bro guy.... I love you. take more pride in this. do not be surprised at what you did. This is what is referred to as "evergreen content". People will be referring to this for years on end because it will not be outdated as long as corporations are motivated to make money by selling lights at a %2000 profit. You should make an all inclusive final build video so that once i use this in a shoot i have a direct video to link people to.
@@wittech6116 not a problem, you created something very cool and much needed and it's in more of a demand than you know. You should just make an entire comprehensive video of making the best versions of the new ones and make sure to add those time stamps! i came from the other video because you replied to my comment. I made the mistake of buying the strips with the wires vs the 3 pin controllers the first time as well.
@@wittech6116 awesome to hear. yea the linking directly to amazon thing is iffy because they go out of stock and stuck so i had to figure out out a controller and strip that worked together but it looks like youre addressing that. i had the no tape sticking to the wax paper issue so ill be heading to the hardware store today for some of that paint
Hi...Great video..Please do give it a try to converting it into battery operated. Like the actual Quasar or Astera tubes. 18650 is the battery that are chargeable and is used in multiple battery packs for example NP970 Sony. I guess joining multiple batteries and hooking up them to make them 12v might do the job.
I am testing out using a rechargeable 12v 3000mah battery pack that has a usb output of 5v (needed for these strips). I also purchased a usb to DC power converter to plug into the 5v usb output to than plug into my controller. The rechargeable battery and converter cost roughly 36 dollars.
So the tools you will need are 1. T8 clear tube 2. 140 led rgb 3. Controller 4. Scotch brite pad 5. Frosted glass Spray paint 6. Wall power source 7. Milky covers (Make sure controller and led strip are both either 4 wire or 3 wire)
I’m going to be giving this a try! I made some cheap diy led poles a couple years ago for a music video. They did the trick at the time and were even dmx addressable and controllable. But I’m wanting to go about that part differently and make them wireless dmx
If you can figure out a 3.0 version that includes rechargable batteries to the mix(maybe as structural component that the RGB's wrap around inside the tube), you may break the internet.
@@wittech6116 Not that I want to break the internet but I do second that idea. Rechargeable batteries and WiFi or Bluetooth control. Keep iterating mate. This is excellent work.
@@rednaughtstudios I have considered this. Biggest roadblock is cost. I have wanted to keep my DIY videos more accessible, financially. Once I hit the required subs to allow me to do pills, I will see how many people really want a wireless version.
Loved the original video (and this update of course). It would be cool if you could upgrade the light tube with a DIY stand for placing them upright on the floor in the future :)
@wittech i love your video man very helpful but can you explain a little clearer on how to connect multiple power supplies and what controller i can get with super effects like the fire and chaser ones, turns out amazon doesn't have the ones in your previous video anymore.
Hello and thanks for this.Incredible, awesome vision and explanation.You have just made this all doable for me. However, I am not understanding the extra wire on the input side of the tud=be. You said that another power supply could be connected? You can have two power supplies connected into this to power more lights?
@@wittech6116 the only issue I’m having is finding any tube guards that are available AND the same size as the led strip channel. Nearly impossible I tell ya. I’m in Canada. The channels are 3.3 feet and the guards are 4 feet. 😅 close enough? Lol
Dude!!! Thank you so much. I built one of the "cheap" tube lights and I am definitely going to build the "budget" lights now. This is exactly what I was looking for. Of course if you build sabers your mind would know.exactly what would be best. So I want to build 2x 6.6ft tubes. Does that mean I will need to Daisy chain 2 strips inside one tube? 4 strips total? Will I need one or 2 power supplies? And One Controller?
@@NaveenK-kz8me if the total tube length is 6.6ft, yes on two strips daisy chained. You can use one controller for both tubes, if you want both tubes to match in color/style. For simplicity of wiring, a separate controller per tube would make things easier.
Do you have another suggestion for the LED controller? I purchased the one you have and I can’t get it to connect to my WiFi do to my network being a 5G
Is your router not dual/triband? Most routers that operate on 5ghz will also have a 2.4ghz band available. I would imagine most (if not all) of the budget rgb controllers are going to use an older 2.4ghz wifi chip.
Have you tried only using the milky covers? I mean, without getting them on the tube? I'm trying to get the parts, and the only thing I'm missing is the tubes... Isn't the diffused acrylic on the metal strip enough?
I’m actually using one without the tube mounted to the back of my desk to light up the wall. But, without a diffused tube (or some other form of diffusion) you will still see some separation between the individual leds.
