Author Topic: Zwiller's 2015 video  (Read 2488 times)

Offline zwiller

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Zwiller's 2015 video
« on: January 05, 2016, »
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Sam, who is happy he flashed his etherdongle with newest firmware!

"Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."

Offline meman

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Re: Zwiller's 2015 video
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2016, »
Love it. Great job as always!
Most of my LEs / Aethers are on their fifth year outdoors and the RJ-45 connections seem to be getting quite sloppy. Especially the Athers....I had quite a maintenance headache this year with corroded pins bending and causing stray signals, or breaking off altogether in the RJ-45 pigtails. With all the RGB you have going on, I have to ask how much effort it took to keep the show running every night.

Mike E.

Offline zwiller

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Re: Zwiller's 2015 video
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2016, »
Thanks; My aethers are probably as old as yours and they are showing wear but I managed to get another year out of them with some corrosion x and brass bristle brush.  Last year I had to fix a broken cat5 that drove me nuts.  I will say, however, incredibly, they kept their programming!  For me in Ohio (we had tons of rain this season) the cat5 pigtail just no longer is reliable in my climate.  Goal is to replace the remaining with 4 core/just 2 core for aethers.  I was blessed to have a pretty stable show this year.  A few things but nothing major.  Heads up, the waterproof connectors are not bullet proof either.  Be sure to test well before soldering in. 

Sam, who is happy he flashed his etherdongle with newest firmware!

"Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."

Offline caretaker

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Re: Zwiller's 2015 video
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2016, »
Sam,

WOW   

Every year I see your videos and every year they keep getting better. As someone who worked with rock bands when I was younger running sound and lights I could easily see you designing and running a light show for just about any group. Great song choice too. 

Thanks for sharing!
Jeff Squires
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Offline zwiller

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Re: Zwiller's 2015 video
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2016, »
Thanks Jeff!   <res.
Sam, who is happy he flashed his etherdongle with newest firmware!

"Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."

Offline Steve Gase

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    • WinterLightShow in Georgetown, TX
Re: Zwiller's 2015 video
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2016, »
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Love it. Great job as always!
Most of my LEs / Aethers are on their fifth year outdoors and the RJ-45 connections seem to be getting quite sloppy. Especially the Athers....I had quite a maintenance headache this year with corroded pins bending and causing stray signals, or breaking off altogether in the RJ-45 pigtails. With all the RGB you have going on, I have to ask how much effort it took to keep the show running every night.

Mike E.
I have old aether2s as well.  2 years ago I changed all of the rj45 connectors with 4core waterproof connectors.  i've had no problems with them since... some sit on the ground, others are placed on rock walls. 


only the vampire plugs for power are fussy to get working the first night.  i'm looking for an alternative to the vampires that still have flexibility in light placement along the wire.
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Offline zwiller

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Re: Zwiller's 2015 video
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2016, »
Steve, can you elaborate on the aethers?  You running power and dmx on 4 core?  If so, can you please elaborate how you did the 12VAC?  Thanks!
Sam, who is happy he flashed his etherdongle with newest firmware!

"Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."

Offline Steve Gase

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    • WinterLightShow in Georgetown, TX
Re: Zwiller's 2015 video
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2016, »
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Steve, can you elaborate on the aethers?  You running power and dmx on 4 core?  If so, can you please elaborate how you did the 12VAC?  Thanks!


sorry for the confusion.  my dmx cabling strategy uses the 4-core connectors and cat5 cabling.  i have more dmx than aether2, i have some LEs, some RayWu 27-channel controllers, some RayWu 10W floods, RayWu 3-channel dumb string controllers, fog machines etc.


i have 45w power injectors that have 4core in, and 4core out -- replacing the power with that coming from the power supply... so that allows me to insert a power injector inline, then place 4 RayWu floods, then another power injector, etc.


for devices like an Aether2 which uses 12v AC, I just pass through the power coming in on pins 3 and 4, and use the 12v AC from a separate cable originating from my landscape transformer.   (this is similarly done with the LEs, and the fog machines...)


so, ALL dmx connections should pass-along the 4 pins to the next connector.  the element does not need to consume the power from that incoming connection, but still must pass it along.   


this allows me to use a power injector...  4 raywu floods, 4 aethers2 floods, another power injector... and another set of elements.
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Offline zwiller

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Re: Zwiller's 2015 video
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2016, »
Thank you Steve!  A few more if you don't mind  ;D  So do you have say a CG1500 loaded up with these injectors/PS/4 cores as a distribution point?  I always like reading other people's hookup strategies...  Does this also means you have success with sending dmx without active components?  Starting to see some options.  Maybe a RJ45 breakout (dmx in) in a TA200 with 12VAC input, and 4 core wired to cat5 DLA standard.   
Sam, who is happy he flashed his etherdongle with newest firmware!

"Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."

Offline Steve Gase

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    • WinterLightShow in Georgetown, TX
Re: Zwiller's 2015 video
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2016, »
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Thank you Steve!  A few more if you don't mind  ;D  So do you have say a CG1500 loaded up with these injectors/PS/4 cores as a distribution point?  I always like reading other people's hookup strategies...  Does this also means you have success with sending dmx without active components?  Starting to see some options.  Maybe a RJ45 breakout (dmx in) in a TA200 with 12VAC input, and 4 core wired to cat5 DLA standard.   


I use a couple DMX sources -- FPD with a port configured to generate DMX on one line of elements, and DLA Active hubs using the DMX port for another line of elements.


after the source, i insert an injector then a few elements.


the injectors are typically waterproof 12V 45W power supplies "sticks".  I use solder the 4-core waterproof connectors and use shrink tube to protect each connection and cover all of the connections together.


i don't use enclosures, but i do try to raise the 110v connections off the ground away from power.


i have had 200ft runs without active components.  I don't to anything with termination.  I could do longer... past 200ft.


In the past I've successfully used wireless dmx with DLA TX/RX kits.  after the RX I run the cable into the injector and continue just as before.
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Offline zwiller

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Re: Zwiller's 2015 video
« Reply #10 on: January 07, 2016, »
Great info!  Was gonna ask about termination...  THANKS.  Sounds like all this is more flexible than I previously thought. 
Sam, who is happy he flashed his etherdongle with newest firmware!

"Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."

Offline rogerwh

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Re: Zwiller's 2015 video
« Reply #11 on: January 07, 2016, »
What type of lights do you have in the shrubs?

Offline LtKadeo

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Re: Zwiller's 2015 video
« Reply #12 on: January 07, 2016, »
Nice job - you always set the bar high .....
Your star over the door has always been one of the cool things to look for in your videos
Ted K

Offline zwiller

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Re: Zwiller's 2015 video
« Reply #13 on: January 07, 2016, »
Thanks guys!  The lights in the SHRUBS?! (the TREE ;D to the far right is like 15')  Plain jane 1804 bullet nodes.  I was attempting to make a statement that chases in ordinary elements like this are worth it and they totally are.  Video doesn't do it justice.  Quite mesmerizing.  What you are seeing is a 4 pixel chase.  Last chorus/outro is r/g/b/off (4 pixel) chase of whole layout.

Ted, I think you figured it out, the Northstar is MY favorite element. 
Sam, who is happy he flashed his etherdongle with newest firmware!

"Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."