T-Off A Straight Run?

[winesalot]

I am sure this question will expose my "newbieness" but here goes anyway.

If I make a run of pixels in track am I able to Tee of this in the center of that run for a different display?

The deets...I am considering running the pixels in tracks along the eves of my commercial building. (It's a winery if that matters.) In the center of the long run I was thinking of creating a logo set off from the building and it would be cool to outline it with the pixels. Would this be possible? Since the name of our winery is Silver Bell Winery, the outline of the logo would always be in bright white to look somewhat silver but the ever runs would likely change based on the season.

Alan

 

[MikeKrebs]

There are ways to do that but...You would be better off with separate controller or at least a separate port to support that. The way to do it is not to TEE but to loop out and back to the rest of the lights.

With ws2811 (and a whole bunch that have the same characteristics) pixels, the data get sent down the line and the first pixel grabs the first 24 bits of data and keeps it for itself. Then it sends the rest of the data down to the next pixel which again "eats" 24 bits before passing the remaining data down to the next pixel. When you tee in this case, the data goes in two directions so now those pixels after the tee are doing whatever you told the next one in line. You lose individual control.

Also, if really want white all the time, consider just using white leds (rope light, strip, strings from Menards). That would be much easier and better use of white than using a pixel to display white.