I want to make some of these to be dmx controllable through my lighting software on my pc. Would you happen to know if a dmx decoder to my computers lighting program in place of the WiFi controller would recognize the led strips “effect” functions? Chase functionsc, the fire effect, etc.
All those effects come from the controller. As long as the strip is wired for individually addressable rgb leds, it will accept whatever commands are being sent by the controller. So in your case, it would be the software/hardware your using the connect the lights to your computer. And how they communicate.
@@wittech6116 thanks for your reply. Yeah, that is what I sort of figured. The other stage lights I use have built in perimeter profiles I can set to address my dmx “number” for strobe or chase and so on. I was hoping there was some magic shortcut I wasn’t aware of. This will be my first attempt and putting together a dmx addressable fixture, thank you for the great vids. Much appreciated!
With the diffusion I have used, yes, you will still see the gaps. You would have to work much harder at diffusing the light. This is turn will diminish the light output. But it could be done.
@@wittech6116 thank you so much for your quick response! Just one more question, could the power supply you linked power up two of 144/m LEDs at once from the other video?
@@TheFiloKid if you are referring to the updated power supply in this video, yes. It could probably handle 3 strips. Now, the closer you get to using white (which is just powering all 3 dies of each led module) you exponentially increase the amperage draw. Just something to consider.
@@TheFiloKid yes. Anytime you add anything to a circuit (whether it be contact, wiring, consumers, etc. anything that introduces any extra resistance will cause a voltage drop.) In the case of daisy chained led strips, it will be minute. And since these led strips only operate at a very specific voltage, if the voltage drops too far the strips wont dim, they will start to flicker, or just shutdown.
Im building the first version and will probably update it to the second version but I intend to add a battery to make it portable. I would like to duplicate the tube structure and and dual strips of your light saber. It would provide a stronger, more durable tube and increased brightness. It also provides a battery pack for portability. I want to use this for light panting photography. Can you provide guidance on construction? Parts needed and simple battery operation. I would like to avoid the expense of the Arduino just a simple on/off and the phone app control would be fine. Thanks!
Would buying this power supply help the overheating issue I am having? I have a LED controller that is 5v-24v since the one you suggested wasn’t available. When I plug it into the wall it doesn’t get hot, but when I plug it into an extension cord it gets hot
Hi there! I have an issue. I’m trying to make 10 of these. But with the wifi controller, I can’t control 10 of them unless they are all connected! Any suggestions on getting around having to buy wifi controllers?
How would you make this do both RGB and a tuneable white? I am looking to make ~6 as a complete lighting kit where you have a 2-3 running as white and the rgb's for backdrop. Would just be cool to have them be able to do both well, and then figure out some battery situation.
You would have to find some rgbw strips. True white color control is not feasible with just RGB. That means your controller would also have to be able to control rgbw leds/strips. Good luck!
@@wittech6116 what about the RGB strips and adding a tunable white strip. Use seperate controllers and just give power to the strip you want to use at the time.
you say this version has a smaller tube on the inside? or did i misunderstood ? ... and also have you considered aluminium foil on one half of the tube acting as a reflector? and it would also direct the light 180º degrees angle rather than 360º
Went to lowes 2day and bought 2 types of clear tube. One large diameter and the other smaller. I then folded one rgb strip back to back , placed it inside the smaller tube. Then wax paper on outside of that smaller tube. All of that easily slide into the large tube and wala! Worked well. I didn't know about the frost process until I finished then saw your updated video. May try that as well Thanks for saving us all some serious $$$$
I have the links for the updated parts in this video and all the other parts are linked in my original video (there is a link above for that video as well)
Yes. As I showed with my lightsaber (which uses two of these strips back to back, and is powered by a single 18650) they can be powered by a battery pack. You would need a voltage converter and a controller that can operate under those conditions.
@@robertweintraub125 I don’t personally have any experience with any, but I’m sure any of the numerous ones made for use in cars (available on Amazon) would work fine. And if they don’t, that’s why I love Amazon. Free returns.
Nice Video Wittech thx again ! One question, im from France and I cant find the empty tube without paying a 30-40$ shipping tax for a 3$ tube product... Can you share us a EU product if you find it ? I spend so much time on it !!
