Definitely one of the better internal layouts and clean assembled unit. I may need to justify having one. Along with the FET current rating, I'd check the width of any current carrying traces and plug it into a trace width calculator to double check how much current each channel can deliver (assuming the screw terminals are easily a bunch of amps capable too). Looks like a lot of ground/thermal vias near each FET so it seems designed to perform well.
Man I wish I had access to this stuff when I did more stage work. I can't imagine. So cool to know it exists. I really think the best use would be rgb strips where all the lights are the same color. It would be a nice way to make some really cool effects.
The 245 is probably a level shifter maybe just for the pixel out, but could also be used for the MOSFETs for the PWM out. After all, the 245 is octal. You need 3.3v for the controller yet 5v for the pixels/245 so there should be another power output somewhere on the board
That box seems simpler than one of the arduino or raspberry pie stuff I have seen. I still don't have a use for it but you never know where life will take you next.
19:25 onwards... For those PWM Output channels... if the Mosfets are rated 20A each, then you MUST derate because you never will pull anywhere near 20A from each Mos. I'd say absolute max 5A per Mosfet so they won't explode or burn up due to heat.
Yup, the 20 Amps is a rating at 25 degrees C. So even though the Fets are operating efficiently they would need much larger heatsinks than the small cooling surface provided by the PC board. Not sure it there is any thermal contact with the metal case. Nice video and the product looks pretty good... thanks.
Well, yeah. But it would also take a helluva lot of LED strips to get to that point. The connectors and wiring would start entering the equation as well.
@@pileofstuff - no, simply do the math.... If the strip is single colour it uses 20mA per chip at 100%. A reasonable looking LED strip uses 64 chips per meter (the densest ones use 128/m). At 64/m you need to allow for 1.28 AMPS per meter. Let's say you debate the Mosfets by 2/3 to be safe, they'll cope with 6.67 Amps per channel. 6.67A divided by 1.28A = *5.28 Metres per channel* ... and when you string out 5m (like your rolls) it doesn't go very far 😉
Absolutely, that is a good option for lighting displays that don't need to change frequently This allows for more "live" control, and integration into much larger systems..
@@pileofstuff I also have a home automation system called home assistant that WLED integrates in to, so it can change the LED strip effect based on many factors of other sensors, temp. light levels, humidity, pressure sensors, etc. Plus the WLED software has a web interface that you can control it directly from your computer and has a phone app to do the same, so very versatile. 😀
So. From watching you play around, it seems we now have jellybean DMX LED controllers that are more or less plug and play (for those familiar with the programming protocols). If you had the budget and inclination you could build a great big “video screen” with one box controlling each row and synchronized individual DMX sources controlling the columns, sort of.
Timing would be a challenge though to get a decent refresh rate. I built a 300x16 WS2812B display with the 16 rows on separate data channels where I only get about 75fps. Granted about 1/3 of that time was in the code to transpose the frame buffer to the output buffer. WS2812B takes 30us per pixel, plus your delay between frames to latch the data to the LEDs
Additional Info to what the video showed... it should be noted that DMX is 512 channels per "UNIVERSE". Each Universe needs a separate DMX cable back to the control desk. . Each channel controls one aspect of a lighting installation. If you want to control white spotlights, you need one channel per light. If you want to control individual colours in RGB spotlights, then you need to allocate 3 channels PER spotlight. . If you want to control RGB LED Strips with DMX you soon run out of channels. If you want to control (say) 10 meters of RGB Strip at 64 pixels per meter, you need a total of 10 x 64 x 3 = 1,920 x DMX channels. 😮 . First you first need to consider power. At 20mA per colour per chip, my 10m example needs a total of 10m x 64 x 3 col x 0.020 = 38.4 Amps. You need to inject that at multiple points along the run. I'd break it into max 5A groups, each fed from both ends. Hence, 8 x power groups each with a 5A PSU feeding 80 chips from both ends. ... That has nothing to do with the control line(s). . Regarding DMX for that 10m RGB strip, you need 10m x 64 x 3 = 1920 channels. So you would need 4 x DMX Universes with each controlling average of 320 Channels. . Hence you need to break the Strips control line into 4 sections (convenient since there are 8 power groups), each allocated with 480 channels. Then you bring each WSxxxx control group back to a separate DMX > WSxxxx Controller (like the device in video) that is "named" as a separate Universe. Then each Universe is wired back on a separate DMX cable to the desk. . This can become unwieldy, due to how you must allocate each desk control channel to a particular channel in each universe. To vary the red on pixel one of the section of strip controlled by Universe #1 is pretty easy. But when you are varying the green on the physical pixel #1,230 in Universe 3 it easily gets confusing. . That's the price you need to pay to individually address closely spaced multi-colour LEDs 😂
Absolutely. I was trying not to get too far into the weeds on explaining DMX universes, pixel mapping and a bunch of other more advanced concepts. As it is, I probably spent more time on QLC than I needed to, for the focus of this video (the converter box). It could be *many* hours of content if it was fully explored.
