Building RGB Mega Tree

Big_Dog_501

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Jan 30, 2012
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Concord, NC
Hi all.
I’ve got a question about building a RGB Mega Tree. Last year I made a Mega Tree using strands of red C7 LEDs. I attached one end of each string to the top of the tree and ran the bottom around a stake in the ground and then back to the center pole. It looked OK but each LED was pointing in a different direction. This year I want to build a Mega Tree using RGB strings and I want the lines of lights to be clean and straight but I am concerned about the orientation of the LEDs. How can these strings be attached so that the LEDs will stay pointed out from the center of the tree? What form factor of LED strings would work best for the application?
Thanks in advance for your help.
 

kidcole

My 4th year. Added RGB Last year, Pixels this year
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fasteddy

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kidcole said:
ɟɐsʇǝppʎ said:
Guys use packing strap to help keep the lights in the correct orientation and take away the strain on the string
and using these pixel types will also help
http://www.aliexpress.com/fm-store/701799/209889132-521371851/RGB-full-LED-pixel-module-WS-2801-IC-DC5V-input-50pcs-a-string.html

I like the packing strap idea. How do you recommend mounting those pixels to the packing strap to keep them looking nice but allow the strap to take the strain ?

Take a look at this thread
http://auschristmaslighting.com/forums/index.php/topic,1719.msg13861.html#msg13861
 

fathead45

Fiedler Christmas
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May 19, 2010
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292 Winkleman Street Ottoville OH 45876
i thought about the packing strap and that would be nice but im thinking of going one step further. im planning a tree as well this year. im looking at 32 astrings and i want them to stay straight. so im going to use 1/2 pvc and tie them to it. im going to add another element and as i go around the back of the tree im going to start to turn the leds to the inside of the tree that way it will look good:)
 

Big_Dog_501

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Jan 30, 2012
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fathead45 said:
i thought about the packing strap and that would be nice but im thinking of going one step further. im planning a tree as well this year. im looking at 32 astrings and i want them to stay straight. so im going to use 1/2 pvc and tie them to it. im going to add another element and as i go around the back of the tree im going to start to turn the leds to the inside of the tree that way it will look good:)
I was thinking about turning the back pixels to face forward as well because the back of the tree faces the house, but how would this effect the sequencing? Would you have to change anything? Does anyone, who has done this already, have any video of this? I'm trying to picture how it would look. Or would I be better off going with a 1/2 Mega Tree?
 

AussiePhil

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Canberra, ACT, Australia
Even though i'm building one tree this year that will use precisely spaced pixels i can't see the need to rotate them to the inside as my viewing positions have nearly 160 degrees for people in cars and 360 degrees for people walking around.

The only time I would think it would be valid to rotate the pixels as they go around the tree is when the viewing position is really a single point.

I'm actually a fan of pixels facing every direction as it's more "tree" like rather than a clinical sign display. for that reason one of my two trees will stay "random" :)

Cheers
Phil
 

fasteddy

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For me im wanting to add a tree to my display this year (budget will determine this) but my tree will only be viewed from one side. So I will use the strip and hopefully create a 8 strip Ray tree as i see this to be the best valued option for a single view point tree.
 

smeighan

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Yep, i will be doing a half tree to save some money this first year.


The prompt "Window degrees" says how much of your tree will actually be created. 180 degrees shows half the tree, 360 all of it, 225 3/4 of the tree.


I do plan on making aa target model for rays. a few strings , like 3 or 4, i think there can be some nice effects.


Here was a thread form doityourself christmas about someone who has a minitree of pixels in a coro board.



A post from doityourslefchristmas about supporting a minitree made from plywood with the pixels inserted in a tree shape:



boarder3;202373 said:
I have a quick question can i use your tool for my pixel mini tree i showed how my layout is in picture.


Yep, i just need to build a target modeler for it. This would be just a few hours to do.


This is the basis of all Nutcracker RGB effects.


The top of the model is always Nutcracker Pixel #1
Going around the model , the vertical direction is called strands.


Whether a rgb device is like u show or a mega-tree or a horizontal or a vertial grid or lights wrapped around the spheres of a snowman. The top is always 1, vertical bars are strands .


By keeping this internal form, all of my effects can be applied to any rgb device.


This is why earlier i had said that the target modeler was the key to getting all the cool effects.


I plan on some mini trees.

I will take two strings, 120 pixels each. I will wrap each string 10 times, up and down. Each strand will have 12 pixels or 36". I will build a 180 degree, half tree.


So with just two strings I will have a minitree that is 35" high, i can get these effects


AMINITREE+MINITREE1.gif



AMINITREE+MINITREE2.gif



AMINITREE+MINITREE3.gif



I want to think of how to get some greate effects with only a few rgb strings. This will allow entry for more people.


thanks
 
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