Check out thesaberarmory.com they are based out of the UK. The tubes will be smaller, and a bit more expensive, but used with the foam insert, you won’t have to do anything else for diffusion. This is the same setup as the lightsaber demoed in the video. Good luck! thesaberarmory.com/products/1-thin-walled-trans-white-polycarbonate-tube-1-metre?_pos=52&_sid=f6d95e301&_ss=r thesaberarmory.com/products/1-thin-walled-kr-pixel-stick-neopixel-led-strip-foam-diffuser-1-meter?_pos=31&_sid=f6d95e301&_ss=r
bro guy.... I love you. take more pride in this. do not be surprised at what you did. This is what is referred to as "evergreen content". People will be referring to this for years on end because it will not be outdated as long as corporations are motivated to make money by selling lights at a %2000 profit. You should make an all inclusive final build video so that once i use this in a shoot i have a direct video to link people to.
Thank you so much. This means a lot. Can’t wait to see how your shoot(s) turn out!
@@wittech6116 not a problem, you created something very cool and much needed and it's in more of a demand than you know. You should just make an entire comprehensive video of making the best versions of the new ones and make sure to add those time stamps! i came from the other video because you replied to my comment. I made the mistake of buying the strips with the wires vs the 3 pin controllers the first time as well.
@@sg343117 I fully intend on doing a final version video after all questions have been asked/answered and any and all issues have been addressed.
@@wittech6116 awesome to hear. yea the linking directly to amazon thing is iffy because they go out of stock and stuck so i had to figure out out a controller and strip that worked together but it looks like youre addressing that. i had the no tape sticking to the wax paper issue so ill be heading to the hardware store today for some of that paint
@@sg343117 the paint helps, but the biggest difference comes from “sanding” the tube with the scotchbrite pad.
Hi...Great video..Please do give it a try to converting it into battery operated. Like the actual Quasar or Astera tubes. 18650 is the battery that are chargeable and is used in multiple battery packs for example NP970 Sony. I guess joining multiple batteries and hooking up them to make them 12v might do the job.
I am testing out using a rechargeable 12v 3000mah battery pack that has a usb output of 5v (needed for these strips). I also purchased a usb to DC power converter to plug into the 5v usb output to than plug into my controller. The rechargeable battery and converter cost roughly 36 dollars.
Wow! the difference between camera angles are awesome! Thanks for the video!
So the tools you will need are
1. T8 clear tube
2. 140 led rgb
3. Controller
4. Scotch brite pad
5. Frosted glass Spray paint
6. Wall power source
7. Milky covers
(Make sure controller and led strip are both either 4 wire or 3 wire)
I’m going to be giving this a try! I made some cheap diy led poles a couple years ago for a music video. They did the trick at the time and were even dmx addressable and controllable. But I’m wanting to go about that part differently and make them wireless dmx
Wanting wireless dmx myself! Any info on how you're going about this?? Thanks!
Do you have an updated controller you would recommend? The old one doesn't seem available
If you can figure out a 3.0 version that includes rechargable batteries to the mix(maybe as structural component that the RGB's wrap around inside the tube), you may break the internet.
I’m working on a viable (and budget) solution. I hope I can work something out. I’ll keep everyone updated.
@@wittech6116 Not that I want to break the internet but I do second that idea. Rechargeable batteries and WiFi or Bluetooth control. Keep iterating mate. This is excellent work.
@@rednaughtstudios I have considered this. Biggest roadblock is cost. I have wanted to keep my DIY videos more accessible, financially. Once I hit the required subs to allow me to do pills, I will see how many people really want a wireless version.
@@wittech6116 fair enough. Got to keep the whole cost quality time triangle within tolerable limits.
(Cue music: Queen - I want it all) 😉
@@rednaughtstudios exactly. Love the music reference by the way!
Loved the original video (and this update of course). It would be cool if you could upgrade the light tube with a DIY stand for placing them upright on the floor in the future :)
I think I might be able to come up with something. 😉
Great info, I like these light tubes!!!
Thank you sir!
@wittech i love your video man very helpful but can you explain a little clearer on how to connect multiple power supplies and what controller i can get with super effects like the fire and chaser ones, turns out amazon doesn't have the ones in your previous video anymore.
You can uise the same strip to build the corner "nordic" led lamp !
Hello and thanks for this.Incredible, awesome vision and explanation.You have just made this all doable for me. However, I am not understanding the extra wire on the input side of the tud=be. You said that another power supply could be connected? You can have two power supplies connected into this to power more lights?
This is awesome man!
Thank you! And I definitely appreciate the sub!
@@wittech6116 the only issue I’m having is finding any tube guards that are available AND the same size as the led strip channel. Nearly impossible I tell ya. I’m in Canada. The channels are 3.3 feet and the guards are 4 feet. 😅 close enough? Lol
So you used the frosted spray+the channel?
