Hi Keith, awesome build! I cant believe how similar this is to the concept i have already been planning. I am also looking to build a 8x12' matrix and was likely using pebble lights since they are cost effective and i dont need them to be super bright. The greenhouse panel concept is brilliant and I think i would plan to use the same pixel spacing. Would you by chance be able to record a video explaining the electrical connections for this matrix and showing how all of the power was routed from your controller? So there are 36 individual stings getting powered, and each string has 240 pixels? Are you running all 36 outputs from one controller box, or multiple controller boxes linked together? How many power supplies? This seems so great because it is just the right amount of pixels per output to not need power injection. you have not noticed any color drop from the end of each string, like pixels 200-240? Anyway i would love to connect with you on these questions, if you could visually show that part of the setup that would be so incredible. Cheers!
Not really a need for a video of my setup. Pretty easy to explain. The entire matrix is run off of one controller, a Genius Pro 32. Yes, the matrix has 36 strings, but the Genius Pro 32 also has two differential outputs so you can control a total of 40 outputs if you add a couple of differential receivers to it, which I did add in the same box. The controller has two HP 750 power supplies connected to it, which is way more than the matrix needs since seeds only use about 0.1 watt per pixel. There is zero loss of color running 240 pixels per output with no power injection. I have even heard of people running as many as 400 seeds per output without color loss. I think this will depend on the wire thickness that you get. Don't fool yourself into thinking that seeds are much less bright than bullets. Yes, there is just a little difference, but it is so little that you can hardly notice it in your show. You will definitely not want to run them at 100%. Hope this answers all your questions. I'm more than happy to answer any other questions you may have during your build. Best of luck to you!!
First - Thanks Keith! Appreciate the video! Couple questions: How many 'pixels /port 'can' you push? Believe you said 240 on your build but was reading that you can 400 since the seed pixels are only .1w. 2nd ?: Do those wires connect to standard xConnect pigtails and easy/hard to do? Last one, not matrix related, but was curious what you made your yard 'circles' out of? Thanks in advance, Jamie
1: The number of seeds you can run without power injection will depend on the wire gauge of the strings. I use the standard thin wire seeds and can easily get 300 with no color loss. I would guess that with the thicker wire seeds you could definitely push 400. 2: I make my own connectors for pigtails and extensions (waterproof automotive). You can get strings of seeds with xConnect extensions on them though. Cost a bit more. 3: My circles are made from 1/2" PVC electrical conduit (the gray pipe). Bends fairly easily and drill out just like normal PVC. Mine have 100 bullets in a 48" diameter circle. Let me know if you have any other questions. Happy to help!!!
@@Dixieland.DLights Thanks so much for the quick response Keith! Appreciate the insights as trying to figure out my design/build. I'll circle back, let you know what I find out/how it turns out.
Great idea and "how to", thank you! When you ran the wire, did you use 1 wire section per channel run or just 1 wire section over and over if that makes sense.
The wires are 36 strings running down one channel and back from the next, making 72 strands. Using 36 outputs on a Genius Pro 32 controller, which has two differential outputs allowing it to control a total of 40 outputs. Hope this answers your question. Let me know if you need more info.
@@Dixieland.DLights thank you. I meant when using the "guide" wire you made from the fencing. But that also helps. We are going to try and build this for our show for this year. Thank you again!
@@MonicaMiller-kv4fj I reread your question and understand it now. The one fish wire that I used I just used over and over. No need to make more than one.
@@waltermiller8398 I just used simple 1x4 pine boards. On the corners I used metal L brackets and on the inner boards I used metal T brackets. If your wood is splitting just predrill the screw locations.
That is a neat build. Thanks for the tutorial. Do you notice any bleed over between pixels within the clear channel (between seed pixels)? This might be minimal and difficult to observe from a normal distance given the brightness of the seeds. We are getting some seed pixels to upgrade our mega tree for this season. It will have over 3x the pixels as the older design which is pixel strips and 12mm bullet pixels.
Thank you!!! No, I haven't noticed any bleed over. Don't think that will be an issue with clear panels. There will probably be a lot of bleed over for people that choose to use the white coro.
The software is called xLights. It is a free software package specifically for sequencing music and light shows. It is available for download at www.xlights.org.
