OK I am a little confused

bdeditch

Full time elf
Joined
Dec 14, 2011
Messages
200
Location
Oroville, California
I have been to busy to play around with my ECG-P12R, until now. Finally got some projects done and now its time to start learning a new venture. I have read the paper that fast Eddy made, but worried about connecting power. I have ordered some 2811's from Ray and hope to have them next week, if the poor guy doesn't forget with the hundred other orders he has. On Page 9 of the guide, Connecting Power, it show many types of ways of hooking it up. It shows P13 & P00 have power in each one, and then different options. So here is my questions


1) If I just want to start it up and configure everything, and use a 12 volt, 20 amp power supply, can I just add the power to either P13 or P00 or do I have to have to both?


2) is it ok to update everything first in order to be able to use the 2811's or do I configure everything on the computer as if I was going to do the show?


3) I have a extra computer that is running XP that I was going to use just to play around with this, my main light show computer is Win 7, is it a hassle to add the to the show computer after, or is sort of a plug & play?




I have read the manual a few times, but I must be missing something.
 

DeeJai

Is that Magic Smoke?!?
Joined
Oct 18, 2011
Messages
1,008
Location
No longer in Radelaide
I cant comment directly on the power requirments for the p12R, however should be able to give a bit of info for your other questions.

2. You would be best to update the firmware first, although it really wont matter initially, but to use the 2811 properly, you will eventually have to anyway (provided the bootrom is the newer version (confirmation from fasteddy would be required on this)

3. The controller itself will need to be set up to a designated IP address (your own preference what address, however, usually one outside the normal start numbers so it doesnt get sniped by any of your other devices) , so it wont matter what computer you actually run the show from, so long as that computer is configured to spit the data out to that IP address.

**EDIT**
Going back to question 1, You will need to run power to both of those inputs as each input will power each side of the upper board (by the looks of it, 6 outputs each)

just make sure that any jumpers that are required to be installed are done for 12V.

If I am wrong in any aspect, please let me know below.
 

fasteddy

I have C.L.A.P
Global moderator
Joined
Apr 26, 2010
Messages
6,648
Location
Albion Park NSW
Ok the answer to question 1

P13 is internally linked to the +v of the K1 terminal. So what ever voltage you apply to P13 then you must ensure that if linking P13 to K1 then K1 is setup for that voltage range being put into P13. P00 is not connected to the actual controller, it is only to provide power to bank 2. It is bank 1 (P13) that can provide power to K1 if you put a link between + V and the VI for voltages above 5vdc and between +V and +5 for 5vdc

Or you could just connect power directly up to K1 in which case you dont have a link between +v and VI on K1 and for anything above 5vdc you would connect to VI on terminal K1 and then put a bridge between VO and +5. If you were supplying 5vdc to the K1 then all you do is supply to +5. You will then need to also connect the ground on K1 as well

hope that helps
 

anon

Apprentice elf
Joined
Dec 30, 2011
Messages
95
Location
Adelaide
1. To power up initially, just powering 12VDC P13 is fine. But you need the bridge wires as shown in 'option 3' to route the power from P13 to the onboard regulator to supply the 5Vdc to the rest of the board logic.


This will only provide power to the pixels on the P13 side though. In a final setup, you would power both the P00 and P13 to provide power to all pixel ports. P00 and P13 and completely independent, you can run 12VDC on P13 and 5VDC on P00.


2. You don't need much to run an initial test. I'm using v2.5 firmware (as shown in the sys info page), with 180x pixel type selected, baud rate 2700. By having pixels connected and having dipswitch 4 up (only) on power up, the test mode will generate RGB colours on the pixels. In any event you should still be able to reach the device on IP 10.10.10.10.


3. It should all be plug and play, just be mindful that you need to either a) change the IP address of your PCs to be on the same 10.10.10.x subnet so it can see the device, or momentarily change the PC IP address to then change the device IP to it's final desired address.
 

bdeditch

Full time elf
Joined
Dec 14, 2011
Messages
200
Location
Oroville, California
anon said:
1. To power up initially, just powering 12VDC P13 is fine. But you need the bridge wires as shown in 'option 3' to route the power from P13 to the onboard regulator to supply the 5Vdc to the rest of the board logic.


This will only provide power to the pixels on the P13 side though. In a final setup, you would power both the P00 and P13 to provide power to all pixel ports. P00 and P13 and completely independent, you can run 12VDC on P13 and 5VDC on P00.


2. You don't need much to run an initial test. I'm using v2.5 firmware (as shown in the sys info page), with 180x pixel type selected, baud rate 2700. By having pixels connected and having dipswitch 4 up (only) on power up, the test mode will generate RGB colours on the pixels. In any event you should still be able to reach the device on IP 10.10.10.10.


3. It should all be plug and play, just be mindful that you need to either a) change the IP address of your PCs to be on the same 10.10.10.x subnet so it can see the device, or momentarily change the PC IP address to then change the device IP to it's final desired address.


OK I this this makes sense now. Since I am going to be using 12 Volt strings, I will just set up like in Option 3 using one power supply and sharing to P13 & P00. But if I use 2 power supplies I will do the option 4 method. I imagine that using 2 power supplies would be the best method as far as amps & watts goes.


I still want to upgrade so the 2811 I will be using will work. Thanks all, I am sure I will be back with more questions later.
 

bdeditch

Full time elf
Joined
Dec 14, 2011
Messages
200
Location
Oroville, California
OK I got my 2 Meanwell SE-350-12's and my WS2811IC's from Ray today.
Now since I am going to be using 2 of the Mean Wells, I have some 6803 coming from another Vendor, I would imagine I would have to use option 4 and connect each Mean Well to P13 & P00, and run the jumper from VO to +5 as in Option 4.
My understanding from the previous comments were that the + and Ground wires on K1 connected to P13, right? Is this another option where to attach it, or do I just do the P13 & P00 connections? Sorry for all the newbie questions, I would just hate to burn something up.
 

fasteddy

I have C.L.A.P
Global moderator
Joined
Apr 26, 2010
Messages
6,648
Location
Albion Park NSW
P13 is connected to +V on terminal K1 through a bridge wire from V+.

So option 4 shows that +V on K1 does not have a bridge to VI. So option 4 is for a seperate 7 to 36 volt input that is not linked to P13

Option 3 shows the bridge wire on K1 between +V and VI this allows the board to be powered by a 7 to 36 volt supply from terminal P13

So in basic terms option 3 supplies 7 to 36vdc to the controller through terminal P13. Option 4 supplies power to the controller through terminal K1
 

bdeditch

Full time elf
Joined
Dec 14, 2011
Messages
200
Location
Oroville, California
ɟɐsʇǝppʎ said:
P13 is connected to +V on terminal K1 through a bridge wire from V+.

So option 4 shows that +V on K1 does not have a bridge to VI. So option 4 is for a seperate 7 to 36 volt input that is not linked to P13

Option 3 shows the bridge wire on K1 between +V and VI this allows the board to be powered by a 7 to 36 volt supply from terminal P13

So in basic terms option 3 supplies 7 to 36vdc to the controller through terminal P13. Option 4 supplies power to the controller through terminal K1


Does it really matter then Eddy, option 3 or 4? Is one of them better than the other?
 
Top