some and I made some repairs but they will be replaced this season for the 4th of July. I feel I got my monies worth.

Need info feel free to PM me.

I do have a question.

Is there a reason you are lighting the back of your roof on two sections? It may be a better plan to bring that section over the peak. If I could get to my peak I would light it in a heartbeat but its over 60' and a 8/12 pitch. Not gonna happen.

JR

Short Video from a Drone Pilot Last Night - My Christmas Display - Light-O-Rama Forums

 

How do you run 3 nodes p0er section?  Are you saying 3 nodes act as 1 pixel as a strip would?  If so, how do you accomplish this?  I am thinking of replacing my strips with nodes,  but to get spacing I would like (2") I would have to double the pixel count.  This would mean a lot of sequence moding, and maybe even some PI.  Easy answer would to have 3 nodes as one pixel, but haven't figured out a way to do that.

[dibblejr]

14 minutes ago, Dcroc said:

How do you run 3 nodes p0er section?  Are you saying 3 nodes act as 1 pixel as a strip would?  If so, how do you accomplish this?  I am thinking of replacing my strips with nodes,  but to get spacing I would like (2") I would have to double the pixel count.  This would mean a lot of sequence moding, and maybe even some PI.  Easy answer would to have 3 nodes as one pixel, but haven't figured out a way to do that.

No, the ws2811 (rectangle housing) 5050 chip. Each pixel is RGB , 3 pixels per section. Nothing changes in sequencing. 50 of those sequence as 50 nodes but = 150 at the end. 

We wont discuss pi, my findings and feelings about pi are well written and been beat to death. 

Let me find my Halloween repair video where you can get an up close look. Gimme a sec, will add to this. In the video each one of those nodes are RGB, not like a strip.

JR

 

Edited January 30, 2021 by dibblejr