Garage Matrix Builds

[djgra79]

After seeing a couple of examples over the past 6-12 months, I'm interested to possibly build a garage matrix for 2023.
Like many things in this hobby there's more then one way to push a pixel, so I'd like to use this thread as a central place for existing or future designs of what members have come up with.
Please share with us some details of your build including things like what type of garage door you have and if you are directly mounting onto this or if it a system that hangs or mounts in front of it. What hardware material have you used? What pixel mounting products used? Controllers & power requirements? Pixel types and spacing?
If you have pics and/or videos to help show off your build process please share this also.

 

[Kent]

So, nothing constructive to add here just yet, but just a note to say I'm in a similar boat & looking to add a garage matrix in 2023. This means there is now at least two people interested in your replies

 

[Skymaster]

Make that three. Although mine will be across the driveway between the house and the fence, so interested in more "detached" designs rather than ones mounted directly to the gate.

 

[fugley]

seems a lot maybe looking at the same idea as id be another

so one question that comes to mind straight away "cost vs resolution"
my garage door comes in at 5/2.2 throwing this in autoCAD at 50mm squared I'm up for roughly 4400 pixels or is every 50mm center to center to close

 

[djgra79]

Unsure of cost but currently I have a 5x5 P10 panel screen/matrix that I stand in front of garage. Works well for low resolution video and great for effects, but is kinda small compared to blank canvas of full double car garage.

As for materials to work with I'm leaning towards temp fencing panels as at 2.1m high and 2.4m wide my double garage should fit these quite nicely.

RapidMesh 240 x 210cm Galvanised Steel Temp Fence Panel

Find RapidMesh 240 x 210cm Galvanised Steel Temp Fence Panel at Bunnings. Visit your local store for the widest range of products.

www.bunnings.com.au

Unless anyone knows of an alternative of similar dimensions?

 

[Adsy]

Sorry Graham I will post some pics a bit later as the sun is beaming on it right now, but it is esentially
2 temp fence panels similar to @Danielr although i went for individual pixel strip instead. (not recommended)
It worked perfectly until a week ago when the odd pixel would crap out and some weird data drop outs of 200-300
pixels fortunately in the bottom corner. That said it has been a winner with the viewers big time. I'll report back later

 

[BluePat]

2023 looks like it could be the year of the matrix! I am 'intending" to add a matrix to our garage door. Have a panel lift door am really keen on the door mounted moves up with the door ones I have seen. Was going to use 10mm coro but unsure if I have the patience to drill all those holes accurately enough!

Resolution vs weight vs cost is a big consideration for me as the door would have to work with everything attached to it, did some quick back of napkin calculations;

Garage door is one piece 5x2.2meters however cant use top 200mm as matrix needs to clear gap as door opens so working with 5x2.
100 string of bullet resistor pixels is about 700grams (if anyone has a string of square pixels they could weight would be very interested), add about 10kg of fixing material brings it to 700grams per 100 pixels plus 10kg to estimate weight

- 50mm spacing (tad under 2 inch) = 100 x 40 pixels for a total of 4000 approximate weight 38kg
- 60mm spacing (tad under 2.5 inch) = 83 x 33 pixels for a total of 2739 approximate weight 29kg
- 75mm spacing (tad under 3 inch) = 65 x 26 pixels for a total of 1690 approximate weight 22kg

at the moment am leaning towards the 60mm spacing as a happy medium.

 

[thewanderingpine]

I also went the temp fencing panel path. Will do a fuller video on wednesday when I start pulling stuff down.

For @BluePat -- For a more expensive but lighter and less work option -- there are things like this: https://www.extremelightingdisplays.com.au/shop/christmas/matrix/chromamesh-1/

 

[fugley]

weight was one thing id not thought … kind of a very valid point

the temp fencing that people are taking of is this as in the fencing you would see and use around a building site ?
kind of opens the idea of 50 x 50 Galvanized mesh which can be got in 2.4/6.2m sheets

 

[thewanderingpine]

Yes. Graham put the link above to the fence panel. Also key was the fact that Bunnings sells Hinges and Wheels:

RapidMesh 90 x 70 x 90mm Temp Fence Wall Bracket

Find RapidMesh 90 x 70 x 90mm Temp Fence Wall Bracket at Bunnings. Visit your local store for the widest range of products.

www.bunnings.com.au

RapidMesh 75 x 165 x 195mm Temp Fence Jockey Wheel

Find RapidMesh 75 x 165 x 195mm Temp Fence Jockey Wheel at Bunnings. Visit your local store for the widest range of products.

www.bunnings.com.au

 

[Skymaster]

Unsure of cost but currently I have a 5x5 P10 panel screen/matrix that I stand in front of garage. Works well for low resolution video and great for effects, but is kinda small compared to blank canvas of full double car garage.

Keep in mind that a P10 is effectively less than half the pitch of a 1in matrix, and so the matrix will be even worse resolution, unless if you make it massive, which then nessecitates a much greater viewing distance.
5x5 P10 = 160 x 80... Which would be 4m x 2m at 1inch, and double those dimensions at two inches, for the same resolution.

I would go into it thinking that it would be great for effects, and keep a P5/P10 if you want to do any video stuff (or even a virtual matrix on a TV)

 

[BluePat]

I also went the temp fencing panel path. Will do a fuller video on wednesday when I start pulling stuff down.

For @BluePat -- For a more expensive but lighter and less work option -- there are things like this: https://www.extremelightingdisplays.com.au/shop/christmas/matrix/chromamesh-1/

I have considered chromamesh, but not too sure could get it to work with the goes up with door design I am looking for.

 

[Adsy]

Sorry about the image rotations. There is one box per panel to handle data/ power. The reason I chose strips was the possibility of repurposing in the future
which I sort now regret. I may share a small video of some video images tonight but I will confess that some people may be offended by what is shown so
I will leave it to the mods. No swearing ,violence or nudity is involved

 

[Skymaster]

Do you find you get much / any sagging of the horizontal strips in that method @Adsy? What are the regrets of using the MT strip in this case?

 

[Adsy]

Do you find you get much / any sagging of the horizontal strips in that method @Adsy? What are the regrets of using the MT strip in this case?

Initially yes. You may or may not notice the extra 20mm conduit evenly spaced to provide a cable tie point and spacer to help the strips sit forward
and more in line if that makes sense. I also used a off cut of form ply to space the strips vertically but i have had to replace strands on the go and in the dark
so hence some are a bit wonky but hardly noticable from the street view. My main regret is time to do it this way YMMV