Store Bought lights, can I use these in an interactive display?

i13

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Jul 5, 2013
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For the purpose of getting these running with computer control, it doesn't really matter whether or not the original blinker unit is built into the plugpack because this will no longer be used. What matters is whether the blinker function is there or not and the number of wires between this and the first LED. You've mostly answered my first three dot points. I can't give instructions on how to hack a specific light set without all of them being answered but I am getting a better sense of what's in the display. What types of light set use the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 6th plugpacks that you pictured? They are uncommon voltages. Does the 6th one have a blinker? It would also help to include the wires in the photographs so that I can see how many there are. I don't have experience modifying net lights or rope lights. For rope lights, I suspect that it won't be too hard to increase the required voltage but a lack of wiring accessibility might make it unviable to decrease the required voltage. It'll also make it hard to know the required current. You'll probably stop buying rope lights and start using strip lights instead once you've converted to computer control. For the net lights, I think I would need to see them in order to determine how they're wired and therefore how to hack them.

One thing that I can see is that you'll need to get a controller that supports reverse polarity for the 2-wire sets that have a blinker unit. As far as I know, the only readily available controller that does this is http://www.hansonelectronics.com.au/product/dmx2-18/
This separately controls 9 light sets but it is possible to put more light sets into the same screw terminals if you want them to do the same thing as each other. It's a specialised controller so it'll do things that other DMX controllers can't do and vice versa. It is a DMX controller which therefore means that you'll need DMX signal in your display. The fact that you're thinking of having a few pixels means that you'll have a pixel controller too. Most pixel controllers have DMX output so they can send the required DMX signal to the DMX2-18. A USB dongle is another way to get DMX signal and although I haven't tried it with xLights or any software since 2015, I found that mine occasionally did a slight stutter which the viewers probably didn't notice. It can be useful for testing. For the light sets with more than 2 wires or without an 8-function unit, there is no reverse polarity so pretty much any other Hanson Electronics controller can run them. I suggest checking here once you've chosen one. Hanson electronics belongs to ACL member AAH https://auschristmaslighting.com/members/543/
Another option for these light sets (with more than two wires or without a blinker unit) is from Ray Wu (a popular pixel seller) at https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1558064774.html
This option lacks a few features that are present on Hanson Electronics controllers (fusing, current capacity, DMX termination and a socketed receiver chip) but you can add most of these features.
Regardless of the number of wires or blinking functions, for low voltage light sets that can't be modified to run at a common voltage, you have the option of getting ON/OFF control with a relay. This relay will run off pretty much any DC controller except for the DMX2-18. Another option that's sometimes viable is to use multiple voltages on the same controller but I don't think this works with the DMX2-18. Someone will correct me if I am wrong. Doing this would require multiple power sources but with some clever wiring, it is possible to do it with a controller that only has one power input.

We could do a video call with Zoom and I could have a look at the lights up close. A good next step would be to get the lights lit up with a testing power supply and then decide on a sensible common voltage. 31V has served me well but I started with older light sets. I wouldn't buy controllers yet because we haven't figured out how many light sets are able to be converted.

The YouTube links appear to be incorrect. Try copying the URL when playing the video.

It is possible to mimic the twinkly look with computer control. The computer will have full control of the light sets. This means that you can create a sequence that looks like the original twinkling and put that on repeat. I did this each year from 2013 to 2016 and it looked almost indistinguishable from the original twinkling despite me knowing how it was done. It involved a lot of copying and pasting. I liked it better than the original blinky units because I no longer had to keep setting the ones that didn't have a memory. The only little hiccup was that it looked like there was a split second of flicker when the twinkling sequence reached the end and started again. If the twinkling sequence was 10 minutes long then this would happen once every 10 minutes. It wasn't a big deal and I might have been able to get around it if I had bothered making each light set start at the same brightness at which it finished.

There are quite a few options for simple pixel items including:
 
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bpratt

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Mar 31, 2019
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562
Location
Jimboomba, Queensland
got one of those dmx2-18 from Allan, and just couldn't get my head around getting my big w lights to work in my lights display.

got help from many, but still couldn't quite get it going.
 

Samante

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Dec 18, 2020
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Thank you to everyone sharing on this thread, I would love to do something similar to i13’s display, and I’m not very technically minded.
 

i13

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Jul 5, 2013
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My display is still currently set up. I'm happy to do a video tour during the day if anyone's interested in seeing how it works.

Samante, where are you located and what lights do you have? I'm sure that most of your questions will be relevant to Andrew2708. Technical details can be learnt. IMO, light displays are a form of art; some of the most beautiful displays belong to ACL members who originally had an artistic or musical background.
 

Elecgreg

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Dec 11, 2020
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The Rock
If thats the case of got no chance even before I begin haven't got an artistic bone in my body well I do know what I like at least that is a start I guess.

@i13 that would be good to see.
 

i13

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Jul 5, 2013
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I plan to start taking my lights down on the 2nd so we have until then to arrange a time for a video tour. I'm on holidays from work so the timing doesn't make much difference to me. Andrew2708 and Samante will probably want to join. Be warned that I have messy cables everywhere.

I didn't say that a lack of an artistic background destroys all hope of putting a decent display together.
 

bpratt

Senior elf
Joined
Mar 31, 2019
Messages
562
Location
Jimboomba, Queensland
got one of those dmx2-18 from Allan, and just couldn't get my head around getting my big w lights to work in my lights display.

got help from many, but still couldn't quite get it going.
got things sorted out with i13 today via zoom, thanks.

part of the problem got 'fixed' by reseating rj45's in to the 6 different places they were used in my display.

using ON in the sequence, rather than trying to use DMX functions worked in xlights.
 
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