How to sequence & wire up stars that are tree toppers?

[danj]

I plan to convert all my minitrees to RGB minitrees (probably James' coro trees) with star toppers and to add Bethlehem star toppers to my megatrees next year, but I am not sure how to wire up or sequence.  What I <think> makes sense is to setup the stars as totally separate models (have already done that in XL/NC) and to wire them up separately from the minitrees' & megatrees' wiring.   My thinking is that the tree models will control the strands and the star models will control the stars, so they HAVE to be totally separate in software and physically.   But....  I figured I should ask before I went too far down the wrong road.
Any advice?   thanks very much

[Dave Nibeck]

Considering something similar.  Why wire the stars separately? My thinking was the wire stars and trees together.

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[mararunr]

If you using F16v2 controller you can use virtual string capability to do folded/zig-zag strings for your tree and not for your star, all on single output.  No need to separate.

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[jnealand]

My megatree stars are separate models.  they are also wired separately and on a separate connection.  I don't need to get confused with all those pixels on each strand (I have 18 strands made into 9 strings of 120 nodes, while the stars are 100 nodes on one tree and 50 on the other.

My boscoyo mini trees use separate models for each tree and each star.  Then group the trees and stars for sequencing purposes. Each tree is a medium and uses a 60 node string - 50 in the tree and 10 in the star in a 180 config.

Trying to do too much in a single controller just leads to problems and confusion down the road, IMHO.  I do not try to maximize the number of nodes per string or connection or on each power supply.  It is nice to have extra available capacity to use to add more stuff or to assist in recovering from a hardware malfunction.

[Gilrock]

I used 3 foot artificial trees and wrapped an 85 pixel string around it.  I modeled them as a 5x17 matrix and I was really happy with how they look.  It seems more natural than the trees with the perfect pattern layouts.

[danj]

Thanks for all the replies.  I REALLY appreciate the info!!  I am not 100% on what controller(s) I will use for my mini trees yet, but I think I will probably use the E682s I have for my megatrees and their stars and (Corey's) microcontrollers (with an FPD/DLA active hub) that I bought in 2014 but have not yet used for the mini trees and the mini trees' stars; I think that would make sense for me conceptually and physically (wiring)...

[jnealand]

Dan, I am using a passive hub for 6 arches (48 nodes each) and 8 Boscoyo medium mini trees (60 nodes each) , and 4 Boscoyo Chromaflakes (48 nodes each) all using microSCs.  Everything is running in pairs - two arches, two flakes, and two trees for a total of 9 outputs connected to the passive hub.  All 12v.

I hung the Chromaflakes under the arches.

[danj]

Jim--I like that idea.   We are planning to put some "North poles" between each set of arches.
Hanging snowflakes from your arches sounds really cool!!
Thanks for the info on your setup

[rando1957]

I have 10 north poles and used 9 arches in between them this year.  I loved them as did my guests.  May try the snowflake idea from Jim.

[jnealand]

Here you go.  I actually have 6 arches, but only 4 snowflakes.  Thinking about going to 8 arches next year and adding 4 more snowflakes.

[jnealand]

Here is the whole house in red.

[babybear]

Two things Did you make the snowflakes yourself and bad pixels on the tree?
  would like to see a close up the snowflakes or a tight shot of the side of one. Thinking of pole with snow flakes on top

[rando1957]

Jim got his snowflakes from Boscoyo Studios at http://www.boscoyostudio.com/products/. Great resource for mega, mini trees, pixel strips and other coroplast shapes.

[danj]

I live no more than 20 miles or so from James.   Plan to go visit him sometime this spring and see his operation!   Looking forward to meeting a fellow enthusiast!!