Author Topic: My Spiral Tree  (Read 13859 times)

Offline Mike Hill

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Re: My Spiral Tree
« Reply #15 on: May 04, 2012, »
That's awesome.  I plan to go with your design, if you don't mind, and build a couple.  Thank you very much for the details.
Mike Hill
First display date 11-2011
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Offline DanHouston

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Re: My Spiral Tree
« Reply #16 on: May 04, 2012, »
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Hi Trekster, can you tell me what the top cap where the rope is connected to on the pole is called as well as the metal ring you have in between the two couplings.

The top looks like a reducing coupling or a cleanout valve.... Take a look at them in the PVC isle with a piece of 1.5" PVC and you should be able to figure it out if you don't hear back from Trekster. While your there show someone that looks like they are not fresh out of college the picture of that metal ring....Looks like some sort of flange, but can't tell for sure. A plumbing or electrical might look at that and know exactly what it is .
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Offline chrisatpsu

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Re: My Spiral Tree
« Reply #17 on: May 04, 2012, »
the plastic piece looks like a bushing with eyelets added on...  the metal ring looks like a tv antenna guy wire ring.
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Offline t.jo13

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Re: My Spiral Tree
« Reply #18 on: May 05, 2012, »
Here is a link to some spiral trees I found last year,  He did it with 1 1/2 turns   You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
 

Offline Steve Gase

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Re: My Spiral Tree
« Reply #19 on: May 05, 2012, »
those spiral trees look nice.

i HOPE that vertical strings of smart strings will come close to the effect.  i expect the answer will be 'no'.   

i suspect that the unevenness of pixels... the variable distances between strands... the sag in the strings... the higher density at top with lower density below... will all make smart strings be a distant second to a well-constructed spiral tree.

 
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Offline t.jo13

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Re: My Spiral Tree
« Reply #20 on: May 05, 2012, »
He built the tree pretty much like trekster, but used spikes and anchored them to the ground. I like Treksers base idea instead of ground anchors. As far as spirals I asked smeighan on another post if we will be able to do spirals without hanging the strings in a spiral pattern and  he said that we should be able  to hang them vertical and still get spirals. Like the video I posted, I don't know?

Offline Steve Gase

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Re: My Spiral Tree
« Reply #21 on: May 05, 2012, »
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He built the tree pretty much like trekster, but used spikes and anchored them to the ground. I like Treksers base idea instead of ground anchors. As far as spirals I asked smeighan on another post if we will be able to do spirals without hanging the strings in a spiral pattern and  he said that we should be able  to hang them vertical and still get spirals. Like the video I posted, I don't know?
nutcracker will provide support for spirals and a host of other effects.

my lament was regarding elements outside of nutcracker's control...  i fear that despite the flexibility and mathematical formulas to describe pixel color definitions, the physical part of the tree will limit how it compares.  But nutcracker will also offer 100 times more effects that a true spiral tree could never attempt.
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Offline chrisatpsu

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Re: My Spiral Tree
« Reply #22 on: May 05, 2012, »
in RJ's demo videos, he did spiral effect using smart strings.  it looks believable enough to me.
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Offline smeighan

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Re: My Spiral Tree
« Reply #23 on: May 05, 2012, »
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He built the tree pretty much like trekster, but used spikes and anchored them to the ground. I like Treksers base idea instead of ground anchors. As far as spirals I asked smeighan on another post if we will be able to do spirals without hanging the strings in a spiral pattern and  he said that we should be able  to hang them vertical and still get spirals. Like the video I posted, I don't know?
nutcracker will provide support for spirals and a host of other effects.

my lament was regarding elements outside of nutcracker's control...  i fear that despite the flexibility and mathematical formulas to describe pixel color definitions, the physical part of the tree will limit how it compares.  But nutcracker will also offer 100 times more effects that a true spiral tree could never attempt.

You know someone could build a spiral tree out of rgb strings, i have thought of a way to get the data captured into a target model. Do note that many of these spiral trees have 64 strings, and since they wrap around the tree, you need more pixels. This is the reason they look cool, they just have more pixels.

Steve why not get (4) 16 port hubs and build a tree with 64x128 pixels? That tree would look cool! 8192 pixels = 24,576 channels.

let me know if u need to sequence it....



Sean
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Offline Steve Gase

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Re: My Spiral Tree
« Reply #24 on: May 05, 2012, »
The first time I put my SSCs together with 128-pixel strings, I attempted to burn-in 10 strings at once.  Only 2 strings lasted 10-hours working properly.  the other 8 had one or more pixels change color -- with everything after them.  it seemed to be too much of a cooincidence.  i tried another 10 strings and had similar success (failure?)

I brought my string counts to 85 and had no problem.

2 reasons for 85 pixels -- take 2 128-pixel strings and split them evenly into 3 and you have 85 in each. 

the other reason...  4096 channels/hub... 3 channels/pixel...  16 strings/hub = 85 pixels. 

with 4 hubs and 64 strings I will max out the channel count. 
If I went 128 pixels...  only 10 strings per hub and 40 strings altogether.

if you want to go "massive" you will need to go multi-EtD... and/or USB dongle.
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Offline trekster

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Re: My Spiral Tree
« Reply #25 on: May 16, 2012, »
Sorry I have been busy.  So busy I don't have time for my hobby with the lights right now.  I bought a bakery on 4-2-12 and now I work 14 hrs a day 6 days a week.  I sold my Academy ticket and if things don't change I will have to skip the light show this year.  The metal ring was a TV antenna guy ring.  Good looking spirals in the video.

Gotta go as I am up to my butt in dough.

Ron

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Offline Rod R

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Re: My Spiral Tree
« Reply #26 on: May 16, 2012, »
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Sorry I have been busy.  So busy I don't have time for my hobby with the lights right now.  I bought a bakery on 4-2-12 and now I work 14 hrs a day 6 days a week.  I sold my Academy ticket and if things don't change I will have to skip the light show this year.  The metal ring was a TV antenna guy ring.  Good looking spirals in the video.

Gotta go as I am up to my butt in dough.

Ron

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Best of luck in your new venture, hope you end up making a lot of dough  <la..

Offline Kwajtony

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Re: My Spiral Tree
« Reply #27 on: May 17, 2012, »
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Sorry I have been busy.  So busy I don't have time for my hobby with the lights right now.  I bought a bakery on 4-2-12 and now I work 14 hrs a day 6 days a week.  I sold my Academy ticket and if things don't change I will have to skip the light show this year.  The metal ring was a TV antenna guy ring.  Good looking spirals in the video.

Gotta go as I am up to my butt in dough.

Ron

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Best wishes...Hope your business pans out.
R,
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Offline rrowan

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Re: My Spiral Tree
« Reply #28 on: May 17, 2012, »
Wow those cakes and cookies, etc LOOK AWESOME

Not sure if its good or bad that you leave too far away for me to walk in and get some LOL

Good luck and I hope it works out for you

Rick R.
Light Animation Hobby - Having fun and Learning at the same time. (21st member of DLA)
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Offline chrisatpsu

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Re: My Spiral Tree
« Reply #29 on: May 17, 2012, »
yeah, i'd ask id you ship...   

can you imagine if this guy does a coop, and can include bakery orders?   :o



To rule the entire tri-state area!  What's that? Perry the Platypus!!!