montejenkins
Member
I have a custom-built light wall that is 30 feet long and 8 feet tall. It consists of 8 individual wooden panels that are approximately 4' x 8' in size. Each panel contains 16 strips of RGB LEDs that are arranged in a pattern that resembles a 16-segment digital clock matrix. Within this matrix it is possible to spell all letters and numbers. Each of these 16 individual strips of light within each panel are referred to as vectors.
The exact LED product currently in the boards:
WFLS-RGB series High Power RGB LED Weatherproof Flexible Light Strips | Color Changing RGB Light Strips & Bars | LED Light Strips & Bars | Super Bright LEDs
In order to spell out what I want to say, up until this point it has required manual blacking out of each vector with individual black plastic strips. As for color changing, each of the 8 panels is controlled by a remote that allows for 7 different individual colors or a handful of preset color changing sequences. Each of the 8 panels is controlled completely independent of the others. This was never the original vision behind the light board, however.
The goal has always been to program the board to allow it to function as one dynamic unit. I need live control, perhaps through a MIDI controller, as well as the ability to run pre-set scenes and sequences. Sound reactive would be nice too. With each panel containing 16 vectors, in total there are 128 vectors across the entire wall.
As it stands now, all the channels are wired together in each board to create only one color at a time, and I am aware that the boards need to be rewired so that each vector/channel can be controlled separately. I know there are some RGB strips that allow for control of each individual diode within the strip, but I am fine with having each whole strip being capable of just one color at a time. I imagine this simplifies the programming quite a bit.
In terms of the computer program, I have a couple of features that would be ideal. First is the ability to type words and have them appear live on the board, possibly even scrolling across. Being RBGs, the ability to control live color changing/blending is also a must.
I'm pretty confident that I've found the hardware needed to make this happen. The key to getting on board with DMX is the use of (16) 24-Channel DMX decoders, using (2) per board. Example:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/more...lv-24-channel-led-dmx-controllerdecoder/1137/
They will all be daisy chained together and run back to a PC through a yet-to-be-determined USB/DMX interface.
What I haven't found yet is the best software for programming the board. From what I've gathered, Pixel Mapping may be the key feature I'm looking for, seeing as it's a way to program a large 2-dimensional surface with relative ease. Ideally, I would find a program that would allow me to replicate the board's layout visually on screen. So far the best I've found is the Pixels section of ShowXpress, but I can't arrange fixtures diagonally. Also, when attempting to add a fixture into a scene, each program has a specific list from which to choose, included specific brands and fixtures, when all I need is a generic RGB strip.
In general, these programs all seem to be much more complicated than what I really need. I don't need to control moving lights, gobos, etc. I would love to find a specific, 2D only, Pixel Mapping-esque program that would streamline my ability to program the board. Maybe that's too specific to hope for and I just have to figure how to wade though these other programs.
Any thoughts? I'm getting close to figuring this whole thing out, I just need a little more guidance.
The exact LED product currently in the boards:
WFLS-RGB series High Power RGB LED Weatherproof Flexible Light Strips | Color Changing RGB Light Strips & Bars | LED Light Strips & Bars | Super Bright LEDs
In order to spell out what I want to say, up until this point it has required manual blacking out of each vector with individual black plastic strips. As for color changing, each of the 8 panels is controlled by a remote that allows for 7 different individual colors or a handful of preset color changing sequences. Each of the 8 panels is controlled completely independent of the others. This was never the original vision behind the light board, however.
The goal has always been to program the board to allow it to function as one dynamic unit. I need live control, perhaps through a MIDI controller, as well as the ability to run pre-set scenes and sequences. Sound reactive would be nice too. With each panel containing 16 vectors, in total there are 128 vectors across the entire wall.
As it stands now, all the channels are wired together in each board to create only one color at a time, and I am aware that the boards need to be rewired so that each vector/channel can be controlled separately. I know there are some RGB strips that allow for control of each individual diode within the strip, but I am fine with having each whole strip being capable of just one color at a time. I imagine this simplifies the programming quite a bit.
In terms of the computer program, I have a couple of features that would be ideal. First is the ability to type words and have them appear live on the board, possibly even scrolling across. Being RBGs, the ability to control live color changing/blending is also a must.
I'm pretty confident that I've found the hardware needed to make this happen. The key to getting on board with DMX is the use of (16) 24-Channel DMX decoders, using (2) per board. Example:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/more...lv-24-channel-led-dmx-controllerdecoder/1137/
They will all be daisy chained together and run back to a PC through a yet-to-be-determined USB/DMX interface.
What I haven't found yet is the best software for programming the board. From what I've gathered, Pixel Mapping may be the key feature I'm looking for, seeing as it's a way to program a large 2-dimensional surface with relative ease. Ideally, I would find a program that would allow me to replicate the board's layout visually on screen. So far the best I've found is the Pixels section of ShowXpress, but I can't arrange fixtures diagonally. Also, when attempting to add a fixture into a scene, each program has a specific list from which to choose, included specific brands and fixtures, when all I need is a generic RGB strip.
In general, these programs all seem to be much more complicated than what I really need. I don't need to control moving lights, gobos, etc. I would love to find a specific, 2D only, Pixel Mapping-esque program that would streamline my ability to program the board. Maybe that's too specific to hope for and I just have to figure how to wade though these other programs.
Any thoughts? I'm getting close to figuring this whole thing out, I just need a little more guidance.
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