Review of Technicolor Strings

[sittinguphigh]

I still haven't heard any one one test and solve the problem why?
Node, chip or what is the problem?
Why is the technicolor lights pulling more current?
I still it may be the settings on the chip on the technicolor strings are brighter.
I read the led bulb has a 1000 to 2000 brightness capability.
Setting this higher would account for the higher draw.

I'm not a knowledgeable as you guys are. But I think this could explain some things to me.
Like we can't plug another string to the RJ strings.

I know the normal led strings are 110v and have a drop down to take it down to a low voltage.

[zwiller]

Would anyone with some of these be willing to test to see how well hot glue adheres to them?  IE - Hot gluing the rear of the node to a substrate such as wood or pipe.  THANKS!

[txag2008]

I should be getting my 100 pixel technicolor strings soon. Since it's expected that 100pixels will pull 5.5A, when hooking them up for the first time I guess I would risk damaging the SSC or 4 port passive hub?  Would it be suggested to go straight to power injection for my first test with the lights? (still deciding whether or not to cut my 12v+ line at the mid-way point.

[tbone321]

If they pull that much current, you WILL blow the fuse in the hub so yes, you need to go with power injection if you want all 100 Pixles on the same controller.  Cutting the 12V line is up to you but there are a few things to consider in making that choice. 

The first is are you using the same supply for both the feed and further injection.  Computer supplies are tightly regulated and if you are using two different supplies, they may fight with each other causing excessive current draw , overheated power supplies, and blown fuses. 

The second issue is if one of the supplies or connections to the supplies fails, then the entire load falls on the other supply, once again causing either a blown fuse or a possible overheated CAT5 cable and possible fire. 

[sittinguphigh]

Does the any one know what the technicolor strings safety voltage is?
I am using battery power.
Can you mix the WS2811 strings with the TM1804 strings?

[rrowan]

Does the any one know what the technicolor strings safety voltage is?
I am using battery power.
Can you mix the WS2811 strings with the TM1804 strings?

If you go back to the very first post in this thread. I think your questions will be answered.

Rick R.

[sittinguphigh]

Read the first post and no it did not answer the questions.

[Steve Gase]

Read the first post and no it did answer the questions.

12v is the power for both WS2811 and TM1804.
You can connect both strings type end-to-end. You should even be able to use one pixel type to splice into a string using the other type.

[sittinguphigh]

Thanks for the second question answered.
Now the first question.
The DLA strings have a safety voltage range on them up and down.
So I figure the Technicolor string would to.
Battery come in a 12.8 volts.

[Steve Gase]

Read the first post and no it did answer the questions.

12v is the power for both WS2811 and TM1804.
You can connect both strings type end-to-end. You should even be able to use one pixel type to splice into a string using the other type.

 
One thing to check out... is the color order the same?
I might find time tomorrow to try this out.

[sittinguphigh]

Yes I can see how that can throw you off.
Does that have any thing to do with the voltage range of the strings?

So does that mean I could very down one line of strings the chip.
Like start with TM1804 and then go a WS2811 chip then back to a TM1804 chip.
The TM18014 use less power and I could put more on a string without more wiring.
But the WS281 chip has different variety of strings to choose from.
I have limited space.

[keitha43]

Not sure if you would want to mix chips. I read here that at least with strips the WS2811 lights 3 pixels per channel as opposed to TM1804 which allows 1 pixel per channel. Is it different for nodes?

[sittinguphigh]

Well what I what to do is run a set of TM1804. Like 20 RJ strings then insert one WS2811 multi RGB led.
Then go back to the TM1804 RJ strings.

[Steve Gase]

Yes I can see how that can throw you off.
Does that have any thing to do with the voltage range of the strings?

So does that mean I could very down one line of strings the chip.
Like start with TM1804 and then go a WS2811 chip then back to a TM1804 chip.
The TM18014 use less power and I could put more on a string without more wiring.
But the WS281 chip has different variety of strings to choose from.
I have limited space.

Technicolor strings from Ray are the only WS2811 that have been tested with SSC (and therefore Zeus).  Technicolor are strings, not flex, nor rigid...  "from Ray" because he uses the chips with a compatible clock rate.  There are reports that the FirePix from HolidayCoro -- while using the Technicolor design, are not compatible with SSC due to a different clock as implemented by the HolidayCoro manufacturer.   
 
The TM1804 doesn't appear to have a significant power draw from WS2811 -- instead it is the LED itself that was recently introduced to the Technicolor strings (both chip types) that causes a higher power draw.  The same LED is said to have been swapped into the old-style IP68 pixels now being shipped from ray, so they also draw more power compared to the older IP68 pixels manufactured last year.

[sittinguphigh]

So what your saying is the RJ and Technicolor strings are now both drawing 0.67 pre node LED.
Is there someone that has the new RJ strings that have confirmed this?

Is there a way I can find out if I can use 12.8 volts with Technicolor strings?
Is there a test or specs that will tell me that?