Trying to get started

[hbomb341]

No, just in general....controllable color changing LED's.  They don't really exist?

Bill

It does - The common name is pixels - examples are RJ's Smart Strings - they are 1 bulbs can do full RGB so 2 million color mixes or CCR's by LOR which are strips of light.  The cost is about ~$1 a bulb (Yes this is high but for illustration purposes) - they require different controllers to control them and you need additional hardware for higher channel counts.

Harrison

[tmtfield]

Bill;

Why are we mixing the 16's and the 4's?  To save money when we only need a 4?  Just as easy just to do all 16's?  Or is there another reason for the 4's? 

I like a really clean and easy to set up display. The 4 Channel SSR's are cheap enough so I hard wired them and mounted them on the inside of my mini trees. I built these over the summer. All I had to do to set the up in the yard was to run a power cord to each one and stake the trees down. This eliminates the need to plug each channel in during set up and lots of extension cords. It is nice to have the LE's close to the action, mounted to the mega tree or the base of an arch.

Good Luck
Tim

[Spazo]

Wow, nothing humbles a person like trying to figure out something he has no clue about!  I apologize in advance for my stupidity and possible thread hijack...

So, I'm looking at that wiring diagram rrowan referenced off wiki and have some questions.

• If you don't run a splitter and have more than 16 channels, you'd have to run the LEs in (what I'd call) series (which, TMK, is possible since there are "in" and "out" rj45 connections on the LEs). Correct?

• Can an LE run a SSR4 DMX or would the SSR4 DMX need to be hooked up "in series" like in the previous question? The SSR4 DMX is shown in the diagram being run off the splitter but I don't recall seeing if the SSR4 DMX has both an "in" and "out" connection.

• How would the channel assignments be handled if you ran a setup like the one on the left side of the diagram (just the 2 "series" LEs and that first SSR4DMX)?

• Maybe this should have been one of my first questions but what is the difference between an SSR4 DMX (shown connecting to the splitter) and an SSR4 (shown connecting to the Freestyle)? I assume it's the DMX protocol but I guess I still don't fully understand why you'd need a combo DMX / non-DMX setup. Also, does the Freestyle not play nicely with DMX?

• I'm still confused re: channels. I understand the amperage restrictions so lets put that aside. Lets say I have an LE (16 chnls, correct?) and an SSR4 DMX (4 chnls, correct?). I also have 20 different, single color strands of lights (don't forget, we're not dealing with amperage ATM) and want each color controlled individually. Am I able to hook up all 20 strands to the two controllers and control each strand individually? If not, how many would I be able to control?

Again, many apologies and if the Mods feel this needs to be separated from this thread so I don't hijack, no worries...

*Note: Sorry I thought I click on quote instead of modify. I restored the original text. rrowan

[taybrynn]

So much of 'how' you do things depends on your design, goals and location. 

For me, I have a fairly large yard and two homes, so I get the controllers out as close to the big display items as possible, to minimize extension cord lengths.  So in that design, I must run long power cords to the controllers, and then try to co-locate the controllers near things that use a lot of channels and then spider web out from those de-centralized controller locations.  I also spread the load so that most controllers can be fed with a single extension cord, or two cords from the same circuit.  I also put stuff on the roof, so by running just a few power cords up to roof-based controllers ... I limit my roof items to short ext. cords on the roof and very little hanging over the edges.  I've found this to be a good system for me.   I typically have been using 16 channels units like LOR or LE.   Keep in mind you can also go wireless with LE, so thats another design option.

Anyways, my color changing has been the low-tech and cheap way.  Its by taking red, green and clear 100ct minis and putting them on virtually everything.  Then I can turn each item red, green or clear or a combination of the three.  The interesting thing about RGB is that you can go with string level control (whole string any color you want) ... or pixel level control (every pixel can be programmed independently).
The first is powerful and easier to sequence.  The second is more powerful but way more to sequence as well.

For me, I'd benefit by eventually having just string level RGB, because I could install just one RGB string and then get any color I want out of it.  Of course, doing any color still isn't the same as having a ton of clear and a ton of red on at the same time ... but its a choice ... and there are pros and cons of course.

Anyways, I'd keep in mind placement of controllers, extension cord use (cause they are expensive), power distribution and your design goals for your show and expansion 1,2,3+ years into the future.  THe more planning you do now, the less you'll have to redo later (in theory).

