2017 Display & Build

Total Raised in 2017 for Redkite: $3,000.

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January

Because the old FM transmitter is on its way out, I have purchased a new VAST FM Transmitter, which has the ability to do RDS messages, station name and song information. I’ll use the old transmitter as a spare.
 
I have been madly designing and printing a demo snowflake that will contain 96 2811 pixels, so I need pixels, a LOT more pixels. My first Ray Wu order of the year for a total of 1,500 5V 2811 pixels is on the way from China now. 500 are for the 5 remaining snowflakes, and 1000 will be a good start for the house outline replacement, but I’ll be getting another order of about the same size soon as I want a few more items changed to Pixel, and I’m thinking of 6 more snowflakes on the other side of the house. Because of this, I have ordered another 5 rolls of filament from Aurarum.
 
 We also delivered the cheque to redkite in their Redfern office.
 

February

So much for express post – VAST sent the transmitter normal post as DHL was too dear, so I did not get it until late February, but this thing is really nice, and 5V as well, meaning I can remove 12V from the main control box.

All the controllers are updated, but because of the item below, some of the controllers will be retired this year, most likely the PIXAD8, and I’ll put the P12R in its place. On the plus side I ordered a new controller – the Falcon F16 V3, plus an expansion board, a differential expansion board and 4 differential receivers. This thing is NICE!

March

My sequencing is terrible, so I really needed to get started with some sequencing earlier so over the last week or so I have started to update the latout for the 2017 show, upgrade all the old song names to a more uniform layout, and basically tidy up the show directory to make sure 2017 is easier to sequence. Items like the new Snowflakes have had channels allocated, they have been added to the house, the old Pixel screen has been “moved” and the location freed up for the new 25 panel P10 screen.

Order 2 from Ray Wu is in progress. This $990 order is the screens for the replacement for the pixel screen on the front of the house, as well as enough pixels to allow the Megatree to be increased to 63 pixels using the pixels from the rose garden, and then replace the rose garden pixels with new 2811’s.

2 Verticals and 2 Angle sections of the house outline were upgraded to pixels with covers, gaining a few extra lights per string, but a LOT more control, and better power injection. 124 pixels added to the display, with about 400 more left to go at a guess

April

Started building the P10 replacement for the LED matrix on the front of the house. Loads of 3D Printing, wiring and building in the next few weeks.

May

I have been a bit busy with other things, but we are currently away on holidays in Port Macquarie. I managed to take my laptop and a second screen and do a bit of sequencing while I am away

June

Well the 2 days of the Sydney mini are done and dusted. Well it’s not in Sydney, so it’s more the Newcastle Mini.

A huge thanks to all the people who attended in person, on Zoom, as well as those who donated giveaways for the day. I was lucky to win a Lilia sequence, and hope to get it soon.

Still working on the last of the Snowflakes for this year. They are not fast to build, with it taking about 6 hours to build each one, and with 12 to do it’s taking its time.

Ordered 500 more pixels and 100 plugs and sockets off Ray Wu. This should give me 400 spare, and enough plugs and sockets to replace the 4 and 5 pin ones off the old outlines with 2 and 3 pin ones for the new pixels.

Ordered 3 new boxes for controllers to finally retire the big green boxes this year. Two new boxes are 400 * 350 * 130mm, and one smaller at 350 * 300 * 130mm. All will have cable glands, a LOT of power supplies and be jammed with controllers as well. Thanks to https://www.mjselectricalsupplies.com.au/ for stocking these items at a pretty reasonable price.

July

Another few big days again, with all the window and shrub LED’s completed and load tested, and my old “DMX West” box being stripped down and replaced with the newer Falcon F16 setup.

August

I have been busy with a few other projects only partly light related, but this week is has been full speed ahead with the lights once again. In 2016 I decided I wanted to increase the number of LED’s in the Megatree so I have increased the strings from 42 to 63 LED’s high, but only increased the height by less than half a meter. This means the lights are a lot closer together. I have also increased the power injection from each end of 163 pixels, to the start, Pixel 126 and the last pixel number 252.

September

All the Megatree upgrades are completed, the actual power measured for my spreadsheet, and they have all been packed away ready for Christmas.

There are a few new boxes required this year, and one is for the North East pixel area. This includes the North Pole, 12pt stars in the trees, snowflakes, spinners and house outline, and this box was completed this week, and also included a small LAN switch for items in the area.

I also completed the new West snowflake power supply. This will power just short of 600 LED’s, but I may also add a singing face that was given to me last year by Binny.

October

A busy few weeks finishing off control boxes, items, testing strings and completing 4 of the 5 latest items – Minitree replacements.

These 5 trees hold just 78 LED’s each and will replace the 9 old white trees in the south western section of the yard.

2017 Spend

FM Transmitter: $160
5 Rolls of Filament: $170
Ray Wu Order 1: $682
Ray Wu Order 2: $990
4 Rolls of Cable: $100
Falcon Controller: $500
Soldering Iron parts: $60
Ray Wu Order 3: $243
Paint: $100
Wood for screen: $150
Moving head lights: $140
DMX Cables: $30
Boxes: $240
Clear coat Spray: $45
Paint: $50
Steel: $45
Nuts & Bolts: $35
Cableties: $55
Rope: $65
Lollies: $400

Total: $4,260