Color Changing Flood lights, what do I need

I

Irrumater

New member
This will be my second year and I want to add color changing LED flood/Spot lights on the house. I post awhile back about some cheap Alibaba floods and being able to control them and I never did anything with that. Now I am just looking for suggestions on "affordable" RGB spot/ flood lights that I can control to change color with the show. I don't even know where to start looking. When I search RGB flood or spot lights all I can find are the app controlled lights, and I dont think that is what I am looking for. I am guessing I will need something that can be controlled with a dmx controller, as well as the controller. These will be the only RGB in my show this year and I am not afraid to DIY something if someone can point me in the right directon. Thanks as always for any help provided, this is a great forum to be on.
 
So basically you will be working with DMX or WS2811, which are different protocols.

Ready made self-contained DMX units (waterproof) will look something like this, though there are other options.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000957328430.html

You'll probably find it's cheaper to go with WS2811 based units, like these. There are many options.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005472834468.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002411602206.html
You will need a separate PSU for these.

Be aware using WS2811 you will be limited in the distance between each unit (without adding additional circuitry, which is also possible). DMX does not have this restriction at a distance you need to worry about.

If you're comfortable building things you can get these RGBW modules which I have - the white gives a much purer white colour than the RGB combination. So each of these uses 4 channels. You'll also find the red colour is much stronger than the green and blue so some adjustment in channel levels is necessary to get a sensible mix.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002395721736.html
You would fit these in the body of a cheap 10W LED flood i.e. replace the internals.

Simple DMX lighting desk
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32909304636.html
There's lots of other ways of generating lighting control data in DMX or WS2811 protocol.

To convert DMX to WS811
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005312410310.html

All above links are just examples, there are many other products available.
 
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BTW I have just received a DMX -> WS2811 converter in the post today, I'll post something about how I get on with it. I want to integrate some WS2811 lights into my garden lighting, which uses DMX only.
 
If you have infinite time and interest in learning stuff, DMX is the better protocol for floods. If your hands are full already (which is more likely) the ws2811 parts are probably a better fit. They let you support only one protocol, and not two.
 
I would add it depends what the OP wants to control from.He mentions DMX controller hence i was thinking there might be a need for also control from a simple desk, say. It depends on their use case and what they want to achieve ultimately.
 
RichieNorthcott said:
I would add it depends what the OP wants to control from.He mentions DMX controller hence i was thinking there might be a need for also control from a simple desk, say. It depends on their use case and what they want to achieve ultimately.
Click to expand...

I said dmx as it was the protocol i had heard, lol. I currently am running a renard 64 and have a second one I hope to get added into the show this year. This is the only thing I have used.
My end goal for this year is to add color change to the front of my house as easy and economically as possible. Im not ready to go full pixel mattrix so I figure color changing floods are the way to go.
My e
 
How do you currently run Renard? I run both Renard and DMX from a Kulp controller (so I'm actually running three protocols), so I'm not familiar with how else to run it. But if you're not running pixels this year, then most likely I would disagree with running WS2811 floods. That's something you would do just to be compatible with pixels; which you are not doing. But it depends on how you're already running Renard now. Do you run USB from a laptop directly to a Renard board for the live show? If so, then I think adding a second USB DMX dongle for $16 would be not too difficult. A Renard+DMX show would actually be an interesting arrangement--the sort of thing I would want you to come in and share at a Christmas enthusiasts meetup.

And by the way, DMX supports single-color dimming, too, so in theory you could phase out the Renard and go 100% DMX. You just already have the existing investment in Renard (so...why do that?...).
 
Irrumater said:
I said dmx as it was the protocol i had heard, lol. I currently am running a renard 64 and have a second one I hope to get added into the show this year. This is the only thing I have used.
My end goal for this year is to add color change to the front of my house as easy and economically as possible. Im not ready to go full pixel mattrix so I figure color changing floods are the way to go.
My e
Click to expand...

For years I ran RGB and RGBW from my Ren64 using Renard-Plus DCSSR's. These types are sometimes called SMD5050. When you look at the inputs They will have 4 or more inputs, DC+ in and then a DC- for each color. So a Red/Green/Blue/White strip will consume 4 channels to control. A RGB will consume 3 channels to control. I used this method on my window frames for years and am finally switching to WS2811 this year.
RGB.jpg

If you are willing to tinker you can mount the RGB/RGBW strips in an old Halogen work light. It won't be super bright, but it will work.

Another option is a PX1 controller designed by P Short. The advantage to this is you can keep using the Renard protocol and also operate WS2811 type pixels (or pixel floods) at the same time. If you are using the standard 57600 baud rate, you can daisy-chain this off the I still run a couple of these in my show because A) they use the RS485 protocol like Renard and B) I have some applications that only have one pixel string on it. Example, I have an incandescent 20' mega tree, that has a WS2811 Bethlehem from Boysco on the top. I only need 100 pixels at the top, so no need for a multi-port SSR there.

If you ask around here, I am pretty sure there are some folks who have these sitting in storage, because they have made the jump to higher density pixel counts.

