What is a Lynx Smart String?

[abrianbaker]

 

[mokeefe]

Can't wait to hear more details.  I love how the people hear, particularly RJ, are always looking for ways to advance this hobby and still keep the cost and usability in the realm of mere mortals.

-Mike

[taybrynn]

And the software has to catch-up with these advances in hardware, IMHO. 

[therealbigjim]

16384 smart channels / 128 nodes per string = 128 strings.....  $ .69 per node = $ 11304.00 + $ 1024.00 worth of controllers (128).  And your best guess at power supplies, cases, cat 5 cable…….  In LOR that would take 1024 controllers at about $250 each is $256,000.00 + lights cords …… …..
I know there will be a rare few people to challenge the limits of this system but I think most of US will be very happy with a small fraction of what this system may be capable of controlling... When I started reading this site I was just looking for a RGB solution never thought I would be able to get rock concert results on a DIY budget.  I will be working an extra off duty jobs to get my share.   

[therealbigjim]

Ok reading along on other posts I realized I got carried away with the numbers. The 16384 channels would be divided by 3 for the RGB first .... DOH.... so anyway it is still cool enven though I lost my ming for a few minutes. So 16384 /3 = 5461 /128 =42 strings ..... or about $3768.00 node cost ..... I still gotta do a lot of extra duty to cover that.

[TheBanker]

Ok reading along on other posts I realized I got carried away with the numbers. The 16384 channels would be divided by 3 for the RGB first .... DOH.... so anyway it is still cool enven though I lost my ming for a few minutes. So 16384 /3 = 5461 /128 =42 strings ..... or about $3768.00 node cost ..... I still gotta do a lot of extra duty to cover that.

It looks like we really need to work on getting the node cost down.

[Trepidati0n]

Single color LED strings are ~$0.12 each (usually more, but i'm being nice).  Therefore, if I want four colors...it is $0.48.  A pixel is $0.69 and you get more colors AND pixel by pixel control.    I don't think people appreciate how much basic LED strings in high volume really cost.  Right now the pixel system is a steal at its current price. 

Secondarily, there isn't much to cost optimize out of the pixel.  Unless all of a sudden the price of copper and rare earth metals crash, I only see the price going up.

[jstjohnz]

3 questions re the pixelnet pinout/protocol;

Fig 2 in the protocol document seems to show that pair#2 is pins 3 and 4, and pair #3 is pins 5 and 6.  Is this correct or are you using standard 586B pinout where pair #2 is 3,6 and pair #3 is 5,4?

If a pixelnet sender is sending less than 4096 channels, is the frame shortened to be the actual number of channels being sent plus the $AA character, or should you send the full 4096 channels, putting 0 in the unused channels?

2 stop bits?

[rrowan]

3 questions re the pixelnet pinout/protocol;

Fig 2 in the protocol document seems to show that pair#2 is pins 3 and 4, and pair #3 is pins 5 and 6.  Is this correct or are you using standard 586B pinout where pair #2 is 3,6 and pair #3 is 5,4?

If a pixelnet sender is sending less than 4096 channels, is the frame shortened to be the actual number of channels being sent plus the $AA character, or should you send the full 4096 channels, putting 0 in the unused channels?

2 stop bits?

Fig2 drawing is not to specs. Yes the wiring pairs is to the 586b standard

Pixelnet dongles will always send a full universe of channels if you use them or not.

From the doc in the wiki

      start of packet                       Data                   
        Value 170 sent                     4096 channels of data value 170 not allowed.
      Then repeat with no delays.

Then the next generation pixelnet dongle will send out 4 Pixelnet universes for a total of 16384 channels

Cheers

Rick R.

[jstjohnz]

3 questions re the pixelnet pinout/protocol;

Fig 2 in the protocol document seems to show that pair#2 is pins 3 and 4, and pair #3 is pins 5 and 6.  Is this correct or are you using standard 586B pinout where pair #2 is 3,6 and pair #3 is 5,4?

If a pixelnet sender is sending less than 4096 channels, is the frame shortened to be the actual number of channels being sent plus the $AA character, or should you send the full 4096 channels, putting 0 in the unused channels?

2 stop bits?

Fig2 drawing is not to specs. Yes the wiring pairs is to the 586b standard

Pixelnet dongles will always send a full universe of channels if you use them or not.

From the doc in the wiki

      start of packet                       Data                   
        Value 170 sent                     4096 channels of data value 170 not allowed.
      Then repeat with no delays.

Then the next generation pixelnet dongle will send out 4 Pixelnet universes for a total of 16384 channels

Cheers

Rick R.

Thanks, and is 2 stop bits correct?

[RJ]

Yes,

But be aware that there is a change I am making that has been done to allow capability with a couple of other software packages we will be supporting. I will post it as soon as I finish testing on all the other software.

RJ

[Gary]

With all these cool changes down the pipe, I feel like holding off on buying Smart String stuff even longer than originally planned because there is always something better around the corner.

Choosing when to get into Smart Strings now sort of feels like choosing WHEN to buy a new PC, Smart Phone, TV, etc.


 

[tpboyce]

I am assuming that the next generation dongle does the 4 universes on seperate strands.  Just cuts down on the USB connections, dongles and CAT5 wiring, is this correct?

Any thoughts on an E1.31 equivelant?

[RJ]

With all these cool changes down the pipe, I feel like holding off on buying Smart String stuff

Your missing the point. The smart string controller stays the same we add new equipment to give the whole system new abilites the smart string controller is like the wheel, it hasn't changed but boy the rest of the car has.

The new stuff does not replace items it adds choices and abilities for the users that need or want them.

If you do not need 16,000 channels or do not mind doing it as 4 dongles then you keep doing that way. If you want a single ethernet dongle to do 16000 channels you use it.

RJ

[jstjohnz]

Is there any type of gamma correction in the smart string pixels, particularly at the low end?  To phrase it differently, does a dimmer value of 1 produce about 1/256 of full light output (a pretty large change from off, to the human eye), or does it produce a near-off intensity closer to the dimming curve of incandescent lights?

I have been testing light output vs dim value for different pixel types, most are very linear but some seem compressed at the bottom end.