Hardware > Lynx Smart String
Re: New lights at Lowes
tconley:
have you seen these rgb lights avalible at lowes and home depot. I wonder if we could adapt a controller to address them.
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JerryPlak:
I am Thinking the same way, I did pick up one set at Costco for $59.00
JonB256:
So, who's going to determine what chip they use? (non-destructively, of course).
The colors look very nice in the video. I'll probably be in Lowes this week and will look for myself. Perhaps a string might fall on the floor, cracking open a pixel. That would be a shame.
budude:
I purchased a set of the 50-light version at Lowes and taken the last node apart. The controller chip (in each node) is under a blob of epoxy so I can't tell what it is. The strings use 3-wire interconnects (+dc, gnd, data). I have scoped the data line but nothing conclusive yet. The strings run on 5vdc and are controlled by a 6051 micro in the box near the power block. I can't imagine these being too diffcult to reverse engineer for direct control from a different controller.
I will say they look very well constructed. The "globe" pops right off and does not affect the weathertightness (it has weep holes already).
PVPlaceLights:
If it's a three wire then it's likely a Manchester Encoding protocol. A popular RGB controller IC that uses Manchester is the CYT3005. Just FYI.
On the other hand, the same company that produces these lights also produces synchronized color changing plastic icicle lights. A set of 36 from Sears cost $99.99. I say this because I made my own by recycling plastic icicles from an old set and attaching 8mm RGB LEDs with WS2801 control chips to them. I then developed a controller using a PIC that translates DMX into the WS2801 protocol so I could control the exact color of each indivdual icicle. I've attached a picture of my icicles hanging in my cubical.
My cost for 56 homemade, DMX controlled icicles comes to about $40. Yeah DIY!
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