P10 Panel - What is it and how to connect it?

What is a P10 Panel?

This is just one type of panel used in the construction of video walls, matrix displays and scrolling signs.

The "P" refers to the pitch or spacing between each LED.
the "10" refers to the actual spacing between the LED's.
Panels also come in completely standard sizing's so construction can and will be easy.

When the forums talk about P10 panels we actual mean RGB LED, 32 columns wide and 16 rows high, 1/8 scan rate panels. Physical size 320mm x 160mm.

The scan rate is crucial for it to work with the currently supported solution from the community.

The current (as of this post) panel being bought is the indoor panel here ->
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/pro...32-16pixels-320mm-160mm/701799_866772137.html
These are listed at $11 + shipping and are a bargain for building a big matrix.


What do I need to buy for a matrix?

P10 Panels
A Beaglebone Black
An Octoscroller Cape (add on for bbb)
Some 16wire ribbon cables and connectors
One or more 5v power supplies
Brackets to join your panels together (or some way to mount them)


What software?

You will require Falcon Player running on the Beaglebone.
NOTE: July week 1: Falcon Player is a manual install at this time, a image file is expected during July to make this easy to setup. Current install instructions at http://falconchristmas.com/wiki/index.php/Falcon_FPP_BBB

You will also need your favourite sequencing software to generate the required FESQ files for FP.


Just how big a matrix can I have?

Each BBB/Octoscroller will support 64 panels, 8 panels on 8 outputs.
For the supported P10 Panels this is a coverage area of 3.27 Square Meters or 256 pixels wide by 128 pixels high.

That is 32,768 pixels or 98,304 channels.


What will it cost me?

This will depend a little on where you live as the price of the BeagleBone varies between countries

Lets look at a common size array being considered, 128pixels x 32 pixels, a 4w x 2h set of panels.

8 * $11 US = $88 + shipping
1 * BBB = approx $70 Au
1 * Octoscroller approx $10
1 * 5v PSU = $45 US
misc cables $10
plus some odds and ends

Software = FREE, courtesy of and thanks to the Falcon Crew

So for a couple hundred dollars you get a 4096 pixel matrix array to use for signage or as a display element.

This PDF fro OneWorldLED is a good read on professional sign construction and setup, worth the read.
http://oneworldled.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/One-World-LED-HB-V-3.pdf

Credits:
Multiple different posts on Falcon Christmas and ACL
OneWorldLED.com for the PDF

Thanks for this. I've seen a few posts about P10 and had no idea what it was. Thought it was a controller!

The process to install FPP onto a BBB involves a convoluted process and knowledge of Unix.
Forgive my lack of Unix and removable storage knowledge but is it possible to do an image (.img or .iso) of the SD and USB of a completed FPP/BBB build?

The process to install FPP onto a BBB is at http://falconchristmas.com/wiki/index.php/Falcon_FPP_BBB#How_to_install_Falcon_Player_onto_BeagleBone_Black

AAH said:

The process to install FPP onto a BBB involves a convoluted process and knowledge of Unix.
Forgive my lack of Unix and removable storage knowledge but is it possible to do an image (.img or .iso) of the SD and USB of a completed FPP/BBB build?

Click to expand...

Yes, wait for the next release. Falcon Player hasn't been released for the BBB yet.

Original Post updated to reflect some comments and to add an image.

As a note, if you want to play with FP on the Beaglebone now the install process whilst quite manual is fairly easy if you fully the steps in the falcon wiki and read the onscreen messages.

Will this only work with BBB? Could a Pi be used to run/control it also?

A PI doesn't have the I/Os to be able to run it and has a lot lower processing power. The octoscroller cape is also designed to plug onto a BBB so you don't really get much choice.

So if I'm using a Pi to run my show, and the P10 needs the BBB to run them, how does it all sync up together in The one show/sequence?

I think Phil mentioned somewhere that the P10 panels from Ray (using RGB 5050 LEDs) draw a little under 1A (@ 5V) each on full white.

This is true when running them from the BBB + Octoscroller + FPP combination. Mine drew 0.9A max each when I tested them under those conditions.

But.... if you're using a different controller each panel can draw up to 2.9A (@ 5V) on full white.

I'm in the process of writing code for the PCB I designed to drive these panels (for a non Christmas related project) and am driving them at about 120Hz refresh rate (about 1ms per scan line pair) with very little off-time.

The measured light output (all white) of a panel running via FPP was about 1650 Lux measured right up against the panel. The same panel running on my own controller put out approx 5200 Lux.

I'm guessing that because FPP can drive 8 outputs via the Octoscroller board, each output is enabled for only a portion of the time. Based on the current draw and light output figures, it seems to be only enabled for about a third of the time.

I'm not sure if people will even want their P10 panels to run brighter than the current BBB + FPP combination allows. When you have a bunch of panels drawing up to 2.9A each, the cabling needs to be significantly chunkier to reduce voltage drop to acceptable levels.

Great info on the P10 panels. Thanks

Can anyone recommend a good reliable supplier of these boards?


I am looking for 10

from ray

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/P10-rgb-SMD-3in1-full-color-indoor-LED-Display-screen-unit-board-32-16pixels-320mm-160mm/701799_866772137.html

djgra79 said:

So if I'm using a Pi to run my show, and the P10 needs the BBB to run them, how does it all sync up together in The one show/sequence?

Click to expand...

My setup consists of a PI with the FP .. to which my J1sys/Pixlite controllers and the BBB are connected via a router
The BBB has an octoscroller board on it and also runs FP.

The PI/FP is the master and the BBB/FP a slave (multisynch)

The same seq is uploaded to both FP's

in xLights , the P10 panels are a horizontal matrix.

So you run the playlist/seq on the PI/FP and automatically , the matrix effects run on the BBB/FP using multisynch between the two.

You make it sound so simple, thanks Gerry!
Something else to consider for this year...

djgra79 said:

You make it sound so simple, thanks Gerry!
Something else to consider for this year...

Click to expand...

Hi,
To be honest , it is quite simple. Even without the FP images which should be out any day soon.

I started off with a post from AussiePhil on how to get the FP working with the current dev setup, ordered the Pi first (based on links Phil and Daryl provided ) and had it up and running in no time . (Even I was surprised at myself )

Then did the BBB. And now the setup is even easier for Vixen users due to some matrix changes that Phil asked for
(I use xLights) . It took me longer to construct a backing board for the panels , then the rest ..