Need advise Mega tree setting

[billru]

Hello,
I have posted in other forums but I am not getting much feed back, I'm tying to find out if I am going in the right direction as I am new at the Hobby. I am in the process of building a mega tree and I am still learning the hobby,
I would like some input if I am setting this up right, I am doing a 24 string tree with 12v pixels/50 nodes per string, my controller is a F16v3, I am using xlights.

My math at this is: I am using 24 strands of 12v/50 nodes = 1200 nodes, I can use 340 nodes per port ( it would be 2 universes) ( the math is 510 nodes /divided by 3 (RGB) = 170 \ each port can have 1024 nodes, 1024 nodes divided by 170 nodes = 6.23 Round it off to 6, I can put 6 stings on one port), so I am connecting
6 strings together, I plan on power injection every second string (every 100 nodes)

Is this the correct set up in xlights base on my calculation from above
    #String 6
    Node/string 300
    Strand/string 12

Please advise if I am learning this right, any critic good or bad is welcome as I am trying to learn this hobby
also I do have plans for the rest of the ports on the F16v3 but I am trying to understand the mega tree setup first As for my complete plan it is 1 mega tree, roof line, 4 arches, 4 mini pixel trees and 10 snow flakes,
Thank you all for the help
     

[RandyS]

Hi, and welcome.  An easy way to think about it is that xlights simply wants to know how your tree looks visualy.  It does care about how your controller is set up for the number of pixels per port, only the channel numbers.  I think I would set it up as 24 strings at 50 nodes per string with 1 strand per string.   Then, the tree in your layout, will be a close representation of your actual tree (once you adjust the height and width).

[poporacer]

I would like some input if I am setting this up right, I am doing a 24 string tree with 12v pixels/50 nodes per string, my controller is a F16v3, I am using xlights.

Good choice!

My math at this is: I am using 24 strands of 12v/50 nodes = 1200 nodes, I can use 340 nodes per port ( it would be 2 universes) ( the math is 510 nodes /divided by 3 (RGB) = 170 \ each port can have 1024 nodes, 1024 nodes divided by 170 nodes = 6.23

You are mixing up terminology, you say that each port can control 1024 nodes, that is correct. Then you say that you divide 1024 nodes by 170 nodes? I am not sure what you are trying to do. You will need to set up 8 Universes of 510 channels in your setup tab.

Round it off to 6, I can put 6 stings on one port), so I am connecting
6 strings together, I plan on power injection every second string (every 100 nodes)

You can put 6 strings together (actually called strands, a string is a physical connection to a controller) Just a FYI as you stated, you can connect 1024 pixels (nodes) to a port. 6 strands is only 300 pixels so you are nowhere near the capability of the controller. If you find that you need more ports, you can connect 8 strands (or more) to each port. Power injection can vary depending on the brightness and distance from power/controller.

Is this the correct set up in xlights base on my calculation from above
    #String 6
    Node/string 300
    Strand/string 12

Strand/string is how many times each string goes up and down, so in your case it should be 4

[poporacer]

An easy way to think about it is that xlights simply wants to know how your tree looks visualy.  It doesn't care about how your controller is set up for the number of pixels per port, only the channel numbers.

That is incorrect to an extent. If you want to use the full functionality of XLights (which is HIGHLY recommended) then it is very important that things are correct in XLights. And why not have Xlights reflect what you are actually doing instead of just coming close? If you set things up correctly in XLights, then you can upload all of your controller configuration directly to your controller...one less thing to worry about.

I think I would set it up as 24 strings at 50 nodes per string with 1 strand per string.   Then, the tree in your layout, will be a close representation of your actual tree (once you adjust the height and width).

And if you set it up more appropriately, it will be an exact representation of your actual tree and not just a close one.

[billru]

Thank you poporacer for the detailed explanation, I went back to xlights and tried to to fix my calculation but I am not understand how you come up with 4 for my strand also you pointed me in the right direction I had the node count wrong. I originally had #String    6, Node/string    300, Strand/string 12, I adjusted it to #String 2, Node/string 600, Strand/string 4. I am no disputing anything about the 4 for the strands I am not understanding it I am thinking it should be 12. I thought 1 zig zag was (1up the 1 down) and I have 12 on one port then I have 12 on the other port which totals 24. Please advise. I really want to thank you for your time
 

[babybear]

Here would be your settings

Deg 180

strings 4     That's is how many outputs you are using on the controller

Nodes 300    That's how many lights per output on the controller

Strands per string 6   That's how many times the lights per output zig zag up and down the tree
                                                 4 strings X 6 each time up and down = 24 the number of stripes on the tree


Play the numbers 4 strings 300 nodes  1200 lights

A F16v3 is 512 channels not 510 per universe. 
1200 x 3 = 3600 channels  Divided 512 = just over 7 universes
On a f16v3 each universe 512 channels that 170 nodes. with out any expansion cards you can use 1024 nodes
per output. That being said you could get away with only 2 outputs.
Now for power on your tree you should feed in at both ends of each string of 300.
It wont take long for you to catch on...…..

[allknowing2012]

"I plan on power injection every second string (every 100 nodes)" 

Thats more than you need for 12v.

Power flows both ways so PI at 100 will cover 0-100 and 101-200, so next  power inject would be at 300 to cover 201-300 & 301-400. Get it?  PI an 100 & 300, not 100/200/300.

