Pixel strands change color halfway through the string

[jasondavid78]

I have tried everything to fix this including double, triple checking string output settings and so on, but I still seem have issues with several of my lines not corresponding to the correct color in the FPP test. In some cases the color of the string changes halfway (running 100 pixels per port on the F16v3) and in some cases the entire line is a different color. I don't think power injection is the issue as I'm only running 100 on 12v strings and the color change is nearly halfway through. I am also able to run full power on white color and all pixels on the line are showing white, so it definitely seems like there's some kind of mismatch between RBG. But what is baffling is that it is happening halfway through the line. I would expect all pixels on the string to be off. Thanks in advance for your help.

[Poporacer]

I have tried everything to fix this including double, triple checking string output settings and so on, but I still seem have issues with several of my lines not corresponding to the correct color in the FPP test.

Did you see the big note on the test page?
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[jasondavid78]

I have tried everything to fix this including double, triple checking string output settings and so on, but I still seem have issues with several of my lines not corresponding to the correct color in the FPP test.

Did you see the big note on the test page?
You cannot view this attachment.

I did see that but would expect that everything on that string would be the wrong color, not just the first 40 to 60 pixels, right?

[Poporacer]

I did see that but would expect that everything on that string would be the wrong color, not just the first 40 to 60 pixels, right?

Not necessarily, it would depend on several factors. You usually get better results using the RGB Cycle, but then the colors could still be off depending on your configuration, but it is far less common with the RGB Cycle option.

[k6ccc]

Are these by chance actually two smaller strings joined together to make the 100 pixels (often that would be two 50 pixel strings that are joined together)?  If so, is the color change at the beginning of a different string?  And were those strings bought in different orders?

[jasondavid78]

Are these by chance actually two smaller strings joined together to make the 100 pixels (often that would be two 50 pixel strings that are joined together)?  If so, is the color change at the beginning of a different string?  And were those strings bought in different orders?

Yes, the strings were bought in two different orders, and the color change is not exactly at the connection between two strings. Sometimes it is several pixels after. I tested if the strings were the issue but changing ports - putting a string which was having issues on a port which was not and that resolved it for that string. So it makes me think it's a controller or config issue.

[k6ccc]

WARNING!  WARNING!!  WARNING!!!

Different batches of pixels - even the same "part number" from the same vendor may have different color orders.  They also often don't look quite the same.  For example if you buy 1000 pixels from some vendor, and next year realize you need 800 more, so you buy another 800 and either the color order MAY be different and/or the colors may be different.  I ended up with that a few years ago when I bought 2000 pixels for a pixel tree rebuild (expansion).  Ended up building it 24 x 100 so I needed more pixels.  They looked the same when bright, but dim green (which I use overnight) looked quite different.  When I decided to expand that tree again to 26 x 100 I bought all new pixels (including spares) rather than having three different batches of pixels in use.

So the moral of the story is to always plan ahead and also buy spares so WHEN (not if) you have to swap out a pixel or a string, they will be from the same batch.

[jasondavid78]

WARNING!  WARNING!!  WARNING!!!

Different batches of pixels - even the same "part number" from the same vendor may have different color orders.  They also often don't look quite the same.  For example if you buy 1000 pixels from some vendor, and next year realize you need 800 more, so you buy another 800 and either the color order MAY be different and/or the colors may be different.  I ended up with that a few years ago when I bought 2000 pixels for a pixel tree rebuild (expansion).  Ended up building it 24 x 100 so I needed more pixels.  They looked the same when bright, but dim green (which I use overnight) looked quite different.  When I decided to expand that tree again to 26 x 100 I bought all new pixels (including spares) rather than having three different batches of pixels in use.

So the moral of the story is to always plan ahead and also buy spares so WHEN (not if) you have to swap out a pixel or a string, they will be from the same batch.

I really appreciate the help, but I don't think this is at the root of my problem. I confirmed this by a) connecting pixels which were previously working correctly to ports which were not - pixels began showing the wrong colors and it was intermittent - not consistent throughout - some blank spots mid string, different colors showing up...
b) connected pixels from a completely different order many years ago - confirmed these pixels worked fine before and now connected to faulty ports they seem to not work now.
I also changed out wires, connectors/dongles, confirmed I was not using the chk spot in the green connectors and tried several dozen combinations of strings to channels to universes - no good.
c) Finally, I used the test option on the board itself and found that several of the ports send the wrong color information and do not respond to the web interface when I deselect that port in the test page.

It really seems like my board is faulty or that I have a setting off at the port level and I can't seem to find that setting(s)

[jnealand]

I have string like that somewhere in my shop, never could figure it out and replaced it rather keep wasting time trying to fix it.

[rayster]

Please check the voltage. Also check that you have a good connection at the Molex connector and are not pinching the jacket of the cable. On the voltage check at both ends of the string, you could have a cold solder joint somewhere. What is the length of cable from Controller to first pixel? If using extension cables you may have a bad one or high loss of power or bad ground (Black Wire). 

[jnealand]

Does that color change happen to come at where there is probably a universe change?  I'm wondering if this could be the old 510/512 issue.  It is important to have use the same universe number for every setting that must be set.