Cheap Controllers

[technodisney]

Does anyone have any suggestions for cheap controllers to test and play around with pixels/power injection before I get a beefier controller?

I want to be able to control it from xlights. And have at least 2 universes.

 

[Mark_M]

ESP(82?) with WLED software.
Also known as ESP pixel stick.

ESP's are cheap as chips from eBay.

 

[AAH]

A Raspberry Pi running Falcon Player can run pixels directly. As long as the first pixel isn't very far from the Pi you don't need to worry about using a cape/hat for the level conversion from 3.3V to 5V logic. You can use a Pi2, 3, 4 or Zero. The zero is cheapest although a bit dearer with wifi which makes it easier to access. The Pi4 is overkill as they don't do anything that you can't do with a Pi2 or Pi3. The Pi can do 2 outputs of up to 1600 pixels each so that's approaching 20 universes.

 

[Dave_Szoka]

To add what the great @AAH said Pi is quick and easy, make it even easy add a Pi hat then you also have a great little controller that you can use in your show …..