Just checking back in to see if you had a video of this in action yet mate. I’m planning on doing a seed matrix and looking at options. if you could tell me how many pixels this is at 30mm I can’t remember hearing you say it in the vid. Cheers
@@curtiscbear This build has a total of 8,640 pixels. 72x120. That's 36 strings of 240. Not sure if you watched the entire video but you can see it in action at the end.
@@Dixieland.DLights thanks mate. I’ve just ordered 8k to do mine. Yea I seen the clip at the end but was more wanting to see what it looked like a night or dark setting. Looks awesome regardless
Not at all. The matrix will be hanging underneath the eave of my roof so very little if any water will get in. Any moisture that does get in should dry up very quickly.
You have to use a very thin but very strong steel wire long enough to go the length of the channel. As crazy as it sound, I had some wire fencing laying around that I clipped my wire from. For my 12' wide matrix I had to clip a 14' piece of wire to fish the wire through. This is the fencing that I cut the wire from: www.lowes.com/pd/Garden-Zone-100-ft-x-4-ft-Gray-Steel-Welded-Wire-Garden-Welded-Wire-Rolled-Fencing/5000203787
Hi, just curious what thickness of the Polycarbonate panel are you using .24" or .32"? I bought 10pcs 4x2.0.24inches is very tight fit endup stuck and ripped the pixels
@@vietnight The channels in the panels that I use are 1/4" x 1/4". These are the panels that are purchased from Amazon (link in the description). Keep in mind that I used the less expensive seeds with the thin wire. You may have thicker wire on your seeds which will make it tighter.
@@Dixieland.DLights I do have old pixels with white wires that seem to fit, I just bought 2000 pixels new type 22awg wires it's thicker, I ordered new panel 0.32 inches hope this will fit.
Hi Keith, awesome build! I cant believe how similar this is to the concept i have already been planning. I am also looking to build a 8x12' matrix and was likely using pebble lights since they are cost effective and i dont need them to be super bright.
The greenhouse panel concept is brilliant and I think i would plan to use the same pixel spacing.
Would you by chance be able to record a video explaining the electrical connections for this matrix and showing how all of the power was routed from your controller?
So there are 36 individual stings getting powered, and each string has 240 pixels? Are you running all 36 outputs from one controller box, or multiple controller boxes linked together? How many power supplies? This seems so great because it is just the right amount of pixels per output to not need power injection. you have not noticed any color drop from the end of each string, like pixels 200-240?
Anyway i would love to connect with you on these questions, if you could visually show that part of the setup that would be so incredible. Cheers!
Not really a need for a video of my setup. Pretty easy to explain. The entire matrix is run off of one controller, a Genius Pro 32. Yes, the matrix has 36 strings, but the Genius Pro 32 also has two differential outputs so you can control a total of 40 outputs if you add a couple of differential receivers to it, which I did add in the same box. The controller has two HP 750 power supplies connected to it, which is way more than the matrix needs since seeds only use about 0.1 watt per pixel. There is zero loss of color running 240 pixels per output with no power injection. I have even heard of people running as many as 400 seeds per output without color loss. I think this will depend on the wire thickness that you get. Don't fool yourself into thinking that seeds are much less bright than bullets. Yes, there is just a little difference, but it is so little that you can hardly notice it in your show. You will definitely not want to run them at 100%.
Hope this answers all your questions. I'm more than happy to answer any other questions you may have during your build. Best of luck to you!!
Great build and thanks for the “how to”.
Thank you, and you are very welcome. Hopefully others will try it.
Thanks for sharing. Great idea.
First - Thanks Keith! Appreciate the video! Couple questions: How many 'pixels /port 'can' you push? Believe you said 240 on your build but was reading that you can 400 since the seed pixels are only .1w. 2nd ?: Do those wires connect to standard xConnect pigtails and easy/hard to do? Last one, not matrix related, but was curious what you made your yard 'circles' out of? Thanks in advance, Jamie
1: The number of seeds you can run without power injection will depend on the wire gauge of the strings. I use the standard thin wire seeds and can easily get 300 with no color loss. I would guess that with the thicker wire seeds you could definitely push 400. 2: I make my own connectors for pigtails and extensions (waterproof automotive). You can get strings of seeds with xConnect extensions on them though. Cost a bit more. 3: My circles are made from 1/2" PVC electrical conduit (the gray pipe). Bends fairly easily and drill out just like normal PVC. Mine have 100 bullets in a 48" diameter circle. Let me know if you have any other questions. Happy to help!!!