So capability, cost, complexity ... are all things to consider.

Good luck,
Scott

[tbone321]

Ok, lets answer a few of your questions.  
I don't know what splitter you are talking about. If you are referring to the smart string splitter, that splitter is used with pixelnet and the smart strings and is required for them.  If you are referring to the DMX splitter, it is not required and you could simply daisy chain the Expresses together.  The Express also has 2 outputs and can act like a 2 way splitter itself when needed.  
A SSR4/DMX is a self contained 4 channel  DMX controller and is not run by the Express or any other controller.  Although the SSR4/DMX is connected to a splitter in the diagram, the splitter is not required and the SSR4/DMX has an input and an output so they can also be added to the daisy chain connection.
The channel assignments are assigned to the controller and are based on the controllers start channel and have nothing to do with where they are in the network.  Multiple controllers on the same network can be assigned to either the same or different channels as desired.
The SSR4 is a 4 channel Solid State Relay and is simply an output device that needs to be controlled by another controller.   The Freestyle is a 128 channel DMX controller but it is not a self contained controller and requires an output device such as the SSR4 to control the lights.  A SSR4/DMX is a SSR4 with the added circuitry needed to make it an independent controller.
If you have an Express and a SSR4/DMX then you have 20 controllable channels which means that you have individual control of 20 different things like your 20 strings of lights.   I hope this helps.

[CB]

Bill,
In terms of how many controllers/channels you will need the best thing I can tell you to do is to draw up a plan of your house and yard (sketch it on a piece of paper there is no need to be an architect or engineer here).  Start indicating what displays you want to have (mega tree, mini trees, arches, figures, blow molds, etc.) and then start determining the effect of each element (spiraling mega tree, spinning mega tree, leaping arches, static trees, chasing blow molds, etc.).

Then you can start to determine how many channels you want to begin with and go from there.  The best thing to do is think through your display and have an actual plan.  Otherwise you will get so pissed off beyond belief and decide that this is too much work.  Which don't get me wrong it is a lot of work but you have all year to plan for it.

Also, if this is your first year of the blinkie you may want to discuss your plans with your neighbors just so they know what may happen.  Speaking from experience I did not do that the first year and one of the crotchety old neighbors across the street was calling the cops every night.  So the next year I walked over and discussed it with him.  Believe it or not this last season he actually asked me to do his house too.

I hope this helps a little bit too.

Corey

[rrowan]

Wow, nothing humbles a person like trying to figure out something he has no clue about!  I apologize in advance for my stupidity and possible thread hijack...

So, I'm looking at that wiring diagram rrowan referenced off wiki and have some questions.

• If you don't run a splitter and have more than 16 channels, you'd have to run the LEs in (what I'd call) series (which, TMK, is possible since there are "in" and "out" rj45 connections on the LEs). Correct?
• Can an LE run a SSR4 DMX or would the SSR4 DMX need to be hooked up "in series" like in the previous question? The SSR4 DMX is shown in the diagram being run off the splitter but I don't recall seeing if the SSR4 DMX has both an "in" and "out" connection.
• How would the channel assignments be handled if you ran a setup like the one on the left side of the diagram (just the 2 "series" LEs and that first SSR4DMX)?
• Maybe this should have been one of my first questions but what is the difference between an SSR4 DMX (shown connecting to the splitter) and an SSR4 (shown connecting to the Freestyle)? I assume it's the DMX protocol but I guess I still don't fully understand why you'd need a combo DMX / non-DMX setup. Also, does the Freestyle not play nicely with DMX?
• I'm still confused re: channels. I understand the amperage restrictions so lets put that aside. Lets say I have an LE (16 chnls, correct?) and an SSR4 DMX (4 chnls, correct?). I also have 20 different, single color strands of lights (don't forget, we're not dealing with amperage ATM) and want each color controlled individually. Am I able to hook up all 20 strands to the two controllers and control each strand individually? If not, how many would I be able to control?

Again, many apologies and if the Mods feel this needs to be separated from this thread so I don't hijack, no worries...

Hi Spazo,

I updated the diagram and removed the lynx splitter since most people don't use it now days. I use it because my cat5 wire from the dongle is in the middle of my house above the front door and it allows me to run a cable to the left and right of the door saving me some length of cable.

