Hi Friends - Help with a work project

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BlinkRJ

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Feb 6, 2020
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G'day friends,

I'm hoping I can gain some insight into the complexity of a project I'm working on at the moment. I've worked through the manual as well as some basic tutorial videos on the internet and I feel like the design is achievable. However, I don't want to commit to purchasing the products without confirmation that I can closely replicate the original with some research and effort.

If anyone has time please take a look at the vid on this page: https://www.laprairie.com.au/au/edition?editionId=miami-2019
Basically looking at designing a similar display on a smaller scale.

I can see that the poles utilise intelligent strips and I'm comfortable with the power aspect.

If anyone could provide any advice on the controller/sequencing process and the elements/products required it would be greatly appreciated.

Looking forward to getting involved this year!
Thanks,
RJ
 
Those poles are basically "meteor" / "waterfall" / "snowfall" tubes" standing up. Similar to this sort of thing https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32969830472.html
Note: you can buy these with LEDs on just one side, you need to find the ones with LEDs both sides (I think that links is?) to get a 360 degree effect.

Nearly everyone else on here will tell you to buy an F16V3 Falcon controller, but if this is a small scale project there are other perhaps cheaper and easier to obtain controllers that would do what you require.

I'm assuming like the video in the link, this will be "stand-alone" somewhere? If so then'you'll probably want to run it from a Pi running FPP.

Sequencer of choice is xLights, free and fantastic. You can map something like this in 3D in xLights and get some amazing effects, basically map it as a cube.

Several people used "Peace Stakes" in their display last year, which are basically a short version of the ones in the video, so there should be some videos for you to see effects and maybe sequencing.
 
I used meteor lights that were dead cheap from eBay, they were stand alone - not pixels with an external controller.
I had 42 tubes that took 5v. The power supplies are anything but safe, that's why I used my own power supply.

They looked great! but the quality ment they got water inside and crapped themselves.

(Tree behind in front of the garage)

View: https://youtu.be/eol6LzKywCk



That's not to say that all are bad. But they are expensive. Ray Wu's meteor tubes are expensive... eek.
I'm thinking of making a 'peace stake' and hanging it to achieve the same effect.
 
OzAz said:
Those poles are basically "meteor" / "waterfall" / "snowfall" tubes" standing up. Similar to this sort of thing https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32969830472.html
Note: you can buy these with LEDs on just one side, you need to find the ones with LEDs both sides (I think that links is?) to get a 360 degree effect.

Nearly everyone else on here will tell you to buy an F16V3 Falcon controller, but if this is a small scale project there are other perhaps cheaper and easier to obtain controllers that would do what you require.

I'm assuming like the video in the link, this will be "stand-alone" somewhere? If so then'you'll probably want to run it from a Pi running FPP.

Sequencer of choice is xLights, free and fantastic. You can map something like this in 3D in xLights and get some amazing effects, basically map it as a cube.

Several people used "Peace Stakes" in their display last year, which are basically a short version of the ones in the video, so there should be some videos for you to see effects and maybe sequencing.
Click to expand...

Hi OzAz,

Thanks for your help.

Do the meteor lights have ability to control individual LEDs or do they run as a set program once they're turned on?
 
BlinkRJ said:
Do the meteor lights have ability to control individual LEDs or do they run as a set program once they're turned on?
Click to expand...
The ones @OzAz has linked are controlled by a pixel controller, each LED can be whatever colour and brightness you want.

If those are too expensive I would look at creating a 'peace stake'.
I would just focus on the idea and implementation of them so far, this video is very in depth about programming them.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MezJiXe9bSI


BlinkRJ said:
If anyone could provide any advice on the controller/sequencing process and the elements/products required it would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
What sort of setup would you like? I'm presuming one timed to music, but people here do have 'static displays' with pixel controllers.

You're going to need a programmable controller. Cheap pixel controllers with built in patterns will not do.

Like @OzAz has said above; a Falcon pixel controller is likely overkill for what you want done.
I'm thinking a DIY controller might do alright; like an ESP pixelstick or a Kulp controller.

I would look back over @OzAz 's post; I think we're going to need more information and you're going to need to do some research.
xLights 'meteor' effect is likely sufficient. However that video above shows some cool animates that you could do.
 
Hi, that’s an ambitious project producing pretty cool effects. That said there is no reason why it couldn’t be replicated, I would guess that these where custom manufactured for this project (but 90% of what we do is custom manufactured – not much difference there).
Having done a wearable project myself the first thing that stands out is that each unit has very few LED’s lit at any time, this would be more conducive to battery power as the current is lower.
The fact that they appear to be fixed to the ground in some type of socket or tube, that provides for ease of setup and would enable them to be removed during the day for charging.
Whilst neither of these confirms that they are battery powered it would seem the most practical approach combined with wireless communication for synchronisation.

Is it the exact effect you are trying to reproduce?
Will the units be fixed for a period of time i.e. can be hard wired?
Will it be in a public place like a park where issues such as tripping and electric shock are an issue?
Basically the question is can it be wired with a power feed or does it need to be wireless and battery powered?
 
You mentioned a smaller scale, could you define what that smaller would be? I checked the links and they are impressive; nice enough I'm thinking how I could construct a number of them.
 
Yes, if you get the right ones, you can control individual LEDs - with these limits:
12V LED strips usually control 3 LEDs as one pixel, however the ones I linked above look like each LED is 1 pixel.
It also looks like both sides are controlled as one side (mirrored) if that makes sense.

You'd need to do your own research and/or ask around to make sure you get the right type, as I've never used meteor tubes.

But yes, basically the LEDs are individually controlled ( assuming you buy the correct type :) )

Seeing as your in Aus, you might want to consider one of @AAH 's raspberry Pi based controllers to control them, small and cheaper than say a falcon controller.
 
Thanks for all the help guys.

Under control with the hardware.

Currently working in xLights trying to achieve a similar rolling wave effect like that in the original La Prairie video.

I'm having trouble adjusting the 'wave' effect to start from the left and end on the right. All lights begin moving at once.
If you could recommend a solution or a video that would assist in designing effects.

Thanks again
 

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