Gold coast build thread

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Emersonlights

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Jan 8, 2016
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35
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bonogin
Hi all

I have created this thread to document my Christmas light journey hopefully it may be useful to someone and help me track how far I've come lol.

BIt of background. Decided to start with lights this year as my daughter will be old enough to help and enjoy them. I'm an security tech by day so the hardware side comes easy just making a sequence look good I'll have to learn. Looking for this year to do full outline of the house, 2 small trees, 8 foot mega tree 180 degree and a 5 x 5 p10 screen.

Shopping list for 2016 season

36 P10 Panels. Have 9 so far
Octoscroller. Done
2000 Bullet pixels
Ras pi 3
Beaglebone. Done
Welder
2 F16's
Power supply

Still to decide what voltage to go. As a security guy 12V makes sense however 5V seems way more efficient and the wiring doesn't faze me.
 
So managed to get the P10's I have working and took a short video of it both effects and video. Will post photos tomorrow. Next thing to do is to make a frame for it.

https://youtu.be/MaQithID_h0
https://youtu.be/YimDJzAVvUM

Still need to decide on how I am going to go about the mega tree but house outline I am going to mount the pixels on aluminium channel then attach supports to the house so can be easily installed and removed every year. Hoping to have everything up for a Halloween display.
 
Hi Emersonlights
I would be careful with ordering P10 panels at different times as even know they will come from the same supplier I have found that the brightness between the batches was very different for me and very noticeable. My next order for panels will be to completely replace my whole matrix then I will use the old ones for smaller items.
 
Hi Josh


Good choice with the F16's I got 2 last year and have just ordered another 2.
What software are you going to use for sequencing?


Stuart
 
I agree that the F16v2 is a good choice but they're only available in group buys so you'll need a backup plan if there is no group buy in time.
 
Thanks for the info superman. What a pity now I have an excuse to have 2 matrix's.

Dazzled I have been testing with both xlights and vixen and at this stage will stay with xlights.

i13 yea hopefully will be able to get a coupe of them in time. I read somewhere there should be another group buy in April may some time. Of not will have to look at my options. Propably go with a E682 from sandevices. Would prefer the F16 due to the onboard dmx output which I want to use for sms floods.
 
Hopefully not getting too off topic but there are a few other controller options. See
http://clap-supplies.com/
http://www.advateklights.com/shop/6-mantis-pixel-mapping
These are ready-made controllers as are the F16v2 and the E682.
There are also cheap pixel capes for BeagleBones. They provide data (but don't distribute power) for WS2811/WS2812B pixels instead of P10 panels. Harder to set up and not as user friendly but they're cheap.

Whatever option you choose, it is important that you understand the advantages/disadvantages. There are big differences between the controllers in those links and also between them and the F16v2.
http://nutcracker123.com/nutcracker/rgb_controllers/
 
Thank you I will look into them. I was weighing up a BBB pixel cape and may still use that depending on timing and cost.
 
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