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Hope that helps some.

Rick R.

[rrowan]

Wow, nothing humbles a person like trying to figure out something he has no clue about!  I apologize in advance for my stupidity and possible thread hijack...

So, I'm looking at that wiring diagram rrowan referenced off wiki and have some questions.

• If you don't run a splitter and have more than 16 channels, you'd have to run the LEs in (what I'd call) series (which, TMK, is possible since there are "in" and "out" rj45 connections on the LEs). Correct?

Yes the LEs have one input and two outputs for a wired connection.

• Can an LE run a SSR4 DMX or would the SSR4 DMX need to be hooked up "in series" like in the previous question? The SSR4 DMX is shown in the diagram being run off the splitter but I don't recall seeing if the SSR4 DMX has both an "in" and "out" connection.

Nope the SSR4-DMX is its only 4 channel controller you just connect a cat5 to it and electric. The SSR4-DMX has a input and output connectors

• How would the channel assignments be handled if you ran a setup like the one on the left side of the diagram (just the 2 "series" LEs and that first SSR4DMX)?

Each Lynx Controller (LE, SSR4-DMX, Freestyle, MR-16, Aether, etc) gets its own start address. It doesn't matter where they are in the lineup of controllers. They only pay attention to the start address you assigned it and the number of channels it uses (ie: LE = 16, SSR4-DMX = 4)

• Maybe this should have been one of my first questions but what is the difference between an SSR4 DMX (shown connecting to the splitter) and an SSR4 (shown connecting to the Freestyle)? I assume it's the DMX protocol but I guess I still don't fully understand why you'd need a combo DMX / non-DMX setup. Also, does the Freestyle not play nicely with DMX?

The SSR4-DMX is a 4 channel Light Controller, The Lynx Splitter, just splits the incoming DMX signal and sends it out the 3 or 4 outputs. The Freestyle is a 128 Controller but its needs a 4 channel SSR to control the lights a standard SSR4 (so the freestyle is the brains and the SSR4 is the electric lights slave).

• I'm still confused re: channels. I understand the amperage restrictions so lets put that aside. Lets say I have an LE (16 chnls, correct?) and an SSR4 DMX (4 chnls, correct?). I also have 20 different, single color strands of lights (don't forget, we're not dealing with amperage ATM) and want each color controlled individually. Am I able to hook up all 20 strands to the two controllers and control each strand individually? If not, how many would I be able to control?

The SSR4 is 1 amp per channel so it can do about 3 100ct incandescent mini-lights, The LE can handle 40 amps max with a max of 4 amps per channel. So 4 times the lights per channel over the SSR4

Again, many apologies and if the Mods feel this needs to be separated from this thread so I don't hijack, no worries...

No worries

Hope that Helps

Rick R.

[Spazo]

wow, thanks for the help guys and the many points I am now clearer on!

I also appreciate you reworking the diagram! I understand and recognize your usage of the splitter in your application.

Re: the channels, I thought I had read somewhere that even though there are 16 channels, only 8 strands could be hooked up to it. They must have been talking about the voltage restriction.

So, lets to add the voltage thing back in to the equation. Lets assume I'm working with the LEs and each of my theoretical mini strings are .5a each. I could (in a perfect world) run 8 strings per channel, but I'd max out at 10 channels. Conversely, I could (again, a perfect world) run 5, .5a strings on each channel and run all 16 channels. Is this theoretically correct?

[Rainlover]

Spazo,
Your math is correct. No more than 4 amp per channel and no more than 40 amp per controller.
If you loaded up your LE with 40 amps (20 amps per input) you would need 25 amp outlets to plug them into based on the 80% rule.

John

[taybrynn]

My 20' megatree uses 96 strings of 100ct mini lights.  Each string is .33 amps.  So the entire tree takes 31.68 amps.

Of course, thats for red, green and clear ... and 16 channels each ... so its really only .66a per channel (16 ch/color searchlight mode) or 1.32a per channel (8ch/color outline mode) .

So you can see that if I put all 48 channel on 3 lynx express controllers ... that the load would only be like 10.x amps per, so not only far less than the 40a limit, but could service each
with a single 13a supply cord (split at end, plug both power plugs into the splitter).