Dumb or Smart for coro prop? Or a Mix?

[TheDucks]

I just succumbed to a case of coro catalog (Boscoyo) shopping :/

Some of the props have sections that will only use 1 color (eg holly, berries)

Others have perimeter sections that make sense to be all the same color (at a time).

In my case, they will all be 12V (CMB24 or Pixies) Bullets.

If I use dumb, (assume I will wire a (ungrouped) channel(s)per single area to the fixed color lead (eg Red for berries, Green for leaves). Sequence is simple: turn on Berry 1, 2 or 3. Turn on Leaf

No worrying about counting nodes every sequence. But the physical prop Build gets a lot of wiring. (My first Coro was tombstones. I did the border Smart and the RIP in dumb. (leaping arch tops 😀 )

OTOH Using Smart nodes, I just mostly press them into the holes and do the rest in the sequence. Even tho there may be 20 here, 10 there that always change the same time.

Other than having the wrong number of controller ports available at a location, (and lack of imagination) on doing other color effects on single color area (eg Berries, Leaves), is there a strong reason to only do smart?

[gsmith37064]

I was all dumb nodes on my props back in the day. If you can, go smart and be done with it. You will find other models you can use for other effects besides berries or leaves.

You can always program smart to look and act like dumb.

[TheDucks]

3 minutes ago, gsmith37064 said:

I was all dumb nodes on my props back in the day. If you can, go smart and be done with it. You will find other models you can use for other effects besides berries or leaves.

You can always program smart to look and act like dumb.

Tnx for the input. Currently, I have more 'spare' dumb ports and matching 4-core (HC) cables left over from previous location (and the fact that I no longer do roofs).

[Box on Rails]

21 hours ago, TheDucks said:

Other than having the wrong number of controller ports available at a location, (and lack of imagination) on doing other color effects on single color area (eg Berries, Leaves), is there a strong reason to only do smart?

The answer is Nope. I had 2 singing trees that I used Dumb pixels for the Mouth and eye positions and smart pixels for the outline. They worked great The only issue I could possibly see is there might be a slight difference in colors from the smart to dumb pixels. Other than that, mixing them up in the same prop has no advantage or disadvantage in my opinion. 

Kenny

[gsmith37064]

Ahh, but there is a difference. I used dumb on my faces as well before going smart. Now I can do angry eyes on my tree or make the outline flow like a ghost for Halloween. Or turn it back into a tree for Christmas. I even have a sequence that makes the eyes bleed. I can also increase the length of the mouth to make it look like fangs on each side. As you can see, I spent a lot of time taking my Christmas props and making them spooky for Halloween.

Also with my bulbs, I can do fancy things with the outline as well as animate the base threads on it. The eyes not so much. You are limited by pixel count here.

The end result will be up to you. It's just that you need to decide on what outcome you really want.

Edited August 4, 2023 by gsmith37064

[k6ccc]

If you're stuck with pixel sized holes in the coro, go with smart.

Personally at least for my coro singing faces, I much prefer the look of LED (or incan if you prefer) mini lights.  The reason is that the mini lights are much closer together and it looks a lot more like a continuous line rather than individual light sources.  I have seen both and prefer the mini lights.  Just my opinion.

 

[TheDucks]

Jim,

I went with Boscoyo. What was odd is the mini cow (cow  cutouts are a locale thing. https://www.instagram.com/orcutt_cows/ )  I bought says 4" centers???? Everything I have (mostly HC)  is 3". I have seen 6" but not 4". centers. Is there a US source? (smart or dumb)

[Jimehc]

https://www.wiredwatts.com/12v-bullet-nodes

[k6ccc]

For wired pixels (as opposed to strips) it's no problem to have extra wire.  Just a little extra wire behind the coro.  Better to have too much rather than too little.

 

[TheDucks]

1 hour ago, Jimehc said:

https://www.wiredwatts.com/12v-bullet-nodes

<slap> How did I miss that.  TNX

I recently bought a couple of things from them.  FWIW I found their pixel tester handy for checking out strings. I run it from a old Monitor power brick (many are 12V 3A+), easier than firing up HU  (besides, the work bench is not where the computers are)

[pyrotech]

Does anyone have a copy of the prop for the Holiday Coro Singing C9 (hanging & standing) bulb?

 

Thanks,

Tim

[Jimehc]

4 hours ago, pyrotech said:

Does anyone have a copy of the prop for the Holiday Coro Singing C9 (hanging & standing) bulb?

 

Thanks,

Tim

https://www.holidaycoro.com/kb_results.asp?ID=185

[Dcroc]

On 8/3/2023 at 8:51 PM, gsmith37064 said:

I was all dumb nodes on my props back in the day. If you can, go smart and be done with it. You will find other models you can use for other effects besides berries or leaves.

You can always program smart to look and act like dumb.

Yup.  I am learning that if I had gone with smart to begin with, I wouldn't be spending my budget, and time, replacing dumb pixels this year.  There really is no reason to go with dumb nodes.

[TheDucks]

1 hour ago, Dcroc said:

Yup.  I am learning that if I had gone with smart to begin with, I wouldn't be spending my budget, and time, replacing dumb pixels this year.  There really is no reason to go with dumb nodes.

You REPLACE because they become damaged, else repurpose. 😛

I have props that only use a single color (for those nodes). I used Dumb wired for that node color only (Ungroup a RGB port)

I added Holly with Red Berries coro this year. Leaves only use Green, Berries use Red I chose to use 3 channels (1 RGB port) for the berries so I could have some fun and another for the leaves (R, L, Stems). Do not be afraid to ungroup an RGB port

Back to Smart as dumb,

This is a case where 2 @ Pixie4 is better than a Pixie8 . A Pixie can be set to dumb mode, but ALL PORTS are affected.  One PSU can power 2+  cards (just do your load calcs)

 

[dibblejr]

On 8/4/2023 at 9:35 AM, Box on Rails said:

The answer is Nope. I had 2 singing trees that I used Dumb pixels for the Mouth and eye positions and smart pixels for the outline. They worked great The only issue I could possibly see is there might be a slight difference in colors from the smart to dumb pixels. Other than that, mixing them up in the same prop has no advantage or disadvantage in my opinion. 

Kenny

I would think needing 2 different types of controllers to mix a prop between dumb and smart pixels would be a disadvantage. Personally I would never have a dumb pixel in my show, if for no other reason is due to not needing different types of replacements.

You can always make a smart pixel look dumb but never a dumb pixel to act smart.

IMO

J.R.

[Orville]

14 hours ago, dibblejr said:

I would think needing 2 different types of controllers to mix a prop between dumb and smart pixels would be a disadvantage. Personally I would never have a dumb pixel in my show, if for no other reason is due to not needing different types of replacements.

You can always make a smart pixel look dumb but never a dumb pixel to act smart.

IMO

J.R.

Completely agree with you J.R.!