Updated November, 2021: Script Updates and related text changes. Our show has a long matrix display above our carport/driveway that displays general show information, along with our “Tune To” FM frequency to listen to the music, and song information. Usually in order to do this- the information needs to be […]
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More Power!
As this is an electrical build, please read this! UPDATE (9/11/2021):Of course I couldn’t leave well enough alone. I wasn’t happy with the way the cover on the first DIN rail box I bought distorted the displays on the power monitors, and I wasn’t comfortable with the whole SSR setup […]
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Column Matrix Builds
Last year, we lit up two of our three front porch columns with PVC pixel “poles”. These worked really well: Pixel Columns This year we are making several changes. First, we got rid of the flat-tree in the middle of the front of the porch, so I needed to light […]
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Info Matrix (2021)
Last year we did a “Tune In” Matrix under our carport roof. It was my first DIY matrix, which actually turned out and worked pretty well after going through three revisions. It was functional, but just didn’t fit in well with the rest of our display and I wanted something […]
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Star Stake Quick Build
We’ve already started working on some things for next year… We found these metal stars at Hobby Lobby over the weekend. We already had a couple-dozen of these “Quick Light Post” metal light pole/stake things from Menards. They sell them every Christmas, but they never seem to show up online. […]
Continue readingCh-Ch-Changes…
So, I think I’ve made it through a big learning curve with regard to Master and Remote FPP setups, and controllers in-general… First I found out that the Kulp K16A-B controller is fantastic as a stand-alone controller, or as a Remote, but NOT as a Master. For some reason it […]
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Up and Running!
Oak Hills Lights officially started on Saturday night, Nov. 28th! It’s been an uphill battle the last couple of weeks, as I noted in my previous post. The problems have primarily been syncing issues, scheduler issues, and problems with our WiFi SparkleBalls. Our display is running now through Jan. 3rd. […]
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Vankyo Projector Power Control
I posted earlier about the dirt-cheap Vankyo projectors that some people use for their displays (for rear or front projection). These things are about as cheap as you can get for reasonable quality. One problem with them is there is no way to control the power without either physically pressing […]
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MAX485 Differential Transceivers
I was digging into how Differential Receivers for LED lighting systems work, and was told about these MAX485 Transceivers on one of the forums: These little boards cost around $1 each, and can be used to extend a WS2811 (Pixel) data signal for hundreds of feet (probably close to 1000 […]
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JST Connectors
UPDATE: I revised my thinking on this after realizing I was dead-wrong about xConnect connectors. See it here. This started out as a side-note for my Pixel Data Cables story. I decided it needed it’s own write-up… I’ve seen a lot of hate for these online, usually from people who […]
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Pixel Data Cables
I’ve seen a lot of debate about this, and of course everyone does things differently. I just wanted to show what I am doing for my cables this year. So- you have a fancy new controller, like a Kulp K16A-B: You stick it in a box with power supplies, terminal […]
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3D Printer Upgrade- Update: It’s gone.
UPDATE (January 2021):Unfortunately something went wrong and the printer almost caught fire. I’m not sure if it was a firmware or thermistor failure, or bad connection to the thermistor- but the hot end erupted into a cloud of smoke one afternoon. Fortunately I was in the room and the smoke […]
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D1 Mini Controller Boxes
Update (January 2021):I’m no-longer using these as they ultimately failed. I don’t believe there is anything inherently “wrong” with controllers like this, and many people do use them successfully for shows of varying sizes. For me, as noted in later blog posts, WIFI seems to have been the Achilles Heal […]
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D1 Mini E1.31 (DMX) Relay Controller
I wasn’t content to just be able to run RGB pixels, I also wanted to be able to programmatically turn the system on and off. I could use some off-the-shelf home automation gear, but it seemed overly-complicated to try to drive it from FalconPlayer (FPP). Of course I could also […]
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