First WS2811 Pixel System

firebat

New elf
Joined
Jun 5, 2019
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3
Hi All,
Firstly, awesome community you have here lads!! Everyone is super helpful and keen for lighting madness!
Shoutout to @darylc who is a uber legend sending through a special edition F16v3 quick smart.

So anyway.... I've been reading, searching and attempting to answer my own questions first.
But now I'm hoping to get a bit of reassurance that I'm headed down the right path. I'm centring on a 5v WS2811 pixel system.

Control will be handled by a Artnet/sACN controller outputting to a Falcon F16v3 then onto the individual pixel chains.
I'm wanting to achieve per pixel control as I may want to 'Pixel Map' the entire system with a video source at a later time.
12v would have been preferable because the run distances from the controller to the pixel groups could be over 20m, but I believe the general IC configurations wont allow for per pixel control at 12v.
Below is my intended purchase list, any suggestions/pointers would be very welcome!

So for the gear list:
Falcon F16v3 1x

https://www.pixelcontroller.com/store/index.php?id_product=48&controller=product

Pixels (50 String) (with 13.5mm male/female ends) 20x $14.55unit $291USD https://www.aliexpress.com/store/pr...xy-resin-filled-50pcs/701799_32259805463.html

Data Repeater 10x $1.46unit $14.6USD https://www.aliexpress.com/item/DC1...-5mm-3-core-black-waterproof/32279633328.html

PSU 2x $42.19unit $84.38USD https://www.aliexpress.com/store/pr...00-240V-input-5V-350W/701799_32493342899.html

Tester 2x $3.64unit $7.28USD https://www.aliexpress.com/item/DC1...tterns-2048pixels-controlled/32261096741.html

Cable T - Type Power Injector (10pack) 1x 27.65unit $27.65USD https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3-c...LACK-color-the-male-connect-s/1707253215.html

Cable 3pin Female Tail Set (10 Pack) 2x 5.82unit $11.64USD https://www.aliexpress.com/store/pr...y-13-5mm-series-18AWG/701799_32741667567.html

Cable 3pin Male/Female Tail Set (10 Pack) 2x 7.28unit $14.56USD https://www.aliexpress.com/item/10p...e-and-female-male-connector-s/1019853359.html

Cable 2pin Male/Female Tail Set (10 Pack) 2x 5.82unit $11.64USD https://www.aliexpress.com/item/10-...le-and-female-13-5mm-diameter/1485623749.html

50m Cable 1x 34.92unit $34.92USD https://www.aliexpress.com/item/50m...AWG-cable-for-led-pixel-module/715333070.html

3m 3pin Extention Cable (10pack) 1x 32.01unit $32.01USD https://www.aliexpress.com/item/BLA...-with-male-the-other-end-with/1343193048.html

End Caps (10pack) 4x 0.73unit $2.92USD https://www.aliexpress.com/item/pla...-5mm-BLACK-waterproof-pigtail/1019809775.html
 
Last edited:

drakky

Senior elf
Joined
Dec 2, 2012
Messages
515
Hi Firebat
firstly why 5v? for nodes 12v will be per pixel , it's only strip thats 3 leds per IC
also scratch this off the list
Data Repeater 10x $1.46unit $14.6USD https://www.aliexpress.com/item/DC1...-5mm-3-core-black-waterproof/32279633328.html
use Alans Null Buffers http://www.hansonelectronics.com.au/product/null-buffer-rtg-2/ might be dearer premade but way more useful ,or he sells them without pigtails you can make your own

this does not link to cable
50m Cable 1x 34.92unit $34.92USD https://www.aliexpress.com/item/BLA...e-end-with-male-the-other-end/1343256671.html it links to leads
RS Components sell cable quite reasonable not sure what cable roll you're referring to but 100 metre 3 core 18 AWG is $86.63 AUD including delivery off them

end caps Alan also sells $2 AUD pack of 10 http://www.hansonelectronics.com.au/product/13-5mm-waterproof-caps-pk-10/

the leds Pixels (50 String) (with 13.5mm male/female ends) 20x $14.55unit $291USD https://www.aliexpress.com/store/pr...xy-resin-filled-50pcs/701799_32259805463.html just a hint if you're using them for boscoyo products at all unless the back is cut out specifically for square nodes or quite wide apart then usually the square ones won't fit even though boscoyo says they will ie the chromafaces they need the bullet type nodes
 

AAH

I love blinky lights :)
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As for what drakky said about my nulls I'll explain that there's a HUGE difference between what I make/sell and what Ray has. What Ray sells is a standard pixel but with no LED attached to it. The maximum extra distance that you'll get by adding 1 of these in the middle of a cable run is maybe 10m on a really, really good day. In addition to this it is an actual pixel so that you have to account for the 3 channels that get used up somewhere in your configuration.
I tested my nulls and ran out of cable at 33m before I had any issue. benbrown on ACL who is Felix from ScottLed tested 1 of my nulls and he had access to a LOT more cables than I had. He went to 150ft and even with the massive voltage drop produced by having some 60 pixel/m strip at both ends of the cable the signal was still going strong. My "nulls" are an actual buffer IC with a high output current capability and using the 2811 spec specified output resistor. You don't need to allocate channels to these anywhere as they are completely transparent to the operation of the data. They are also a 1 size fits all as they will work with any pixel voltage from 5V to 24V.
 

firebat

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Jun 5, 2019
Messages
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Thanks for the response @drakky and @AAH
firstly why 5v? for nodes 12v will be per pixel , it's only strip thats 3 leds per IC
Pretty sure that was down to my misunderstanding / looking too long at information re IC's on Strings vs Strips. (all the strings I've been looking at literally say 'PIXEL' in the description.... Duh!) I'll be going with 12v pixel strings then!

50m Cable
Oops, fixed now. thanks for the pointer at RS, I'll probably grab some cable locally.

the leds Pixels (50 String) (with 13.5mm male/female ends) 20x if you're using them for boscoyo products at all unless the back is cut out specifically for square nodes or quite wide apart then usually the square ones won't fit even though boscoyo says they will ie the chromafaces they need the bullet type nodes
10-4, Good to know!

My "nulls" are an actual buffer IC with a high output current capability and using the 2811 spec specified output resistor.
Sold. I'll be in touch! - Also checked out your video demonstration top stuff!
 
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success

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Jun 27, 2019
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Hi,firebat,
Maybe you can try using DC12V GS8208 LED smart string. The 12V of GS8208 mainly solves the problem of the length of the lamp band connection, so we use RGB in series to reduce the driving current and improve the voltage attenuation tolerance.
 

Lali & Lexi

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Jan 2, 2018
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50m Cable 1x 34.92unit $34.92USD https://www.aliexpress.com/item/BLA...e-end-with-male-the-other-end/1343256671.html it links to leads
RS Components sell cable quite reasonable not sure what cable roll you're referring to but 100 metre 3 core 18 AWG is $86.63 AUD including delivery off them

Hello drakky,

Do you have a link to where you can get that 100m 3core cable from RS Components because for the life of me I can't seem to find it on their website.

Thanks in advance
 

Martin Mueller

Light Addicted and proud of it.
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+1 for using the drivers vs a WS2811 chip. I have not had any issues using such drivers. I do have a finicky port on one of my F16s that refuses to work properly if I don't have a driver within 20cm of the output, which the driver fixed nicely. I use the drivers plus super cheap 22AWG wire and have no issues at 10M.
 
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