Nice 🎥
Thank you!
Thank you again!
Dude!!! Thank you so much. I built one of the "cheap" tube lights and I am definitely going to build the "budget" lights now. This is exactly what I was looking for. Of course if you build sabers your mind would know.exactly what would be best. So I want to build 2x 6.6ft tubes.
Does that mean I will need to Daisy chain 2 strips inside one tube? 4 strips total?
Will I need one or 2 power supplies?
And One Controller?
Two strips, one power supply (the bigger one, like in this video.), one controller.
Thank you for watching!
You will probably need one power supply per 6.6ft tube.
2 strips per tube Daisy chained? One controller for both tubes?
@@NaveenK-kz8me if the total tube length is 6.6ft, yes on two strips daisy chained. You can use one controller for both tubes, if you want both tubes to match in color/style. For simplicity of wiring, a separate controller per tube would make things easier.
Are there any controllers out ther that allow chaining multiple lights together, or also have audio reactivity?
Do you have another suggestion for the LED controller? I purchased the one you have and I can’t get it to connect to my WiFi do to my network being a 5G
Is your router not dual/triband? Most routers that operate on 5ghz will also have a 2.4ghz band available. I would imagine most (if not all) of the budget rgb controllers are going to use an older 2.4ghz wifi chip.
We have a dual band and I’ve tried both but still won’t connect
How could I connect these via DMX?
I’m having a hard time finding the correct controller. Any help helps haha thanks :)
*Pro Tip* - play this video at 1.5x speed
Have you tried only using the milky covers? I mean, without getting them on the tube? I'm trying to get the parts, and the only thing I'm missing is the tubes... Isn't the diffused acrylic on the metal strip enough?
I’m actually using one without the tube mounted to the back of my desk to light up the wall. But, without a diffused tube (or some other form of diffusion) you will still see some separation between the individual leds.
@@wittech6116 Thanks! I guess I'll order the milky covers and see if that's enough. Somehow the plastic tubes are very hard to get here.
@@pentagramrecords3834 no problem!
What kind of battery are you using for the light sabre and how much burn time do you get?
A single 18650. Depending on font/color/amount of soundfx used, about 45ish minutes.
I want to make some of these to be dmx controllable through my lighting software on my pc. Would you happen to know if a dmx decoder to my computers lighting program in place of the WiFi controller would recognize the led strips “effect” functions? Chase functionsc, the fire effect, etc.
All those effects come from the controller. As long as the strip is wired for individually addressable rgb leds, it will accept whatever commands are being sent by the controller. So in your case, it would be the software/hardware your using the connect the lights to your computer. And how they communicate.
@@wittech6116 thanks for your reply. Yeah, that is what I sort of figured. The other stage lights I use have built in perimeter profiles I can set to address my dmx “number” for strobe or chase and so on. I was hoping there was some magic shortcut I wasn’t aware of. This will be my first attempt and putting together a dmx addressable fixture, thank you for the great vids. Much appreciated!
Just curious if with a 60/m LED, would the gaps still be noticeable? Can't seem to find a 144/m LED that's longer than 1m
With the diffusion I have used, yes, you will still see the gaps. You would have to work much harder at diffusing the light. This is turn will diminish the light output. But it could be done.
@@wittech6116 thank you so much for your quick response! Just one more question, could the power supply you linked power up two of 144/m LEDs at once from the other video?
@@TheFiloKid if you are referring to the updated power supply in this video, yes. It could probably handle 3 strips. Now, the closer you get to using white (which is just powering all 3 dies of each led module) you exponentially increase the amperage draw. Just something to consider.
@@wittech6116 thanks for that info! Would there be some sort of voltage drop if i do this?
@@TheFiloKid yes. Anytime you add anything to a circuit (whether it be contact, wiring, consumers, etc. anything that introduces any extra resistance will cause a voltage drop.) In the case of daisy chained led strips, it will be minute. And since these led strips only operate at a very specific voltage, if the voltage drops too far the strips wont dim, they will start to flicker, or just shutdown.
If I buy 4 strips of light should I buy 4 Bluetooth controllers I’m a little confuse
Only if you want/need each light to be a different color. One controller will handle multiple strip when daisy chained.
Im building the first version and will probably update it to the second version but I intend to add a battery to make it portable. I would like to duplicate the tube structure and and dual strips of your light saber. It would provide a stronger, more durable tube and increased brightness. It also provides a battery pack for portability. I want to use this for light panting photography. Can you provide guidance on construction? Parts needed and simple battery operation. I would like to avoid the expense of the Arduino just a simple on/off and the phone app control would be fine. Thanks!