-Tony
 
ChiefWarrant said:
For years I ran RGB and RGBW from my Ren64 using Renard-Plus DCSSR's. These types are sometimes called SMD5050. When you look at the inputs They will have 4 or more inputs, DC+ in and then a DC- for each color. So a Red/Green/Blue/White strip will consume 4 channels to control. A RGB will consume 3 channels to control. I used this method on my window frames for years and am finally switching to WS2811 this year.
View attachment 46908

If you are willing to tinker you can mount the RGB/RGBW strips in an old Halogen work light. It won't be super bright, but it will work.

Another option is a PX1 controller designed by P Short. The advantage to this is you can keep using the Renard protocol and also operate WS2811 type pixels (or pixel floods) at the same time. If you are using the standard 57600 baud rate, you can daisy-chain this off the I still run a couple of these in my show because A) they use the RS485 protocol like Renard and B) I have some applications that only have one pixel string on it. Example, I have an incandescent 20' mega tree, that has a WS2811 Bethlehem from Boysco on the top. I only need 100 pixels at the top, so no need for a multi-port SSR there.

If you ask around here, I am pretty sure there are some folks who have these sitting in storage, because they have made the jump to higher density pixel counts.

-Tony
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Or that....
 
Chief warrant I think you have hit on exactly what I would like for this year. I am going to start looking for the ssrs or Px1 controller. DMX sounds fun too, but more possibly more involved then I am ready for yet
 
Irrumater said:
Chief warrant I think you have hit on exactly what I would like for this year. I am going to start looking for the ssrs or Px1 controller. DMX sounds fun too, but more possibly more involved then I am ready for yet
Click to expand...

DMX is also fun and versatile, plus it comes with the advantage of widely available commercial equipment. I have started tinkering with moving spot lights that use DMX and have also switched many of my RGB items to DMX control, freeing up my DCSSR's for other DC applications within the show.

One note on the PX1. It is handy to have a PicKit3 (or similar programmer) handy so that you can modify the data rates and pixel counts in your chain.

-Tony
 
I'm heavily biased toward DMX. It takes some learning, but it's not that bad, unless you really go down the wrong rabbit hole. A lot of aspects of it are almost exactly identical to Renard. The easiest way to get started, IMHO, is to buy a $16 DMX USB dongle and a $30 DMX flood light (as in it has the 3-pin DMX in/DMX out ports), plug the USB into Xlights, and hit "Discover" (I'm sure Vixen has the equivalent). There is a dedicated DMX effect in Xlights. Figure out the knobs & switches to get the channel right, then when you hit Test mode or "Output to lights" in Xlights, the one flood should respond to you. You're on your way from there. Vendors sell these 12-24V dimmer packs and AC dimmers, which let you run dumb RGB and single-color AC's the same as Renard--but that is harder, and a logical next step--after you have a standalone DMX flood working. Trying to go straight to dumb RGB to DMX the first time could get a little overwhelming, unless you have a lighting guy helping you.
 
1pet2_9 said:
I'm heavily biased toward DMX. It takes some learning, but it's not that bad, unless you really go down the wrong rabbit hole. A lot of aspects of it are almost exactly identical to Renard. The easiest way to get started, IMHO, is to buy a $16 DMX USB dongle and a $30 DMX flood light (as in it has the 3-pin DMX in/DMX out ports), plug the USB into Xlights, and hit "Discover" (I'm sure Vixen has the equivalent). There is a dedicated DMX effect in Xlights. Figure out the knobs & switches to get the channel right, then when you hit Test mode or "Output to lights" in Xlights, the one flood should respond to you. You're on your way from there. Vendors sell these 12-24V dimmer packs and AC dimmers, which let you run dumb RGB and single-color AC's the same as Renard--but that is harder, and a logical next step--after you have a standalone DMX flood working. Trying to go straight to dumb RGB to DMX the first time could get a little overwhelming, unless you have a lighting guy helping you.
Click to expand...

Something like this Dongle and light
This sounds similar to how I am currently running my show, USB adaptor to renard direct from laptop. I may give this a try. I am going to do more research on this but 2 questions:
1. will a single dongle run 6 floods independently or will I need 6 dongles/something else the light I linked looks to have in and out connectors so 6 could be run in series? Would they be individually controllable or same color single to each? Very new to the whole RGB thing
2. I am hoping to purchase and run my show off of a Raspberry pi this year instead of relying on the old laptop( had some shutdown issues last year), would the DMX dongle still be an option there?

All of the given solutions have pluses/minuses. The more I see and read about DMX the more flexability I see for the future. I know nothing about this hobby is "affordable" but just trying to find the way to do the most and at least look like I tried to keep a budget when the wife looks lol
 
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1. The light you show is WS2811, not DMX. It's not compatible. You could however get the converter I posted about, that will enable you to drive from DMX. With the WS2811 lights, each light 'uses' 3 channels, the remaining data passes on to the next channel in the chain. You would use on dongle = 1 DMX universe = 512 channels. If converting DMX to WS2911 you get up to 170 RGB lights/pixels (170 x 3 = 510)

2. I can't commend on what's possible on the PI , or if that dongle is supported. People on here should be able to advise. You might as well go direct to WS2811 in that case, I don't see any benefit to using DMX for your application (unless you want to control from a desk and/or include commercial units like moving heads etc. If you to get data over a longer cable run you can intersperse pixels which don't light up ('null pixels') or convert to a differential signal and back (in the same way that DMX data is transmitted)
 
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