Author Topic: What is a Lynx Smart String?  (Read 175796 times)

Offline lortiz

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #15 on: November 02, 2010, »
OMG!!!! This is just amazing work.

You sure are something RJ.    <res.

I've been really closely following the 'other' sites with their development in RGB strings and this looks like this is going to beat them in per/pixel cost, which is in my opinion the 'big' factor in considering RGB for the displays.

Just have a question if you have a rough idea how much will a individual pixel string and string controller cost. Just asking for budgeting purposes.

I will never thank you enough for sharing all you do with us.

PD: Suggestion on the name for the new toys: LynxPixel, LynxNet

Leo
« Last Edit: November 02, 2010, by lortiz »
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Offline inzeos

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #16 on: November 02, 2010, »
Looks great.  Wish the coop was starting after the holiday season!

Offline rcouto

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #17 on: November 02, 2010, »

RJ... as always I'm impressed and very interested. 

One quick question; I see on the video that you are using some female RJ-45 connectors.  I have an immediate for some and have not found a cost effective part.  Could you please let me know what is the part # of the ones you are using and where you got them?

Thanks,
Ricardo

Offline Gary

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #18 on: November 02, 2010, »
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There is no additional power injection the limit of a smart String is 1 - 128 nodes (lights) or 3 - 384 channels. Because it does not use a DMX universe as a break there is no penalty using less than 170 nodes of lights on a string.

I'm a bit confused on this whole matter. I thought DMX could handle only 512 channels. I remember hearing mentioning of DMX universes. Can anybody explain (or point me to a web page) how we can get so many channels?

P.S. RJ, do you have videos online of your Christmas light display on your house? I'm surprised that it's never been mentioned before around here.
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Offline dmaccole

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #19 on: November 02, 2010, »
OK, I said, he's doing a lot: remodeling the workshop, planning the round-the-world trip; hell, he's got a full-time job. There are reasons more isn't coming off of the Lynx bench these days.

I should have known you were building something special in the background.

Congratulations on such a fine new product.

\dmc
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Offline Rainlover

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #20 on: November 02, 2010, »
Just when I think I am getting a handle on this blink/flashy thing, a blinkier/flashier thing comes out.
This is really cool. I can see the number of lights needed is going to go down, but the number of channels is going to explode and sequencing is going to be more challenging.
What is PixelNet?

John
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Offline RJ

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #21 on: November 02, 2010, »
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RJ -

While in discussion with someone else who is on the "professional" side of RGB pixels, he mentioned the large patent portfolio that Philips owns.  Here a document that explains what their patents apply to:  You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

I'm not sure if this is FUD or real.  Of course for $500 shipments from China, this stuff isn't an issue but for $100k+ of stuff, these seem to become issues.

Is this an issue for the strings that will be imported?



Not sure what this has to do with them. If you are talking about the MPH issues with the Ws2801 the patents that are a problem with them are not an issue on these says the Manufactor.

RJ
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Offline RJ

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #22 on: November 02, 2010, »
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RJ,

I'm surprised nobody's brought this up yet...
Will wireless DMX be able to integrate into the hub?

The final hub has a DMX out port on it that you jumper to select which 512 channels it outputs. The wireless hooks here and sends out your wireless DMX.

So in other words you can have channel 3684 of PixelNet be your DMX Start and it would be DMX channel #1 on your expresses for example.

Or you can have Channel #1 of PixelNet be you DMX start and Channel #1 of PixelNet will be your Channel #1 on DMX.

Make sense?

The whole system is designed around the minimum and simplest of hardware to get the job done. The other requirement being that it is completely DIY so simple means less to build. This in turn means cheaper. The only cost that is fixed, so I had no control over, was the power supplies and pixel strings but they cost the same for every system. Because I am using higher voltage I need less power supplies also so my mega tree only needs on inexpensive $40 power supply. When you increase the voltage each amp has much more wattage so you then need less amps to do a given job.

RJ

Ok if I read this right, then you can send DMX out from PixelNet (any given 512 chs), I think the original question was can Pixelnet be wireless or does it need a CAT5 connection to the modified dongle, instead of using a "modified" TX/RX ver2?

EDIT 11/02/10:  Just re read your post or do you mean that "PixalNet" can take over a single DMX Channel, but control over 3048 Pixals?  So it could recieve the info from a standard TX/RX or even a modified or newer EX/RX?

