DiyLightAnimation

Fun => The Porch => Topic started by: bking85295 on October 24, 2011,

Title: Christmas light terminology
Post by: bking85295 on October 24, 2011,

I see a lot of terms I'm not familiar with (I'm new to this) on the Christmas lights themselves:

Flex strip?   Is that the same thing as a rope light?

RGB strip? 

Rectangular node?

Pixel string?

Does a regular, basic light string (mini lights) that you find at Home Depot fall into one of the categories above?


Any help would be appreciated.
 

Title: Re: Christmas light terminology
Post by: jeffcoast on October 24, 2011,

All these terms refer to the new RGB LEDs that people are using.  They are individually controllable at the single light, or Pixel. These are available from other sources, but RJ has developed his own controller to control them which can make it much cheaper than buying a premade system. He called them Smartstrings and info can be found in the wiki here http://www.diylightanimation.com/wiki/index.php?title=Equipment#Smart_Strings

Let me tell a little about the terms you specifically mentions.

Flex Strip and RGB  strip would both refer to a strip of leds on a plastic backing that is flexible. These are the ones that work with RJs controlloer. http://www.aliexpress.com/fm-store/701799/209843764-425556741/4m-waterproof-LED-digital-strip-by-tube-DC12V-input-without-controller-10pcs-TM1809IC-m-30pcs-5050.html. Each LED out of the 120 can be controlled. It has a wrapping around it that does kinda make it look like a rope light, but again, you can change the color of each LED

Rectangular Node refers to these. http://www.aliexpress.com/fm-store/701799/209889132-374338740/TM1804-IC-led-pixel-module-DC12V-input-20pcs-a-string.html. These are a little like the flexible strip, but cut into groups of 3, then connected with wire. Each group of 3 will be the controlled the same. The Square node is the same, but the LEDs are aligned on a square backing. Like this http://www.aliexpress.com/fm-store/701799/209889132-374338613/TM1804-IC-led-pixel-module-DC12V-input-20pcs-a-string.html

The Pixel string refers to these. http://www.aliexpress.com/fm-store/701799/209889132-495657082/25-node-LED-pixel-string-DC12V-input-new-model-IP68.html. These would most look like what you would get from Home Depot, but again, each one can be individually controlled.

There are different uses people are using them for, look at some of the videos people have posted to see what you can do with them.

Title: Re: Christmas light terminology
Post by: injury on October 24, 2011,

RJ goes through showing several of the different types of nodes here http://vimeo.com/18689729 and here http://vimeo.com/18808749

He has several other good videos concerning Smart Strings I was much less confused after I went through and watched them all.

Title: Re: Christmas light terminology
Post by: dmaccole on October 24, 2011,

Jeff:

If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to rewrite those definitions a bit and add them to the Wiki's glossary.

Thanks.

\dmc

Title: Re: Christmas light terminology
Post by: jeffcoast on October 24, 2011,

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Jeff:

If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to rewrite those definitions a bit and add them to the Wiki's glossary.

Thanks.

\dmc

Fine by me.