New Mountable C9's From Ray

[keitha43]

Mimir also had some WS2811 that didn't work last year. And know that I know that the inventor is also letting more than one manufacturer make the strings, it may not help to test the sample from the inventor, as each manufacturer may use a different version of the chip. It would be better to get a sample from the manufacturer. For example Ray and whoever Holidaycoro uses. Does that sound correct?

[Steve Gase]

WS2811 have a different format, RJ's controllers will work for some of them. Problem is there are different bit rates, just like TM1804. When playing with 2811's be aware of this as well as the voltage.

If I remember right you should look for 800k bit rate. If you must try 2811's, get a sample of what you want to use.

There is a bigger selection of 2811's and use different voltages. 5V seams to be the most popular single LED pixel, 12V 2811's usually have 3 LED's for each pixel, and 24V 2811's are large multi LED pixels.

Using different voltages gets complicated quick. This string has the first 25 pixels at 12 volt, then 1 that is 24, and now 30 that is 5 and ends with 24 at 12, there is still room on this string so I will add some of, and now I have smoke..

Best to use the links in the wiki. These are known to work.

I checked with Ray Wu regarding his lights:
 

for the ws2811 ic, we use its high speed mode:TYP. 800us

So, the Technicolor strings should work for RJ's equipment.
 
I've attached the datasheet that he sent me.
 
 

[Steve Gase]

Product Description100nodes DC12V WS2811 LED technicolor pixel
 
Working voltage:            DC12V(DC5V also available)[/b]
IC type:                         WS2811(we can also use TM1804 or TM1829)

I asked Ray to quote 100-node strings with custom spacing for me... both with WS2811 and TM1804.  Everything else is the same.
Ray returned with: 

• $53 for TM1804   
• $51 for WS2811

[keitha43]

Wow thats 4 dollars per string cheaper for the WS2811 than is listed on his website for 100 pixels. Still waiting on my sample to test with v3 mod.

[Steve Gase]

Wow thats 4 dollars per string cheaper for the WS2811 than is listed on his website for 100 pixels. Still waiting on my sample to test with v3 mod.

I quoted a quantity of 40, and a smaller spacing of 2.5" (to replace 85 pixels at 3" on my tree)
the reduced materials cost (smaller spacing) and greater quantity could have caused much of that $4 discount.
in any case, the comparison of WS2811 vs TM1804 pricing when all other factors are the same should give people an idea of whether the $2/string savings is enough to take on the additional risk if using the WS2811.

[keitha43]

I got some info on the sample strings today-He is hoping the covers arrive by DHL today. If they do he will ship out the samples tomorrow to those of us who ordered them. When I asked if both Ray's and Holidaycoro is using the same chip so if the sample string worked with the v3 SSC then their strings would work also he replied "I worked with the manufacturer to get pricing so that David could carry them stateside.  Yes, the IC is the same regardless, the only thing that changes with the switch to 2812 is the voltage limitation.  All of these strings, either from us, ray, or David, use the exact same IC, in fact the guts of the string all come from the same factory."

[rdebolt]

Test strings have been shipped!!!

[keitha43]

I got his email but haven't received my sample for testing yet. If the ws2811 works with the v3 SSC I will post back here. He also sent details for a group buy happening shortly but I am afraid it might be against the rules to post the info here. Interestingly it doesn't mention the 2812 chip for the group buy so maybe it is for the next generation product. Of course if it doesn't work for the v3, it might for the v4 but I don't have any of those. And Ray can use the TM1804 that is supported as mentioned by Steve but that is only through Ray and not Zachary's group buy.

[keitha43]

Got my sample string in but no luck so far. First thing I noticed is with all black wire there is no way to tell which pin is the data, 12v, and ground. I took a chance our default would work but no dice. Now I think I killed that SSC because after wiring it back to a smart string it wouldn't light that up either. And the hub fuse is still good. I probably blew a chip or PIC. I emailed Zachary but haven't heard back about the wiring on the connector.

[aich75013]

I saw this on his Facebook page.

Of course, it doesn't help if it didn't have a pigtail.

[RJ]

This is why a few years ago when everyone started to want them made with all black UV wire I said it was a bad idea. sounds great until you have to work with them all the time.

RJ

[keitha43]

Definitely not the same as our standard wiring. I will try again tomorrow night. I will have to swap out chips also to troubleshoot the SSC.

[sittinguphigh]

I was told 0.3 watts per node when I email him on facebook.

Response was.

Technicolor Christmas The ones Ray is selling are .3w yes. The future version will be more, going to a 5050 LED and updated IC. Keep tuned!

[keitha43]

 I had no luck getting a v3 modded SSC to work with the sample string with ws2811 chip. Nothing would light up at all. I also blew a fuse and damaged the PIC chip. (firmware would load but wouldn't work with SS Utility for start channel). Used a second SSC and made sure it was wired for
yl/gn on connector to blue on SSC for data
brown on connector to red on SSC for power
blue on connector to green on SCC for ground
Which looks correct by looking at the drawings

I then had no luck testing with my TH2010-X controller until I discovered the model that supports our smartstrings doesn't support WS2811 either. I wish I had discovered that before I cut out my first node in case it was bad. I thought it could be bad because when I first tested last night (using the connector wired the way we use it with smartstrings) the first node felt very warm.

So someone else can try a v4 SSC or Steve can report back on the TM1804 version. Steve watch out for the wiring. Can someone confirm I was wiring the connector correctly? Of course in the real world you would want to rewire the strand end and not the SSC end.

[Steve Gase]

I had no luck getting a v3 modded SSC to work with the sample string with ws2811 chip. Nothing would light up at all. I also blew a fuse and damaged the PIC chip. (firmware would load but wouldn't work with SS Utility for start channel). Used a second SSC and made sure it was wired for
gr/wh on connector to blue on SSC for data
brown on connector to red on SSC for power
blue on connector to green on SCC for ground
Which looks correct by looking at the drawings

I then had no luck testing with my TH2010-X controller until I discovered the model that supports our smartstrings doesn't support WS2811 either. I wish I had discovered that before I cut out my first node in case it was bad. I thought it could be bad because when I first tested last night (using the connector wired the way we use it with smartstrings) the first node felt very warm.

So someone else can try a v4 SSC or Steve can report back on the TM1804 version. Steve watch out for the wiring. Can someone confirm I was wiring the connector correctly? Of course in the real world you would want to rewire the strand end and not the SSC end.

I am trying to put together a bulk buy at the moment -- but Ray has not been responding.  can you send me his address (...in case it has changed)?
I planned to get my Technicolor strings with TM1809... but others in my buy are getting the WS2811 strings.
I also burned out some SSCs using the wrong wiring with square nodes -- a PIC replacement fixed the issue.  But I burned out my Ray Wu decoder in that activity and that uses a SM chip.  so.... my order includes a new decoder, explicitly with TM180x and WS2811 support.
Your feedback definitely concerns me, and makes me wonder if investing in a bunch of new and unproven lights is wise.