2,400 Seed Pixel Mega Tree 

Approximately what was the total cost for everything you use on the tree? Well done!!

@@elace2007 I'd rather not say an exact cost. Price of the seed pixels has dropped recently too, so this tree would now even cheaper to build.

Awesome! 😁 I sequenced Flight of the Navigator 'Robot Romp' as a bit of fun with AI music track breakdown. Then that lead to using the sequence as it turned out good. For a non-Christmas song which most people don't know it gets them dancing.

Thankyou soo much for the kind words! I am also very pleased with the look compared to bullet node/mounting strip trees.

Awesome!

Could i be so bold as to ask how you made your arches? Or point me in the right direction? Cheers.

@@jonathanroberts8213 The arches are HDPE tubing, commonly used in 'Air seeder machines' (farming equipment). I use 12v pixel strip inside them.

Thankyou! I'm pleased to share something different into the community. Bullet nodes and mounting strip trees have not been changed much over the years.

Obrigado! Feliz Natal. (Google tradutor).

I made my own. I used a 30cm/12inch frying pan, drilled holes and put hooks in. Pixel Paradise USA sell their "BillyGoat" series of 3D printed seed pixel tree toppers and I see a 3D file on cults3D for a mini tree version.

I did 10cm and 5v because that was the only type available in March 2022. I have got 5cm spacing and comparing both options I would still do 10cm with alternate nodes wiring. As you have said, it helps for strength. Is also helps when splicing failed pixels because I can use a cable tie align the replaced pixel to be in the correct position.

I have done some write up & images afterwards with the wiring. Doubling it over is doing 'alternate nodes': ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-a7wgHWFVVbQ.html , folding over the string effectively takes spacing from 10cm to 5cm, it also makes the string input & output at the same end. Which is then how the 4-pin connector is wired. Post 3 and 14 in this post on AusChristmasLighting has wiring photos: auschristmaslighting.com/threads/marks-seed-pixel-mega-tree-smaller-and-cheaper.15280/ I ran 3 pixel ports. Simply because I haven't bought another controller. My whole shows runs off a single Falcon F48v3 and 4 receiver differential boards. Power injection is handled by each junction box on the base ring. In the AusChristmasLighting post photos it shows how each strand is 'folded' on itself and power is paralleled at the connector. I bought rolls of 5v seed pixels when that was the only option, now you can buy many voltages. I would highly suggest running 12v or 24v if you were to make this. The programming is done in xLights software.

It did need power injection. The pixels in a string work about 60-80 before yellowing. My power injection is made very differently to what others do. 1:52 I show a junction box: Each string connectors to this box for data and power. So effectively every string of 80 has power. The lights themselves are wired in 'alternate nodes'. Think of a string of 80 folded in half, now the data in/out and power is at one end. I paralleled the power wires at the end on the connector. So power injection is effectively the same as a string of 80 with power applied to both ends. Each strand on the tree is like this. Plenty of power avaliable if I run this at 100% white.

I got these from GFLAI lighting, that was after they promoted themselves on AusChristmasLighting forum. You need an account to view this on ACL. auschristmaslighting.com/threads/ws2811-rgb-led-pvc-soft-mini-string-lights-mass-production.14370/ They were $120USD for 1,500 pixels. Ray Wu (AliExpress) also sells these. Ray's come in different spacing and 5v or 12v version. Mattos Designs in the USA also sell these.

The junction boxes are electrical conduit boxes from my local hardware store (Bunnings). Many electrical stores sell them. I used a conduit plug in each end, then drilled a hole to mount a PG7 wire gland into it. On the front is a much bigger wire gland I drilled and mounted in.

@NorthparkLights thanks for getting back to me something told me u made it lol. Were wanting to use them. To are they easy to wire and put together im assuming.

@@PaulHines1980 easy in my opinion to solder onto. The wire is thinner than bullet nodes. I'll get the camera out and make a video on splicing them.... I see this question a lot :).

@NorthparkLights thanks and its a pleasure to meet u btw

I bought these when they first got released and 10cm spacing was the only option to purchase, which is why I doubled it over to make 5cm spacing. Doubling over also solved power injection because I could use 'alternate nodes' function (photos in the AusChristmasLighting forum post in description). I have bought 5cm and honesty I would not buy any smaller. Trying to solder 2.5cm and waterproof it would be a pain.

I would compare these at 100% white to be the brightness of a node at 80% white. This tree is running at 50% brightness in the video.

