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Author Topic: Neopixel and String Blades Explained and Light Meter Tested  (Read 6718 times)

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Offline EXAR KUN

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Offline erv

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Re: Neopixel and String Blades Explained and Light Meter Tested
« Reply #1 on: June 30, 2017, 10:29:18 AM »
very cool! May I suggest you do a quick spreadsheet in google or excel to break down all your number color vs color per technology so that it's readable by the masses ?
thank you for taking the time to do this video !

Offline profezzorn

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Re: Neopixel and String Blades Explained and Light Meter Tested
« Reply #2 on: June 30, 2017, 11:45:21 AM »
Very nice!
Might need to explain a little better how different colors actually measures differently on the lux meter, or people will be really disappointed in their red and blue blades though.

Offline eastern57

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Re: Neopixel and String Blades Explained and Light Meter Tested
« Reply #3 on: July 01, 2017, 12:13:25 PM »
Good stuff Spacedoggie!  The 1x means as is.  If it were a multiplied by 10 then it would be 10x (or x10).
« Last Edit: July 01, 2017, 12:17:09 PM by eastern57 »

Offline Meatsweats

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Re: Neopixel and String Blades Explained and Light Meter Tested
« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2017, 01:03:56 PM »
Just watched, thanks Space. Ive got several in hilt LED builds under my belt now I'm considering stepping up to a string or strip blade for my next build. Neopixel strips seem easier, so I might start there. Is there any possibility you could make a tutorial on how to build a strip blade?

Offline Meatsweats

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Re: Neopixel and String Blades Explained and Light Meter Tested
« Reply #5 on: July 01, 2017, 01:04:34 PM »
Also, if you could post a spreadsheet on the final lux values you got that would be hugely appreciated!

Offline Lonewind

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Re: Neopixel and String Blades Explained and Light Meter Tested
« Reply #6 on: July 02, 2017, 06:17:21 AM »
Great video! Thanks for taking the time to put that together.

I would also like to see a tutorial on how to assemble a Neopixel Strip blade.

-Lonewind
Cheers!
Lonewind

Offline livebyhonor

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Re: Neopixel and String Blades Explained and Light Meter Tested
« Reply #7 on: July 03, 2017, 02:44:55 PM »
yea id love to see a spreadsheet on the base colors. strips vs strings and such. I think strips being back to back ill be  brighter for sure and easier than assembling them 1 5mm pixel at a time but i also see it using way more power. Im actually thinking of making a strip saber myself soon so im interested in these neo pixel threads.

now how to fit a 26mm wide battery in a hilt thats normally only 25 ID. I like my slimmer hilts.

Offline Meatsweats

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Re: Neopixel and String Blades Explained and Light Meter Tested
« Reply #8 on: July 18, 2017, 07:53:33 AM »
Hey Space, in your opinion is there a significant difference between Adafruit neopixels and generics that can be found off Amazon like the ones from Alitove? They are a lot cheaper.

Is it worth it to get the skinny strips that adafruit sells too? Thanks!

Offline EXAR KUN

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Re: Neopixel and String Blades Explained and Light Meter Tested
« Reply #9 on: July 18, 2017, 08:02:33 AM »
Hey Space, in your opinion is there a significant difference between Adafruit neopixels and generics that can be found off Amazon like the ones from Alitove? They are a lot cheaper.

Is it worth it to get the skinny strips that adafruit sells too? Thanks!

To be honest, I've not tried the cheaper strips.  My guess is they could be the same... but I probably won't try them because I don't trust them just a little bit (even though they could be the same) because when you put all that work and your supplies and time into making the blade, I don't want an LED to fail and then I'd get super upset lol... after all that work... to have to take the blade apart and repair. I just use the (perceived?) best materials the first time.

Also, I do think the 'skinny' option is the only option to choose because ANY extra material is BAD because it will cause shadows. You want ideally the least amount of material inside the blade, so you can get the MOST diffusion material around those LEDs as possible which will produce the best results IMO



Offline Meatsweats

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Re: Neopixel and String Blades Explained and Light Meter Tested
« Reply #10 on: July 18, 2017, 09:58:08 AM »
Got it, thanks. You've encouraged me to try my own neopixel blade after seeing your videos. If you don't mind I have a few more questions.

1. A 3.7v high drain 18650 would be ok for two 144/m adafruit neopixel strips? TCSS has one now. Adafruit seem to recommend a 5v battery but I don't know if I've seen one.

2. What connector do you use and do you secure it to the hilt?

3. Would you recommend a photonic blade or a traditional clear blade? I always thought the photon blades are for producing green, but your most recent video shows that you can get multiple colors.

Thanks again Space.


Offline jbkuma

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Re: Neopixel and String Blades Explained and Light Meter Tested
« Reply #11 on: July 18, 2017, 11:21:16 AM »
You do not need or really want 5v.  It'll really only make it hotter.

I've been using the Orbtronic 10A 3500mah batteries with neo pixel blades for about a year and have had no problems at all.

I have been using 9pin aviation connectors for my blades with 3d printed parts.  I'm actually picking up a batch of parts today and I'll be posting a FS thread by the end of the week, once I've verified everything is within tolerance.  I've posted pics of some of my original version connectors, but I have a new version blade connector that works really well.  I'll be posting an assembly video this week as well.

Offline Meatsweats

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Re: Neopixel and String Blades Explained and Light Meter Tested
« Reply #12 on: July 18, 2017, 11:34:35 AM »
jbkuma, thanks for the info.

I just checked out your old thread on your connectors, that's great. I'll check out your new thread when you get it up.

Offline Obi_1

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Re: Neopixel and String Blades Explained and Light Meter Tested
« Reply #13 on: July 19, 2017, 06:32:50 AM »
To supplement Space Windu's amazing work on measuring the real brightness of the neopixel stripes, I've done quite a while ago a throughout electrical characterisation of the neopixel single pixels to measure how much current they draw at which supply voltage. You can find the whole characterisation report here:
https://github.com/Protonerd/DIYino/blob/master/Neopixels_Characterisation_report1.pdf

The voltage vs. current values are exact and measured with sufficient precision. The brightness values are based on my subjective impression, it would be awsome to merge the exact electrical measurements in this document with the exact brightness values from Space Windu's experiment and put it all on a chart!!!

Offline EXAR KUN

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Re: Neopixel and String Blades Explained and Light Meter Tested
« Reply #14 on: July 20, 2017, 01:02:36 PM »
Here is my first draft of a chart showing the lux results:

Screen Shot 2017-07-20 at 3.58.50 PM by Anthony LaGaipa, on Flickr


The second column is if I tested the FOC, that rating is there. The numbers are in LUX, and when the list has 'string blade' that means powered by CF LS and 7.4 battery at optimum range for the LEDs in the blade (never maximum).

So far on this chart, all hilts are powered by Plecter products, except in the case of the MR lightsaber from 2005.



 

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