Confused about cutting strips

marsh28

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I want to use the 2811 strips to outline the windows of my home. The strips I plan are using are as follows:
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/5m-led-digital-strip-DC12V-input-WS2811IC-256-scale-10pcs-IC-and-30pcs-5050-SMD-RGB/701799_568458133.html


I note that these strips can be cut every three pixels. However, that doesn't make sense to me as there are 50 pixels in each 5 meter strip. 50 doesn't divide into 3 (last time I checked although this could have changed). Am I missing something?
 
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GoofyGuy

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50 pixels equals 150 LED's. Only part of the math you were missing. Each 5m is 150 LED total, each pixel is 3 LED's
 

marsh28

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Okay. So each pixel is composed of three LEDs. This means that you can cut between each of the 50 pixels, correct? Thanks a bunch for the help.
 
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GoofyGuy

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that is correct, there are cut lines for you to follow. My whole house is 3led per pixel. Ive made over 200 cuts to make my setup.
 

fasteddy

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You can cut these down to individual sections, they dont need to be connected in any order as they send data across in a cascading style where the data is used and removed from the data stream before being passed on to the next pixel. Just make sure the input and output side are correctly orientated and connected if joining them together.
 

fasteddy

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bdt said:
I’m using these same strips. I would like to glue on end caps (link below) to keep the water out. I've tried a couple different silicone glues but none have held. Any recommendations on glues?
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Silicon-end-cap-8mm-10mm-12mm-optional/701799_459153462.html

All i have ever used is clear heatshrink and then i apply some clear non corrosive neutral cure silicone inside the heat shrink before shrinking. Then shrink and clean away excess silicone and you will have a wetherproof connection/end
 

DanJ

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I thought the strips could only be cut at the soldered "cut lines"? I have a followup question about cutting strips (I am using WS2811s 5VDC, but I think the "how to" will be the same)--to Eddy's point--I still have to maintain a certain "order" to the RGB pixels, right--so the controller knows where the starting & ending addresses are for each plug-in. Thanks!!
 

fasteddy

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DanJ said:
I thought the strips could only be cut at the soldered "cut lines"? I have a followup question about cutting strips (I am using WS2811s 5VDC, but I think the "how to" will be the same)--to Eddy's point--I still have to maintain a certain "order" to the RGB pixels, right--so the controller knows where the starting & ending addresses are for each plug-in. Thanks!!

Strips can only be cut on the join marks for each section.

BUT

Each section is indepenant and is exactly the same. The chips themselves are not actually addressed. The way they work is the first pixel/section recieves all the data, it then uses the first channel data and then removes that data before sending it on to the next pixel/section. So effectively each pixel thinks its the first one as it just uses the first piece of data. So it just cascades the data from one chip to the next

This means you can use the strip in any order or even mix strips with pixels or modules, what is important is that the data in and data out are connected the right way.
 

DanJ

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Ok. Another stupid question here.. Sorry in advance for my ignorance. So if I am understanding this correctly, when I cut my 5 meter (150 pixel) strip (WS2811s in case it matters!) into five 1 meter sections then wire them back up "in series" (I plan to wire up sequential arches), the first meter will be, for example, DMX channels 1-1 thru 1-30, the second meter will be DMX channels 1-31 thru 1-60, and so on, assuming I wire up the the "incoming" end of the "series of 1 meter strips" to one 4 pin plug on my E682 controller, right? I hope this makes sense.
 

neilric99

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don't forget that each rgb node takes 3 channels of DMX, so first will be 1-90 then 91-120 etc. a 5M strip takes 450 channels to run the 150 nodes, near a Universe of DMX
 

DanJ

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Understood. I just forgot to show as "3 channels per RGB". LOR shows each RGB as one item made up of the R/G/B DMX channels. Thanks so much!! I wanted to make sure I had this right conceptually.
 
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