Newbie and 2 Year Plan

[breese]

Hello everyone, I am Bob and have been watching this hobby for a number of years and in October the wife and I decided to expand from our static display to digital.

I am working on a 2-year plan to convert / add XLights to our display not only because of the money needed, but also because of the learning curve required, the availability of controllers (or would that be not), and the fact that the neighbors have heard I am working on this and have an interest.

Let me apologize up front for the length of this. While I have been watching every video I can find and reading the documentation for XLights, Falcon Player, and a few others, I felt it is time to turn to you.

Over the last few months, I have acquired some hardware and started testing. I have a working 2X3 (192x64) p5 matrix off of a Pi3B, a Digi-Quad with external antenna, about 150 RGB bulbs, a Lynx Express 5 (used) and a Freestyle (used).

My house is in the center of the block and will allow me to use wireless to control house lights on the entire block as no house is farther than 300 feet (thank you google maps).

Currently I share my display with a neighbor as my yard is small and she is a very nice elderly lady that enjoys the displays I have put up thru the years.
The current lighting on the houses is icicle lights and I hope to use the Lynx Express with them.

As I started to setup XLights I realized it might be possible to set it up and use the Preview for multiple houses. I have pictures of my house (823), the house to my right (819), and the house to my left (827, elderly woman).

I figured out how to add a Custom preview for each and labeled them with 819, 823, and 827 and add the picture of each.


Question #1: Can I get the Default preview to show all 3 houses and the display items I have assigned to them? Right now Entire Display does not show what's on the houses.


I currently have the following setup in layout
Entire Display
 819
 819 Rooflines
 823
 823 Rooflines
 823 Matrix
 827
 827 Rooflines

As I have also been learning the Digi-Quad, I am planning to use it across the street. The idea is to use the RGB side for a talking Tree or Bulb and add a relay to turn their static lights on and off. Any suggestions on audio with this setup?

With that same idea (because the block has always been interested in having All our lights turn on and off at the same time), I hope to get a few Digi-Uno's for this.
Any thoughts / advice is welcome.

Question 2: Is there a way for me to add my static display items to XLights? I have a sleigh and 9 reindeer (yes, I have Rudolph with Red Nose).

[Gilrock]

It?s probably easier to stitch the photos together so you can have one wide photo for sequencing.  If you use a different preview for each house you?ll be constantly switching between the previews.  You can do almost anything with regards to adding items to the display.   You can add static images or switch to 3D mode and add object files of anything.

[breese]

Thanks for the stitching idea, I am working on that.
 
Does anyone know of an XLights supported Wifi relay that can handle 3amp 120v incandescent lights?
The neighbors like the idea of our block being controlled all at the same time.

[Gilrock]

For the relay thing I'd probably search on the Pixel2Things products David Peace created.  It would probably involved using a Rasberry Pi running FPP to be the wireless receiver and then have it send pixel data to one of his devices that converts to other various AC or DC output types.

[breese]

I am considering a rely unit like this one.
Is there a way in XLights to support such a Wifi device?

https://usa.banggood.com/EACHEN-WiFi-2-way-Relay-Module-Self-Locking-or-Interlock-Switch-Module-Works-with-Amazon-Alexa-Google-Home-p-1849098.html?utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=cpc_organic&gmcCountry=US&utm_content=minha&utm_campaign=minha-usg-pc&currency=USD&cur_warehouse=CN&createTmp=1&ID=6287023&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=cpc_bgcs&utm_content=sandra&utm_campaign=sandra-pmax-usg-0907-2021-15ann&ad_id=&gclid=CjwKCAiA4KaRBhBdEiwAZi1zzhV9zotbvFZR8Vhho7q40D-MO76QnAEKnk5gd4gYHxmssoLnuHDr1hoCUhgQAvD_BwE