@@pileofstuff - oh yeah, of course... and that would be outside the scope of this video. My comment was made to add extra supplementary information that you couldn't possibly include in the video. . Your early comments in the voice oice-over gave the impression that DMX can *ONLY* handle 512 channels, which made me think I could clarify that aspect on your behalf. 😉 . The power requirements and channels needed for decent runs of 5V RGB is most alarming, and RGBW and RGBWW is proportionally worse. I just purchased a 5V 30 Amp PSU to power a relatively small home lighting display 😢 . Unless it's a small install, it's often better to pay the extra $$ for 12V strips that reduce the Amps by about 60% (for a given illumination effect). They tend to have bigger internal tracks too, which significantly reduces the number of power feed-in points.
As you both are indicating, DMX alone isn't suitable for addressable LEDs. Probably need to use a DMX controller designed for pixels where only a handful of DMX addresses are used to control the LEDs at a higher level.
@@danman32If you only needed 50-100 pixels, you could still assign the unused addresses to other fixtures.Like all DMX fixtures (that I am aware of) , this one only listens.
I need to check that adapter out. I bought one years ago to fix a few DMX lights for church, and it was glitch. OK for testing but not for production, not to mention limited back then what SW would work with it since it was USB.
it got really complicated! I don't know how you keep up with the wiring, then the differing powers, then all channels, then the individual chips, then the individual colours and then .. still think of a way to make them not only combine together, but have a decent "show" at the end of it all, not forgetting your Colour Blindness.... Professionals will have further steps like positioning and cooling and ARRRGGHHHH .. i have twisted my own melon 🥴💥🍉 Happy Halloween 2024. I'll probably be recovered by then
Definitely useful nowI see it working. As I said before, I am a FOH guy, but this makes wanna play with light. Ssst... do'n't tell anyone ;) P.S. Must be the faders ... lol
@@pileofstuff I do to. Without being a lighting engineer. I can rig up my stage and just use this and create a pretty decent light show without having any real knowledge of lighting desks and all their features. Granted You do need a bit about how DMX512 works, but that is it!
The stout looks superb.
Definitely one of the better internal layouts and clean assembled unit. I may need to justify having one. Along with the FET current rating, I'd check the width of any current carrying traces and plug it into a trace width calculator to double check how much current each channel can deliver (assuming the screw terminals are easily a bunch of amps capable too). Looks like a lot of ground/thermal vias near each FET so it seems designed to perform well.
Excellent unit for stage production. PileOfLeds! Nice one. 👍😀
Man I wish I had access to this stuff when I did more stage work. I can't imagine. So cool to know it exists. I really think the best use would be rgb strips where all the lights are the same color. It would be a nice way to make some really cool effects.
I agree. Back when I was doing stage stuff, DMX was considered a new technology that was only used by the big shows.
The 245 is probably a level shifter maybe just for the pixel out, but could also be used for the MOSFETs for the PWM out. After all, the 245 is octal.
