Matrix on Functioning Garage Door

[Steven]

My planned upgrade in 2025 is a pixel matrix on our garage door. The one complication is that my wife parks her Chevy Bolt in the garage, so the door must remain functioning during the Christmas season.

The door is 15 feet wide, 7 feet tall, 4 sections that roll up with a typical spring and electric opener. It's made of insulated steel with windows on the top section.

I'm thinking of hanging seed pixels from the top of the door with the pixel controller attached to the inside of the top section, connected to the display with a cat5 and power cord that hangs from the ceiling with plenty of slack.

I'd like to hear any suggestions.

Edited November 21 by Steven

[TheDucks]

When you add weight to the door, the counterweight springs are no longer properly set and the door opener need to work extra hard.

Hang the controller from the frame about halfway back on the horizontal. The cords reach the door when closed and follow it up and back when open. That takes care of that weight.

How flexible is the net. Can yo support the net from the Frame in front of the door. and attach the bottom so it follows the door up.  A bungee+bar might be needed at 2-3 to make it fold so it does not hang down and get snagged by the cars antenna 

[Steven]

I wasn't considering using a frame, because that would interfere with the garage door. I was thinking of hanging 50 to 80 seed pixel strings over the top of the garage door and letting gravity hold them vertically. I also wasn't considering a net, although that sounds like an interesting idea. I may go talk to a guy down the street who has a pixel matrix on his garage door that he leaves up all year.

[TheDucks]

By frame, I was referring to the house structure. You could technically have the display down in show position with the door open.

[Steven]

3 hours ago, TheDucks said:

By frame, I was referring to the house structure. You could technically have the display down in show position with the door open.

That's an interesting idea. I think the strings would end up sitting on top of the car after it pulls into the garage, which means the garage door would move them off when closed. I'm worried that dragging on the car could cause damage to something. I will think about it.

[TheDucks]

2 hours ago, Steven said:

That's an interesting idea. I think the strings would end up sitting on top of the car after it pulls into the garage, which means the garage door would move them off when closed. I'm worried that dragging on the car could cause damage to something. I will think about it.

Not Inside. Outside the door.  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ffVzJJspffqzmOB9OpNpLtn-Nu1LaMPG/view?usp=drive_link

This was my old location. See the controller hanging from the rail (non-roller side)? In my case, I had Various AC Santas hanging inside the windows (on the Top Panel). The cords were placed to allow full door travel.  In your case, the cords would exit to the net from the side at the top of the door  

[Steven]

1 hour ago, TheDucks said:

In your case, the cords would exit to the net from the side at the top of the door  

Got it. This looks like a good plan.

Next, I have to find a good source for the pixels. The garage door is a light color, so I don't want black cord, so I was thinking of seed pixels from Your Pixel Store, Ray Wu, GFLAI, Pixel Paradise, Gilbert Engineering, or Paul Zhang. I have been happy with Wired Watts, but neither them nor Wally's Lights have seed pixels in anything but black wire, which wouldn't look good in the daytime.

Another question: 5V or 12V? I've been using a 5v pixel tree for 10 years without any problems, but I hear good things about 12v pixels. I'm a little worried that the 12v pixels will run hotter, and thus may not last as long.

[TheDucks]

7 hours ago, Steven said:

Got it. This looks like a good plan.

Next, I have to find a good source for the pixels. The garage door is a light color, so I don't want black cord, so I was thinking of seed pixels from Your Pixel Store, Ray Wu, GFLAI, Pixel Paradise, Gilbert Engineering, or Paul Zhang. I have been happy with Wired Watts, but neither them nor Wally's Lights have seed pixels in anything but black wire, which wouldn't look good in the daytime.

Another question: 5V or 12V? I've been using a 5v pixel tree for 10 years without any problems, but I hear good things about 12v pixels. I'm a little worried that the 12v pixels will run hotter, and thus may not last as long.

12V because you want small wire TO THEM without worrying about voltage drop.  Grab a roll of string and some bulldog clips  and try some test runs.  It will take quite a bit of wire just to get from the controller to the last set of lights. ??? Your door is 20+ feet from the road. can you even see the wire from there?

 

[dgander]

If you used a net for support, you can attach it to the top of the opening and let it hang (or secure to the bottom to make it taught). During the day you can roll it up to the top and use the garage. At night you unroll (and secure the bottom if you wish) for the show. Works just like big rollup blinds you might have on a patio.