Author Topic: Smart string update please  (Read 3262 times)

Offline Christmasaddict

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Smart string update please
« on: December 30, 2017, »
Until last year I was running a 9000 light mega tree using 3 Lynx Express controllers.  Some of you may remember my post of it being destroying in a storm.  I didn't do an animated show this year as I was trying to decide how or whether to move forward.  I think I want to make the move to an RGB tree for 2018.  I have not been active on the DIY website for some time and am a little concerned about the seeming lack of activity and posts on the site.  Can someone update me as to what is going on?  I was thinking about utilizing the Lynx Smart String however I'm not sure if it is even a current, available product and if will it be going forward.  Thanks for any input.

Offline tbone321

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Re: Smart string update please
« Reply #1 on: December 30, 2017, »
I would say that this site is pretty much at the end of its run.  RJ has been good to keep it going for now but since he has not posted here himself for many months and is no longer developing anything new for the group, there is not much going on.  All is not lost however.  If you are looking at RGB, then I would take a look at Falcon Christmas.  They are pretty much all RGB nodes and controllers.  Dave Pitts has created some impressive RGB controllers that can directly run many types of pixels and that is also the main site for FPP which runs on the Raspberry PI and replaces the need for a PC to schedule and run the show.  I personally found that their WIKI really doesn't hold a candle to what Rick accomplished here and the way they do things over there are a bit different but there are still some good people over there (many from here) that are willing to help when needed. 
If at first you don't succeed,
your not cut out for sky diving

Offline smeighan

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Re: Smart string update please
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2017, »
if you want to see the landscape of RGB controllers, here is a table that compares them.
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I have 10 of the falcon controllers. If you use xlights as your sequencer the controllers can be automatically configured to match what you set up in xlights.
I have 130,000 channels or 250 universes running at 40fos, no lag. We have tested to 1 million channels at 20fps. this should be enough for most users

you will find info on xlights at xlights.org,
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I also run my show with a couple raspberry pi's running FPP. You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
Sean
Littleton, CO
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Offline Christmasaddict

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Re: Smart string update please
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2018, »
Thanks to both of you for your replies.  I have a friend here locally who is using Falcon controllers and X-lights and he highly recommends them.  Let me ask another question and this is probably not the correct board but here goes:  Wasn't there a device made to use with the LE that would basically be preprogrammed with your show information and would run the show without having to be physically linked up via a Cat 5 cable?  Wasn't it called the Conductor?  I have been thinking about using my LE controllers to turn on and off my static lights.  I like to vary the on and off time depending on the date, day of week, etc. and thought this would be a good way to do it however I don't want to have to connect them all via ethernet cable.

Offline tbone321

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Re: Smart string update please
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2018, »
The Conductor is a daughter board that was added to a Etherdongle to turn it into an independent controller.  The LE is just a DMX AC dimmer and it needs a DMX signal to do anything.  You can either wire it or use a wireless (EX/RX) board for it to get its DMX signal but it will not do much without it.  You can use a Raspberry PI running FPP to control them but you will still need a method to get the DMX signal to them.
If at first you don't succeed,
your not cut out for sky diving