Hello & Help from Perth, Australia

blondesrock

New elf
Joined
Feb 6, 2013
Messages
14
Location
Queens Park, PERTH
Haven't said hello for about six years! Hope everyone is happy and getting ready for this year's display.

I'm wondering if anyone knows of someone in Perth who can fix the broken triacs on several of my LOR Controllers?
I watched a YouTube video today which showed me how to do it and it looked fairly basic, but I've never soldered anything and I'd hate to mess up the channels that are still ok. Fixing them will save me having to fork out for new controllers from America plus huge shipping fees.

Also, I am looking at adding smart pixels this year (have been too scared before now with my lack of knowledge).
However, I run my display using a LOR DC-MP3 show director. Can I add a LOR Pixie16 controller in my daisy chain of controllers or does it have to run separately and from my computer??

Thanks in advance to anyone who can assist with my questions. :)

Cheers - Kate
 

AAH

I love blinky lights :)
Community project designer
Joined
Dec 27, 2010
Messages
4,188
Location
Eaglehawk
Triacs are relatively easy to replace. It's more a factor of taking care not to damage the pcb while removing them and then removing the solder. Personally I'd recommend whoever does it snips the leads off the triacs and removes the leads one at a time to reduce the risk of damaging the pads.
I haven't used LOR for years and not any of the pixel devices but I believe that the Pixie 16 can connect directly to a standard LOR network and it just does some fudging to turn that signal into the pixel data.
 

blondesrock

New elf
Joined
Feb 6, 2013
Messages
14
Location
Queens Park, PERTH
Triacs are relatively easy to replace. It's more a factor of taking care not to damage the pcb while removing them and then removing the solder. Personally I'd recommend whoever does it snips the leads off the triacs and removes the leads one at a time to reduce the risk of damaging the pads.
I haven't used LOR for years and not any of the pixel devices but I believe that the Pixie 16 can connect directly to a standard LOR network and it just does some fudging to turn that signal into the pixel data.

Thank you so much for those excellent pieces of info.
I will attempt to fix a couple of triacs myself... can't get any more dead than they already are, haha. It's never too late to learn how to solder.
Cheers - Kate
 

bpratt

Senior elf
Joined
Mar 31, 2019
Messages
562
Location
Jimboomba, Queensland
Maybe with the faulty boards you have, they might be trying to tell you to move to another platform like the Falcon controllers ?

You say you have more than one faulty board, which is why I think you might be better off looking at a change. It will however I think mean you'll need to change to XLights or Vixen to do you shows, but that's probably a good thing too. :)
 

keithsw1111

Senior elf
Joined
Oct 11, 2012
Messages
933
Location
Kellyville, NSW
Maybe with the faulty boards you have, they might be trying to tell you to move to another platform like the Falcon controllers ?

You say you have more than one faulty board, which is why I think you might be better off looking at a change. It will however I think mean you'll need to change to XLights or Vixen to do you shows, but that's probably a good thing too. :)
Not true. Lor happily runs falcon controllers.
 

blondesrock

New elf
Joined
Feb 6, 2013
Messages
14
Location
Queens Park, PERTH
Not true. Lor happily runs falcon controllers.
I learned something new too. Thanks!
My faulty channels have been adding up slowly over the years and I've just been adjusting my display to suit. I hadn't heard of Falcon controllers but will now be doing some research - especially since they work with LOR - yeeha!! Thank you keith and bpratt
 

blondesrock

New elf
Joined
Feb 6, 2013
Messages
14
Location
Queens Park, PERTH
Hi Kate,
I am in Perth and most probably can help fix your dead LOR controllers, i think i have some spare parts still.
I am in Landsdale if that helps.
Gareth
Gareth... you are a legend!! Thank you for your kind offer. I will send you a message if that's ok and we can organise what suits you best.
- Kate
 

Matthew Thompson

Santa's Little Helpers
Joined
Nov 2, 2011
Messages
82
Location
Baldivis
Kate,
Happy to help also but i think Gareth will be closer. I am in Baldivis but have all the soldering gear. I don't have spares though. PM if you need a hand.
Regards
Matthew
 

blondesrock

New elf
Joined
Feb 6, 2013
Messages
14
Location
Queens Park, PERTH
Kate,
Happy to help also but i think Gareth will be closer. I am in Baldivis but have all the soldering gear. I don't have spares though. PM if you need a hand.
Regards
Matthew
Thanks so much Matthew - that's very kind :)
I bought some new triacs yesterday and will have a crack at replacing one myself. If I mess it up I will PM you as Gareth is heading out of town.
Cheers - Kate
 
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