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WS2812 Arc Reactor — Parallax Forums

WS2812 Arc Reactor

ercoerco Posts: 20,261
edited 2014-12-31 04:47 in General Discussion
Nice board on sale for $8.69: http://www.icstation.com/product_info.php?products_id=5248#.VKKp6B7Q

Be Iron Man!

Comments

  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2014-12-30 07:52
    It does look like a nice board. Having the capacitors on the back could make mounting the ring disc a problem.

    5248.jpg

    At first I thought the ICStation board looked smaller than Adafruit's ring but now I'm not so sure. ICStation says their board is 46mm. I just measured one of Adafuit's rings and it's just over 44mm.

    I think I like Adafruit's design a bit more than ICStation's design.

    attachment.php?attachmentid=105341&d=1385974994

    The top ring in the above photo is from Adafruit. The two lower rings are the ones I designed. The ones I designed are smaller than Adafruit's rings. I wanted the LEDs to be closer together than in the Adafruit ring.

    If any of you purchase these, I hope you try out my "Hypno Ring" software I posted in this thread.

    BTW, Adafruit's rings are only $9.95. I think they were to first to use these LEDs in a ring. With Adafruit's rings you don't have a center PCB area to remove. I wonder why ICStation included a center PCB? Adafruit's rings don't have any components on the back side of the board (which I think is a plus).
  • koolvistakoolvista Posts: 16
    edited 2014-12-30 11:10
    For those shocked by Adafruit shipping cost (they only ship by UPS) when you buy a small quantity
    ( $8.69 to my location for 2 – Neo Pixel strips), there is a Ebay site that carries a lot of Adafruit parts
    at near/same price as Adafruit but ships by USPS and the 1st item is $1.99 s/h and each
    additional item is highly discounted(they used to advertise $.25 for each additional item but seem
    to have changed that).

    http://stores.ebay.com/AtomsIndustries/LEDs-/_i.html?_fsub=5210073013
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2014-12-30 11:56
    koolvista wrote: »
    For those shocked by Adafruit shipping cost (they only ship by UPS) when you buy a small quantity
    ( $8.69 to my location for 2 – Neo Pixel strips)

    I'm not sure where you're getting your information but I always thought Adafruit's shipping rates reasonable.

    According to Adafruit's site they offer several USPS options.
  • User NameUser Name Posts: 1,451
    edited 2014-12-30 12:34
    Really appreciate this mention, erco! It's just the device I was looking for to introduce my daughter Heidi to FORTH. Already have the chip and the resident FORTH; just needed something that would interest her that could be attached to the chip.

    Also, you gotta love the the USPS option of free. :)
  • koolvistakoolvista Posts: 16
    edited 2014-12-30 13:48
    I am getting my information from real life experience. Back on Nov 18 when I ordered the 2 Neo Pixel strips
    the strips were $11.90 and the UPS shipping was $8.69. I was not given the option of USPS shipping only
    UPS. Some time later I went to the Adafruit Forums to see what was there, and I saw this:

    https://forums.adafruit.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=63451

    So apparently Adafruit had USPS shipping but dropped it(everyone ?? or just some folks).
    Their web site now shows USPS shipping but I don’t know what happens when an order is
    placed as that was my first and last order from Adafruit.
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2014-12-30 13:56
    That a bummer about the shipping. It kind of sounds like Adafruit was having trouble with the USPS. Hopefully they're offering it again.

    While it stinks to pay $8.69 I wouldn't lay the blame on Adafruit. It kind of sounds like UPS was the only viable option for a while.

    I remember many times being surprised how low the shipping was from Adafruit but I'm pretty sure these were times I used USPS. I just hate to see Adafruit get the blame for something out of their control. They sure offer a lot of good information on their website.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,261
    edited 2014-12-30 14:06
    IMO an odd coincidence that Adafruit's UPS postage exactly matches the sale price of the item in the OP.
  • koolvistakoolvista Posts: 16
    edited 2014-12-31 04:47
    Sorry “ecro” I didn’t mean to hijack your thread.

    Duane, I am not disparaging Adafruit as they have a lot of interesting products and a lot of good info on their
    site which I visit frequently. I was just trying to point out that there many be cheaper shipping options.
    Apparently Adafruit did have USPS shipping for everyone but several months ago changed their
    policy on shipping. I suspect that myself and others mentioned on their Forum did not
    meet an arbitrary purchase amount so were not given the USPS option for reasons known only to their management and
    “The Shadow”.

    PS: For you longer folks who do not know about “The Shadow” , here is a link to find out. See the opening
    lines of the show.

    http://www.oldradioworld.com/shows/The_Shadow.php

    Please see Post #1 for what this thread is supposed to be about.

    To everyone on this forum have a “Happy and Safe New Years”
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