Adding rgb

[2dwc]

Hello!  Complete newbie here…just received my LOR stuff and haven’t even unboxed it yet.  I bought the TSO package with 3 controllers.  I want to install permanent lights on the eaves of my house (it’s 3 stories and I need to rent a lift so want to put them up once and leave them) and wanted dumb rgb so I could set the color depending on the season.  Looking at pricing, it’s probably better to just get smart rgb and have future flexibility.  There would be 4 strips so 4 channels, but may go with 8 just for fun. 
 

My question is…can I easily integrate this into the tso package?  I’m not familiar with the software yet (pro and bought the editable sequences) but I assume there is a way to reassign channels to an rgb controller?  Not asking for detailed instructions (yet) but is it doable or should I just put up a couple different colored strings of lights and call it good?  Any advice or tips?  I’m retired (so time isn’t an issue) and fairly tech savvy.

Question 2…will it run off the minidirector or does it need to be run from a pc (the tso package has the option for a pixel free so I’m assuming the md can handle it…)?

Edited September 16, 2021 by 2dwc

[k6ccc]

14 minutes ago, 2dwc said:

My question is…can I easily integrate this into the tso package?

Yes you can.  Since you bought the editable sequences, you can do almost anything with them.

14 minutes ago, 2dwc said:

Question 2…will it run off the minidirector

The Mini-director is pretty limited, so if you do much with pixels, you will need something better.  Personally I have always run my show off a PC and consider any of the directors to be massively limiting.

16 minutes ago, 2dwc said:

Looking at pricing, it’s probably better to just get smart rgb and have future flexibility.

Each has advantages and disadvantages.  I use both smart and dumb RGB.

17 minutes ago, 2dwc said:

There would be 4 strips so 4 channels, but may go with 8 just for fun. 

Two things about this.  First, it's not 4 channels, but rather 4 ports or outputs from the controller.  Each port of a pixel controller will be many channels.

Second is that you can (depending on what you use) connect multiple strips or strings of smart pixels end to end.  That way you may not need to tie up 4 ports for your 4 strips.  Skipping the long discussions about power injection and also strings vs strips for now.

 

 

[TheDucks]

What controllers did you buy?

Dumb RGB uses a CMB24

Smart used Pixies(2,4,8,16)/Pixcon16  or some 3rd party. Pixels also are fussy about distance from controller (data, and voltage drop.)

(Speaking of this: Be sure you can reach the controller without a lift.  Also when a Smart node fails, all the rest are out of service. A dumb node fail usually is just is out, the rest still work.)

[dibblejr]

A mini director will run pixels just fine up to a certain point due to network limitations 1600- 2400 pixels but at this point yoi are probably not even close.

JR

[dibblejr]

3 hours ago, TheDucks said:

What controllers did you buy?

Dumb RGB uses a CMB24

Smart used Pixies(2,4,8,16)/Pixcon16  or some 3rd party. Pixels also are fussy about distance from controller (data, and voltage drop.)

(Speaking of this: Be sure you can reach the controller without a lift.  Also when a Smart node fails, all the rest are out of service. A dumb node fail usually is just is out, the rest still work.)

The fussy about distance is probably the 5v. I have no problem with 120’ of extensions to my roof peak from garage up wall, three stories across attic and to the center peek.

If you do it correctly it can/ has been done.

JR

[k6ccc]

2 minutes ago, dibblejr said:

A mini director will run pixels just fine up to a certain point due to network limitations 1600- 2400 pixels but at this point yoi are probably not even close.

Correct.  A big if is what else will be on the one network.  Only Pixie and Pixcon controllers can run at 1000K speed, so if you have even one AC or DC controller, you are limited to 500K speed (at the highest) which cuts JR's count roughly in half.  Since this is new purchase, pretty much anything you get will handle 500K Enhanced LOR protocol (ELLs and InputPups will not), so you likely wont run into a need for a non-Enhanced or slow network.

 

[dibblejr]

6 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

Correct.  A big if is what else will be on the one network.  Only Pixie and Pixcon controllers can run at 1000K speed, so if you have even one AC or DC controller, you are limited to 500K speed (at the highest) which cuts JR's count roughly in half.  Since this is new purchase, pretty much anything you get will handle 500K Enhanced LOR protocol (ELLs and InputPups will not), so you likely wont run into a need for a non-Enhanced or slow network.

 

I have not had any luck with a pixie at 1000 speed. As a matter of fact I just helped a member in Juno Alaska. I helped her a few months ago and all was well.

Within those few months she read about someone stating 1000 speed so she switched from 500 to 1000.

She called me last Thursday and after a little while of trouble shooting I discovered what she did.

Only 2 strings of AC lights were working. No pixie RGB lights.

As soon as she switched back to 500k all lights worked as expected.

Even in S5 NP the 1000k still says “Reserved for Pixcon16 only”.

500k has not limited my node counts.

The pixielink does change a lot of that though.

JR

Edited September 16, 2021 by dibblejr

[2dwc]

Thank you everyone for the replies!  Lots of information to absorb and learn but sounds like I could run the few strings I need.  I don't have any controllers or RGB yet.  The roofline of my house has 4 different profiles ranging from 16 feet to 24 feet.  Which would be better...pixels, strips or bulbs?  I know I can shorten strips where needed, but not sure about pixels and bulbs.

[dibblejr]

4 hours ago, 2dwc said:

Thank you everyone for the replies!  Lots of information to absorb and learn but sounds like I could run the few strings I need.  I don't have any controllers or RGB yet.  The roofline of my house has 4 different profiles ranging from 16 feet to 24 feet.  Which would be better...pixels, strips or bulbs?  I know I can shorten strips where needed, but not sure about pixels and bulbs.

Pixels 12v or the 2020’s I use which are rectangular and have 3- rgb pixels per rectangle. They are also very low voltage. I have 156 on 2 or my roof peak lines.

Pixels and bulbs and the ones I use for my roof are much easier and more reliable when shortened.

Feel free to ask foe more info 

Happy lighting

JR

Edited September 17, 2021 by dibblejr