RGB Pixels to Ouline House and Windows

[kzziboy]

Hey Everyone!
Looking for advice.  I want to outline my house with RGB Pixel Strings along with the front windowns too.

What would be best, 5 volt or 12 volt pixel strings?

How do you lay it out?  Meaning, where's the best place to put the pixel controllers?  That will help me decide if I buy Pixie 4 or Pixie 8 controllers and how many of each.  I realize you can only go so far with wiring leading up to the strings.

Will I run into any problems programing the layout into the Lightorama software?  In other words, is it best to keep all the house outline strings on one controller and all the window outline strings on another?  Or doesn't that matter?

My house is about 65 feet in length.  Probably 25 feet along the edge of the roof up to the peak.  Am I pushing it to run 100 pixel strings on each port?  I don't want to deal with having to do any power injecting.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Jimehc]

use 12 volt Pixels and a Pixie 16 Controller (less expensive the 2 or 3 Pixie8/4.. At 65 feet total width, then I would place the controller midpoint, so as no need to worry about extension cable length..

The Pixie's support up to 170 Pixels / port - providing you figure out the power requirements for your setup

Your Layout, Pixels and Controller configuration will all be done inside the prop configuration within your Preview..

Edited April 17, 2021 by Jimehc

[kzziboy]

Wasn't sure if that was best or not.  Considering reaching each end of the house and of course reaching each window.  There could be as much as a 25 foot run of wire BEFORE I reach a window or two.  Will I encounter a problem with that long of a run (drop in voltage/brightness)?

[Jimehc]

with the New Pixie's > it is stated at 50 Foot Max, http://www1.lightorama.com/pixel-extensions/  others have run longer extensions..

http://store.lightorama.com/piex.html

[Mr. P]

The biggest issue I see with using a Pixie16 to wire the entire house is if the Pixie16 goes out then the entire house goes out. The house is the biggest prop in your show so I always break it down into sections, if one section goes dark then the rest can keep going. A pixie16 is great for a pixel tree or a matrix but for something like a house I always break it down with four port controllers so the show can keep going while I do repairs.

[dibblejr]

I have yet to see a pixie16 or any pixie controller go out for any reason other than complete power outage and I still have the original v1 - my beta test pixie16 still running.

Anyone running a house with a pixie controller 4/8/12 and even the 2’s should be safe from failure other than something the Seqiencer is doing or act of God.

That holds true with most controllers. 
 

Don’t believe and max and min distances.

I have 120’ from computer to first node.

It all boils down to “testing”. Every scenario may be different. I tell that to everyone I have helped and that is 100’s of people or more.
 

JR

[kzziboy]

Sounds good.  I'm not too stressed about losing the controller to a failure.  If I enclose it and keep it dry, I should be just fine.  I just didn't want to have it all set up for one controller and then find out that physically, because of distance, it wouldn't work.  I didn't realize that you could go that far with an extension.

[dibblejr]

2 hours ago, kzziboy said:

Sounds good.  I'm not too stressed about losing the controller to a failure.  If I enclose it and keep it dry, I should be just fine.  I just didn't want to have it all set up for one controller and then find out that physically, because of distance, it wouldn't work.  I didn't realize that you could go that far with an extension.

V1 Pixie16’s were said to be no more than 50’ but during beta I pushed it far beyond that.

Each release was able to go further 

I have 6-  20’ cables that intertwine from my garage through my walls and eventually end up in the attic and out the vents to my upper roof outlines. 
 

Just straight ground to peak is 60’.

Testing is key. And now in S5 you have the option to turn thee intensity down.

All oF my controllerS are set for 30% intensity.

Best of luck and if you need help setting up your pixies just ask.

Two power psu’s are the key to some really stout pixie16’s

I have at least 700w (350w x 2) per pixie16 but most of mine have 2 x 500 watts

JR

Edited April 18, 2021 by dibblejr

[kzziboy]

Sweet. I actually already have 1 Pixie 16. I have it to run a mega tree. This would be to replace a traditional controller for the house. I have to practice more with the software to get used to it. Thanks for the help!