All my Pixels show White - No colour changing - Help Please

Mikeynz

New elf
Joined
Nov 5, 2021
Messages
26
Hi,

So I'm new to this, but not really new to LED's and Technology as such , but this is really doing my head in - and got me lost as to why and how , so any assistance would really be welcomed to help out this first timer.

I am running the Pixlight 16 Mk 2 Board - I got it second hand, but it seems to work ok on most parts, but I do think it has a issues with ports 1-8 on the data, as somtimes to have to push the IC down for the signal to work. That aside - port 9-16 works great and the side I have beend doing all my testing - My issue is all my Mega tree strips, and my LED strips when pluged into my test port - shine up all white , and the test patten doesn't come on - that is the same for the other 15 odd mega tree strips - I didn't get a chance to test them before installing them in the strips.

So I'm thinking, maybe I have a faulty cable connected to the Controler - but I plug in my 90 Pixel star and it works perfect, no issues at all. So the next thing I try is I did get a mini tree working - one of my only props to be working - so I plug in my mega tree strips to the end of my mini tree, and bingo, the strips work perfect, no issues with power , and changing colours as they should - so to me this rules out faulty Pixels and wiring - Would I be correct ??

I guess to get around this, I could setup my mega tree to run off 1 port, then seems to be working , and power enject everything - but it wasen't my plan, and I guess that still doesn't help me fix what I could be doing wrong with my setup ? and why even the LED strips which have never been touched have the same issue ? I am waiting for my orginal controller to turn up - a Kulp , but its stuck in transit and not sure it will get here in time. I have attached a video to try and show the issue I am seeing.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bg2yi2ahjej428g/Lights.mp4?dl=0

Thanks,
 
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Mikeynz

New elf
Joined
Nov 5, 2021
Messages
26
Thanks - all running the same pixel , W2811 which is set in the controller software.
 

Notenoughlights

400,000+ twinkly lights
Joined
Oct 16, 2016
Messages
639
Location
Christchurch, New Zealand
Try setting the protocol to ws2812 - may or may not work - seems to work fine with every single pixel I have
Do you actually have 100 pixels per output? If not, make sure the pixels per output are set to what you actually have connected or the controller will send data to something that does not exist and you will experience effect mixups and patterns that don't work how you expect.
 

Mikeynz

New elf
Joined
Nov 5, 2021
Messages
26
Will try that - when I did the testing , I did have 100 Pixels connected, 50 from the Mini tree, and 50 from the mega tree strip - the Star I first tested only have 90 pixels on it. I'm guessing its a data issue, but to have all 16 mega tree strips not work when connected to the controller board, but work when pluged into another prop that does work - then the mega tree strips work. I'm guessing, if it was a faulty pixel stopping the signal - it would do the same thing when connected second to another prop.
 

Mikeynz

New elf
Joined
Nov 5, 2021
Messages
26
OMG - Are you kidding me lol I just changed them to W2812 - and now they are all working , I was up to 2am, trying to work this out lol - why would they work on W2812 not 2811 when I purcahsed 2811 pixels lol - Very Odd, but now very happy. Now to do lots of soldering.

Thank You
 
Last edited:

Notenoughlights

400,000+ twinkly lights
Joined
Oct 16, 2016
Messages
639
Location
Christchurch, New Zealand
OMG - Are you kidding me lol I just changed them to W2812 - and now they are all working , I was up to 2am, trying to work this out lol - why would they work on W2812 not 2811 when I purcahsed 2811 pixels lol - Very Odd, but now very happy. Now to do lots of soldering.

Thank You
Ws2811 and 12 should be the same, might be a speed difference they don't like. Good to see that fixed it
 
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