How to connect two stripes and which controller is best?

Hello,

I’m new at WLED.
It looks like a very cool software, thanks a lot for it!

I want to use WLED on my double sided stair handrail with about 200 APA102 LEDs on each side.
So I am only able to reach one side of every stripe. This means it is not possible to use one stripe with two segments.
I have some hardware to deal with the long wires from Ulrich Radig
I didn’t test it up til know but I believe it will work.

My questions are:

  1. Which controller is the best (fastest?!) to deal with 2 stripes with about 200 APA102 LEDs on each stripe?
  2. How to connect and configure this in WLED?

Thanks and best regards,
Chris

Depending on what you want from the left and right handrails, you can get by with a single ESP8266, level shifter (to boost the data pin output), 2 wires on the level shifter output - 1 to each handrail (strip).

I recommend considering a QuinLED DigUno or other similar board that helps provide power handling and oops protection as well as a level shifter on the PCB.

If you want the left and right to be different, then this suggestion can still work with 2 segments and maybe some custom code (usermod) to get the effects you want.

If money is no object, 2 WLED controllers would work, one for each handrail, with one sync’d with the other as needed (whenever you want them to act the same).

You have to decide on hardware before connections and configurations matter.

It all starts with what you want to do with it the day you get it, and also 3 months later if you want other features - and what they would be. If you are going for a more permanent install, consider it more like the day it’s installed as well as a year later, what do you want it to do, or be capable of doing.

For 2 strips is better to use Dig-Quad cause you want use 2 strip from same controller. Plus you don’t need any additional modules or extenders. You can call Quindor in Discord and ask him about his product.

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