What an excellent review and overview of the boards, thank you so much! I love how you deep dive into the silkscreen and explain it all, lots of work goes into that but it's often overlooked! Using the pinout guide on the website might explain some of the functions of the individual pins a bit more! :) Awesome video! :D
Ordered the DigiQuad for my very 1st led project and it worked great right out of the box. At the moment my biggest challenge is finding a case I like for the controller + power supply + wire terminals
Thanks for the great review. I want to make small home project with around 15 meters of led stripe (SK8612 rgbw). WLED it seems just for my needs. But my doubts starts here. Can someone explain, what is the difference between $40 QuinLED-Dig-Quad (that uses ESP32 controller) and the $10 ESP32 controller it self? What are the befits of using QuinLED-Dig-Quad? I'm asking because I watched many clips that people contol their led stripes only with the bare ESP32 controller. I also wonder SK8612 rgbw- 5v or 12v? Thanks.
The primary benefit you get from the QUIN LED units is that they handle power delivery as well. A Bare ESP32 Board doesn't have breakouts/fuses/etc to handle power delivery for multiple strips/mid-span injection. You don't NEED the QUIN-LED board to do this for you, but on a 15m run, you 100% will need mid-span injection of VCC into the strip to account for the voltage drop over the length of the strip. Depending on your project, this may not be particularly easy. I have only been able to find 5V SK6812 strips. WS2812 RGB are available in 12V.
Great review, well done. The board seems nicely designed with lots of options exposed! Beware of updating the firmware that way - the web installer only installs the basic build, I think the board publishes it's own build that configures the pins, relay control, and sensor options...
I'm about to expand some of my lighting setup with the second QuinLED Quad I bought, and I'm using the Uno to do some nice desk lighting in my home office. They're awesome. I'm yet to find a use-case for the Dig-Octo, but I'll come up with something maybe. There's also some great Booster boards to make sure the logic level voltage is nice and clean on longer runs so you don't end up with weird artefacting as well.
Those dip switches change the resistor that is used on the Data line... the default is 249 Ohms which is optimized for short moderate runs up to something like 8 meters/15 ft. When switched then it uses only 33 ohm which is optimized for much longer runs like 20 meters/50-60ft. I tested with a 100 ft cord and it flickered until it was switched to the 33 ohm setting and then it worked perfectly! Awesome Boards to get up and running quickly and reliably!
@@andymok7945 yes correct, the ground wire has a detrimental leeching effect on the data wire (due to how individually addressable led data signal is designed), and the lower resistor helps it to work reliably I’ve much longer distances (50-100+ ft vs a couple feet). My DigUno works great over a 60+ ft run in a 12 awg, 3 wire run to my pool light using the 33ohm resistor it to work reliably when the 249ohm was incapable. I even tested it (prior to installation) with the full 100 ft original (3 wire/12awg) cord and it worked well with the 33ohm resistor.
What an excellent review and overview of the boards, thank you so much! I love how you deep dive into the silkscreen and explain it all, lots of work goes into that but it's often overlooked! Using the pinout guide on the website might explain some of the functions of the individual pins a bit more! :) Awesome video! :D
Thanks so much for watching!
I really love these boards.
I enjoy your channel by the way, and you're part of the reason I make videos now :D
Ordered the DigiQuad for my very 1st led project and it worked great right out of the box. At the moment my biggest challenge is finding a case I like for the controller + power supply + wire terminals
There's a few on printables.com that you can 3D Print, but they may not be to your taste.
Thanks for the great review. I want to make small home project with around 15 meters of led stripe (SK8612 rgbw). WLED it seems just for my needs. But my doubts starts here. Can someone explain, what is the difference between $40 QuinLED-Dig-Quad (that uses ESP32 controller) and the $10 ESP32 controller it self? What are the befits of using QuinLED-Dig-Quad? I'm asking because I watched many clips that people contol their led stripes only with the bare ESP32 controller.
I also wonder SK8612 rgbw- 5v or 12v?
Thanks.
The primary benefit you get from the QUIN LED units is that they handle power delivery as well.
A Bare ESP32 Board doesn't have breakouts/fuses/etc to handle power delivery for multiple strips/mid-span injection.
You don't NEED the QUIN-LED board to do this for you, but on a 15m run, you 100% will need mid-span injection of VCC into the strip to account for the voltage drop over the length of the strip. Depending on your project, this may not be particularly easy.
I have only been able to find 5V SK6812 strips. WS2812 RGB are available in 12V.
@@HiveMindAutomationMany thanks for your answer. So it's not good idea to make mid-span power injection directly from the power supply unit?
It's perfectly fine to do that.
Great review, well done. The board seems nicely designed with lots of options exposed!
Beware of updating the firmware that way - the web installer only installs the basic build, I think the board publishes it's own build that configures the pins, relay control, and sensor options...
Thanks for the info!
Still wait for DMX out on these boards ;-)
I know there's something that WLED can do with DMX but I've never really looked into it... might be more related to DMX over IP, but I'm speculating.
@@HiveMindAutomation WLED can, but for real physical DMX a MAX485 chip is required which would be a nice addition to such boards
I find these controllers excellent, and now he's come out with an October brain board with multiple power boards that is really incredible.
I'm about to expand some of my lighting setup with the second QuinLED Quad I bought, and I'm using the Uno to do some nice desk lighting in my home office.
They're awesome. I'm yet to find a use-case for the Dig-Octo, but I'll come up with something maybe.
There's also some great Booster boards to make sure the logic level voltage is nice and clean on longer runs so you don't end up with weird artefacting as well.
10z is actual 1 OZ or 1 ounce or 2 ounce which is a how much copper your board has been configured with.
That makes more sense.
Nice Video Stu, thanks for making!
Glad you enjoyed it
Are there videos explaining how to add a pir motion sensor to the dig quad to get motion control over led strips?
There might be something from @Intermit.Tech - the designer of the board
NONE are any good when you can't get them.
Oh, are you having trouble sourcing the boards from the supplier?
Great Review. Made me order one of each.
Hope you enjoy it!
Those dip switches change the resistor that is used on the Data line... the default is 249 Ohms which is optimized for short moderate runs up to something like 8 meters/15 ft. When switched then it uses only 33 ohm which is optimized for much longer runs like 20 meters/50-60ft. I tested with a 100 ft cord and it flickered until it was switched to the 33 ohm setting and then it worked perfectly!
Awesome Boards to get up and running quickly and reliably!
Ah..;. that explains them. Thanks for the info.
Also depends if you have data wire is right next to the gnd wire as in a 3 wire cable.
@@andymok7945 yes correct, the ground wire has a detrimental leeching effect on the data wire (due to how individually addressable led data signal is designed), and the lower resistor helps it to work reliably I’ve much longer distances (50-100+ ft vs a couple feet).
My DigUno works great over a 60+ ft run in a 12 awg, 3 wire run to my pool light using the 33ohm resistor it to work reliably when the 249ohm was incapable.
I even tested it (prior to installation) with the full 100 ft original (3 wire/12awg) cord and it worked well with the 33ohm resistor.
Thanks I enjoyed it.
Glad you enjoyed it