# This could change everything! (?)



## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

For several years now, I've been dreaming of setting up a pixel array light show for Christmas. For those not familiar, a 'pixel array' is basically a string of LED lights - very similar to standard Christmas lights - except each LED 'bulb' is actually a package of 1 red, 1 green and 1 blue LED. Using computer software and DMX control, the amount of R, G and B light can be manipulated to control the color of the pixel through the entire spectrum of colors.

Not only that, but modern electronics *allow every individual light/pixel in a ~120+ bulb set to have it's own discreet color and on/off pattern*. This is huge! You are not limited to a red string a blue string, a green string, etc. You can have a string where every single bulb is cycling through all colors of the rainbow on it's own. Plus, each individual bulb can be switched on/off or dimmed through 255 steps of brightness.

As usual, I'm running a little late for 2010, but I'm very close to pulling the trigger for the 2011 season. It suddenly dawned on me, these would be excellent for haunting as well. Some thoughts which crossed my mind:

Obviously, you could program the lights for Halloween colors and patterns...orange, violet, green, red, etc, but then a month later, they could be Christmas/holiday colors and patterns with a simple reprogramming of the computer. Celebrate Easter with a bunch of pastel colors? 4th of July with red, white, and blue? (these lights may never come off the house!)

It would be possible to group several LED's together and program a soft yellow-orange 'flicker' to simulate a candle or fire. The LED's between the groups could be programmed off (black) or halloween colors, or steady burning, etc. You could have a whole wall of flickering pumpkins...they could flicker, switch on/off, bright/dim, and colors as easy as you could program a sequence.

Several LED's could also be grouped to make a spotlight which would also be under computer control - making practically any color of the rainbow and switching/dimming by computer control.

All manner of mood/atmosphere lights could be created. Colors and patterns could change on the fly.

You could arrange several pixels in a matrix and do simple graphics, signs, words, etc.

I'm sure this doesn't even scratch the surface of uses. But the bottom line is imagine a string of lights where you control the color and brightness of every single individual light!!

So far, the cleanest and actually, most low cost solution seems to be the Lynx Smart String offered at http://diylightanimation.com

Direct link to thread: http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=3554.0

A quick video demonstration: SS Demo on Vimeo

I've been poking around the forum for several days. It seems the members are doing 'coops' or group buys. They are quoting a price around .63 cents per pixel for the smart strings and ~10-15 for a simple controller. There is some free computer software (Vixen, etc) to drive them, and also some pro software available for way less than $100. I believe either software package has the ability to help you sync the light show to music. The higher end stuff also has an overlay mode where you can take a picture of the scene, overlay the lights, and see a simulation of the display as you have it programmed.

At first glance I thought a string of 100 LED lights for ~$63 sounded a bit expensive. But considering they can be used as christmas lights, halloween lights, other holiday lights, spot lights, mood lights, background lights, flicker lights, party lights, ambiance lights, plus they are relatively low power consumption / long life LED's, and can duplicate almost all colors of the spectrum, they are a relative bargain.

I believe it was quoted the advanced controller could handle 4096 channels ( or ~1365 individual pixel 'bulbs' with full RGB color) The strings can be cut and/or daisy chained as needed. A hub can be added for even more strings.

I am probably going to be the guinea pig and jump in on the next coop when the strings are ordered. Hopefully, I will have plenty of time between now and Halloween 2011! But thought I'd post on here to get more thoughts and ideas....maybe even a 'partner in crime' to help test.

Standard disclaimer - I have no monetary gain or incentive for these products and can't vouch for any credentials. I simply wanted to pass this along for additional discussion.


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## HomeyDaClown (Oct 3, 2009)

Smart string looks like a charlieplexing scheme to acheive the addressibility of individual RGB elements on a minimum of wires.

You might also look at : http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/index.php

Looks like pretty much the same site only there's a Halloween section.

I've been using it for years for both Xmas and Halloween with RGB Led arrays, strings and panels. Lot's of the guys offer RGB led light solutions, kits, parts over there as well.


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## robp790 (Jan 8, 2008)

I was watching that thread there too. I had the same thought, I could use this string of lights for Christmas and Halloween. 

