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Author Topic: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board  (Read 30239 times)

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Offline jbkuma

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #60 on: February 06, 2018, 05:26:21 AM »
I think if you really want a dedicated red blade, the red day blade or red enhanced really helps.  Space Windu has certainly proved that pixels are an option for lighting up a colored blade.  Same goes for purple, really.

Offline EXAR KUN

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #61 on: February 06, 2018, 07:12:43 AM »
I think red looks really good with the Enhanced Blue blade also. I disagree with Obi1 that the red is weak on a Neopixel. I find the red to be blazing! and the fact that you can tune a slightly 'crimson' red is just amazing... and that is actually my favorite. But my friends that see the saber in person prefer the straight red... that is produced just from the red diodes in the pixel... very nice in our opinion. I do think even the red is superior to LED but then again... my weakness is not having much experience with standard LEDs so maybe the new ones are super powerful I've just not seen those in person. Its' just that in person I can speak for the neopixel which I think looks  incredibly bright and even. Can't beat retraction and extension capabilities IMO... very biased here though hee hee  :cheesy:



Offline Obi_1

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #62 on: February 06, 2018, 07:51:03 AM »
I think red looks really good with the Enhanced Blue blade also. I disagree with Obi1 that the red is weak on a Neopixel. I find the red to be blazing! and the fact that you can tune a slightly 'crimson' red is just amazing... and that is actually my favorite. But my friends that see the saber in person prefer the straight red... that is produced just from the red diodes in the pixel... very nice in our opinion. I do think even the red is superior to LED but then again... my weakness is not having much experience with standard LEDs so maybe the new ones are super powerful I've just not seen those in person. Its' just that in person I can speak for the neopixel which I think looks  incredibly bright and even. Can't beat retraction and extension capabilities IMO... very biased here though hee hee  :cheesy:

Anthony, I'm relating to my own experience with the red color. You are on a transcendental level compared to me if it comes to string/stripe blades...

That said, there is no beating neopixel blades if it comes to light effects.

Offline Darth Smorgis

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #63 on: February 06, 2018, 11:59:46 AM »
I will be uploading two comparison videos tonight or tomorrow with my Neopixel blade.  Dedicated color Tri-Cree sabers vs RGB Neopixel.  Stay tuned.

GGW vs Neopixel
&
RRW vs Neopixel


Offline jbkuma

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #64 on: February 06, 2018, 05:28:23 PM »
Yeah, my pixels are clearly better than my RGB Cree, for any color really.  My pixel blade hilts are all either gutted right now except for one which needs a new switch, so I can't really do a test at the moment.  Started working on things before moving, and since moving I've been more concerned about building furniture than sabers.

Offline Darth Smorgis

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #65 on: February 06, 2018, 05:45:45 PM »
Yeah, my pixels are clearly better than my RGB Cree, for any color really.

The point I am trying to make is “of course” a Neopixel blade will be brighter than an RGB Cree.  But a dedicated red, green, or blue Cree will be pretty darn close in brightness to the Neopixel setups.
RGB Crees only have one die for those main colors and therefore the Neopixels will blow them out of the water.

Videos incoming momentarily


Offline Darth Smorgis

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #66 on: February 06, 2018, 05:48:02 PM »


Offline NobAkimoto

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #67 on: February 07, 2018, 04:10:31 AM »
It's always a little tricky to rely on comparison pics or videos, I find that while in hilt led configs with dedicated colors photograph great, the difference when viewed in person tends to favor neopixel setups, particularly when there's a fair amount of ambient light.

Offline Darth Smorgis

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #68 on: February 07, 2018, 07:42:07 AM »
It's always a little tricky to rely on comparison pics or videos, I find that while in hilt led configs with dedicated colors photograph great, the difference when viewed in person tends to favor neopixel setups, particularly when there's a fair amount of ambient light.

Those videos are good representations of what I saw first hand.  Of course it looks slightly different on camera, but the overall comparison shown was pretty accurate to my eyes.

I really like the Neopixel! Best brightness for an RGB saber.  RGB Crees just can’t compete with the single colors.  No sacrifices with the Neopixels.  Really enjoying it.


Offline Obi_1

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #69 on: February 28, 2018, 01:26:25 AM »
Yeah, my pixels are clearly better than my RGB Cree, for any color really.

The point I am trying to make is “of course” a Neopixel blade will be brighter than an RGB Cree.  But a dedicated red, green, or blue Cree will be pretty darn close in brightness to the Neopixel setups.
RGB Crees only have one die for those main colors and therefore the Neopixels will blow them out of the water.

Videos incoming momentarily

Yesterday I soldered up my dR/dR/W (dR stays for Deep Red) custom tri-Cree module to try it out. I still have to re-check the wiring and the resistors, but I have to tell, I'm slightly disappointed. The 2 red dies combines are not really brighter than red with RGB and certainly way less bright than 2-strips neopixel red. Anthony, one goes to you :) !

