Yep ok. So the whole strand would be replaced. im thinking of making one for my front fence. 5 strands of roughly 150 pixels (roughly 7.2m long each strand). just not keen on having to pull out the whole strand.
nice work @steves! What are the connectors you're using here for the pixels?
I used the JST ADH connectors for the pixel strings.
I will likely use two methods. The first method ("quick method") will be to run the cables. The matrix requires 18 ports and those connections are along the left edge of the panel. I will run the cables down and around the bottom of the door and then cross over the vertical door track and use a drag chain to run the cable up the wall. From the top of the drag chain I will run the cable along and down the wall to the controller. I am in the process of setting this up now (awaiting delivery of some flexible 4 conductor cable).
A Baldrick8 with 2 ports eh? Theres an idea.The biggest pain of any seed project I've worked on (MT, garage matrix, porch columns) has been terminating the strings. If Ray or another supplier is willing to terminate them with a connector that has a PCB mountable mate, that is awesome. It'd be nice if he crimped them directly onto the seed wire, but I guess joining them to pre-crimped fly leads is close enough.
For controlling mine and minimising cable management, I designed the "Firefly controller" - a compact ESP32 8 port controller with two port switch. It has an OLED, a couple of buttons, and a 16 pin 0.1" header for installation on to a customised carrier board. The concept was people can design and build their own basic connector board which does 0.1" from the Firefly to the connector type and positioning of their choosing. Plonk as many of the controllers on as needed - 6 in the case of my 16,800 pixel garage matrix.
For the matrix, it meant only one Ethernet cable and a two core ~4mm cable were needed to be routed away from the garage. I used the dodgy flat Ethernet cables and flexible power cable with silicone insulation as both were very pliable and moved freely with the garage door.
I had planed to add a drag chain if needed, but it worked well enough without it. Maybe I'll get around to making it neater in 2026....
The beauty of the lower power seeds meant that the single power cable had no issue carrying the current needed for the entire matrix (24VDC with 24->5V DC/DC on each garage segment).
A few photos:
I note that it is now 12months+ since I promised a write up
...on the plus side, the six boards have lasted two seasons.
I had planned on putting the hardware design and firmware up on Github, plus offer prebuilt Firefly controller boards, but just haven't found the time. If there is interest in the project, it may give me the motivation to publish it.
Alternatively, now that the Baldrick range has two port switch on some designs perhaps @domhodgson may see some merit in offering a controller with the same features / form factor as the Firefly - it'd have the benefit of actively developed firmware and much better support.
