Author Topic: What is a Lynx Smart String?  (Read 175799 times)

Offline RJ

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #60 on: November 04, 2010, »
I plan one coop. Buy the time they are made and we get them and send them out it will be getting close to the mid year. Then folowing later you will be able to buy them direct but it will cost you more as the shipping will be many time as much for you personal order and if we get a big order I think I can get a small discount on the price per node for us.

The pcbs will be avaliable at anytime after the coop.

RJ
« Last Edit: November 04, 2010, by RJ »
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Offline tbone321

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #61 on: November 04, 2010, »
I really don't think that you are going to have much of a problem getting a really big order in that first coop.  You may need to hire people to sort and ship it all  ;D
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Offline RJ

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #62 on: November 04, 2010, »
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I really don't think that you are going to have much of a problem getting a really big order in that first coop.  You may need to hire people to sort and ship it all  ;D

Never!!!!!!!


  I have JJ to help me! hes like 10 other people  ;D


RJ
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Offline tbone321

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #63 on: November 04, 2010, »
I have to agree with you there.  With the size of some of the coops you and JJ have done and the speed that you and JJ got them out to the coop members is nothing short of amazing.  While I am looking foward to this upcomming coop very much, my wallet is running in fear.  ;D
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Offline joshuashu

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #64 on: November 04, 2010, »
WOW! Awesome stuff RJ, Thanks, so my question is do we need another dongle for this or do we just reflash the one we have and use our regular 512dmx network for our lynx controllers or do we need 2 dongles 1 for lynx network and 1 for the pixel net?

Thanks

joshua

Offline Night Owl

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #65 on: November 05, 2010, »
Oh my.  I've been looking for LED lights that chase to put along the eves of my house.  Dunno why no-one makes an off the shelf version.  But now there is this, which could chase, reverse direction, AND change color?!?!  I might actually forgo purchasing some new light sets this year just to save up for this next year.  X number of sets to go around the house, enough to make a 15' mega tree, might even want to put this in our Christmas tree in the house.  I can see spending this, next, and 2012's budget.  Hahahah

Maybe I can sneak in a new computer with dual 27" monitors     ;D

Offline RJ

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #66 on: November 05, 2010, »
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WOW! Awesome stuff RJ, Thanks, so my question is do we need another dongle for this or do we just reflash the one we have and use our regular 512dmx network for our lynx controllers or do we need 2 dongles 1 for lynx network and 1 for the pixel net?

Thanks

joshua

You just reflash the current DMX dongle hardware.  The talk of the new dongle is a new device I will be releaseing early next season that allows 16,000 channels over the pixelnet cat5 cable. It will run just a few more dollars that a current dmx dongle and be just a tiny bit larger. I Might be able to clean up the layout to fit in the same box as the current dongle so the cases we have will work (the plan is to try). The current Smart String hardware is compatible with the new dongle so it all will be able to work with it. 

You can use one and get the dmx for the other parts of your display from the DMX feed off your hub. Or you can run two dongles one DMX the other pixelnet. It's either way you want to do it.

RJ
Innovation beats imitation - and it's more satisfying

Offline batdive

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #67 on: November 05, 2010, »
RJ, I know you have mentioned a computer power supply for use with these.  What ratings in the power supply are you looking at to cover everything.  Reason, I ask is I used one of these during another project this year and are nice and think and fit in the standard Express enclosure, which obviously a computer one would not and am curious if it would power these nicely (or what limits to powering them).

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Thanks in advance

Offline JerryPlak

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #68 on: November 05, 2010, »
I maybe wrong on this, the higher voltages drive the SS controller then the output of the SS controller is running natively at 5v  to drive the strings.

  hoping this can work this way, as we can use some of other light stings?




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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.

I must confess that I really like your decision to move to higher voltages to drive the strings - this really makes a lot of sense.  I'm guessing that the voltage regulation is in the pixel node which are running natively at 5v?  What is the voltage coming out of the SS controller?

So, there is a protocol in use between the dongle (modified) and the SS controller - this the Smart String protocol?  Will you be releasing the protocol specs used between the SS controller and the pixel nodes?

Jerry Plak

Offline tbone321

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #69 on: November 05, 2010, »
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I maybe wrong on this, the higher voltages drive the SS controller then the output of the SS controller is running natively at 5v  to drive the strings.

  hoping this can work this way, as we can use some of other light stings?


I think that you might be wrong here.  One of the points tha RJ made is that voltage drop at low voltages required multiple injection points on long strings and that his system allowed for lengths over 40 ft with a single injection point.  Actually, now that I went back and read his first post he states that he did design the new strings to run at a much higher voltage so his strings do not run at 5 volts.
« Last Edit: November 05, 2010, by tbone321 »
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Offline LightShowPro

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #70 on: November 05, 2010, »
update:
The LightShow Pro PixelNet (Smart String) output plugin is ready and in testing.

Offline RJ

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #71 on: November 05, 2010, »
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update:
The LightShow Pro PixelNet (Smart String) output plugin is ready and in testing.


You know I almost posted this but thought .... Hum he might not want me to tell until we know it's working.  <res.

Anyway I am home and will be testing in a few minutes.


RJ
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Offline RJ

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #72 on: November 05, 2010, »
David had no problem and appears to have got it working on the first try.  <res.

 It is official that PixelNet works in LSP & Vixen. Understand until they push another update out it will not be there for everyone but I sure by the time the coop is underway good a new LSP update will come out.

Great job as normal David!

RJ
Innovation beats imitation - and it's more satisfying

Offline tconley

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #73 on: November 05, 2010, »
if you use the mega matrix pixel boxes with these you could easily build a large color ledtriks

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Pinky, are you pondering what I am pondering?

 

I think so, Brain, but this time, you put the trousers on the chimp.

 


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Offline monkey141

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Re: What is a Lynx Smart String?
« Reply #74 on: November 05, 2010, »
This might not be possible, but I am going to ask. How would I integrate this into my existing LOR network/hardware? Would I use an iDMX for every 512 controllable channels or how do I interface with PixelNET?

Thanks,
Mike
Mike
Fair Lawn, NJ