You need 3.3v for the controller yet 5v for the pixels/245 so there should be another power output somewhere on the board
That definately looks fun 🙂
That box seems simpler than one of the arduino or raspberry pie stuff I have seen. I still don't have a use for it but you never know where life will take you next.
19:25 onwards... For those PWM Output channels... if the Mosfets are rated 20A each, then you MUST derate because you never will pull anywhere near 20A from each Mos. I'd say absolute max 5A per Mosfet so they won't explode or burn up due to heat.
Yup, the 20 Amps is a rating at 25 degrees C. So even though the Fets are operating efficiently they would need much larger heatsinks than the small cooling surface provided by the PC board. Not sure it there is any thermal contact with the metal case. Nice video and the product looks pretty good... thanks.
Well, yeah. But it would also take a helluva lot of LED strips to get to that point. The connectors and wiring would start entering the equation as well.
@@pileofstuff - no, simply do the math....
If the strip is single colour it uses 20mA per chip at 100%. A reasonable looking LED strip uses 64 chips per meter (the densest ones use 128/m).
At 64/m you need to allow for 1.28 AMPS per meter.
Let's say you debate the Mosfets by 2/3 to be safe, they'll cope with 6.67 Amps per channel.
6.67A divided by 1.28A = *5.28 Metres per channel* ... and when you string out 5m (like your rolls) it doesn't go very far 😉
Great little control box.
(I miss discos)
That is very cool. Imagine the x-mas lighting setups you could do!
Cool Video. I use a D1 mini ESP32 and i flash a free program on to it called WLED. Has a lot of lighting effects and i mostly use it with WS2812's.
Absolutely, that is a good option for lighting displays that don't need to change frequently
This allows for more "live" control, and integration into much larger systems..
@@pileofstuff I also have a home automation system called home assistant that WLED integrates in to, so it can change the LED strip effect based on many factors of other sensors, temp. light levels, humidity, pressure sensors, etc. Plus the WLED software has a web interface that you can control it directly from your computer and has a phone app to do the same, so very versatile. 😀
"Maximum sillyness". Now that's a way of life
amazing !
So. From watching you play around, it seems we now have jellybean DMX LED controllers that are more or less plug and play (for those familiar with the programming protocols).
If you had the budget and inclination you could build a great big “video screen” with one box controlling each row and synchronized individual DMX sources controlling the columns, sort of.
Timing would be a challenge though to get a decent refresh rate.
I built a 300x16 WS2812B display with the 16 rows on separate data channels where I only get about 75fps. Granted about 1/3 of that time was in the code to transpose the frame buffer to the output buffer.
WS2812B takes 30us per pixel, plus your delay between frames to latch the data to the LEDs
Love it. Very inspiring video. Already have another browser tab open at eBay ;)
Very C😎😎L. I know what you're doing this December 🎄.
Whats the heat sink like in the magic box ?
From the experiments you saw, I couldn't feel any increase in heat on the case
@pileofstuff
0.5 mm, 1/64th". Its just I've been caught out a few times.
Anyhoo, looked like you were enjoying yourself. 👍
Additional Info to what the video showed... it should be noted that DMX is 512 channels per "UNIVERSE". Each Universe needs a separate DMX cable back to the control desk.
.
Each channel controls one aspect of a lighting installation. If you want to control white spotlights, you need one channel per light. If you want to control individual colours in RGB spotlights, then you need to allocate 3 channels PER spotlight.
.
If you want to control RGB LED Strips with DMX you soon run out of channels. If you want to control (say) 10 meters of RGB Strip at 64 pixels per meter, you need a total of 10 x 64 x 3 = 1,920 x DMX channels. 😮
.
First you first need to consider power. At 20mA per colour per chip, my 10m example needs a total of 10m x 64 x 3 col x 0.020 = 38.4 Amps. You need to inject that at multiple points along the run. I'd break it into max 5A groups, each fed from both ends. Hence, 8 x power groups each with a 5A PSU feeding 80 chips from both ends.
... That has nothing to do with the control line(s).
