Hello again... :)

Dreamin

Full time elf
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
382
Location
Sunshine Coast
Hi Everyone.

Well in 2016 I joined with good intentions but found it all a bit overwhelming with all the info so I concentrated on my regular display a bit, and got side tracked with 3D printing and a computer business! lol. So the business is finished, and I have a regular job again, and now I've got a little more time, and my family are on board with the having a "crazy" display for next year, I'm back. And it's going to get real! :):thumbsup:

I've re-read the manual back to front, probably still have questions, but will save most of them for later. I've also watched a lot of youtube videos of people explaining things, and how to set things up, and peoples displays for inspiration.

My thoughts are that I want to fix permanent strips like I saw a guy "The Hook Up" on youtube here
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UiqrnRiqpk
. I think what he used was this stuff https://www.amazon.com.au/Aluminum-Channel-LightingWill-Surface-Section/dp/B077W58224 but I'm not sure how it will go with the sun we get here in Queensland? Has anyone used it? Is there anywhere in Australia that sells this stuff (apart from amazon). I will be doing the display on my father in laws house (I have too many trees blocking the front of mine), so it I can make it look nice we can use it for haloween, and parties and stuff. :)

My main thoughts are to organise what I need, and order what I can now (getting in early), so I can mount the strips in the cooler months, ready for Christmas), and mess around with it all and take my time getting the elements right that I want to achieve.

This year I'm going to try for lights on the house, which I was thinking 5v strip lights, under the gutter area, and this house has three triangular roof areas that would look nice lit up. In the triangular sections I will put some some stars or similar in the middle of the triangle parts that can be animated. I also would like a mega tree (thinking 12V pixels for that ?!?). I think that will give me enough to have a display that people can watch and I can run to music. Thinking E1.31 at the moment, run it all on a Pi or similar? Then the following year I can add and add and make it bigger each year.

Can you buy a mega tree kit in Australia? I've only found sites in the US so far.

What do you think? Any thoughts on the above? If anyone does this on the Sunshine Coast, please say hi I would love to chat or meet up.
 

Superman

I Have C.L.A.P and its very infectious
Global moderator
Joined
May 29, 2010
Messages
1,778
Location
Ipswich-QLD
Hi Dreamin, Welcome back.
Sun is not going to be your friend with that clear plastic aluminum stuff you linked.Unless it is specifically UV rated i recon you might get a couple of years out of it before the LED strip goes yellow.
I have seen one of our members use a plastic SUNTUFF end cap to slide strip into. it is UV rated but can be slightly tinted as well. If you want to try you can get a strip of that at Bunnings where the roof sheeting is.

If your keen and would like to meet a few of us and learn heaps we are having our Mini/ Workshop in June this year.
Mini Page Link
 

Dreamin

Full time elf
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
382
Location
Sunshine Coast
Hi Dreamin, Welcome back.
Sun is not going to be your friend with that clear plastic aluminum stuff you linked.Unless it is specifically UV rated i recon you might get a couple of years out of it before the LED strip goes yellow.
I have seen one of our members use a plastic SUNTUFF end cap to slide strip into. it is UV rated but can be slightly tinted as well. If you want to try you can get a strip of that at Bunnings where the roof sheeting is.

If your keen and would like to meet a few of us and learn heaps we are having our Mini/ Workshop in June this year.
Mini Page Link

Thanks. That's what I was thinking. In a few years it will be brittle as all hell. I'll check that SUNTUFF out. I spend way too much time in Bunnings anyway.

Mini looks good, I'll check in nearer the time and find out more details. Ipswich isn't too much of a hike.
 

Dreamin

Full time elf
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
382
Location
Sunshine Coast
There's someone who occasionally wears funny looking reindeer antler hats who is planning on adding complete mega tree kits to his product lineup this year.

Haha, I have a similar hat. Love it. Sounds like you read my mind. Definitely keen on checking out your mega tree line.
 

Dreamin

Full time elf
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
382
Location
Sunshine Coast
Well things just got real. Yesterday I collected an entire set up to play with, including a mega tree!
A lot of hard work is already done for me (bonus there) but I have some very quick learning to do to figure out wiring, how a falcon f16v3 and Pi works etc etc.
Lucky my wife and kids are learning Xlights!
BADC0281-59AD-43A6-84A6-9769429DEC64.jpeg
 
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