Smart Pixels for Indoor Tree?

[ASIANPIRATE]

Good day,

I have been interested in Light-O-Rama for some time now. This year, I would like to get started by lighting an indoor Christmas tree with smart pixels. Can anyone tell me the minimum equipment  I would need to accomplish this?  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[hasslerk]

Not that you couldn't get some neat effects using LOR on an indoor Christmas tree, but hanging and mapping the lights on a real tree could be a bit troublesome.  If you notice, when we talk about "mega-trees" and pixels, they are always fake "trees", where we basically stand up a pole and attach pixels to strips to keep them uniformly spaced.  A friend recently told me about "Twinkly", which sells light strings that you place on your tree that are programmable via a smart phone.  You hang them on the tree, then start the app, point your smartphone at the tree, and it maps out the light locations for you, so precision on your part to hang them is not required.  I believe you then apply pre-canned sequences to it.  Just a thought based off your comment...I have no real experience with the product (and too much work to do on the outdoor display).

[Don]

Than again ... (just my opinion) there are plenty of things you could with the lights being "sorta close to lined up." It wouldn't have to be 100% straight to have some awesome effects.

 

[Orville]

I'm actually using the LOR older 5V C9's on a few trees, 2 older Gemmy Lightshow Trees that the lights had gone bad on, and one indoor tree, and all are using the older 5V CCB100D Controllers to do it.  Today, I'd get the 12V Pixie {CCC-II Controller} and 100 pixels per port {200 pixels total}, you could use either the 12V Bullet Nodes or the12V C9 bulbs. I have an indoor animation sequence for the indoor trees {and I do have some musical ones as well for it}.  My tree is a smaller tree, so I use 100 pixels on it {50 per port} it's a 4-foot tall tree, the revamped outdoor Gemmy Lightshow Trees are smaller, about 2' not counting the base structure use 50 pixels per tree and each tree is on its own port, this way they are controlled by one controller, but independently of each other.  I actually mounted the RGB Controller inside one of the bases of the trees, they have to be kept close together, but that’s fine with me.  All look and work great.

I strung the RGB lights in an Up/Down fashion around the trees, staring with the last bulb {#50} and working my way to Bulb #1 on the strand at the bottom of the tree.

Although circularly around the tree, starting from the top down {last bulb #50 or 100} of the strand at the top could also be used.  I always try and start with the end bulb first and work my way back to bulb #1, making sure it's at the bottom level of the tree for easier connection to the controller}.

Just recall how you strung the lights, and try to keep the bulb count as close to the same on each line of bulbs strung, example: 50 bulbs = 5 lines of 10 bulbs per section {5*10=50}, this will also help in creating better sequences for the tree/s used.  Again, depending on the size of your tree will determine how many strands of RGB pixels will be needed for it to look good.   I just string mine on the outer edges of the tree, no interior lighting or stringing is used when using the RGB bulbs, unlike traditional bulbs where you put them into the interior ad exterior branches of the tree.  I also try to keep from having any dangling bulbs between branches/limbs of the tree.  You don't want any "air bulbs" dangling like that on an artificial tree.  i also use zip ties on each bulb to hold it in place on the limb in the position you want them in, up, down, facing outward [lying down on their side].

It's a bit of work, but if done right, it'll look awesome in the end, providing you kept everything as neat and tidy as possible, as well as keeping each line of bulbs to the same bulb count.   Just think of each section of specific bulbs as its own strand, and label the channels in your sequence to match it.  Example #2: 1 section of 10 bulbs would be channels 1-10 {3 channels for each bulb, R, G and B}, the next strand could be considered string 2 {Channels 11-20} and down the channel list, this way you know which section will be doing what you want, providing you mapped them out correctly.  Again, it is a lot of work, but if done right, as Don stated you can do some really nice effects using the RGB lights.

Good Luck, if you decide to go for doing this.

BTW: make sure you have a LOT of zip ties handy, try and use Black UV resistant ones, especially if you ever decide to use the tree outdoors, or it sits in a window getting sun during the day.  I have my RGB C9's standing upright, bulb facet facing upward, so it takes 2 zip ties per bulb when doing it like this.  If lying on their side, facing outward away from the tree, you can get away with one zip tie.  Just make sure they are long enough to go around the bulb, just behind the bulb facet/globe.

Edited November 16, 2021 by Orville

[PhilMassey]

I Agree with Don. I spiral wrap 200 pixels on my indoor tree and include it in my sequences. I do 2 spirals in opposite directions as evenly as possible. 

I have made an alignment sequence this year which lights the pixels on the edges of the tree to aid in positioning the spirals. We'll see how it works out