Want to spice up your Xmas lights? 

Have an art project with Pixels that you want to animate?

Then you may want an ESPixelPOP. This is a low cost ESP8266 based circuit running the ESPixelStick firmware that lets you control up to 680 WS2811 style Pixels via E1.31 (DMX over Ethernet) using Wi-Fi.  You can then control your Pixels using a wide variety of free applications like JINX (great for pixel matrixes) or xLights & Vixen (lets you animate your lights with a soundtrack) over a Wi-Fi connection. You won’t find a easier way to start controlling your Pixels. In the video below I used xLight’s random effect to synchronize 5 seperate lighting props as an example.

The VHS ESPixelPOP kit contains all you need to get started (except for a 5V power supply) and includes the PCB, all parts (including the ESP8266 module) and a 1 meter length of WS2812 Pixel strip so you can start your own light show immediately. I have already loaded the ESPixelStick firmware on the module so once you have assembled the kit,  you simply need to follow the build guide to get it connected to your Wi-Fi network.

If desired you can load the WLED firmware onto the module and take advantage of it’s many built in effects rather than depend on controlling your pixels via an application streaming E1.31.

You can also add a inexpensive RS-485 adapter and turn it into a wireless E1.31 to DMX bridge. 

The kit is fairly easy to put together and I have got a complete guide to building , testing and using it:

VHS-ESPixelPOP-Guide-v3_1.20.2020

And if you want more information on pixels and E1.31 control then this presentation may help:

VHS-Pixels-E1.31-Presentation

It covers:

  • Basics of Pixels
  • Basics of DMX
  • Basics of sACN/E1.31 
  • Pixel Controllers
  • Pixel Software
  • Pixel Resources