led strip lighting

[wayne101]

hi all Im new to DMX controlled lights Ive been asked to light up the bowling lanes with led strip lights

so im looking for a way to control 17 x 14 meter lengths of ws-2801 led strip

any help would be good

thanks

Wayne

[alistermorton]

What exactly are you trying to achieve? "Light up the bowling lanes" could cover a multitude of desired results.

[wayne101]

between each lane pair there is a thin capping its about 15m long I will be putting 14m of ws2801 on there which will be covered with frosted cover

I want to have chasing lights up and down the lanes as well as across the lanes

 

What exactly are you trying to achieve? "Light up the bowling lanes" could cover a multitude of desired results.

 

 

 

[timsabre]

between each lane pair there is a thin capping its about 15m long I will be putting 14m of ws2801 on there which will be covered with frosted cover

I want to have chasing lights up and down the lanes as well as across the lanes

 

I would suggest using a pattern controller such as Enttec Pixelator or Abstract Digidrive.

 

You could individually control each pixel using something like the Madrix software with their Nebula driver but that is probably more complex than what you need.

[maeterlinck]

That's a lot of control. Lots to think about in terms of control, data, power etc. Assuming per pixel control, that's 5v tape, and lets say 60pix/m.

17 x 14 = 238m total

x 60/m = 14280 pixel total

x 3(rgB) = 42840 DMX slots

/ 512 = ~84 universes

 

What sort of budget do you have to achieve this? On those numbers Enttec gear will set you back around £5k list. There are other cheaper options. Plus control software.

 

Are you expecting these number or not?

[dbuckley]

I'd suggest a different shaped hammer: each lane has an autonomous controller, for just that lane. Each controller is DMX controlled, and uses about a dozen channels. The whole thing, one universe, is controlled by a small moving light capable desk that can support 17 fixtures, the assumption beimng one writes a personality for the land controller.

 

So effects along the strip, ie down the aisle, are done entirely in the autonomous controller, by the desk setting effect type, colours, and speed. Effects across the lanes are done by chasers and the shape generator in the desk.

 

On the other hand: power. There will be enough LEDs that power distribution down the strip will be a consideration.

[alistermorton]

That's similar to how one of the RC4 controllers works - you effectively program it with a bunch of macros that define your effect then you select and control the effect you want using a small number of channels.