Newbie with plan in place and ready to pull the trigger. Would like suggestions!

[uncledan]

Controller has been chosen an is on it's way!

Sadly, I couldn't source a Falcon F16v2, so I ended up going with the new HinksPix16 due to some glowing endorsements from members of other forums on the creator of the board and a direct phone call from the creator offering his services for helping me get all set up when the board arrives. Now that's what I call service!


Here's a thread that goes over the awesome features of this controller, in addition to announcing $200 US price with a $50 US refund if you provide feedback on the controller by the end of the year!


http://doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/showthread.php?44971-HinksPix16-Beta-Release-of-NEW-16-port-Pixel-Controller


$150 US for a 16 channel controller with all the bells and whistles. How can you beat that!

Last up is getting a final quote from Ray Wu and then I'm off and running!

This is really going to happen. I'm so excited and appreciate all the help everyone has given so far. I'm sure I'll be asking a lot more questions very soon!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Too bad you went that route. Hopefully Hinkle is better than DMoore on customer service... Especially with a new product. Falcon and Advatek have great customer service and have been around a while with a proven product. Hope everything works out. If not I have a few spare Pixlite16

 

[LightsOn81st]

Controller has been chosen an is on it's way!

Sadly, I couldn't source a Falcon F16v2, so I ended up going with the new HinksPix16 due to some glowing endorsements from members of other forums on the creator of the board and a direct phone call from the creator offering his services for helping me get all set up when the board arrives. Now that's what I call service!


Here's a thread that goes over the awesome features of this controller, in addition to announcing $200 US price with a $50 US refund if you provide feedback on the controller by the end of the year!


http://doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/showthread.php?44971-HinksPix16-Beta-Release-of-NEW-16-port-Pixel-Controller


$150 US for a 16 channel controller with all the bells and whistles. How can you beat that!

Last up is getting a final quote from Ray Wu and then I'm off and running!

This is really going to happen. I'm so excited and appreciate all the help everyone has given so far. I'm sure I'll be asking a lot more questions very soon!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Too bad you went that route. Hopefully Hinkle is better than DMoore on customer service... Especially with a new product. Falcon and Advatek have great customer service and have been around a while with a proven product. Hope everything works out. If not I have a few spare Pixlite16

Yeah, I really did want a Falcon, but waiting until December 14th for one isn't going to work. I also wasn't sure about the Advatek and felt like I was giving up some features that I really liked about the Falcon.


The HinksPix is a bit of a risk no doubt, but the fact that the creator called me directly and offered his help to get it up and running if I have issue made me feel pretty secure that I'll be able to make it work for me.

 

[tooms]

The pixlite's are a solid tried and tested board, I had a look at Hinkle's controller, a lot of the fruity stuff isn't available yet so I suspect you'll get the same functionality as a pixlite or e682.


Be careful, hinkle's board is still being beta tested .. bugs ahead!

 

[LightsOn81st]

The pixlite's are a solid tried and tested board, I had a look at Hinkle's controller, a lot of the fruity stuff isn't available yet so I suspect you'll get the same functionality as a pixlite or e682.


Be careful, hinkle's board is still being beta tested .. bugs ahead!

Thanks for the input.

It certainly is a bit of risk using a beta board, but so is starting your LED lighting project 2 weeks before December! I like to live on the edge! 8)


I've talked with the creator and a few others that know him well and they feel pretty confident that the core features are solid on the board already. Yes, the extras will need time to be implemented but I don't mind that for now and it means new things to play with as time goes on!


I'll be sure to share my experiences with all of you as I continue down the path of "Extreme LED Decorating: Not Enough Time Edition"!

 

[Gilrock]

Sorry I can't help anymore you bought the wrong controller...lol.

 

[LightsOn81st]

Sorry I can't help anymore you bought the wrong controller...lol.

HAH! I guess I'm on my own then!


Seriously, though. All you folks have been a huge help already with getting on this project so thanks again!

I'm already putting myself in for a world of hurt to get this project done in time, so adding an untested controller to my setup probably isn't the wisest thing, but I've always welcomed a challenge!