[jnealand]

Just to confuse you more.  I have two mega trees with 24 strands of 60 nodes.  I use 12v and have strings that I ordered from Ray Wu that are 120 nodes each with a 5ft lead in wire.  My base diameter is roughly 8ft in diameter or a 4ft radius.  The extra foot pf lead in wire gives me some slack for connections.  I connect two physical strings together to give me a logical string of 240.  By accident when testing I found that I could actually power each logical string of 240 without any power injection when using 30% power.  I was actually building some power injection connectors when I found the lights worked great without the PI.  In the final version I actually set my power to 20% and that toned down the brightness even more and made the colors standout better.  So my message is to test your lights before you go making too many assumptions.  btw I have never, ever tried to calculate my connections power ahead of time and last year was my 12th year doing animated lights.  I also use all my universes as 512 and do not use FPPConnect as I find it easy to configure Falcon controllers and xlights still has no way to split your connections over the two halfs of an F16v2/3, ie., I put half my mega tree on outputs 1-3 and half on 9-11 in order to draw power equally from my two power supplies.   The only other port used on that F16 is for the star.  In my original planning I had 12 ports for my strings and 1 for the star, leaving only 3 spare ports which is why I never tried to connect anything else to that controller and had already bought controllers for all my other props.  Besides no other props for me are that close to the tree so it just became a lightly used controller in terms of what its potential is.  And I prefer to not run my controllers maxed out anyway.

[poporacer]

I am not understand how you come up with 4 for my strand also you pointed me in the right direction I had the node count wrong. I originally had #String    6, Node/string    300, Strand/string 12, I adjusted it to #String 2, Node/string 600, Strand/string 4. I am no disputing anything about the 4 for the strands I am not understanding it

The number of strings is how many connections you are going to have to your controller and in my previous post I misunderstood what you were doing. (as BabyBear identified LOL) Remember String is NOT how you purchased the lights, it is the end result of connecting your lights together. Think of it this way, a String is the "group" of lights that you have connected together and are going to connect to the controller. In your case, you are connecting 6 "groups" of lights to make one String and then going to have 4 of those strings to make your tree. The Strands/String is how many times ONE String will go up and down, so in your case, you have one String of 300 pixels and it will have 6 strands.
BabyBear had the right settings, You are going to have 4 Strings, 300 nodes per String and 6 Strands

I am thinking it should be 12. I thought 1 zig zag was (1up the 1 down) and I have 12 on one port then I have 12 on the other port which totals 24.

OK so now I am confused. But I think I might be tracking. When you say you are connecting 6 "groups" of lights together and you said that you had 12v 50 pixel "strings" we are all thinking that you purchased lights that were 50 pixels in length but I have a feeling that you actually purchased lights that were 100 pixels in length? (Terminology again...LOl… people have a hard time not referring to the "group" of lights they purchased as a String) If that is the case then the number of Strings will be 2 (remember one string is the group of lights connected together and connected to one port of your controller) and that String will have 600 nodes, and then yes, the Strands/String will be 12. So you were close!
And about Power injection, Jim is right. I have a MegaTree with Strings that are 200 pixels and I do not power inject. I did the same thing, kept reducing power until it looks good and I came up with the same 20%. But don't reduce power to avoid Power Injection, make it look good and Power Inject if needed. In your case, you will have 600 pixels on a string so you will need some power injection. I don't know how far of a lead wire you have to your pixels, or what brightness setting you are going to have, or what the wire size is, but if you reduce brightness to 65%, you might be able to get away with Power Injecting in the middle and end of each String. You might want to consider what Jim stated and use more ports. If you use 6 ports by connecting 2 "groups" of lights together (total String of 200 pixels) you could probably run your whole tree without any power injection if you reduce the brightness to 40% or less.

[billru]

poporacer you are right I am using 24 strands of 12v / 50 nodes, I am bad at explaining what i am doing

Thank you all for the advise,
I am reading all of the information also sitting it in xlights, the information along with advise has been great and really appreciated. I started this hobby reading off and on last year about this time along with xlights but since October I have spent two to 6hrs a day reading, watching videos and reading. While i feel I have made progress on paper I am a long ways from conquering it.
I really try to do the things on my own base on what I have read and learned but at times it has over whelmed me as I am one to want to understand it but it has lock my brain up at times, I am struggling at moment with understanding the terms ( strings, strands and zig zag)while I know what they are its use different in the way I see it, what I read and see is different in the way my head is seeing it. Its getting a little understandable do to all of your help, but all in all as I said before thank you all again I really appreciate it, thank you

[billru]

Hello again, I need some clarification when they say the max # of is 1024 on one port of the F16v3 is that 1024 channels or 1024 pixles,
I Have xlights set to 96 universes, it shows universe 1 ( channels 1-512) universe 2 (channels 513 -1024)
The question is its showing 1024 channels in universe 2

[jnealand]

You will get a faster answer by just going to the source.
https://www.pixelcontroller.com/store/index.php?id_product=48&controller=product

[billru]

Hello I have looked at the manual but I have soaked in a lot of information to where I am confused on what I am reading to the point I am not understanding, thats why I was asking for clarification

[billru]

I took a small break, I think where I am getting stump is when I think of 512, knowing thats the DMX standards, for some reason I get blinded and I go in the wrong direction. The way i think it works (on the F16v3) is I can have up to (1024 pixels) (3072 Channels) and (6 universes) on one port. Can someone advise if this is correct

[algerdes]

Going by David's "Falcon Pixel Controller Specifications" sheet (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LTQzdvSYMrRGI62KTGdh5EmUhVB9uZZMQ4iwWtK7yYk/edit#gid=0), this is correct.  1024 pixels per output of the F16V3.