As I understand it, the coop wont be until early 2011. But that gives us time to build the controller and play with the vixen software before Halloween.

I found a USB to DMX dongle at Entex.com for $50 and the DIY version is $42. But will it work with the DIY pixelnet hardware.


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## sickNtwisted (Sep 29, 2010)

Found this the other day, lets you turn on or off specific colors and you can flip a switch making them 'chasing' lights.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...85-_-100651188-_-N&locStoreNum=477&marketID=6


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## robp790 (Jan 8, 2008)

The USB dongle is $60 at enttec.com. its the open DMX project.


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## Jaybo (Mar 2, 2009)

This sounds very interesting. I've been wanting to do something along these lines for awhile. I was looking at the Lynx controller last year, but then got busy and forgot all about it. Now, you've got me all interested again!


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## pshort (May 6, 2008)

I'd be a bit careful about the color-mixing capabilities of those RGB LEDs as far as white, yellow and orange are concerned. Try it out before you buy any great quantities if you are relying on the extensive use of those colors. I've done some experimenting in the past, and it was hard to get those colors to look good.


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## HomeyDaClown (Oct 3, 2009)

DIYChristmas forum has a whole thread on hacking those Home Depot/Lowes/Costco strings:
http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/showthread.php?p=134690#post134690



sickNtwisted said:


> Found this the other day, lets you turn on or off specific colors and you can flip a switch making them 'chasing' lights.
> 
> http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...85-_-100651188-_-N&locStoreNum=477&marketID=6


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

pshort - thanks for the tip. Orange would probably be a major concern for this board. A good, deep violet-purple would also be nice. Of course red, green, and blue are dead easy, so not much of an issue. I have some 16 color bulbs and as you say, they don't do real well with orange/yellow. I'd hope with these lights being able to do 255 steps in each of red, green, and blue, a person would be able to get a more true representation of the color pallet.

Others who mentioned the DMX dongle...As I understand it, RJ has done something custom to his which allows use of 4096 channels, instead of the standard 512 of DMX? I'm a total n00b with the Lynx stuff! You start to run out of space pretty fast when each pixel needs 3 channels for the color!

Anyway, thanks for all the input...keep it coming!


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## robp790 (Jan 8, 2008)

*DMX Dongle*

Perhaps you are right. As I watched the testing video of these RGB strings it was mentioned what I would need to get started one was a DMX dongle, one is the pixelnet controller and splitter. As I understood it this, is what allows thousand of channels. It is the DIY Pixelnet software and hardware that does this or you COULD use the standard DMX channel universe. This is only my understanding, I do intend to do research on these components after this season is over and they get closer to the coops. I just wanted to bring forward an alternative to the dongle.

edit. I am wrong there is a special pixelnet dongle.


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

My new favorite word: "dongle". 

And I don't even know what it is. It sounds like the name of Santa's unwanted reindeer?? Don't try to explain. I won't "get" it anyway.


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

It's simple, a dongle is usually a small device that must be attached to another device to make yet another device work.

A quick example is the old original Xbox consol. To run DVD movies from it, you needed a dongle attached to one of the game controller ports, which could "see" the remote control you also needed to make the DVD play.

A DMX dongle is a small box that attaches (and must stay attached) to your PC to run DMX signals to a DMX board, then out to your devices.

There's more to it, but I wanted to keep it simple.


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

Just wanted to post an update. They have a thread up asking users to approximate the number of nodes they might want to purchase.

http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=3978.75

I suppose the higher number of nodes, the lower the price, so if anyone from this board wants to jump in, go for it! The info on the strings is scattered all over the place, but as I understand it:

To go very basic, you'd need to purchase a dongle board for $8, solder your own components ($45) to that. You also need to purchase a 'smart string' which run about 66 cents per 'node' (which is one 'light bulb' with a red, green and blue LED inside) The nodes have a spacing of 3.5" if you're considering a linear run. They have talked about various lengths, but looks like 128 nodes per string is the max for power reasons. There is also discussion of a power/signal junction box ($30) which can support up to 16 strings of 128 nodes. Add your computer, a free download of Vixen, and an old PC power supply and you should be in business!


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## hpropman (Jul 27, 2008)

Hey that's cool - expensive but cool!


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