Hope a wireless option is available since my neighbor and I are looking for a multi house display in 2010 (already worked for halloween) that will be expanding for 2010 Christmas and obviously 2011 Xmas (Hopefully with these  ;D)

BTW Thanks for mentioning this can basically replace LED Triks II, now my budget really has gone.


Ok, before I confuse people any more let me clear it up.

First you can not send PixelNet over the wireless system. You can use a regular DMX Dongle on the same computer as a PixelNet Dongle.

PixelNet is the protocol for the SmartStrings. DMX is still DMX. So you can use one dongle to control 512 ch of DMX things, and at the same time run a PixelNet dongle to run 4096 ch of Pixels.

But if you say needed one universe of (DMX 512 ch) and only 3684 ch of pixels or less, Then you can run one pixelnet dongle and on the hub is an DMX out port. It will steal 512 channels of your pixelnet data and make DMX data out of them.

See the pictures

Look at # 1 it is running one pixelnet dongle putting out 4096 channels of pixel data. But at the hub it is converting 512 of them into DMX and sending it to a Transmitter to run my dmx devices in the yard via wireless.  The Smart Strings then connect to the hub for power and data.

In the second picture I show the same but not using wireless just sending the DMX via cat5 to the Express. Also in this one I am showing you how just like DMX the Pixelnet can daisy chain to additional hubs.

Hope this clears it up some.
« Last Edit: November 02, 2010, by RJ »
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Offline RJ

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #23 on: November 02, 2010, »
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OMG!!!! This is just amazing work.

You sure are something RJ.    <res.

I've been really closely following the 'other' sites with their development in RGB strings and this looks like this is going to beat them in per/pixel cost, which is in my opinion the 'big' factor in considering RGB for the displays.

Just have a question if you have a rough idea how much will a individual pixel string and string controller cost. Just asking for budgeting purposes.

I will never thank you enough for sharing all you do with us.

PD: Suggestion on the name for the new toys: LynxPixel, LynxNet

Leo

The approximate price for the devices is in the first post. The strings cost in the $.63 a node price range.

The reason to stay away from Lynx in the name is it will be an open protocol and so if others want to use it (I doubt) they would not want it called Lynx.

RJ
« Last Edit: November 02, 2010, by RJ »
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Offline RJ

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #24 on: November 02, 2010, »
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Looks great.  Wish the coop was starting after the holiday season!

The coop is planned to run until Mid January.

RJ
Innovation beats imitation - and it's more satisfying

Offline ponddude

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #25 on: November 02, 2010, »
Wow...almost 1300 bucks to fill a hub and thats just for the strings!!  :o

I knew I needed a second job for a reason!!   :P
Greg
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Offline RJ

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #26 on: November 02, 2010, »
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RJ... as always I'm impressed and very interested. 

One quick question; I see on the video that you are using some female RJ-45 connectors.  I have an immediate for some and have not found a cost effective part.  Could you please let me know what is the part # of the ones you are using and where you got them?

Thanks,
Ricardo

I will pm you.

RJ
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Offline RJ

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #27 on: November 02, 2010, »
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There is no additional power injection the limit of a smart String is 1 - 128 nodes (lights) or 3 - 384 channels. Because it does not use a DMX universe as a break there is no penalty using less than 170 nodes of lights on a string.

I'm a bit confused on this whole matter. I thought DMX could handle only 512 channels. I remember hearing mentioning of DMX universes. Can anybody explain (or point me to a web page) how we can get so many channels?

P.S. RJ, do you have videos online of your Christmas light display on your house? I'm surprised that it's never been mentioned before around here.


Dmx is 512 channels but PixelNet is 4096 channels. You get them by reflashing the pic in a Lynx Dongle to make it a PixelNet dongle.

Somewhere on the forum is links to videos. I did not do one last year as I was too busy making things for other peoples shows.

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Offline RJ

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #28 on: November 02, 2010, »
Since I have already been asked a number of times about rain,

See the Video.

RJ
Innovation beats imitation - and it's more satisfying

Offline tbone321

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #29 on: November 02, 2010, »
Here is the questin that has been sorta asked but never clearly.... Is there going to be a wireless solution for pixelnet itself?
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