Hi everyone I'm new to the world of light's so thought I would join some site's for top tips.

Nuttyphill

Nuttyphill

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Jan 6, 2021
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Hi everyone I'm new to the world of light's so thought I would join some site's for top tips.
Happy New year to everyone from me and my family in the UK
 
Hi, welcome to ACL. The ACL 101 Manual is a good place to start. Other sections can be looked in for design ideas and problem solutions.
 
THE top tip is that 5V pixels are better than 12V pixels. 12V might be easier but 5V is better :D
For those and many other tips the ACL101 is the place to look.
Any other questions that you have can be answered on the forum or in chat.
 
AAH said:
THE top tip is that 5V pixels are better than 12V pixels. 12V might be easier but 5V is better :D
For those and many other tips the ACL101 is the place to look.
Any other questions that you have can be answered on the forum or in chat.
Click to expand...

Stirring up the pot again?

I happen to agree with you, but many like the ease of 12V pixels.
 
Nuttyphill said:
Hi everyone I'm new to the world of light's so thought I would join some site's for top tips.
Happy New year to everyone from me and my family in the UK
Click to expand...

Matrices are probably the most versatile props, but it can be difficult and tedious to map other props to it. This is especially true for low resolution matrices.

These have been mapped to a 60 x 60 matrix as submodels:
submodels.gif
 
Old Salt said:
Stirring up the pot again?

I happen to agree with you, but many like the ease of 12V pixels.
Click to expand...
Alan is definitely stirring the pot; or looking to create another long voltage thread.

Humor aside, #1 forum debate is probably 5 Volt versus 12 Volt, #2 is 12 Volt versus 5 Volt. The next several are up for debate, power injection, 12 Volt resistor or regulated. With the 12 Volts I have, I'm not totally convinced 12 Volt is easier. I do have several hundred 5 Volt and rather than letting them gather dust I am considering putting them out. Easter is around the corner which reminds me, I have a wire frame bunny to order.
 
Has anyone tabulated the advantages and disadvantages for 5V v 12V v resistor v regulated ?

From what I’ve read it’s like Ford v Holden debate
 
stevelee said:
Has anyone tabulated the advantages and disadvantages for 5V v 12V v resistor v regulated ?

From what I’ve read it’s like Ford v Holden debate
Click to expand...
auschristmaslighting.com

12V Resistor and 12V Regulated WS2811 Pixels

Hi all, I noticed some of the commonly used Chinese vendors are now offering for sale both Resistor and Regulated types of 12V WS2811 pixels and there is a little price difference between the different types. Wired Watts has provided some information regarding this and some pictures to help...
auschristmaslighting.com auschristmaslighting.com

and you'll see a terrible video from me on voltage tolerance of 12v regulated pixels.
 
Basically 5V pixels at 30% intensity may be a maximum of 50 px from their power source. 12V pixels must be within 100 px from their power source. For longer strings, if power is applied with the data to the first pixel, injection is required after every 100th pixel in a five volt string. A 12V string would require injection after every 200th pixel. So, less power injection is required for 12V strings.

The other difference is that 12V strings require more power to achieve the same brightness, roughly 7/12 more.

As the same value of resistor is used at every pixel in 12V strings, the voltage drop across them will cause the color to vary before those with a regulator. Therefore most folks here will recommend the regulated 12V strings over those with resistors.

Five volts vs 12 volts is a long running debate here. It's up to you which you wish to use.
 
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