Beginner friendly matrix ?

wilmar

wilmar

New member
Ok I am seeing many instructable versions and suggestions to build many diff types of matrix.
Was interested in a simple way to matrix my front windows .
f41d0c24761e3db5e06b95dd859140b3.jpg

Original idea was Boscoyo strips with bullets . Attached to an aluminum frame mounted inside the window well area. Sort of like the Matt Johnson style without the pvc .
Any suggestions or advice would be helpful .
I looked at some of the matrix controllers and of course to me they all seem complicated.


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MikeKrebs said:
do it yourself style matrix controllers are not for ws2811 style matrices. we use those with p10/p5 style panels. If you put together your own matrix with a bullet style pixel, you can drive it with an esp or wired style controller. No need to get wild with the controller.
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I saw panels and controllers figured it was too much for beginning so wanted to do simpler pixel set up ,thank you.


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MikeKrebs said:
A nice beginner panel matrix package is a tune to sign. I think your lot is pretty short so try p5 panels (2 or 4), an octoscroller, a 5v power supply. The boscoyo connector will make it a little easier to put together. These things are available or will be available shortly at diyledexpress or wiredwatts. Then get a BBB black. The PSU and the BBB are "overkill" for a tune to sign but will allow a lot of flexibility if you expand it some day. Easy to put together a tune to sign and you get your feet wet for the next thing. The BBB will run FPP so that makes it its own controller. You can run your own animations for the tune to sign or sync with your main show. The enclosure is usually a glass/acrylic/polycarbonate faced box. If you want, you could also run a smaller matrix like a tune to off a rPI with a piHat (available at wiredwatts for one). Since this combo is a little less expensive, it might be preferred by some.
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Wow yes forgot I need to do an upgrade for the sign aswell thank you may give it a try


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My first matrix was a 2'x4' ceiling light grid (those plastic sheets with square holes they used to put up in front of the lights in an office). I hot glued a pixel into every other hole. It has been in use about 6 years now (I still use it) but the plastic is starting to get brittle. 2nd matrix was ws2812 strips attached to a flattened out metal fence section that was held in place by PVC tubes. This one is being retired due to the un-reliability of the WS2812 strips. I have replacement strips for another season or two and then it will be gone. Next grid is in progress and is made from the Boscoyo pixel grid material. I bought the 4'x8' sheet but have cut it in half to make two 4'x4' grids. I will hold the 4x4 grid in place using a PVC frame with a center bar behind the grid to help prevent sagging.
 
MartinMueller2003 said:
My first matrix was a 2'x4' ceiling light grid (those plastic sheets with square holes they used to put up in front of the lights in an office). I hot glued a pixel into every other hole. It has been in use about 6 years now (I still use it) but the plastic is starting to get brittle. 2nd matrix was ws2812 strips attached to a flattened out metal fence section that was held in place by PVC tubes. This one is being retired due to the un-reliability of the WS2812 strips. I have replacement strips for another season or two and then it will be gone. Next grid is in progress and is made from the Boscoyo pixel grid material. I bought the 4'x8' sheet but have cut it in half to make two 4'x4' grids. I will hold the 4x4 grid in place using a PVC frame with a center bar behind the grid to help prevent sagging.
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My windows aren’t real big 2’x5’ and one 3’x 5’ is it possible to use the existing pi that would be running the show or do I need separate controller for matrix’s?


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Short answer: Yes

Long answer:
A single PI 2(or higher) running as a show player (FPP) can drive in excess of 100,000 pixels. The real constraining factor is refresh rate. For real time motion, the max number of pixels in a single string is 600 (40fps aka 25ms). My window grid had 900 pixels so it used two ports on my controllers. A PI Hat typically has two ports so it can run up to 1200 pixels. I use Falcon F16s spread around my yard to drive my show. One is located near the center of the house and drives all of the house elements (windows, doors, snowflakes on roof etc). A 16 port F16 can drive 16 x 600 (the way I use it) = 9600 pixels. I have a master PI that drives three F16s, a remote PI that drives an additional F16 (far side of driveway, connected via WiFi). That remote PI has my tune to matrix a 10' candy cane 6 x 6' pixel trees, 4x4' pixel trees and a renard to drive some AC lights.
 
Reasoning is I already have two pi zero w on hand one is set up with FPP already to run show.


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Your PI zero can run two ports via a hat. If you add the Ethernet hat to the stack it can drive the two local ports AND 10,000 more pixels via controllers like the Falcon and Sandevice pixel controllers.
 
You add the pi zero pixel hat to that stack if you want to drive up to two directly connected strings. Via the Ethernet CAT6 connection you can drive multiple E1.31 based pixel controllers.
 
MartinMueller2003 said:
You add the pi zero pixel hat to that stack if you want to drive up to two directly connected strings. Via the Ethernet CAT6 connection you can drive multiple E1.31 based pixel controllers.
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I tried the pixel hat for the 2 local ports and sadly I was unable to get that part to work but everything else worked fine


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Well DO NOT buy one of these and try to put a pixel hat on top of it without placing something between the Ethernet housing and bottom of hat .
14f85679f16f5aedee199090ef9fe440.jpg

Or you’ll be sending up smoke signals


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Last edited:
wilmar said:
Well DO NOT buy one of these and try to put a pixel hat on top of it without placing something between the Ethernet housing and bottom of hat .
14f85679f16f5aedee199090ef9fe440.jpg

Or you’ll be sending up smoke signals


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Click to expand...

Oh no... you let the magic smoke escape.....


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