@@NorthparkLights thanks that's good. I just thought they would be much dimmer so no good for indoors, but sounds like they will be fine even behind some frosted perspex. Thinking about a 32*32 matrix for pixel art

@@perfectheatingandplumbingp7747 A matrix sounds awesome! I'm wanting to make a snowman this year and maybe another star with these lights. A person local to me has used these seed pixels zip-tied to chicken wire for a matrix.

@acrixiacelestia There is a tick box in xLights for 'Alternate nodes'. It's covered in these images and the video on ACL forum: auschristmaslighting.com/threads/marks-seed-pixel-mega-tree-smaller-and-cheaper.15280/post-130953 Hope this helps!

​@@NorthparkLights thanks for the information. Still newbie here 😅😉

@@acrixiacelestia7689 All good, we all start somewhere! I'm typically in the xLights Zoom room offering help on setup/troubleshooting most nights NZ timezone. I would also suggest watching Keith's video on getting a show running when it's getting close to Christmas: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jf7uLhUObAk.html

Yes, they act like regular ws2811 pixels and are powered like regulator pixels on 5v. I got these from GFLAI lighting, that was after they promoted themselves on AusChristmasLighting forum. You need an account to view this on ACL. auschristmaslighting.com/threads/ws2811-rgb-led-pvc-soft-mini-string-lights-mass-production.14370/ They were $120USD for 1,500 pixels. Ray Wu (AliExpress) also sells these. Ray's come in different spacing and 5v or 12v version. Mattos Designs in the USA also sell these.

A great place to start in the pixel lighting hobby is the Official xLights Support group on Facebook, and download xLights program. Forums like AusChristmasLighting is a great place to read up on how a pixel light show works.

I have not used anything else to take the strain off the wire. Imagine one string of 80 pixels, folded in half. Now the density has been doubled and power/data is at one end. That is why they appear as two strings of lights together.

@@NorthparkLights Got it. Thanks for the clarification.

@@aguidry1967 I'm usually on Zoom in the evening NZ time (8pm onwards).

​@@NorthparkLights So those are 8m strings at 5V with power at both ends and no other power injection? If so then these seed pixels are definitely the way I want to go!

@@andrewfidel2220 Yes, it is effectively a strand of 8m with power applied at both ends.

@jasonguy1497 I used 10cm spaced seed pixels and doubled it up to make 5cm. I've bought some 5cm spaced recently; 5cm is the lowest I would recommend to go because soldering & heat shrinking is a lot harder on 5cm! The smaller 2.5cm and 1.5cm sounds like an even bigger challenge to repair!

@@NorthparkLights thanks for the reply! Display looks great!!

@@jasonguy1497 Thankyou :) If you are getting started in this hobby, there is xLights Official Support Group on Facebook, AusChristmasLighting forum, FPP forum and a few Discord groups. There is also xLights Zoom meeting support where many volunteers help issues for free (link is on xLights.org).

Exactly my reasoning for these seed pixels over bullet nodes was weight and cost! My tree is 4m to the top of the lights and another 0.5m for the star (4.5m total). The write up on AusChristmasLighting forum (description) has some extra photos. Stringing the lights up/down is the easiest way to get it done quick, but I would suggest connectors on lights in the future.

The small junction boxes are from my local hardware store. I drilled a hole, added a wire gland and put 5 pig tails into it. I also drilled a small hole for the smaller wire glands at the ends. The Tri-Box enclosure holding the power supplies is from another person who has sold their display. They paid over $100 per box.

I got these from GFLAI lighting, that was after they promoted themselves on AusChristmasLighting forum. You need an account to view this on ACL. auschristmaslighting.com/threads/ws2811-rgb-led-pvc-soft-mini-string-lights-mass-production.14370/ They were $120USD for 1,500 pixels. Ray Wu (AliExpress) also sells these. Ray's come in different spacing and 5v or 12v version. Mattos Designs in the USA also sell these.

@@NorthparkLights This is very clever--I like the way they wired them, out and back, so you can apply power at both ends effectively, if I'm understanding correctly.

@@sidewalkspectaculars Thankyou. Initially I folded it in half to double the density, then realised it was a great idea for powering it effectively.

@@NorthparkLights Oh, I see! For some reason, I thought they were manufactured that way, but you cleverly did yourself and, as you said, doubled the density. Nice. (And apologies for posting this under the wrong comment--I meant to post under the question someone asked regarding power injection)

@@sidewalkspectaculars A month later after I bought these pixels, Ray Wu started selling them. Then Mattos a while later. Ray's are in 15, 10 or 5cm spacing and there's even a 12v option. Sadly making an early order wasn't the best move... I'm really temped to try a 12v version but they all look the same so I'd get mixed up!