Pixel intensity level

[Donl1150]

I am totally new to the pixel world but learning.  This year I will be adding two singing RGB faces and two 4' tall "mega" RGB trees to my existing AC channel display.  I have everything wired up, the props built and am finalizing my song list.  I have about a dozen songs in total with about 1/2 of them sequenced and ready to go.  I'll have the other 1/2 ready in a couple of weeks.

I have tested everything in the garage but not at night and certainly haven't put them up outside yet, although it won't take much to do that.  Power is nearby and the ethernet cable(s) are already neatly hidden in the soffit area and I also have pulled cables through buried pipe in the yard to various areas where the props will be.  All I have to do is put the props in the general area, make the final connections and power up.

What I don't know is how bright (or dim) things will look at night.  I have not made any brightness adjustments in the sequences so all are at 100%.  I have read various posts and it seems like I should plan on dimming the RGB's to somewhere under 50%.  Is it simply a trial and error method to set the best intensity level or is there a more structured approach to it?

 

 

[k6ccc]

3 minutes ago, Donl1150 said:

What I don't know is how bright (or dim) things will look at night.  I have not made any brightness adjustments in the sequences so all are at 100%.  I have read various posts and it seems like I should plan on dimming the RGB's to somewhere under 50%.  Is it simply a trial and error method to set the best intensity level or is there a more structured approach to it?

Take them outside and run them at night.  There are several ways you can adjust levels in S5.  The way you DON'T want to do it is to adjust your sequencing.  Leave it at 100% in your sequencing - except of course where it is supposed to be dimmer.  In my opinion, the best place to adjust levels because it's too damn bright is in the controller.  Not all controllers have that option however (or not selective enough control).  You can also set levels in the Preview Editor (dimming curve).

Try it and see what you like.

 

[dibblejr]

15 minutes ago, Donl1150 said:

I am totally new to the pixel world but learning.  This year I will be adding two singing RGB faces and two 4' tall "mega" RGB trees to my existing AC channel display.  I have everything wired up, the props built and am finalizing my song list.  I have about a dozen songs in total with about 1/2 of them sequenced and ready to go.  I'll have the other 1/2 ready in a couple of weeks.

I have tested everything in the garage but not at night and certainly haven't put them up outside yet, although it won't take much to do that.  Power is nearby and the ethernet cable(s) are already neatly hidden in the soffit area and I also have pulled cables through buried pipe in the yard to various areas where the props will be.  All I have to do is put the props in the general area, make the final connections and power up.

What I don't know is how bright (or dim) things will look at night.  I have not made any brightness adjustments in the sequences so all are at 100%.  I have read various posts and it seems like I should plan on dimming the RGB's to somewhere under 50%.  Is it simply a trial and error method to set the best intensity level or is there a more structured approach to it?

 

 

30% is plenty bright.

Every pixel I have are set at 30%
 

Makes Sequencing sort of challenging but worth it. Better recordings and FaceTime quality for you mother to watch from NY

JR

[Vince4xmas]

I use dimming curve for my Pixie controllers and set the intensity on my Pixcon16s.

30%

 

[TexasLights]

Right that is the key point, your sequences should still use the full range of brightness and then change the dimming curve for the prop itself.   That way, it is easy to adjust later.     My first year, I made the same song sequences with previews with different intensities and played them back to back and stood outside with the family and we decided which looked best.  

As mentioned in another post, the thing that surprised me originally was how bright everything was when I played it back originally and like others here tuned it way back to about 40% in my case for the tree, but each prop is slightly different.

[Donl1150]

Thanks for the tips everyone.  I think I will give it a try this weekend .... live out in the yard.  See how things look at night and then make dimming adjustments as needed.