@@Dixieland.DLights Thanks so much for the quick response Keith! Appreciate the insights as trying to figure out my design/build. I'll circle back, let you know what I find out/how it turns out.
Love it. What did you build the frame out of?
The frame is just 1"x4" pine boards. Definitely gonna paint them black before showtime.
Great idea and "how to", thank you! When you ran the wire, did you use 1 wire section per channel run or just 1 wire section over and over if that makes sense.
The wires are 36 strings running down one channel and back from the next, making 72 strands. Using 36 outputs on a Genius Pro 32 controller, which has two differential outputs allowing it to control a total of 40 outputs. Hope this answers your question. Let me know if you need more info.
@@Dixieland.DLights thank you. I meant when using the "guide" wire you made from the fencing. But that also helps. We are going to try and build this for our show for this year. Thank you again!
@@MonicaMiller-kv4fj I reread your question and understand it now. The one fish wire that I used I just used over and over. No need to make more than one.
@@Dixieland.DLights Thank you!
On building the wooden frame, what did you use? We found screws split the wood so wondered if you used a hinge
Thank you
@@waltermiller8398 I just used simple 1x4 pine boards. On the corners I used metal L brackets and on the inner boards I used metal T brackets. If your wood is splitting just predrill the screw locations.
Thank you!
That is a neat build. Thanks for the tutorial. Do you notice any bleed over between pixels within the clear channel (between seed pixels)? This might be minimal and difficult to observe from a normal distance given the brightness of the seeds.
We are getting some seed pixels to upgrade our mega tree for this season. It will have over 3x the pixels as the older design which is pixel strips and 12mm bullet pixels.
Thank you!!! No, I haven't noticed any bleed over. Don't think that will be an issue with clear panels. There will probably be a lot of bleed over for people that choose to use the white coro.
What software did you use to program the images?
The software is called xLights. It is a free software package specifically for sequencing music and light shows. It is available for download at www.xlights.org.
Looks good mate. I’d be interested in how it looks at night if the light bleeds to the frame
Thank you!!! I will be painting the frame black soon so it won't be an issue.
Just checking back in to see if you had a video of this in action yet mate. I’m planning on doing a seed matrix and looking at options. if you could tell me how many pixels this is at 30mm I can’t remember hearing you say it in the vid. Cheers
@@curtiscbear This build has a total of 8,640 pixels. 72x120. That's 36 strings of 240. Not sure if you watched the entire video but you can see it in action at the end.
@@Dixieland.DLights thanks mate. I’ve just ordered 8k to do mine. Yea I seen the clip at the end but was more wanting to see what it looked like a night or dark setting. Looks awesome regardless
Is green house board thing? Don't know the name did you put seeds inside it?
Yes, the seed pixels are slid into the channels. A link to the greenhouse panels is in the description.
How many pixels per port? Is there power injection?
No power injection. 240 pixels per port. With seed pixels you can go up to 300 or more pixels per port without power injection.
What spacing is the seeds?
The seed pixels are spaced at 30mm (1 3/16").
@@Dixieland.DLights thanks
Are you concerned about water getting into the channels and causing mold?
Not at all. The matrix will be hanging underneath the eave of my roof so very little if any water will get in. Any moisture that does get in should dry up very quickly.
How do you fish the strands through the panel?
You have to use a very thin but very strong steel wire long enough to go the length of the channel. As crazy as it sound, I had some wire fencing laying around that I clipped my wire from. For my 12' wide matrix I had to clip a 14' piece of wire to fish the wire through. This is the fencing that I cut the wire from: www.lowes.com/pd/Garden-Zone-100-ft-x-4-ft-Gray-Steel-Welded-Wire-Garden-Welded-Wire-Rolled-Fencing/5000203787
Hi, just curious what thickness of the Polycarbonate panel are you using .24" or .32"? I bought 10pcs 4x2.0.24inches is very tight fit endup stuck and ripped the pixels
@@vietnight The channels in the panels that I use are 1/4" x 1/4". These are the panels that are purchased from Amazon (link in the description). Keep in mind that I used the less expensive seeds with the thin wire. You may have thicker wire on your seeds which will make it tighter.
@@Dixieland.DLights I do have old pixels with white wires that seem to fit, I just bought 2000 pixels new type 22awg wires it's thicker, I ordered new panel 0.32 inches hope this will fit.