.
Regarding DMX for that 10m RGB strip, you need 10m x 64 x 3 = 1920 channels. So you would need 4 x DMX Universes with each controlling average of 320 Channels.
.
Hence you need to break the Strips control line into 4 sections (convenient since there are 8 power groups), each allocated with 480 channels. Then you bring each WSxxxx control group back to a separate DMX > WSxxxx Controller (like the device in video) that is "named" as a separate Universe. Then each Universe is wired back on a separate DMX cable to the desk.
.
This can become unwieldy, due to how you must allocate each desk control channel to a particular channel in each universe.
To vary the red on pixel one of the section of strip controlled by Universe #1 is pretty easy. But when you are varying the green on the physical pixel #1,230 in Universe 3 it easily gets confusing.
.
That's the price you need to pay to individually address closely spaced multi-colour LEDs 😂
Absolutely.
I was trying not to get too far into the weeds on explaining DMX universes, pixel mapping and a bunch of other more advanced concepts.
As it is, I probably spent more time on QLC than I needed to, for the focus of this video (the converter box).
It could be *many* hours of content if it was fully explored.
@@pileofstuff - oh yeah, of course... and that would be outside the scope of this video.
My comment was made to add extra supplementary information that you couldn't possibly include in the video.
.
Your early comments in the voice oice-over gave the impression that DMX can *ONLY* handle 512 channels, which made me think I could clarify that aspect on your behalf. 😉
.
The power requirements and channels needed for decent runs of 5V RGB is most alarming, and RGBW and RGBWW is proportionally worse.
I just purchased a 5V 30 Amp PSU to power a relatively small home lighting display 😢
.
Unless it's a small install, it's often better to pay the extra $$ for 12V strips that reduce the Amps by about 60% (for a given illumination effect). They tend to have bigger internal tracks too, which significantly reduces the number of power feed-in points.
@@johncoops6897This control box can handle up to 24 volt strips, so 12 volt strips are a good idea, if you plan to use the PWM function.
As you both are indicating, DMX alone isn't suitable for addressable LEDs. Probably need to use a DMX controller designed for pixels where only a handful of DMX addresses are used to control the LEDs at a higher level.
@@danman32If you only needed 50-100 pixels, you could still assign the unused addresses to other fixtures.Like all DMX fixtures (that I am aware of) , this one only listens.
How are you connecting the DMX to the computer
It's just a cheap generic USB to DMX converter cable, like this one: pileofstuff.ca/r/k1gz6
I need to check that adapter out. I bought one years ago to fix a few DMX lights for church, and it was glitch. OK for testing but not for production, not to mention limited back then what SW would work with it since it was USB.
it got really complicated! I don't know how you keep up with the wiring, then the differing powers, then all channels, then the individual chips, then the individual colours and then .. still think of a way to make them not only combine together, but have a decent "show" at the end of it all, not forgetting your Colour Blindness.... Professionals will have further steps like positioning and cooling and ARRRGGHHHH .. i have twisted my own melon 🥴💥🍉 Happy Halloween 2024. I'll probably be recovered by then
to add to a new feature for xmas, the eiffel tower
Definitely useful nowI see it working. As I said before, I am a FOH guy, but this makes wanna play with light. Ssst... do'n't tell anyone ;) P.S. Must be the faders ... lol
I can see this being a good affordable solution to add some fun to smaller stages (both bands and theatre).
@@pileofstuff I do to. Without being a lighting engineer. I can rig up my stage and just use this and create a pretty decent light show without having any real knowledge of lighting desks and all their features. Granted You do need a bit about how DMX512 works, but that is it!
What kind of electric screwdriver were you using
It's this one I reviewed last year: ruclips.net/video/_voEqcVROsE/видео.html
i dont know what to say, but here is a comment anyways. have a nice day 😊
very cool vid ,.//.,
Warning: Never use these kind of non-isolated DMX512 devices with a cheap DMX USB with your computer - it can kill your computer..
If this was powered from the AC line directly I would be much more concerned.