Showdown: Lumary vs Permatrack

[@bigmahlman]

Please make a video on puck lights with wled. I have been thinking about some puck lights with aluminum track from Ali express. Splitting the difference between between the two.

[@DrZzs]

will do!

[@sf49erguy]

Seconding this request. Permatrack has the pixels and puck lights. It would be great to see the differences between those channels and lights.

[@ShawnWebster19]

Agreed, I want an AliExpress puck version I can hack to have WLED on in 12-36volt options

[@brycereynolds88]

+1 I'd love to see your approach. I picked up the Govee lights from Costco and then spliced in an ESP32 to take over the data signal but kept the lights on their original power brick (second 5v for the ESP). It's been working great with WLED and xlights and we're working on our first show this year. The main thing I'm not super clear on is how to take advantage of the original lights white signal (these being RGBW). So for that I do like the original govee app. That said, I haven't flipped them back to the original data signal yet and I'm really happy with WLED.

[@billfoster6809]

No need to “hack” anything. Ali express has 12v & 24v WS2811 30mm “puck” lights. I have some of each. They work with DIG-Uno and WLED just like my 12mm pixels.

[@jimlundborg]

Please make the puck light video with WLED. Are there generic puck lights for a DIY setup?

[@Vaderbill]

I love my WS 2812B in alum track! WLED and xLights are the bonb! Digquad is awesome! Only prob is now I want a digocto!! Thanks for your comparison Dr!

[@MattTravi8]

I'm surprised the Permatrack Puck Track wasn't mentioned in this comparison. Any particular reason other than a wider cost difference?

[@MikeDowney1960]

It is not wider... in fact the puck track is slightly less for puck and lights... not much but a little less :)

[@Shazbot2000]

I am partial to the pixels as I like the tight proximity between each. The puck lights did not pass the spouse test either

[@ericapelz260]

For me, if it doesn't work with xLights, it's a nonstarter. I'll throw in a vote for a comparison of puck lights compatible with wled.

[@MikeDowney1960]

We have track and pucklights that work with WLED and Xlights

[@BenReese]

A few Puck light sets I've seen are 24v instead of 36v. Since the digi-quad can handle 24v, it'd be real easy to integrate! I'd be real surprised if they didn't use 5v logic on the data line already.

[@serenitynow007]

Did you move your permatrack from the inside of your soffit to the facia? That’s what it looks like. If so, how did you mount it as I’m looking to do the same thing. Thanks.

[@Wythaneye]

I'm a fan of both. I put pixel tape on the outside edge of my roofline, and now I'm going back and installing pucks under the soffits. And yes, using WLED for both. I like the precision of the pixels contrasted with the ambience of the pucks.

[@jrs9144]

Absolutely, pucks with WLED. Also for some reason, I can't get my new Dig-Unos to work with the WLED phone app. How can I find help or the pixelheads on Discord? Thanks

[@billfoster6809]

Are you using Wled-native? It’s working for me on iPhone 10.

[@jrs9144]

@@billfoster6809 Yes, and thanks for the reply. It is also on an Android phone. It doesn't work for either app. It says "offline" on both apps. The two new dig-unos I'm using replaced two that were two years old and zapped by a power surge. Those two old dig-unos operated just fine on the WLED phone app. Something has changed or I screwed up setting it up.

[@Painted_Drones]

When are the pixel packs going to be back in stock?

[@MikeDowney1960]

They have been for a while now

[@billfoster6809]

Thanks for this comparison. I just saw a video of Govee being run from a Dig-Uno with WLED. Says their data protocol is WS28xx. Is the Lumary also WS28xx? Personally I don’t like the look, the scallop effect those lights leave on the house walls. Seems to be the dome lenses they use.

[@mggomez-s2j]

Hi I have ordered an octa brain board from your website.( 29 November). Still no update nor confirmation😮😮.will it be processed?

[@matthaile4753]

Will Lumary lights work wish basic ESP32 running WLED for the data signal and using existing 36V power supply from the Lumary kit to power the lights?

[@MikeDowney1960]

My understanding it that you can... sort of. It would not be the same as native WS28xx lights of SK8612 lights. Also not all Lumary lights can work with WS28xx lights so you would have to make sure they do

[@Ares-tron]

what a dope dad lol give this man father of the yr award lol

[@CJ-Adventures]

DrZzz, I am using Pucks with the Dig Octa. Bright and amazing. Now with the Diff Solo. Game Changer. Also, You can use the diff solo and Hack up a Cat 6 to run power 100 feet away. No data booster. I have been testing. Power left after 160 pucks is leaving me at 9.67 volts. I can send you video if you would like.

[@DrZzs]

Awesome! Yes please. Send it on discord. We have a new Power-5HV that works with 36v too. Brand new. Thanks!

[@CJ-Adventures]

@@DrZzs Posting it now. I hope a new member can

[@MikeDowney1960]

@@CJ-Adventures I would love a picture of how you did it also... DrZzs and I have been discussing the best options for this.. would LOVE to see what you did so I can try it out

[@franticblue9376]

But permatrack is not a lighting system it is a mounting option for pixels so what your actually comparing is pucks v pixels surely

[@MikeDowney1960]

Much more to it than that but our pucks would be a nice comparison as well.

