Anyone else doing a non-Christmas theme?

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johnb

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Hello from Texas USA where I have built a light rack over top of a 160 square foot model train display. At present we have mounted white LED strips in diffused channels with a dimmer but I want to replace these with RGBW LED's and create a sunrise/sunset sequence in xLights. Every 15 minutes or so, the model train scene below will change from daylight to night-time and then back again. I am struggling to add three stepper motors to this as they are needed to move to the window shades up and down as sun sets and rises.
 
I would stay away from RGBW leds if you can. There is actually fairly limited support in sequencers and controllers for them. The white will obviously give a more consistent white but for most applications what you can get from RGB leds or RGB pixels is more than adequate.
 
Almost sounds like your leaning towards a micro controller based approach than needing a computerised lighting system.

You certainly can achieve this in xlights but you'll need extra hardware and that will cost a lot for what you're doing.
 
Thanks Mark - Can you tell me more about what you mean by a "micro-controller based approach"? What extra hardware might I need? My primary need is to create a sequence of lights and move 3 window shades up and down in sequence with the lights.
 
AAH said:
I would stay away from RGBW leds if you can. There is actually fairly limited support in sequencers and controllers for them. The white will obviously give a more consistent white but for most applications what you can get from RGB leds or RGB pixels is more than adequate.
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Thanks Alan
 
johnb said:
Thanks Mark - Can you tell me more about what you mean by a "micro-controller based approach"? What extra hardware might I need? My primary need is to create a sequence of lights and move 3 window shades up and down in sequence with the lights.
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I'm not an expert on programming micro controllers. Something like an Arduino would do but this will have a lot of trial and error to perfect.

I just don't think going the pixel controller and separate motor controller board approach is right for your task.
The problem I see with a micro controller based approach is actually programming something in. I would highly like for the solution to include a timeline sequence editor like xLights but be a complete standalone unit that can output to both lights and motors.

You certainly look at a DIY controller getting data from xLights. One of the xLights developers @keithsw1111 has code for an Arduino that takes xLights data in real time. Ask about for help on programming an Arduino to take xLights data and output to the stepper motors and rgbw lights.
 
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