Would buying this power supply help the overheating issue I am having? I have a LED controller that is 5v-24v since the one you suggested wasn’t available. When I plug it into the wall it doesn’t get hot, but when I plug it into an extension cord it gets hot
The power supply is getting hot? What’s the watt/amperage output?
Hi there! I have an issue. I’m trying to make 10 of these. But with the wifi controller, I can’t control 10 of them unless they are all connected! Any suggestions on getting around having to buy wifi controllers?
To my knowledge, those are your two options. Daisy chain them to one controller, or seperate controllers for each tube (or section of tubes).
How would you make this do both RGB and a tuneable white? I am looking to make ~6 as a complete lighting kit where you have a 2-3 running as white and the rgb's for backdrop. Would just be cool to have them be able to do both well, and then figure out some battery situation.
You would have to find some rgbw strips. True white color control is not feasible with just RGB. That means your controller would also have to be able to control rgbw leds/strips. Good luck!
@@wittech6116 what about the RGB strips and adding a tunable white strip. Use seperate controllers and just give power to the strip you want to use at the time.
What's the CRI rating on these LED strips ?
That’s a good question. I don’t recall most ws2812b leds having a CRI rating. I’ll see if I can find something.
might be 80 i think
you say this version has a smaller tube on the inside? or did i misunderstood ? ... and also have you considered aluminium foil on one half of the tube acting as a reflector? and it would also direct the light 180º degrees angle rather than 360º
Not a smaller tube, per say. But what amounts to a led strip mount. That has a trans white cover.
Went to lowes 2day and bought 2 types of clear tube. One large diameter and the other smaller. I then folded one rgb strip back to back , placed it inside the smaller tube. Then wax paper on outside of that smaller tube. All of that easily slide into the large tube and wala! Worked well.
I didn't know about the frost process until I finished then saw your updated video. May try that as well
Thanks for saving us all some serious $$$$
Thank you for your video. Couldn't you just purchase a frosted tube for diffusion?
If you can find me one for less than $5, I will definitely give it a try.
@@wittech6116 i see so the issue here is mainly the price rather than functionality
@@RechtEasy just trying to provide something that is easily made on a budget.
@@wittech6116 Thank you so much for your super quick reply. Appreciate the clarifications. Best regards to you!
So if you use the thin strip (milky covers) you then insert that into the clear tube OR the one you frosted?
The one I frosted.
Tom Hardy does rgb UA-cam now 🤔
oculd you link all the best items for this under $60
I have the links for the updated parts in this video and all the other parts are linked in my original video (there is a link above for that video as well)
Is there a LED strip that is RGBWW?
Daylight 5600K and 3200K tungsten?
Not that I know of
Is it possible to make these with a rechargeable battery supply?
Yes. As I showed with my lightsaber (which uses two of these strips back to back, and is powered by a single 18650) they can be powered by a battery pack. You would need a voltage converter and a controller that can operate under those conditions.
@@wittech6116 If that battery is 3.7v what kind of converter are you using in your saber? What would you suggest in this application?
@@robertweintraub125 it uses a proffieboard, which has a built in converter. It would be perfect for a light tube, just not a budget light tube.
@@wittech6116 Can you suggest a 12v step down converter to make these cordless?
@@robertweintraub125 I don’t personally have any experience with any, but I’m sure any of the numerous ones made for use in cars (available on Amazon) would work fine. And if they don’t, that’s why I love Amazon. Free returns.
Nice Video Wittech thx again ! One question, im from France and I cant find the empty tube without paying a 30-40$ shipping tax for a 3$ tube product... Can you share us a EU product if you find it ? I spend so much time on it !!
Check out thesaberarmory.com they are based out of the UK. The tubes will be smaller, and a bit more expensive, but used with the foam insert, you won’t have to do anything else for diffusion. This is the same setup as the lightsaber demoed in the video. Good luck!
thesaberarmory.com/products/1-thin-walled-trans-white-polycarbonate-tube-1-metre?_pos=52&_sid=f6d95e301&_ss=r
thesaberarmory.com/products/1-thin-walled-kr-pixel-stick-neopixel-led-strip-foam-diffuser-1-meter?_pos=31&_sid=f6d95e301&_ss=r
@@wittech6116 Thanks a lot ! unfortunately the shop seems to be temporarily closed, wait and see :)
@@scrn4680 I think they are reopening on the 9th.
anyone got a link for a 3 wire amazon controler