Frisco Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 Hi chaps, Essentially, I'm trying to design a cube, much like this one ( ). So far, I've decided that a 3m cube would be a good idea, and ideally I'd have something like these tubes ( ) as every meter...a total of 81 tubes (or £6.5k). I'm scratching my head over this and wonder if I've missed a cheaper trick that may have the same effect? DMX programmable, tube shaped units with at least 4 cells in each tube I would say are the criteria I'm looking for. Alternatively, what would you suggest if I wanted to light it a single colour (like the first video)? I thought this (http://www.showtec.c...ight-strip.html) might be an idea, but it's 22 quid per quarter inch width per meter, so ends up costing more than the tubes! Rope lights aren't really an option as looking for a "complete" look that rope lights don't seem to have. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashley R Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 What about RGB LED Tape, fitted inside a frosted perspex tube, then laid out appropriately? It would give you a solid tube of colour, Cheaper than the bigger ones, and then you can control individual pixels from memory. I don't quite see how the LED Tape will cost you more, as its ruffly $30/meter, whilst the LED RGB tubes, here will cost upwards of $150 for a 1m tube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wol Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Sounds like you need to pop along to PLASA to see the inevitable extortionate amount of LED stuff there is these days ;-) Would go down the high density LED tape, or LED pixel tape route, depending on the control you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frisco Posted September 13, 2011 Author Share Posted September 13, 2011 What about RGB LED Tape, fitted inside a frosted perspex tube... Great idea, will look into costing of it and how "programmable" a whole strip of LED tape is. I don't quite see how the LED Tape will cost you more, as its ruffly $30/meter, whilst the LED RGB tubes, here will cost upwards of $150 for a 1m tube. My bad, what I meant to say was that the strips I had looked at were £22 per quarter inch per meter, so therefore an inch thick would be £88 per meter, whereas the tubes are £80 each. Presumably LED tape will be cheaper than the strips I have looked at, but will update when I know. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbuckley Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Digital LED tape is surprisingly cheap, about $10 USD per metre, see this recent thread, last post, for some work on this I've done recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frisco Posted September 14, 2011 Author Share Posted September 14, 2011 Digital LED tape is surprisingly cheap Yes the tape is relatively cheap, unfortunately it's the DMX Receiver (at 50 quid each) which is making this difficult. When combined with a frosted perspex tube (55 quid for 2 meters), it suddenly becomes very expensive if trying to control each meter individually. As I was looking at controlling each meter separately (with the aim to go for possibly pixel mapping across the cube), I think a little compromise may be in order, with the tubes across the front two sides, and the tape inside perspex across the back two sides doing a complementary colour off 1 DMX receiver. Any thoughts? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmeh2 Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 When combined with a frosted perspex tube (55 quid for 2 meters), it suddenly becomes very expensive if trying to control each meter individually. Hi I just found 1000mm clear tubes here for 3 quid each. Stick some medium frost gel inside and you've got yourself your tubes. All the best Timmeh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbuckley Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Yes the tape is relatively cheap, unfortunately it's the DMX Receiver (at 50 quid each) which is making this difficult. The off-the shelf DMX controller I used as pictured [link] was $16 USD. You set how many LEDs (or maybe ICs, can't remember) there are in the chain. When combined with a frosted perspex tube (55 quid for 2 meters), it suddenly becomes very expensive if trying to control each meter individually. Perhaps a better approach would be to use the tape, but to have some custom written software on a micro rather than the off the shelf controller. The control isn't limited to each strip, you can control every single LED on the strip individually (though exactly what that means is determined by which type of driver IC the strip uses), so a 1m cube could use one 12m strip that goes round the cube, needing a couple of wire sections, and one custom controller per cube, or potentially, one controller could control many cubes. You need to deliver the power in not less than 5m increments, so some planning might make the power easier. You also need to think about maintaining the signal ground integrity, with amps of LED being switched on and off then ground bounce is potentially (urgh! bad pun!!) a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jivemaster Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 Going really old school I read the first vid as a wooden set with opal "perspex" panels rebated into the surfaces probably lit from behind by fluorescent lamps. The flashing colour on the face area could likely be par64s in lamp or LED form. Loads of clubs had real neon in flashing and cycling colours. It's far too easy to assume that hi tech, when low tech may be the answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donkeykong Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 Hi guys, I'm constructing some DMX LED tubes from led tape and acrylic tubes similar to the ones from http://clearplastictube.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=35_57&product_id=56 One thing I'm stuck on is how to get a frosted effected on the acrylic tubes so that they aren't totally see through. Would sanding be the best option or is there some kind of paint that would be easier to use? Also has anyone tried the digitubes http://www.visslighting.com/products/LED_lighting/DigiTUBE8_16/DigiTUBE8_16.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossmck Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 Hi guys, I'm constructing some DMX LED tubes from led tape and acrylic tubes similar to the ones from http://clearplastict...7&product_id=56 One thing I'm stuck on is how to get a frosted effected on the acrylic tubes so that they aren't totally see through. Would sanding be the best option or is there some kind of paint that would be easier to use? Would a medium frost gel rolled inside it be sufficient ? The downside to sanding it would obviously be it would then be a rough surface this may or may not suit your application, which may be different than the OPs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsabre Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 Don't sand it, you'll never do it evenly enough (been there, done that). The frost gel option is best, or you could get it sandblasted but that's complicated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hallett Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Don't sand it, you'll never do it evenly enough (been there, done that). The frost gel option is best, or you could get it sandblasted but that's complicated.The trouble with gel inside / gel outside is that it invariably either takes for ever to do right - or looks a shambles. Another option is to get a set company or a graphics company to apply sticky backed frosting to the tubes (or you can do it yourself with a bit of practice and soapy water - the stuff you can get as privacy frosting is fine). It's then an even frosting and should look very neat. I should mention that tubes with diff gel wrapped around them is one of my pet hates - it's always a mess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Allen Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Have a look at Lee Flourescent Sleeves as an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.