 

[bluzervic]

Nice thread on this and welcome to ACL. I can suggest you jump into chat as well anytime you need help.


I am a 12 volt guy myself and use mostly pixlites, however I have most other controllers lying around or in my display.


My rule of thumb is 100 Pixels max for 12 volts without Power injection
50 pixels Max for 5 volts.


Also, Use this site... it has a great bunch of Calculators.


http://www.da-share.com/


-Blu

 

[LightsOn81st]

Nice thread on this and welcome to ACL. I can suggest you jump into chat as well anytime you need help.


I am a 12 volt guy myself and use mostly pixlites, however I have most other controllers lying around or in my display.


My rule of thumb is 100 Pixels max for 12 volts without Power injection
50 pixels Max for 5 volts.


Also, Use this site... it has a great bunch of Calculators.


http://www.da-share.com/


-Blu

Thanks for the suggestions and resources. I certainly plan on doing power injection for most of my runs, and hoping that I'll be able to get away with injecting at the start and end of the runs.


You mention a 100 pixel limit for 12v before injecting power. Does that mean 100 LEDs or 100 ICs? For example, I'm planning on using 30/10 strip (10 controllable groups of 3 LEDs per meter), so would I need to inject power after every ~33 groups of LEDs, or after every 100 IC node?

 

[ccrowder]

Depends on the wattage of each pixel. The 100-pixel distance is usually for the 12v bullet nodes. After 100 pixels you usually get too much of a voltage drop when everything is all white.

 

[uncledan]

with the nodes you have purchased you should be good at injecting every 100+ pixels. Pixel 1 and pixel 200 since it feeds power from both ends. The 10/30 strip needs injection every 5m generally 10m or 100 pixels(300 led) powering at pixel 1 and 100

 

[LightsOn81st]

with the nodes you have purchased you should be good at injecting every 100+ pixels. Pixel 1 and pixel 200 since it feeds power from both ends. The 10/30 strip needs injection every 5m generally 10m or 100 pixels(300 led) powering at pixel 1 and 100

Thanks for the clarification!


My max runs are 180 and 200 pixels so it sounds like I'll be good to power inject at the beginning and end of each run, which is good news as it will save me some time and materials!


Most of my runs are between 50 and 100 pixels so it sounds like I could get away with injecting power at the start of the run there, but to be safe I'll probably inject at the end of those runs as well.

 

[LightsOn81st]

The enclosures, PSUs, and power distribution blocks (fused for positive, bus bar for negative) have all arrived.


I'll cut some acrylic sheet for mounting and got the PSUs and power distribution installed and wired up:

I wired up the connections between the PSU and the distribution blocks with 10AWG wire. The distribution blocks provide up to 10 fused outputs:

I wanted to put 2 PSUs in a single enclosure but the mess of wiring likely would have been a nightmare to deal with, so I settled with a single PSU per enclosure and each enclosure will provide power for 5 light runs (power injection will be done at the start and end of each run), with the 3rd enclosure containing a PSU and the pixel controller (that PSU will only power the controller).


Next up, over the weekend I'll be knocking out more sequencing and cutting up the 1/2 PVC I'll be mounting the LED strips to for running along the roof lines and windows. Friday my lights should be on their way to my door (per Ray Wu) and early next week I will be wiring up the pixel controller when it arrives.


Here's hoping my lights arrive quickly so I can start testing and installing!

 

[LightsOn81st]

Lights have officially shipped from Ray Wu, and uncledan hooked me up with a great deal in a F16v2 and expansion board so I should be all set for controllers both this year and the next few years!


I should be installing lights by the end of the week.


Back to sequencing!

 

[LightsOn81st]

Lights just cleared customs in LA! Getting close now!

 

[LightsOn81st]

Just got another update from Ray on the lights. They are scheduled to be at my door TODAY! Wow, that was fast!


Just need my controllers to show up in the next day or two and I'm in business!


Time to climb into the ceiling and run some new network cables!