RGB Mega-tree terminology

[smeighan]

As i have gone between the three different forums (LSP,Vixen,LOR) , i find people refer to their mega-trees in different ways.

I will be prompting people to fill in information in the model generator for their trees.

Here is where i could use some suggestions.

For the RGB device that you will put on your string, what should we call it?
In LOR i think they call it their Cosmic Color Ribbon. I think RJ's is called Smart strings. Maybe others?

I currently ask these questions for the devices
1) How many pixels does your RGB string have?
2) How long is the distnace between the first and last pixel?

Instead of pixels, some people call them nodes. Instead of string, is there a better term? I think LOR calls them bundles

Once i know what devices you are using, i next ask this

3) How many strands will your tree have?
By strands i mean one device going from the bottom of the tree to the top.
Instead of strand, i could call them the segments of a tree.

The last thing i will ask is how you will put the rgb device on your tree.

For Example:
You might have an RGB string, 120 pixels total and 15' in length,
you could  take each string and produce 3 strands by going
Bottom to top
top to bottom
bottom to top

or visa-a-versa

Suppose you take one string and plan on folding it in half (making two strands or segments).
Then 16 RGB strings would make a 32 strand mega-tree.


So strings for the actual device
strands for each segment of a tree
pixels for each rgb unit on the strand

other suggestions?

Just remember that any solution will have to work for all three platforms as i have committed this tool will span the group.

thanks
sean

[taybrynn]

There is some inherent problems/issues because LOR folks like those terms, DIY folks have their own and vixen tends to adopt the DIY flavor you prefer.  Of you expand into international rgb (Aussie) you may find slight differences also.

Even the term mega tree is abused or misunderstood.   It used to be a 20' or larger tree was a mega tree ... But many have 10-19' trees they term mega trees.

I think node infers a self contained light and board ??   I think a pixel is more vague .... And depends on form factor or rgb module type used.   

Ccr vs flex strip feels like the same thing, slightly different implementation.

And then most of us came from a string (led or incand.) background, but those are not rgb at all .

Sorry if this isn't exactly on topic .

[Steve Gase]

I currently ask these questions for the devices
1) How many pixels does your RGB string have?
2) How long is the distnace between the first and last pixel?

Instead of pixels, some people call them nodes. Instead of string, is there a better term? I think LOR calls them bundles

Once i know what devices you are using, i next ask this

3) How many strands will your tree have?
By strands i mean one device going from the bottom of the tree to the top.
Instead of strand, i could call them the segments of a tree.

The last thing i will ask is how you will put the rgb device on your tree.

For Example:
You might have an RGB string, 120 pixels total and 15' in length,
you could  take each string and produce 3 strands by going
Bottom to top
top to bottom
bottom to top

or visa-a-versa

Suppose you take one string and plan on folding it in half (making two strands or segments).
Then 16 RGB strings would make a 32 strand mega-tree.


So strings for the actual device
strands for each segment of a tree
pixels for each rgb unit on the strand

other suggestions?

Just remember that any solution will have to work for all three platforms as i have committed this tool will span the group.

thanks
sean

"node" or "pixel" each sound good, no favorite here.
"string" sounds good to describe the electrical sequence of nodes.
"strand" sounds good to describe the sub-string that can run top-to-bottom or vice-versa.   (a string can be composed of one or more strands)

i'm going to hijack segment and use a different definition.
"segment" sounds like a pie-slice (orange-slice?)   example:  in the tree  I may have 40 strings divided into 8 channels... each string has 2 strands.  So the 8 channels might have 5 strings or 10 strands.   the tree would have 8 segments of 10 strands each, 80 strands total

[rimist]

I agree with Steve about string and strand. I slightly prefer pixel to indicate a single rgb, and a node to indicate a fixed object with multiple pixels. For example a square pixel or a rectangular node.

-Rimist (via Tapatalk)

[Slite]

There is some inherent problems/issues because LOR folks like those terms, DIY folks have their own and vixen tends to adopt the DIY flavor you prefer.  Of you expand into international rgb (Aussie) you may find slight differences also

Ok, I officially resent that! Aussies are not the only ones on the International RGB arena

[taybrynn]

No, but are leading the way.

[Slite]

That I can buy

[Zeph]

Terminology for megatrees will tend to interact with terminology for other displays, rather than acting in isolation.  The first distinction there could be: single color, multicolor, dumb RGB, pixel RGB.  All of these can also be used on mtrees.

single color - obvious
multicolor - multiple distinct colors which do not fully blend (ie: red + green looks like red and green lights). 
    Could be Red,Green,Blue but could be other combinations of 2 - 4 or more colors.
RGB - color blending, red/green/blue effectively in same diffusers
dumb RGB - all of the lights in the same string show the same color (color is set by external controller)
pixel RGB  (eg: SmartStrings or CCR): Each RGB light independently controlled by chip embedded in string

(It would be possible to have things like single color pixels, but nobody seems to bother)

Note that pixel RGB sometimes is done with in "pixel strings", sometimes in "pixel strips", and sometimes in "pixel modules" - in terms that Ray Wu would use.  (dumb RGB is available in the same formats).  Pixel strings have some wire between each cylindrical RGB LED/pcb/chip/sealant unit.  Pixel strips are on flexible circuit boards enclosed in sealant.  Modules are hard rectangular, square, or round chunks with usually multiple LEDs inside, separated by wires.  We probably won't be able to change that industry usage.

All of this is background for various displays, not just mtrees.  Mtrees (mega/midi/etc) only add the element of what you call strands and I think "segment"

There is also a term "multistrand" which has been around for a while, for when you twist multiple independent strands together; this goes back to incans; you might twist a strand or string of red lights with a separately controllable strand of green lights before using that multistrand in a megatree or other display.