North Pole help

[Bwinter]

To address your follow-up question regarding control:

The simplest way to control these (few) LEDs is through FPP on a PiHat.

Design your sequence using the software of your choice (Vixen/XLights), then upload the sequence to the uSD card on your Pi. Connect your LEDs to the Pi/PiHat and run your sequences with FPP.

[Keebler]

depending on whom you ask, you will probably get different approaches to achieving the same goals. which what makes this so cool. we all learn from each other and from all of our numerous mistakes. some people myself included prefer XLIGHTS and FALCON controllers. the owners of these two have been collaborating for a very long time, and sean (who has xlights) has written apps that upload changes to the falcon boards right from the xlights software. i used a raspberry pi when it first adapted, but have since gone back to PC (dedicated pc) to run my display.
since i have a dedicated subnet for the display, i can change or edit or correct any sequence LIVE and once saved its all set when it cycles through again. no need to update ANYTHING (other than the save). no transferring files anywhere. and since all my media and sequences are all on a dedicated cloud server, i can work on my sequences anywhere in the world (with internet). so if my cameras show something amiss while we are on vacation. i can usually fix the issue, save the changes and the display is back on track, usually within 3 minutes (the time most songs run).

[MikeKrebs]

I like the idea of running some white mini lights down the big stripe and going old school.

If it was me, I would probably end up with some pixels on the poles and in the globes.

For reference on the globes, I have 4 3 led modules in my Really Big Lights and that is plenty to show them off.

[mrmumbels]

So I've decided to start with FALCON controller. I just purchased the F16V3. Now to find some pixels and a power supply.

[mrmumbels]

We put WS2811 pucks inside each of ours. Though these are not the exact ones, the idea is the same. http://tlh.pixelledlight.com/landsca...led-point.html Works like a champ.

Do you have any pictures or vids of yours?

[algerdes]

No vids, yet. We have it setup in the back yard right now, I'll fire it up and get some shots.

BTW - The suggestion of using the rectangular nodes on a stick up the middle of the lights has some interesting possibilities. We had two pixels in each one before we switched. I could do multiple colors in the globe at the same time. A great effect. With three or more of the square nodes in there, you can go bright, and do some crazy sequencing. Colors chasing around the inside of the globe comes to mind.

[Bwinter]

No vids, yet. We have it setup in the back yard right now, I'll fire it up and get some shots.

BTW - The suggestion of using the rectangular nodes on a stick up the middle of the lights has some interesting possibilities. We had two pixels in each one before we switched. I could do multiple colors in the globe at the same time. A great effect. With three or more of the square nodes in there, you can go bright, and do some crazy sequencing. Colors chasing around the inside of the globe comes to mind.

I do have the 6 modules inside of each globe. I did play around with trying different effects on the modules inside each globe.

You can somewhat see the effect, but with the internal reflection (inside the globe)—it isn’t as dramatic/interesting as you might hope/imagine. I really didn’t explore further.

And with those 6 modules, my globes just barely cross the threshold of “bright enough”. Everything else in my display has reduced intensity, except the globes.

If anything, I’m looking for a stronger output that would be suitable

[algerdes]

I do have the 6 modules inside of each globe. I did play around with trying different effects on the modules inside each globe.

You can somewhat see the effect, but with the internal reflection (inside the globe)—it isn’t as dramatic/interesting as you might hope/imagine. I really didn’t explore further.

And with those 6 modules, my globes just barely cross the threshold of “bright enough”. Everything else in my display has reduced intensity, except the globes.

If anything, I’m looking for a stronger output that would be suitable

Wow. If 6 of the rectangles aren't bright enough, I'm wondering if the pucks we are using will be.
I run them at 60% as apposed to most of the rest of the display at 30%.

[mrmumbels]

I do have the 6 modules inside of each globe. I did play around with trying different effects on the modules inside each globe.

You can somewhat see the effect, but with the internal reflection (inside the globe)—it isn’t as dramatic/interesting as you might hope/imagine. I really didn’t explore further.

And with those 6 modules, my globes just barely cross the threshold of “bright enough”. Everything else in my display has reduced intensity, except the globes.

If anything, I’m looking for a stronger output that would be suitable

I pulled mine down to measure last night and took a look at the bulbs I have in them now. Each bulb has 20 LEDs at 2w per bulb and 120lm. What are the outputs of your modules for comparison?

[Bwinter]

The 6 modules are “bright enough”—but by no means “too bright.”

Especially at all-white, there are no problems (all three RGB LEDs are active). But remember—when you’re doing all-red, you’re only getting 1/3 the intensity (only the R LED is active). But even so, all-red is “fine.”

So personally, I wouldn’t go with anything less than the 6 modules (each module has three 5050 RGB LEDs). Eventually, I would like to swap out to something brighter—but haven’t really found suitable replacement. But they’re fine the way they are (for now).