In this video we cover the basic hardware needed to get your lights working,
A quick overview of Pixels, Controllers & Power Supplies.
Baldrick Switchy – Overview, xLights Setup & Demo
Here we run through the Baldrick Switchy relay board & demo its config, setup with xLights and demonstrate a running sequence with actions on the relay board.
4 Wire Pixels – Are they worth it ?
This week we look at 4 wire pixels, explain how they work & demonstrate fail over.
As they are native 12v we also look at the power consumption vs regular 12v WS2811 3wire resistor pixels.
0:00 Introduction
0:42 How does a Traditional WS2811 3 Wire Pixel Work ?
3:20 3 Wire Pixel Failure Demo
4:40 How does a 4 Wire GS8208 Pixel Work ?
10:15 4 Wire Pixel Failure Demo
12:08 Review of Resilience
12:35 Native 12v Power Consumption vs 12v WS2811 Resistor Pixels
16:00 Conclusion
Pixel Wars 2025!
Which Bullet pixels are optimal for 2025!
We review the new 24v Pixels and put them up against 5v, 12v 4 Wire, 12v Resistor & 12v Regulators to see which ones perform the best for luminance, power consumption & heat!
FPP 8.5 Pi5 SoundBlaster Setup
In this FPP Short, we hoock up a SoundBlaster Play!3 USB Sound Card to a Raspberry Pi5 to get audio out. (The Pi5 doesn’t have a 3.5mm Audio Jack).
We then configure it in FPP 8.5
Setting up your first controller in xLights
In this video we install xLights, add our first controller & pixels and get them running in a short demo sequence.
Which Raspberry Pi is best for an FPP Controller in 2025 ?
In this video we compare 11 Raspberry Pi’s, from the very first to the very latest to work out which is the best for FPP in 2025.
In conclusion, we identify the best starter, best overall and best in class.
Setting up your first Coro Prop in xLights
In this newbies video we setup a Coro prop from a commercial vendor, we setup xLights, check out the wiring diagram, push the pixels & then demonstrate it connected to our Baldrick controller.
Seed Pixels!
In this weeks video we look at Seed Pixels and compare them to the traditional 12v ‘Bullet’ Style Pixels in common use.
What size wire should we use between our Controller and Power Supply?
In this newbies video we look at the size of the wire used between our power supplies and controller. We then test some of the common sizes & review the performance and heat issues when using a size size too small for the task.