ESPixelSticks
- Thread starter danv
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danv
Full time elf
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- #17
Current PCB size is 16mm x 50mm using a 6-way screw terminal block that has a 2.54mm pitch.
It looks like the originals are bigger PCB's and use 5.08mm pitch terminal blocks?
I was considering fitting a header for an expansion board that will drive dumb rgb lights, do other things, etc but now I am contemplating just putting an SMD micro on the other side of the board? Still on the fence with this idea though.
From a serial pixel/led strip point of view I am good to go though
It looks like the originals are bigger PCB's and use 5.08mm pitch terminal blocks?
I was considering fitting a header for an expansion board that will drive dumb rgb lights, do other things, etc but now I am contemplating just putting an SMD micro on the other side of the board? Still on the fence with this idea though.
From a serial pixel/led strip point of view I am good to go though
Wolfie
Full time elf
danv said:Also going to knock up another board that is very similar, except it will have a couple of WS2811 IC's on board with FET output stages so I can drive dumb RGB elements
You know, I would (and this is a personal thing), I would rather you whip up a 2811 board that had the FETs on board as a stand alone board rather than marrying it to the ESP. Why? Well think of it as a mega pixel driver instead of a ESP with FETs. If that board presented itself as a pixel, oh say ANYWHERE, then you could drop in dumb RGB elements inline with 2811 pixels. It obviously could be hung off a ESPixelStick or out of a 485 or say at the top of your megatree as just another pixel. Uses? Lots!
Well, how about singing faces? One pixel for each mouth segment, then pixels around the perimeter. Bam, you got a fully 2811 pixel face with dumb RGB mouth elements that take only 3 channels each segment and are STILL full color. No separate dumb controller for those elements.
Or say, I run pixels around my window but now I want to put in a filler board across the bottom as a color washer to bounce off the curtains inside. One more pixel (your board) and then a string of dumb RGB strip and bam! You got a color washer for one pixel. No extra controller. No monkeying around.
Or, hey, you want to throw down some UV strips outside for Halloween? (this is my personal reason for the stand alone vote) Ok, now you need a DUMB RGB controller for them. Right. Nope. Throw down your stand alone board and you got 3 channels to play with for UV sequencing.
Or, how about this as a thought... throw in a RC circuit (optional add to the board) prior to the FET to roll out the PWM into a DC bias on the FET and now you can drive 3 channels of SSR controls for things like fog machines or animatronics triggering. 120v strobes (3 channels of them!). Just add a 3-24v input SSR to control 120v.
But, if you marry it to an ESP, then its stuck as a WiFi board. As a stand-alone board, it can be hung off an ESPixelStick (or your version) OR it could go inline in any other pixel data chain.
Just thinking out loud
Wolfie and I see to have similar ideas! Some other observations..
The current pixelstick was made so it fits nicely in a small piece 25mm ID conduit. Because these are most likely to be left outside, have you thought about ways to enclose/waterproof them at your new size?
If putting a micro on the pcb, route it so that not populating it will still allow normal functionality of course. Because the ESP sticks up from the top of the pcb, it might even be feasible to make it an add on pluggable module using a low profile smd stackable interconnect.
There is also hacked code to for the esp to drive fets directly rather than using the 2811's translation. IIRC it was barnabybear on the diy christmas forum who did this. This may bypass the need/additional complexity in driving fets in constant current mode used by the 2811's.
Either way it definitely would be nice to have a single board solution for driving dumb rgb strings.
Remember that a 5M 150 led smart/dumb string can draw up to 3A per channel so factor that into the connector selection (and of course min 30mil track width per output)
I'm sure others will chime in with functional requests! Keep plugging away.
The current pixelstick was made so it fits nicely in a small piece 25mm ID conduit. Because these are most likely to be left outside, have you thought about ways to enclose/waterproof them at your new size?
If putting a micro on the pcb, route it so that not populating it will still allow normal functionality of course. Because the ESP sticks up from the top of the pcb, it might even be feasible to make it an add on pluggable module using a low profile smd stackable interconnect.
There is also hacked code to for the esp to drive fets directly rather than using the 2811's translation. IIRC it was barnabybear on the diy christmas forum who did this. This may bypass the need/additional complexity in driving fets in constant current mode used by the 2811's.
Either way it definitely would be nice to have a single board solution for driving dumb rgb strings.
Remember that a 5M 150 led smart/dumb string can draw up to 3A per channel so factor that into the connector selection (and of course min 30mil track width per output)
I'm sure others will chime in with functional requests! Keep plugging away.
Wolfie
Full time elf
Well, if we are allowed to wish.....
How about an ESPPixelController? Not listening for e1.31 data on the WiFi, but rather listening and pretending to be a FPP slave with a uSD card to hold sequences. That way its wireless, tiny and does not require flooding a wifi with channel data. Only sync packets.
I know, its just a wish. But, hey, sometimes wishes come true if you blow out all the candles in one breath... right?
How about an ESPPixelController? Not listening for e1.31 data on the WiFi, but rather listening and pretending to be a FPP slave with a uSD card to hold sequences. That way its wireless, tiny and does not require flooding a wifi with channel data. Only sync packets.
I know, its just a wish. But, hey, sometimes wishes come true if you blow out all the candles in one breath... right?
A bit of deja vu reading these last few posts. I did some little 3 channel DC boards a few years ago to suit 6803 or 2801 systems.
They are certainly handy for when you want to use a DC element (star topper for example) as part of a megatree or similar.
Sounds like Dan is well on the way to making some handy little boards.
They are certainly handy for when you want to use a DC element (star topper for example) as part of a megatree or similar.
Sounds like Dan is well on the way to making some handy little boards.
danv
Full time elf
- Thread starter
- #29
David_AVD said:A bit of deja vu reading these last few posts. I did some little 3 channel DC boards a few years ago to suit 6803 or 2801 systems.
They are certainly handy for when you want to use a DC element (star topper for example) as part of a megatree or similar.
Sounds like Dan is well on the way to making some handy little boards.
Thanks David
I ended up making a espixel stick version using different modules an called it the Pixel-Wifi
Im using 2 of them on the show wifi access point, (TL-WA801ND)
Traffic Statistics
and thats been for 17days
Not lost a beat yet, they all have strong signal, they just work.
only issue is i cant get there latest firmware to work.. (wont drive pixels)
so im still using the old firmware.
Im using 2 of them on the show wifi access point, (TL-WA801ND)
Traffic Statistics
| Received | Sent | |
| Bytes: | 3,116,794 | 2,511,702,467 |
| Packets: | 10,960 | 4,615,180 |
Not lost a beat yet, they all have strong signal, they just work.
only issue is i cant get there latest firmware to work.. (wont drive pixels)
so im still using the old firmware.