Kitman
Full time elf
Hey all,
I have been planning for many years to convert my light display to a computer controlled display, but I have just never gotten to it, never seem to have the time, so this year I am starting early and thought why not start with the biggest thing I can, and fail spectacularly lol.
I think I first got the CLAP when I watched National Lampoons Christmas vacation when I was young and always wanted to have a house totally lit up just like Clark Griswold, however I was only around 15 years old when I saw it lol and now that I am over double that age my inner 15 year old still wants that house.
I have looked through the 101 manual many times, I have read many forum post's and I have gotten inspiration from Ruprects mega tree (as I am sure most of us have) which is one of the most ambitious things I think I have ever seen anyone do, I applaud you sir.
I was thinking of making something very similar however with a few small changes.
instead of making a lot of the items myself I found the following items on the holidaycoro website which I was going to consider purchasing to assemble my tree with.
They have what they call Pixnode strips available http://www.holidaycoro.com/product-p/767.htm that you can simply click the pixel nodes into, they look really well designed and manufactured, and for the price of them I can't see myself making my own mounting strips, just the cost of parts alone would be more than the strips.
I was thinking of getting the clear Pixnode strips and using these pixel strings to go into them http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/100pcs-DC12V-12mm-WS2811-led-smart-pixel-node-with-all-color-wire-20AWG-IP68-rated/701799_1932882946.html and that way with the clear strips it would allow the light to travel a little further maybe making for a nice look, however I might be totally wrong and the lights may bleed a little into each other and look terrible, won't know till I try.
Also on the holidaycoro site they have a Quicktree topper http://www.holidaycoro.com/Pixel-Strip-MegaTree-Topper-p/750.htm that these strips slide nicely into along with some pre drilled holes for cables and guide wires and the like which again for the price I think is great, and saves me making something up.
I was thinking of doing a full 360 degree tree with the 32 string topper and maybe having 50 pixels per strip (makes maths easy) and spacing them 3 inches apart (that's the measurements of the pixelstrips) which would give me a tree slightly taller than reprects.
However there are few things I am yet to decide and would like some been there tried that type of responses about what I should do.
I was looking at using either a Sandevice controller for the tree or a j1s controller, however I am not sure if either of these will provide enough channels to be able to control the whole tree with just the 1 controller. Also I was thinking of grouping the strings into groups of 3 so that I have 3 sets of 50 pixels making 150 and connecting each group of 150 into a header on the controller to evenly space it all out, that then leaves me with 2 strings of 50 left over which I could then add another 50 pixels onto for a star on top so all in all I would have 10 sets of 150 pixels and 1 set of 100 pixels with 50 spare for a star.
Also I was thinking with looping the 3 strings together I would maybe be able to get away with either not having to inject power since using 12 volts, or I can inject power at the end of the second string and start of the third so as to inject back into the second to compensate for any loss while injecting forward into the third string, saves on running power cables. or should I be using 5v lights instead.
Again any suggestions from people who have been there tried that would be great.
I have been planning for many years to convert my light display to a computer controlled display, but I have just never gotten to it, never seem to have the time, so this year I am starting early and thought why not start with the biggest thing I can, and fail spectacularly lol.
I think I first got the CLAP when I watched National Lampoons Christmas vacation when I was young and always wanted to have a house totally lit up just like Clark Griswold, however I was only around 15 years old when I saw it lol and now that I am over double that age my inner 15 year old still wants that house.
I have looked through the 101 manual many times, I have read many forum post's and I have gotten inspiration from Ruprects mega tree (as I am sure most of us have) which is one of the most ambitious things I think I have ever seen anyone do, I applaud you sir.
I was thinking of making something very similar however with a few small changes.
instead of making a lot of the items myself I found the following items on the holidaycoro website which I was going to consider purchasing to assemble my tree with.
They have what they call Pixnode strips available http://www.holidaycoro.com/product-p/767.htm that you can simply click the pixel nodes into, they look really well designed and manufactured, and for the price of them I can't see myself making my own mounting strips, just the cost of parts alone would be more than the strips.
I was thinking of getting the clear Pixnode strips and using these pixel strings to go into them http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/100pcs-DC12V-12mm-WS2811-led-smart-pixel-node-with-all-color-wire-20AWG-IP68-rated/701799_1932882946.html and that way with the clear strips it would allow the light to travel a little further maybe making for a nice look, however I might be totally wrong and the lights may bleed a little into each other and look terrible, won't know till I try.
Also on the holidaycoro site they have a Quicktree topper http://www.holidaycoro.com/Pixel-Strip-MegaTree-Topper-p/750.htm that these strips slide nicely into along with some pre drilled holes for cables and guide wires and the like which again for the price I think is great, and saves me making something up.
I was thinking of doing a full 360 degree tree with the 32 string topper and maybe having 50 pixels per strip (makes maths easy) and spacing them 3 inches apart (that's the measurements of the pixelstrips) which would give me a tree slightly taller than reprects.
However there are few things I am yet to decide and would like some been there tried that type of responses about what I should do.
I was looking at using either a Sandevice controller for the tree or a j1s controller, however I am not sure if either of these will provide enough channels to be able to control the whole tree with just the 1 controller. Also I was thinking of grouping the strings into groups of 3 so that I have 3 sets of 50 pixels making 150 and connecting each group of 150 into a header on the controller to evenly space it all out, that then leaves me with 2 strings of 50 left over which I could then add another 50 pixels onto for a star on top so all in all I would have 10 sets of 150 pixels and 1 set of 100 pixels with 50 spare for a star.
Also I was thinking with looping the 3 strings together I would maybe be able to get away with either not having to inject power since using 12 volts, or I can inject power at the end of the second string and start of the third so as to inject back into the second to compensate for any loss while injecting forward into the third string, saves on running power cables. or should I be using 5v lights instead.
Again any suggestions from people who have been there tried that would be great.