Request: string-level control over intensity

[Steve Gase]

Steve correct me if I am wrong, but aren't yours 1804s? If so there is NO regulator in your strings so I don't think dialing down the voltage is going to help on those. I dialed mine down and it had no affect at all! My belief is that he got a way bad batch of 1804 chips. I do not know that for a fact, but setting my voltage as low as I could (around 10.4 was the lowest the power supplies that I purchased would go) made no changes at all. I never got past a test cycle on the roof. RGBW for about 1-2 seconds each.

As you know Ray is going to replace mine with no argument at all, so I believe that he knew there was an issue all along.

Yes, mine are TM1804.

Reading between the lines, I thought your pixels might already be damaged -- and reducing current would no longer have value for those failed pixels -- but it might avoid further damage.     Is that possible?

Also, there is suggestion that the voltage should be closer to 7v-8v... is 10v enough of a downgrade?

[dpavisic]

I don't know if you've been following the Technicolor discussions in the other forums, but there are a lot of problems with the strings.  Part of the issue is due to overheating in the new form factor, and another part is due to the new LEDs in the WS2811 version (maybe the TM1804 as well) running brighter and using more power.

In an attempt to avoid the issue, some people will be reducing intensity.

Sean has discussed how effects can be controlled with intensity, and that is good -- but I fear that it is not enough.  You need to be very careful in creating effects that you don't miss that setting.  Also, importing sequences will bypass this control.

I'm asking if Falcon firmware and software can be altered to supply a dampening or max intensity control for each port (string).  If I ran mine at 50% then I might avoid power injection needs as well as the issues being reported regarding the strings -- and not have to worry about accidentally sending a "full-white" to the strings.

I cant seem to find the link where Sean discuses how to set the intensity of Nutcracker.  Can you please direct me to a link?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[JonB256]

If you are using a recent version, the slider is at the bottom left of the screen.

Slide it to some value below 100, be sure to Update the Grid (or it won't count).

[Steve Gase]

here is the pic I posted in the other forum:

[dduck]

I have been using 50% intensity now for a while.  Mostly it was because I did not want to inject power
on my 100 count TC strings.

I determined to use 50% by measuring the voltage drop at the end of my 100 count string.
As it turns out perhaps using a lower intensity was helping the LDO issue.  I have had one bad
node out of 1600 nodes on my tree.    I have since then removed any white colors from my tree display.

Now on DIYC they mention it is better to lower the voltage rather than intensity.

Previously on DIYC Pythan mentions:
.... turn them all on white full power via software... dial down the supply until you either start to see the last pixels start to dim or change color, or until you hit about 6.5v at the string. Which ever comes first.... then bump it up about .2v just for good measure.
Those regulators for the most part are ok at 6.5v.. but 7 volts is the specific highest required voltage to allow regulation.

Well for me at 50% white I already have some dimming.   So I take it then the best solution for 100 count TC with 2811 is to inject power AND turn down the voltage?   

I was curious what other people here are going to do with their 100 count TC's.

[Roger DeBolt]

Yes, mine are TM1804.

Reading between the lines, I thought your pixels might already be damaged -- and reducing current would no longer have value for those failed pixels -- but it might avoid further damage.     Is that possible?

Also, there is suggestion that the voltage should be closer to 7v-8v... is 10v enough of a downgrade?

Steve only my first 16 stings were run with an ATX supply. After I had problems I bought 10 adjustable power supplies and turned them down. Over Half of my lights never saw over 11 volts.