Hardware needed to drive dumb 12v DC RGB strips

[dpitts]

I am looking at converting all of my arches (qty 4, length 20 foot, 8 segments each) and shooting stars (qty 3, 7 segments for pole and 4 concentric stars) to 12v RGB DC strips. As well as add about 20 candy canes that are made of RGB DC strips as well. The candy canes will need about 1.3 meters of strip.

How do I drive all these strips? It seems they could be broken up into groups of eight or so. I envision using a marine battery enclosure that would receive 110 volts AC and control signal (DMX?). The enclosure would have a controller of some sort, a DC power supply and CAT5 wires going to strips.

Please help direct me to the best hardware for the job.

It would be great if someday I could use the PixelNet stream to control controllers. 

[dmoore]

I'd suspect that on some of your elements, it might be cheaper to just use the SmartStrings system with modules and strips instead of just basic RGB strips.  It would sure seem that the candy canes would be a good fit for pixels.

If you are driving large groups of basic RGB strips or modules, a $8 three channel controller (decentralized) or MR16 (centeralized) would work.

[dpitts]

I do not mind decentralized but would I need to run a DMX cable and power to every candy cane? If so can i daisy chain DMX? Would you wrap the cane like an arch? I was thinking on a piece of rebar type material wrapped with strip.

I am also going to build at least two CoroFlakes when you get them in stock.

I'd suspect that on some of your elements, it might be cheaper to just use the SmartStrings system with modules and strips instead of just basic RGB strips.  It would sure seem that the candy canes would be a good fit for pixels.

If you are driving large groups of basic RGB strips or modules, a $8 three channel controller (decentralized) or MR16 (centeralized) would work.

[dmoore]

I do not mind decentralized but would I need to run a DMX cable and power to every candy cane? If so can i daisy chain DMX? Would you wrap the cane like an arch? I was thinking on a piece of rebar type material wrapped with strip.

In a centralized system (pixelnet, MR16) you would have a "home run" back to a single controller.  In that cables would be signal and power (pixelnet) or power (MR16).  Of course CAT5 is pretty cheap so unless you elements are huge distances this is workable.

In a decentralized system you would also carry signal and power down the same cable from element to element.

The design method is really up to you and your budget.