How many branches for my 2D mega tree for text

coopz05

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Im building my 2D mega tree frame tomorrow.

Im using a pixlite controller, but unfortunately they dont sell compatible strip.

Luke has advised me to get INK1003 strip.

When I look on Ray Wu it looks a lot more expensive than I budgeted for.

Does anyone has a link for some on Rays site that are reasonably priced but compatible with pixlite.

Pixels. RGB. INK1003. IP68.

Or has anyone else used another strip successfully? I really want to do text and even draw pics in the tree. Like stars a santa face etc

Ok, so my tree is like this;

5m pole

80cm in ground (concreted sleeve)

20cm to bottom of tree.

Bottom tree to top is 4m

Bottom is 225cm wide

Branches are 20mm conduit with strip glued and zipped to it.

I was originally planning for 16 branches. Now due to cost, I might downgrade.

My questions are;

Due to price, would 11 branches with 15-16cm spacing at the bottom be suffice to show clear text? Or is that too far apart?

Im leaning toward 11 cos of some letters like H, B, E etc that have a middle line

Also would 4m high with 225cm bottom be correct dimensions to look like a tree?

Thanks in advance.
 

BundyRoy

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I've just made a 2D tree out of 10 strips 3m long using ink1003. In my opinion it is not enough resolution to do still images. It can do scrolling images/text alright. My strips are 125mm apart at base. From what I have seen on here I would go 12 strips wide minimum.

I haven't used it but from what I've seen plenty of people have had great trees using ws2811 strip. It has 3 leds/pixel whereas ink1003 has 1 led/pixel.

Can't comment on the 5V strips. Maybe they are cheaper? Others with experience will have to give their opinion on that.

The pixlite will be compatible with most/all of the pixel types ray sells. Just remember that the pixlite can only control one type at a time. So all pixels have to be ws2811 or all 6803 etc. You can't have a mix. You can have ink1003 and ws2811 though as they use the same ws2811 protocol. I have a mix of 2811 and ink1003 on my pixlite controller. ink1003 in tree and ws2811 in arches.
 

Superman

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The ink1003 strip is basically 5v 2811 single pixel per channel strip with a 12v regulator stuck on the back of the strip every 1m to drop the voltage back to 5v.


I also don't concern with full ip68 strip and prefer the silicone tube only stuff. As long as the ends are sealed water won't get in. the reason for this is it's much easier to repair.

The strip I grabbed was this stuff
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/BLACK-PCB-5m-WS2811-LED-digital-strip-30leds-m-with-30pcs-WS2811-built-in-the-5050/701799_684974109.html
 

coopz05

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Superman, Im 100% new to pixels and have only done Dumb RGB before, so this might be a stupid question:


Would I have individual control of each pixel with the strip you suggest?


For example, could I go with 16 branches of that strip and then have text scrolling or even draw an outline of santas face or something?


I want to have random lyrics to songs scrolling across the tree or generic words like "MERRY XMAS" etc
 

coopz05

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BundyRoy even if I go 16 strips, it will still be spaced at 14cm at the bottom.


Would you think text and images will work with that?


If I went 12, itd be roughly 18cm spacing at the bottom. but it is 4m high.
 

BundyRoy

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There are a lot of better qualified people to comment on that rather than me. I'm only doing this for the first time too, I'm just a little further ahead in the build. It seems to me in my very limited experience that it is a compromise between image quality (for pictures etc) and having it look like a tree and not a rectangular matrix.

The closer the strips the better the image and the further apart the more it looks like a tree. Maybe you can get away with bigger spacing if you have more strips. I'm not sure. Will let others comment on that. I'm guessing it also depends on how far away people are when they look at your tree. The further away they are the bigger the spacing that you might be able to get away with. I'll let others with more experience (and it doesn't take much to have more than me) comment on that too.

Try going into chat. You will get a better feel for it after talking to people in there.
 

i13

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Most 5V strip has individual LED control but it will suffer more from voltage drop than the INK strip. You will know if this is an issue if the parts of the strip furthest from the power supply shine pink when they should be white (although it is possible that it just won't work properly and you can check the voltage with a multimeter). You can fix this problem by running a heavy cable for power (+ and - only, not data) to the other end of each of the strips. I don't know how far the power goes in 5V strips but I would be very surprised if you have to do more than that for a 4m strip. If using two or more power supplies, connect the negatives as normal but cut the positive line half way between them.
 

AAH

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I just had a thought. I was chatting with Matt the other night and he still didn't have a buyer for his Xmas display that he doesn't want to take up to Darwin. Among the lights he has is a pixel tree that is about 4m tall. If you want plug and play Matt may be the person to talk to as he has controllers, power supplies, lights and a little bit of time in which he may be able to show you how to use it all.
 
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