Hi and question on controllers

[Alexisb]

Hi, Alexis from Auckland NZ. newbie.. have watched lots of videos and downloaded XLights and have the beginnings of my own sequence done. When in NZ do I source a Falcon 4 or 16 port controller? I know that they will be out of stock now, but want to start playing around early next year… I guess shipping from Aus the best option, but I can’t even find them online? I assume I should just get a 16 port as although the 4 port can expand to 12 it sounds like you outgrow them in a hurry? Any advice welcome.

 

[Mark_M]

Welcome to ACL @Alexisb !

When in NZ do I source a Falcon 4 or 16 port controller? I know that they will be out of stock now, but want to start playing around early next year… I guess shipping from Aus the best option, but I can’t even find them online?

Pixelcontroller.com (Falcon Controllers) is where US/AU/International orders are placed through.
Currently you need to email pixelcontroller.com to request AU shipping from the storage facility there. This also covers NZ.

Where abouts are in NZ? I'm in Auckland and there's a few more around. I have an F48 (white v3 board).

Outgrowing them is subjective. How many pixels are you planning to get?
The white Falcons (Version 3) do up to 16,384 and the new Blue Falcons (v4) do around 32,000 pixels.

Calculating for the new v4 Falcons;
At 30cents a pixel multiplied by 32,000: that is $9,600 worth of lights and not factoring power supplies, enclosures, etc.

It's not something most people would completely max out!

 

[i13]

I agree that not many of us would completely max out a Falcon however you may still want to buy a second one in future. I find myself filling up the F16V3 ports faster than I expect to. Having the occasional port with ~600 pixels at 40 frames per second means that I can't make use of a second row of ports. As far as I am aware, the F16V4 would not have this limitation.

 

[Alexisb]

Welcome to ACL @Alexisb !

Pixelcontroller.com (Falcon Controllers) is where US/AU/International orders are placed through.
Currently you need to email pixelcontroller.com to request AU shipping from the storage facility there. This also covers NZ.

Where abouts are in NZ? I'm in Auckland and there's a few more around. I have an F48 (white v3 board).

Outgrowing them is subjective. How many pixels are you planning to get?
The white Falcons (Version 3) do up to 16,384 and the new Blue Falcons (v4) do around 32,000 pixels.

Calculating for the new v4 Falcons;
At 30cents a pixel multiplied by 32,000: that is $9,600 worth of lights and not factoring power supplies, enclosures, etc.

It's not something most people would completely max out!

I am Auckland too. Out south in Paerata. Will probably start out under 5000 pixels initially. A tree a few arches, mini trees and some simple outlines. It will come down to funding. Is there a way XLights can tell you total pixel/string count For your design? Where abouts is your display, would be nice to take the kids for a drive by.

 

[Mark_M]

I am Auckland too. Out south in Paerata. Will probably start out under 5000 pixels initially. A tree a few arches, mini trees and some simple outlines. It will come down to funding. Is there a way XLights can tell you total pixel/string count For your design? Where abouts is your display, would be nice to take the kids for a drive by.

I'm on the Display locations map at the top bar of ACL. I'm in East Auckland way.


xLights can tell you how many pixels per model. You need to enter it in so it knows how many is there...
Adding a theoretical amount is one way to guess how many pixel you'd like.

Here is my roofline. Number of nodes is greyed out because I have individual segments listed. With individual segments unticked you'll just have the total number of pixel nodes.

 

[Notenoughlights]

A fairly robust controller option from @AAH Hanson Electronics would be the HE123MK2, 38400 pixels capacity at a high frame rate, it can also double as your show controller and drive other e1.31 devices as it runs Falcon Player

HE123 Mk2 16-48 output pixel board | Hanson Electronics

HE123 48 output pixel board

www.hansonelectronics.com.au

It does require one of these boards (Just one, not both of them)

BeagleBone Green | Hanson Electronics

BeagleBone Green for running P10 panels on Octoscrolla or pixels on a HE123

www.hansonelectronics.com.au

Or

BeagleBone Black | Hanson Electronics

BeagleBone Black for running Falcon Player and running Octoscroller for P10 boards and other lighting gear

www.hansonelectronics.com.au

These are cheaper to buy and get set up than the Falcon range of controllers if you are just looking to start out and test the waters without spending too much to begin with.

 

[Alexisb]

I'm on the Display locations map at the top bar of ACL. I'm in East Auckland way.


xLights can tell you how many pixels per model. You need to enter it in so it knows how many is there...
Adding a theoretical amount is one way to guess how many pixel you'd like.

Here is my roofline. Number of nodes is greyed out because I have individual segments listed. With individual segments unticked you'll just have the total number of pixel nodes.
View attachment 19213

Thanks. I was just wondering if instead of adding up all the nodes in all my models, if there was somewhere XLights tallied it for you.

 

[OzAz]

Thanks. I was just wondering if instead of adding up all the nodes in all my models, if there was somewhere XLights tallied it for you.

Yes - Tools \ Export Models
Produces a csv file full of data, including:

Model Count
First Used Channel
Last Used Channel
Actual Used Channel
Bulbs