DiyLightAnimation
Fun => The Porch => Topic started by: Rod R on January 11, 2012,
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Hi Guys,
Just trying to get an idea of how many smart strings everyone is using in their Mega tree. I'm currently using LEDS right now with 48 strings and 3 Express's to run my tree. I'm planning to switch over to smart strings. I have all the hardware built, but don't have any smart strings yet I have some on order from Ray. But wanted to get the input of everyone that is already using smart strings. I'm trying to get that same type of fullness in the look of the tree. The LEDS I'm using are C6 so I not sure how they compare in light output to the Pixel nodes. I'm currently running a 10 foot tree with 142" strands right now.
I'm looking at running 16 strings up and down the tree which will basically gives me 32 strings. But it looks like I should double that or at least get to 48 strings to match my original set up. Let me know what you guys have or link to picture or videos of your trees would be cool too. I know in the end its more of a personal preference in the end.
Thanks
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16 strings on a 10ft tree
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12 strings going from the ground to the top and back down so it looks like 24.
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I'd say it would be helpful to know how tall and what diameter base you have, since those two drastically affect how full it looks from top to bottom.
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I had 24 strings of 60 about 18ft tall to top of strings 11ft in diameter.
Wow, 80, I would have to get a second mortgage on my house to pay for them. :o
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I had 24 strings of 60 about 18ft tall to top of strings 11ft in diameter.
Wow, 80, I would have to get a second mortgage on my house to pay for them. :o
I don't think anyone would get up to 64 but I would guess it would depend on the diameter of the base. I need to measure mine. I know its two full lengths of the gray electrical conduit it pretty sure they are 10' lengths so at 20 feet I'll have a 6.4' dia. base I believe.
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I had 40 strings of 85 pixels each. String length was 22'. Circumference around the bottom was 40'
At the time of my photos/videos about 15 were out of commission (old IP67 strings with water damage... the IP68 strings were fine).
Only the first video (2011) has the smart strings.
http://www.youtube.com/user/stevegase/videos (http://www.youtube.com/user/stevegase/videos)
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I had 40 strings of 85 pixels each. String length was 22'. Circumference around the bottom was 40'
At the time of my photos/videos about 15 were out of commission (old IP67 strings with water damage... the IP68 strings were fine).
Only the first video (2011) has the smart strings.
http://www.youtube.com/user/stevegase/videos (http://www.youtube.com/user/stevegase/videos)
Thanks Steve your tree has that full look which I like. I think I do need to match my current string count to be satisfied with the look. That gets to be pretty expensive, but you can do some pretty cool things that you can't with regular LED's.
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I used 8 75-node strings folded in half. The tree ended up being just over 10' with about a diameter of 4' (maybe slightly less). I had a very small space in my display to fit it in. I was worried about light density, but it worked out fine. I do look forward to upgrading to the IP68 nodes next year though - the IP67's were high maintenance.
Matt
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I have a 15' tree. Last year I had 128 lines of led lights. That is 16 C6 leds folded in the middle with 4 colors. This year I had 32 strings of 60 nodes. Could probably have used more, but I was pleased. And much easier to put up! In video I had one string programed in reverse order.
http://vimeo.com/32972158 (http://vimeo.com/32972158)
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Guys thanks for the videos and string counts really gives me an idea of what a 32 - 40 smart string looks like. <la..
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You forgot to put zero as a choice. I am not planning to put smart strings on my megatree due to cost and due to the fact that we like the looks of having different colors lit up side by side on the tree, ie white and red, blue and green, white and blue, etc. To much work to do every other bulb on a tree to get something like that and I want enough strings to have good density with them. My tree is about 18ft with a 2ft start on top with 64 strings of LED lights.
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You forgot to put zero as a choice. I am not planning to put smart strings on my megatree due to cost and due to the fact that we like the looks of having different colors lit up side by side on the tree, ie white and red, blue and green, white and blue, etc. To much work to do every other bulb on a tree to get something like that and I want enough strings to have good density with them. My tree is about 18ft with a 2ft start on top with 64 strings of LED lights.
I hear where your coming from it does cost quite a bit I'm looking at over 1K just fro the strings :o. Kids are going to have to draw straws on who goes to college and who goes to work >.d9. But there are things that you can do with SS that you can't accomplish with anything else. But in the end it does come down to personal preference. But since I decided to go with smart strings I wanted to see where the other members were at on their SS count on their Mega Tress so that I can benefit off what they have already learned.
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Guys you can ignore the one vote for 64 SS. My daughter, who has been helping me out was under my username, saw the thread and asked how many smart strings I had on our mega tree. I conveniently didn't hear the "smart" part of the question and answered 64. Wasn't until yesterday when she told me I had more than everyone else that I went back and looked at the thread and realized OOPS!. I have 64 strands but they are not smart strings. :-[
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tell her that she needs to get her own account and that she owes you 64 smart strings >:D
j/k
but it's nice to have family helping out.
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Guys you can ignore the one vote for 64 SS. My daughter, who has been helping me out was under my username, saw the thread and asked how many smart strings I had on our mega tree. I conveniently didn't hear the "smart" part of the question and answered 64. Wasn't until yesterday when she told me I had more than everyone else that I went back and looked at the thread and realized OOPS!. I have 64 strands but they are not smart strings. :-[
No worries, hey at least she interested in your hobby, I hope my kids get into it as well. I'd be happy if my kids were checking out this site and asking me questions. 8)
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i'm wondering the size of the "in betweens".
maybe the next time a similar survey is taken it can be worded:
(_) 1-8 smart strings
(_) 9-16 smart strings
(_) 17-24 smart strings
(_) 25-32 smart strings
(_) 33-40 smart strings
(_) 41-48 smart strings
(_) 49-64 smart strings
(_) 65+ smart strings
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She's actually in college and is the reason I can't afford smart strings. :'( However, I can't complain. She did all the soldering on my last three Express Boards and is becoming more and more interested. I gave her my login info and told her to look around on the site hoping to gain another soldier in the fight with my wife for more blinky!