No Christmas lights this year :-( 2024

[Giles1]

It’s official, no Christmas lights for me this year.

Apart from the usual lighting issues I always have (like; bad pixels, broken wires, changed prop placement, and the never-ending need to have new Sequences each year), this time I have had an issue I just couldn’t overcome before Christmas.

I have been using a Falcon F16 v3 Controller for my lights for over 5 years now. Overall, I have been happy with my F16 v3 Controller, as well as it’s Differential Receiver Boards I have been using. However, over the last couple of years, I had noticed that a couple of the Differential Receiver Boards were having some issues. I first off just purchased a new board, but eventually worked out that if I replaced the control chips (which are dirt cheap), the faulty Differential Receiver Board would work as it should again.

I then noticed that some of the Falcon F16 v3 Controller Ports were also developing issues, similar to the Differential Receiver Boards. So, I thought I would just try replacing the control chips on the Mother Board as well. I ordered some replacement chips, made sure they were the same type and also ensured they were installed the same way around. However, this didn’t fix my issue, and in the end, I just didn’t have a Controller to use this year.

So, after this long and sad story, I now come to the point of my post.
Can anyone recommend someone in the Brisbane (Queensland Australia) area who might be able to help me fix this Controller issue?

The other thing I was thinking about, was, should I take this as a sign, and change out my Controller to something else? I thought I could probably move to multiple Raspberry PI controllers, using Pi Hats? This way, I could have more individual controllers and power supplies, so the redundances should make my Christmas Lights system more reliable.

So, if anyone has any comments or suggestions on alternate Controllers, or someone who could check and possibly repair my Falcon F16 v3 Controller (which would be my preferred option, as I have put a lot of work into that control box), that would be much appreciated.

 

[BAZMick]

Hey Giles,
Silly question, have you done a full factory reset on the f16? Mine failed at the Qld mini this year and I thought it was dead...dead, full factory reset and update of the firmware and it is like new.

 

[darylc]

It would be useful if you could tell us what specifically is happening with the F16v3. Eg what does 'some of the Falcon F16 v3 Controller Ports were also developing issues, similar to the Differential Receiver Boards.' mean?

 

[Croydon Lights]

I have moved from the Differential Receiver Boards to the Baldrick 8 port pixel controller this year with 3 of them so that if I have a problem with my F16v3, F16v4 or even my F16v5 I don't kill off a big part of the show as when my F16v4 packed it in this year which I will look into next year and work out what happen with to it
I have so many controllers because I do not power inject, I like to have my controllers near the props and make it easier to add new props each year at different locations

 

[Giles1]

Hey Giles,
Silly question, have you done a full factory reset on the f16? Mine failed at the Qld mini this year and I thought it was dead...dead, full factory reset and update of the firmware and it is like new.

Unfortunately, yes, I have already tried that, but it didn’t help.

Now I have more time on my hands, I might give it another try, but I’m not going to hold my breath. ☹

 

[Giles1]

It would be useful if you could tell us what specifically is happening with the F16v3. Eg what does 'some of the Falcon F16 v3 Controller Ports were also developing issues, similar to the Differential Receiver Boards.' mean?

It looked like the data just wasn’t getting through correctly. Some pixels would come on, but would just stop halfway along a string. If I changed the prop on that port for another similar one, I’d get a different result, but it still wouldn’t work correctly.

I also tried re-uploading the Port information, and even tried doing a simple test set-up manually, but I still couldn’t get it to behave.

 

[Giles1]

I have moved from the Differential Receiver Boards to the Baldrick 8 port pixel controller this year with 3 of them so that if I have a problem with my F16v3, F16v4 or even my F16v5 I don't kill off a big part of the show as when my F16v4 packed it in this year which I will look into next year and work out what happen with to it
I have so many controllers because I do not power inject, I like to have my controllers near the props and make it easier to add new props each year at different locations

 

[Giles1]

I think that might be a wise thing to do. I probably wouldn’t have the funds to completely change over to not using Power Injection, but if I have more (smaller) Controllers with the power supplies close to the props, that would probably be the best way to go. I would also aim to have an emergency backup Controller on standby, as well, if I can afford it. If I can’t get the F16v3 to work properly, I’m thinking about moving to Raspberry PIs, with xlights hats. That way I can purchase them progressively through the year, and hopefully I’ll have it all up and working by next year.

 

[darylc]

factory reset your f16v3 and focus on getting a string of lights working, sounding like a configuration or pixel problem