[@christopherbowersdresser4188]

trying to buy parts from your website and everything is sold out. please advise, are the boards still in production or do i need to seek out a different solution? after researching different controllers i would like to use one of your Quin offerings but i can only delay the project so long.

[@kcoop99]

@@christopherbowersdresser4188 it's Christmas season. You and everyone else is trying to buy. Plan ahead for August next year.

[@MikeDowney1960]

This time of year it is hard to keep things in stock but as of right now everything you need is in stock for either the Pixel or puck tracks

[@rbjohnson78]

I definitely think the "Govee" style such as Lumary is less desirable than the other puck options, once people see the difference. I have pucks on my house, and the difference is, they don't look like a bunch of flashlights spaced 12+ inches apart. They have a wide angle of light and not the sharp cutoff, and still bright. But, Govee is certainly making it just easy to install for cheap. Unfortunately, that is what they look like too, is cheap. But, not everyone is willing to spend $1000 or more on lights, so I get it. You actually have one of the pucks in your pile. The 30mm triple led with the lens over each led.

[@mggomez-s2j]

yes please make a video on xlights with WLED

[@MikeDowney1960]

If you look at the controller list you can choose from in xLIghts WLED is one of them. Just set that up. I just picked it as a controller and them attached the roof line model to it... works great!

[@mina11237]

puck comparison please ive looked into those 3 pebble puck ones

[@MikeDowney1960]

I am not sure what you mean by Pebble ones. The only pebble light I am aware of use a SUPER thin wire and are pretty bad

[@sanzoro]

If you can hack puck lights to n work on any app that would be sweet

[@wojtek-33]

Any reason you chose Lumary over Govee? Govee is more popular with the DIY crowd and significantly cheaper. I have some Govee lights indoors. Not the best but people seem to like their outdoor lights.

[@kcoop99]

@@wojtek-33 govee are so bad. That scalloped look and wires running everywhere look so trashy.

[@wojtek-33]

@kcoop99 lumary are the same style

[@OldCurmudgeon3DP]

If the Lumary pucks use the same data signals as quin, that sounds like the best "budget" option for basic illumination & patterns. Now, the track lighting has a way higher pixel density so that factors into the unit price. I guess someone doesn't *have* to install a pixel in every track hole assuming the wires between them are long enough. 🤷 That could stretch out the $/ft a bit at the cost of effect resolution.

[@KalebStolee]

How does permatrack survive in Canadian winters?

[@MikeDowney1960]

We have had no complaints sent to us and we have sold a lot of it there. Now, with that said... Not everyone lets us know there was a problem. So all I can say is that we have not had any complaints given to us.

[@goodcitizen4587]

I'm hoping for Home Assistant managed Christmas lights.

[@SteveBaileyHQ]

Please make a video about splicing in power. Carrying a soldering iron up a ladder to run lights inside the track doesn’t sound like my idea of a fun time.

[@DrZzs]

can do. Solder tubes and a heat gun. Still not fun on a ladder but better than a soldering iron.

[@SteveBaileyHQ]

@ yeah. Do a video on that. That’s the one thing holding me back from finishing this project.

[@kcoop99]

​@@SteveBaileyHQ the lights drzzzs sells have power injection points. I run low voltage wire in the track and splice in using wago connectors.

[@SteveBaileyHQ]

@@kcoop99 I have power injection points on my strips too but I was looking for a weatherproof no solder solution... is wago connectors my holy grail?

[@kcoop99]

​@@SteveBaileyHQ they really don't get any moisture inside the track. Several years doing installs and no issues so far

[@rickstaggs2376]

I like the brightness level and actual light coverage achieved with the pucks. The voltage change is likely the cause of that. As you said, an IR controller can easily be integrated into WLED. I am still on the fence about pucks vs pixels but Lumary is definitely not going to achieve what I want. Modularity is far better IMO

[@DrZzs]

Pucks certainly have a place. Lumary pucks, controlled by WLED/xLights would be pretty nice.

[@fredschneider4965]

would be great to see a video, if it's possible, of using wled eith Govee or Lumenary... pethaps a collaboration between yourself and Christ Maher (KZbin channel).. vheck him out

[@Jonny_O]

The Sphere is back??

[@ollyalme]

Permatrack for sure looks way better. And more "high tech". I imagine 9 out of 10 doctors would agree.

[@SteveBoddy]

My Permatrack rusted out. The product sucks. Very disappointed

[@billfoster6809]

I had a local siding supplier bend color-matched aluminum into channel and then drilled my own holes. Saved a couple hundred dollars and looks great. Should last as long as my siding and gutters.

[@kcoop99]

The old ones were steel. New ones are aluminum

[@SteveBoddy]

Yeah and the new version isn't the same size as the original 5 foot sections

[@kcoop99]

@@SteveBoddy 5 foot? How long ago did you buy them? They've always been the same 46"

[@MikeDowney1960]

@@kcoop99 No... they were 5 foot at one time and larger. We found that the 5 foot sections would get destroyed more often in shipping... a LOT more.