Mapping in 2D or 3D?

Patterns and Code
1

Hello all, I am almost ready to start wiring/programming a sculpture I have been working on but I am beginning my first experience into mapping 2D/3D and I am wondering which would be most useful.

I have attached a photo of the sculpture in question. I intend to use LED strips in channels on the inner circumference of the horizontal rings. If mapping 2D it would be simple to visualize it as an irregular 2D grid by cutting the cylinder vertically. I could see issues with this in 2D where the patterns meet at the hypothetical cut.

Would it be more effective to map in 3D even though it is not a complex or volumetric layout?

Pattern wise, this configuration will likely mostly utilize wiping patterns from top to bottom or moving around the circumference.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

20250615_195058
20250615_1950581920×2560 1.26 MB

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Some 2d patterns will work without a seam, or could be made to. But 3d gives really good effects even with a simple cylinder type layout.

Would love to see this lit up!

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Good to know! I will try 3D first. Thank you for the suggestion.

Ill post it as soon as it is done!

4

One other question I have:

I am planning to put the pixelblaze and output expander into a controller box up to ~20ft from the sculpture, so this will result in a long data line to the first pixel.

Ill have the total ~1100 pixels divided up into two sections with the out put expander so that should help a bit. Using 18 AWG. At this distance do you think I might need to worry about data degradation?

I would really like to avoid putting the controller closer to the sculpture unless I absolutely need to because ill have to mount it to the sculpture and it will be very noticeable.

I was looking at the data booster from QuinLED, but it is 3 wire, so probably wont work with WS2815 strips.

Edit: I just remembered the data booster would work since the second data line goes to ground anyway

5

Another question (apologies):
will mapping the ~1100 leds by listing each in coordinates be difficult on memory with an output expander? I may be wrong but I dont think it will reasonable to code it more efficiently since the rings are not full and are offset from one another (see picture).

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Yeah just one data line. 2mbps serial data.

Mapping doesn’t impact anything with regard to the expander. After expander config, each pixel has an index, and that is what lines up with the map.

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Sorry did you answer the data degredation question there? Im am not super fluent in microporcessing data

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20ft might work from PB to expander. Any data extenders that work on a serial line might work. The protocol will protect against flickering, but will skip updates/frames if there is data loss.

Rs485/rs422 transceivers are also an option.

Search Rs485 on this forum for some more info/ideas. Sorry I’m traveling and can’t flesh this out more at the moment.

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