General Pixel Questions as they Pop into my Noggin'

[BillyTRichVa]

Thanks for that Eddy. On my 2801 pixels, the IN side is the side with the chip.

 

[AussiePhil]

Thanks for that Eddy. On my 2801 pixels, the IN side is the side with the chip.

And another trap is that is not always the case...... depends on the designer of the little pcb used on the day....

It's annoying at times.

The other big trap is that the wiring is not always the same even if they are 2801's.... spliced in a spare to replace a dead one earlier this year and wondered why nothing lit up till i noticed the Gnd,Clk,Data wires were in different orders.

Phil

 

[fasteddy]

Good point Phil, dont use coloured wires as a reference as i have several batches that all have different coloured wires, even some where the colour wire changed from a data to a clock.

Ive also had strip that had the output and input marked the wrong way on the strip screen silk on each section.

The main thing that people need to ensure is they have the correct +V which doesnt really matter if its supplied from either end of the strip/string because if you get the +V wrong then most times this will damage the IC if applied to the data, clock or ground connections.

So when dealing with pixels, first ensure the power is correct, then connect the data (and clock for 4 wire ICs) if you have it wrong then the data and clock being swapped generally will not damage the IC.

This is part of DIY, as when you buy direct from China you have very little control of consistancy and quality control. Thats why its cheaper than LOR and other commercial options.

 

[dannyp]

Really good stuff guys and I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

I'm designing how I would use some pixels for my display (don't use any at the moment but got all enthused after going to the Sydney mini) and was thinking about putting them across the front of my house. I have attached a picture of what I am thinking.

The yellow would be the pixels that light up and the orange ones would not light up. My understanding is that I could make the orange ones Null (?) but it occurs to me that this would be a waste of these pixels. Am I right in saying that I could simply run some wire from the end of the yellow string across the front of the window to the start of the next pixel which is at the end of the window (only around 2.0m) and this would be fine. If the signal did not get across all the way, then I could simply introduce 1 null pixel to regenerate the signal?

Assuming I did not need a null pixel (as per my picture) my concern with this approach is that if I ran a transition across the front wall, is there any way that I can use LSP to make it realise that Pixel 7 around the windows does not line up with Pixel 7 for the strings under the window? If I could not then the transition would be out of alignment due to the "gap" in the windows?

Does this make sense?

 

[BrianJ]

I am going to answer one question and post another. I will differ the answer to any more experienced member that can correct or verify what I say.


You can splice in wire for the runs across your windows and not waste any pixels. You should be able to splice in enough wire to go around the window(s) if you like to keep the windows clear.If the run was to long the pixels you placed in for regenerating the signal would not be "null pixels" as labelled by the controller but would be pixels that would be included in your channel count and you would have to sequence around. Null pixels are set by the controller and used at the start of a run to gain the required distance from the controller to the first lit pixel in the run. Controllers do not have the ability to set null pixels in the middle of a run.


There has been a lot of discussion in this thread about ensuring that you maintain the correct wiring order when attaching and changing pixels to stings. (dc polarity, clock, grnd, in and out side of pixel) How do you verify this on a pixel or string? Is it all a trial and error thing, a visual thing or something that can be measured with a multi-meter?


Thanks, B

 

[fasteddy]

I am going to answer one question and post another. I will differ the answer to any more experienced member that can correct or verify what I say.


You can splice in wire for the runs across your windows and not waste any pixels. You should be able to splice in enough wire to go around the window(s) if you like to keep the windows clear.If the run was to long the pixels you placed in for regenerating the signal would not be "null pixels" as labelled by the controller but would be pixels that would be included in your channel count and you would have to sequence around. Null pixels are set by the controller and used at the start of a run to gain the required distance from the controller to the first lit pixel in the run. Controllers do not have the ability to set null pixels in the middle of a run.


There has been a lot of discussion in this thread about ensuring that you maintain the correct wiring order when attaching and changing pixels to stings. (dc polarity, clock, grnd, in and out side of pixel) How do you verify this on a pixel or string? Is it all a trial and error thing, a visual thing or something that can be measured with a multi-meter?


Thanks, B

The answer is to use a combination of observations, many times the pixel has some markings on the board, if you use a maginfying glass, then through the clouded cover of the pixel you should hopefully see some markings telling you which wire is which.
If failing that then for me all the pixel samples i have got all have the +12vdc on the outer side of the board. As far as orientation they have differed, some of this will be trial and error as well.

I must say though I dont use a great deal of pixel strings in my display so I havent had to worry about this too much, but from the samples I have i can see why people have some issues working it out.

Hopefully someone with a bit more experience in working out the correct wiring on pixels that dont have any markings may help.

Really good stuff guys and I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

I'm designing how I would use some pixels for my display (don't use any at the moment but got all enthused after going to the Sydney mini) and was thinking about putting them across the front of my house. I have attached a picture of what I am thinking.

The yellow would be the pixels that light up and the orange ones would not light up. My understanding is that I could make the orange ones Null (?) but it occurs to me that this would be a waste of these pixels. Am I right in saying that I could simply run some wire from the end of the yellow string across the front of the window to the start of the next pixel which is at the end of the window (only around 2.0m) and this would be fine. If the signal did not get across all the way, then I could simply introduce 1 null pixel to regenerate the signal?

Assuming I did not need a null pixel (as per my picture) my concern with this approach is that if I ran a transition across the front wall, is there any way that I can use LSP to make it realise that Pixel 7 around the windows does not line up with Pixel 7 for the strings under the window? If I could not then the transition would be out of alignment due to the "gap" in the windows?

Does this make sense?

I would believe you could do this in LSP in 2 ways. When you create a matrix you can then go in and edit that matrix channel arrangements so you could then assign the channels manually, a bit of a time consuming thing but one way to try and do it as a matrix.

The other way is to also treat it as a series of strips that are drawn as single strings across your house in the LSP visualizer and then split up into the channel ranges you need when prompted by LSP. You then attach all these strings into a layer, Then you will be able to use the transitions and the soon to be released macros.

So 2 ways to try and do it via software in LSP. I must say its something I havent tried, but with my playing around with LSP it seems like its very possible with both methods to achieve what you want.

If only going across your window then i doubt you will even need a null pixel, just make an extension wire go from one pixel to the other across your window.

 

[dannyp]

Thanks guys. I will try that

Danny