K8-PB
$85.00 – $157.00
8 Output String Cape for PocketBeagle
What is it?
The K8-PB is a cape for the PocketBeagle designed to drive ws2811 LED pixels. It has 8 local ports (fused with LED indicators) that can each drive 800 pixels (with power injection) at 40FPS. It also has 3 RJ45 differential ports that can output an additional 12 strings via differential receivers. Finally, there is an expansion header which can drive an additional 16 strings. The 800 pixels per string is the same for all strings. There is also a UART exposed via header pins which can drive a single DMX universe or Renard or LOR.
It also provides a Real Time Clock, an OLED display, and four push buttons for navigating menus on the display.
The “2.x” version has replaced the automotive “Mini Blade” fuses with eFuses. This allows the power to the ports to be completely turned off when no data is being output. They also provide current monitoring, trigger alerts, and more.
Why did you make it?
Animated Christmas Light displays typically use ws2811 Pixels for things like house outlines, candy canes, tree’s, etc… The F8-PB was designed to drive a large number of pixels, yet remain relatively small so it can be easily hidden or mounted onto the prop.
What makes it special?
The 8 local ports provides enough outputs to handle most situations where a small controller is desirable. It’s significantly more than the 2 ports of the various Raspberry Pi controllers, but not as large as the standard 16 port controllers that are typically used for pixel dense locations.
However, the 3 RJ45 ports provide additional output capabilities to allow for future expansions. All 3 of the ports can be configured to drive a ws2811 pixel differential receiver board (available from pixelcontroller.com ). Both “Falcon Smart Receivers” and standard differential receivers are supported.
The 24pin expansion header also can drive additional pixels. There are 16 strings that are pulled out on the expansion header. This is compatible with the F16v4 expansion boards.
The PocketBeagle can be powered by the same power supply powering the pixels. Power supplies ranging from 5V to 18V are supported automatically with no need to adjust any jumpers.
Technical details: The ws2811 protocol is extremely timing dependent and are generally not drivable via a general purpose Linux CPU. The FPP software uses the two semi real-time PRU’s available on the PocketBeagle to handle the protocol specific timings. Using the PRU’s also allows the main CPU to be free for other things such as network IO.
You WILL need:
- ws2811 pixels
- A good quality SD card with the latest FPP image installed on it. The latest FPP image can always be found at https://github.com/FalconChristmas/fpp/releases/
- A USB network adapter – ethernet is preferred for initial setup, but WIFI (adapter must be supported by Linux/Beaglebone/Raspberry Pi) can also work if you use a micro-usb cable to connect to the PocketBeagle to do the WIFI setup.
| Weight | 3.5 oz |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 4 × 5 × 1.5 in |
2 reviews for K8-PB
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Jon Lee (verified owner) –
Great starter board with all the features that you would want to begin with. As a novice, I started on this board running a single port driving 500 5V pixels with power injection (seven free ports). Additionally, I ran 2 ports of 200 12V pixels off an attached smart differential receiver (no power injection). This leaves lots of room for expansion.
The setup was a bit confusing as I wanted to run over wifi and needed to power and connect to the board while having the single USB port occupied by the wifi. I ended up powering the board through the micro USB port and configuring with the micro USB directly hooked up to a computer. I was able to limit the brightness down per string, use the smart receiver and run 2 different voltages with this and a smart receiver.
The interface is primarily FPP and was easy to navigate and integrate with XLIGHTS. All the sequences are dropped in the content management tab and arranged into playlists easily. Connecting through the phone after that to bring up sequences was nice when outside.
The only misstep in the first year was shorting the board as it wasn’t mounted on anything and touched the power supply case. It blew the pocket beagle in the middle of a global chip shortage. After some shopping, I was eventually able to source one with headers attached. It is a nice modular approach where I was able to recover from. So mount/insulate your boards!
pixley1974 (verified owner) –
⭐Unleashing the Kraken of Controllers ⭐
Oh, the K8-PB? Let me tell you, it’s like the control tower of an airport for those of us who think sleep is overrated during the holiday season. This powerhouse lets you orchestrate an LED ballet more synchronized than a group of Olympic swimmers without even breaking a sweat.
Why did I go for the K8-PB? Well, you know how every great artist needs a palette? This is mine, but instead of paint, it juggles ws2811 pixels like they’re going out of style. With 8 local ports and the ability to drive a whopping 800 pixels per port, it’s like having a digital army at your fingertips, ready to light up the night and probably a couple of distant planets.
And just when you think it can’t get any geekier, it throws in 3 RJ45 differential ports for good measure, because why settle for overkill when you can absolutely annihilate? Plus, an expansion header that feels like you just unlocked the boss level in a game of “Who Can Light Up The Most Pixels.”
But wait, there’s more! It’s also got a Real Time Clock, an OLED display, and four push buttons that let you navigate menus like a pro. It’s as if they know I need all the help I can get without having to ask for directions.
And if you’re wondering if it’s special—well, does a bear—uh, let’s keep it PG. Yes, it’s special! The kind of special that makes you want to host a Christmas light show that’s visible from space. It’s not just a controller; it’s your ticket to becoming the neighborhood legend who might just cause a small, totally unintentional power outage.
Remember, you’ll need some ws2811 pixels, a stellar SD card loaded with the latest FPP image, and maybe a USB network adapter because nothing says “holiday spirit” like a little bit of over-engineering. Let’s light up this town like it’s nobody’s business!