Offline EXAR KUN

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #70 on: February 28, 2018, 12:31:20 PM »
Yeah, my pixels are clearly better than my RGB Cree, for any color really.

The point I am trying to make is “of course” a Neopixel blade will be brighter than an RGB Cree.  But a dedicated red, green, or blue Cree will be pretty darn close in brightness to the Neopixel setups.
RGB Crees only have one die for those main colors and therefore the Neopixels will blow them out of the water.

Videos incoming momentarily

Yesterday I soldered up my dR/dR/W (dR stays for Deep Red) custom tri-Cree module to try it out. I still have to re-check the wiring and the resistors, but I have to tell, I'm slightly disappointed. The 2 red dies combines are not really brighter than red with RGB and certainly way less bright than 2-strips neopixel red. Anthony, one goes to you :) !

Haha yes, you know I love the Neopixel red! It's blazing and looks so Sithy! Mix in a little blue for a sweet crimson like Darth Vader. And oh, so evenly lit :)

Just got a thought... not sure it's correct... maybe someone can confirm if my science is right... With red having longer wavelengths than other colors... do you think it's possible that a red 'in hilt' style LED saber cannot project the light as powerfully, because it's a single LED (with multiple diodes)? Vs the ladder or string or strip blade which has a multitude of LEDs all up the blade... perhaps that is more suited to the longer wavelength colors because honestly I was never too impressed with Amber in LED sabers either... until I saw the component blades or strips... then I became satisfied with yellow and red. The idea is that the blade tube on a standard in hilt LED saber cannot 'carry' the red light as well as let's say blue or green or white... and it's a matter of simply adding 100 more LEDs to the blade which makes it more impressive and realistic for a lightsaber prop. Just kind of thinking out loud.
« Last Edit: February 28, 2018, 12:34:22 PM by SpaceWindu »



Offline Darth Smorgis

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #71 on: February 28, 2018, 01:37:16 PM »
Yesterday I soldered up my dR/dR/W (dR stays for Deep Red) custom tri-Cree module to try it out. I still have to re-check the wiring and the resistors, but I have to tell, I'm slightly disappointed. The 2 red dies combines are not really brighter than red with RGB and certainly way less bright than 2-strips neopixel red. Anthony, one goes to you :) !

Using “Deep Red” was your mistake.  They are just not bright, which is why no one uses them.  Standard Red is much brighter.
You cant compare deep red cree against a standard red neopixel.  Im telling you RRW Cree goes neck & neck with neopixel.  Refer to my videos above.


Offline jbkuma

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #72 on: February 28, 2018, 04:38:26 PM »
Visible light is all sub millimeter, but "deep red"is near the limit of our detectable range and doesn't get any crossover so even if it was equally luminous, it won't be as perceptibly bright.

Offline NobAkimoto

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #73 on: March 03, 2018, 08:41:17 AM »
Trying out a bit more of the TCSS "heavy" blades - I've been unhappy with the durability of the thinner walled US grabbag blades for a while, so I'm testing with the heavier 1" blades from TCSS.

So far I've done two blades - both with 2x 120 LED WS2812 strips. One uses the transwhite tubing while the other uses the clear. Both use a bullet tip with the mirroring removed and a hole drilled through the center to improve its ability to diffuse light from the blade itself. Transwhite blade uses the TCSS diffusor rod, 20mm (1/2 shrink) clear heat shrink wrap over the TCSS "thick blade" foam. Clear blade uses the same diffusor rod, 2 layers of 15mm clear heat shrink wrap, 1 layer of 20mm heat shrink wrap, and no foam.

Some early observations:
1. The blade are substantially stouter than the blades obtained from other sources. They also have a little bit more heft - making them a little better balance for sparring use.

2. Lack of foam definitely makes corn-cobbing a problem. The heat shrink on its own doesn't provide enough diffusion, even with the diffusor rod.

3. WS2812s are fine for use even at this relatively limited internal sizing. Unless you're specifically going for a thinner blade like a 7/8" one, it's not really worth the premium to get skinny strips.

4. Aviation connectors or just using JST connectors is preferable (at least for me) to the TCSS style contact pad wiring. The soldering pads for the blade end don't work particularly well for doing two strips.

5. Sort of surprised at the power draw (or lack thereof) - even at full brightness, a blue setting blade will last a good 45 minutes on a 3000 Mah 18650 - mixed colors are a little bit more power hungry, but still get about 20-35 minutes without major problems.

6. Thinking of adding something to be sandwiched between the two strips to add a bit more rigidity to the strips - they tend to bend a little too much when trying to cram them into tighter spaces and this results in a bit more kinking in the lighting than is ideal.

Offline deviltronix

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Re: Neopixel blade assembly - an experience exchange board
« Reply #74 on: April 06, 2018, 09:30:29 AM »
How do you guys seal your packing foam? Are you running packing tape the entire length of the strip and then wrapping it around?

Also, I was wondering if the WS2812/WS2811 Round Hat Led have the "Blue Flash" on bootup error..been toying with the idea of building one.



 

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