WELCOME!!!!!!!
- Thread starter Macrosill
- Start date
MartinMueller2003
Supporting Member
Welcome to the madness.
Unless it is like 50 pixels, I'd suggest you skip the mega and go to some version of ESP32. Not much memory, speed, or connectivity on a Mega. Unless you just want to tinker.
Yes, my plans are using pixel strings 50 leds per string for tress and other ornaments. I also like to add ws2812 strips for roof line and columns. After browsing around I am thingking of using RPI FPP Arduino Mega which I have in hand, I ordered an ENC28J60 shield for arduino for communication between devices. I learn the this way is better than using generic serial. So far thats what i gather from reading our forum here.
Distractible
New member
Post-holiday greetings!
Since I've made a couple of posts here already, I should probably say a word or two (or three) of introduction.
I'm about as green as green can get with regards to lighting automation. There are several houses in our area that we've driven by during the holidays, and it always generates the requisite "oohs! and ahhs!" from everyone in the car. I'd like to dabble in that realm, at least as much as the neighbors will allow. They're as clueless about my interest as I am about their fears, so time will tell.
I'm going about it backwards, and constructing the FM transmitter (PixelRadio, what drew me to this site) before I figure out the lighting part. I have past history designing and soldering up circuit boards as a hobby (and, in my youth, constructing Heathkits, for those that go back that far), so the transmitter seemed interesting, easy, and cheap, and I'm going for it. The lighting part I'll figure out later this year - maybe start with something simple for Halloween? Hmmm.
Hardware and software-wise, I have a fair amount of experience with the RasPi. Never really done much with Arduinos. I have history (mostly years ago) writing assembler for 8-bit MCUs, and have some more recent experiences with Python, VBScript, VB, and Flutter, but have never quite gotten Java, Javascript, C or C++ to embed themselves into my thick head. I'm not sure how all of that will factor in to this sort of thing, but I guess I'll find out.
Connectivity-wise, I have networking experience, so the WiFi options are familiar, however I also know how WiFI channels can get over-utilized and packets lost, so my mind is drawing me to DMX-512 (which was coming into play as I was exiting my theatre tech days). Extra cable, but no (or fewer) data glitches, and less hardware complexity at each node? Hmmm....
As my nick hints at, I have a history of starting things and not quite getting to the finish line, but I'm hoping to get to the end here. Again, time will tell.
Anyway, that's me in a nutshell, related to this site. I'll poke around over the next few months and see where it leads me.
Since I've made a couple of posts here already, I should probably say a word or two (or three) of introduction.
I'm about as green as green can get with regards to lighting automation. There are several houses in our area that we've driven by during the holidays, and it always generates the requisite "oohs! and ahhs!" from everyone in the car. I'd like to dabble in that realm, at least as much as the neighbors will allow. They're as clueless about my interest as I am about their fears, so time will tell.
I'm going about it backwards, and constructing the FM transmitter (PixelRadio, what drew me to this site) before I figure out the lighting part. I have past history designing and soldering up circuit boards as a hobby (and, in my youth, constructing Heathkits, for those that go back that far), so the transmitter seemed interesting, easy, and cheap, and I'm going for it. The lighting part I'll figure out later this year - maybe start with something simple for Halloween? Hmmm.
Hardware and software-wise, I have a fair amount of experience with the RasPi. Never really done much with Arduinos. I have history (mostly years ago) writing assembler for 8-bit MCUs, and have some more recent experiences with Python, VBScript, VB, and Flutter, but have never quite gotten Java, Javascript, C or C++ to embed themselves into my thick head. I'm not sure how all of that will factor in to this sort of thing, but I guess I'll find out.
Connectivity-wise, I have networking experience, so the WiFi options are familiar, however I also know how WiFI channels can get over-utilized and packets lost, so my mind is drawing me to DMX-512 (which was coming into play as I was exiting my theatre tech days). Extra cable, but no (or fewer) data glitches, and less hardware complexity at each node? Hmmm....
As my nick hints at, I have a history of starting things and not quite getting to the finish line, but I'm hoping to get to the end here. Again, time will tell.
Anyway, that's me in a nutshell, related to this site. I'll poke around over the next few months and see where it leads me.
MartinMueller2003
Supporting Member
Welcome to the insanity. If you actively start now, you should have something simple for Halloween. I suggest you start two project in your mind:
1) What you want your display to look like (not how, focus on WHAT).
2) Select a sequencing tool. I suggest you look at Vixen 3 and xLights.
1) What you want your display to look like (not how, focus on WHAT).
2) Select a sequencing tool. I suggest you look at Vixen 3 and xLights.
Distractible
New member
Thank you ctmal and Martin for the welcomes. I agree that there is a lot here to take in. I'll be browsing for quite a while before I do too much.
I will take a look at Vixen 3. xLights has already been on my radar from earlier searches, though I haven't gotten to the point of installing it yet, just browsing the website at the moment. Any high-level comments regarding what situations one tool might be more applicable than the other? Or is it mostly just personal preference?
The Halloween idea is still likely, however I noticed one Christmas target while taking the lights down this year. We have a tree which we decorate each year, which has multiple branches. The nature of the beast is that we usually use six strands of lights, and they get stack-plugged together, 4-5 feet from the ground, where the vertical trunk branches out. I imagine that would be a natural place to insert an 8-channel node without a lot of additional work. Make the tree shimmer, or 'dance' a little bit. I'm leaning towards that being an initial foray, using existing strands, so that I can focus this year's costs on the sequencing hardware rather than lights. We'll see...
I will take a look at Vixen 3. xLights has already been on my radar from earlier searches, though I haven't gotten to the point of installing it yet, just browsing the website at the moment. Any high-level comments regarding what situations one tool might be more applicable than the other? Or is it mostly just personal preference?
The Halloween idea is still likely, however I noticed one Christmas target while taking the lights down this year. We have a tree which we decorate each year, which has multiple branches. The nature of the beast is that we usually use six strands of lights, and they get stack-plugged together, 4-5 feet from the ground, where the vertical trunk branches out. I imagine that would be a natural place to insert an 8-channel node without a lot of additional work. Make the tree shimmer, or 'dance' a little bit. I'm leaning towards that being an initial foray, using existing strands, so that I can focus this year's costs on the sequencing hardware rather than lights. We'll see...
scottmcm
Supporting Member
Some call it chicken and glitter. We call it blinky and flashy. Welcome!