ESPixelSticks

danv

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smartalec said:
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
ReceivedSent
Bytes:3,116,7942,511,702,467
Packets:10,9604,615,180
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.


Good to know from a signal / packet loss point of view.


Give me a few weeks and I may be able to assist RE: latest firmware etc.


Thanks for feedback though. Glad to hear they go alright.
 

SmartAlecLights

Im a SmartAlec what can i say!
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danv said:
smartalec said:
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
ReceivedSent
Bytes:3,116,7942,511,702,467
Packets:10,9604,615,180
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.


Good to know from a signal / packet loss point of view.


Give me a few weeks and I may be able to assist RE: latest firmware etc.


Thanks for feedback though. Glad to hear they go alright.

yer i can grab that info from each one tonight after the show, before they power down..
 

marmalade

cats & pixels
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Dec 1, 2015
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284
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newcastle
had to beg to get 4 esps' from shelby shipped from the US for christmas, didn't know you had these Alec!.


Theres been a board mod for V1 espixelsticks (a pullup resistor added) so perhaps that's the issue. Also some older esp modules are slightly different enough not to work, one person could not get his clock to program to stick @ 80mhz.
 

danv

Full time elf
Joined
Dec 5, 2016
Messages
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Location
Rockhampton
smartalec said:
danv said:
smartalec said:
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
ReceivedSent
Bytes:3,116,7942,511,702,467
Packets:10,9604,615,180
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.


Good to know from a signal / packet loss point of view.


Give me a few weeks and I may be able to assist RE: latest firmware etc.


Thanks for feedback though. Glad to hear they go alright.

yer i can grab that info from each one tonight after the show, before they power down..


Awesome, thanks.
 

SmartAlecLights

Im a SmartAlec what can i say!
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marmalade said:
had to beg to get 4 esps' from shelby shipped from the US for christmas, didn't know you had these Alec!.


Theres been a board mod for V1 espixelsticks (a pullup resistor added) so perhaps that's the issue. Also some older esp modules are slightly different enough not to work, one person could not get his clock to program to stick @ 80mhz.

one runs on 12v doing the 2 spinners
the other runs on 24v doing the 20w floods

hmm i'll have to check why they added a pullup resistor..
cause these modules stopped the flickering issues they had..
some designers (americans..lol) love to forget the output 3.3v to 5v output of the data signal,
so then you can use the proper resistor for the pixel string as per the data specs.
 

danv

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VDD resistor (R10 in my case) added. Thanks for the reminder.


Pix_Amp_Front.png



The 2811 datasheet mentions 33R resistors on the data in and out lines. Have you guys found these to be beneficial? (I notice some leave them off and others use different values)


Do the data resistors appear on LED strips? I actually can't remember.....
 

danv

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I will add the 33R resistors on the data lines. (these can be replaced with 0R values if found to be not ultimately required).


The datasheet also mentions 'RR' resistance on the OUTR port? This seems to be ensuring that each of the three legs maintains constant current (due to differences in led forward voltages) I believe? But since I am pushing FET's I don't think this will be a requirement on the IC side and it is probably a bad idea to have one on the output side of the FET for the red channel as virtually anything could be connected to it.
 

David_AVD

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How have you done the 2811 output to FET part of the circuit?

Remember that the output of the 2811 is active low (open drain).
 

danv

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Yep I realise that.


Dual FET stage. Small low level logic fet with pullup that the 2811 drives. The small fet drives the larger one that also has a pullup. So for an active low, I get the activation of the larger FET.


I will chuck a pic up when I am not posting from my phone.
 

Wolfie

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Milwaukee, WI
danv said:
VDD resistor (R10 in my case) added. Thanks for the reminder.


Pix_Amp_Front.png



The 2811 datasheet mentions 33R resistors on the data in and out lines. Have you guys found these to be beneficial? (I notice some leave them off and others use different values)


Do the data resistors appear on LED strips? I actually can't remember.....

When you get to production on these, let me know if you need anyone in the US to test them and make sure they work on US power ;) <wink>

As for the resistors, yes, I believe they are present. Here are photos of some null pixel boards that I have on hand. Maybe you can glean some info from these. If you need better photos of any of them let me know and I can see what I can do about that.

These someone on DIYC sent me Nov/Dec of last year, 12v pixel board:


These are also 12v boards but I bought them this year from ebay. Again, front and back of board :


Here are some 5v pixel boards also purchased this year off ebay. Two different types of boards, one with LED attachment on the end, one with it in the middle
 

danv

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Looks like some have them (ranging from 470 - 680R, datasheet calls for 33R though) and some don't (units in the last lot of photo).


Thanks for that Wolfie. Muchly appreciated.


Production run should be just after xmas. I am ordering prototypes this week of both my designs.


I am considering spinning a DMX out board for the ESP as well, not sure yet. (basically add 485 IC, etc).
 
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