Design Guide For Pixel Pitch Beam Angle And Control Topology
How to pick pixel spacing from viewing distance, beam angle from mounting distance, and how to lay out controllers so cable limits are never exceeded.
Choose Spacing From Viewing Distance
| Viewing Condition | Typical Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Close viewing, podium or entrance | Small pitch point light or mesh string | Detail stays readable from the pavement |
| Mid rise elevation from across a street | Point light with wider spacing or linear pixel | Content reads without wasting pixels |
| Tall tower seen from across a river | Wide spacing points or linear runs | Spacing chosen so the grid disappears at distance |
| Long span bridge | Pixel strings with signal adaptors | Distance limits and power injection drive the layout |
Our published guidance is that the maximum point spacing should not exceed 2.5 metres, and each intermediate power supply can support roughly 6 metres of supply distance left and right, adjusted to the project conditions.
Respect The Cable Limits Before You Draw Anything
- Master to sub controller and sub to sub run on CAT5 twisted pair, each section under 120 metres
- Sub controller to signal adaptor stays under 120 metres
- Signal adaptor to the first pixel light stays within 2 metres
- A TTL sub controller carries 512 RGB pixels per port, a DMX sub controller carries 170 RGB pixels per port
- Each sub controller provides 8 ports and the signal adaptor supports 200 metre transmission
Match The Lens To The Mounting Distance
Narrow Beam
Specified for tall building projection where the fixture sits far from the surface it lights.
Medium Beam
Wall washing at normal offsets on podiums, garden walls and columns.
Wide And Asymmetric
Grazing close to a surface, with options such as 15°, 25°, 35°, 45°, 20°x60° and 20°x40° on wall washer models.
Fixtures This Guide Refers To
Pixel Light
High Power LED Dot Light 3W
Plastic shell plus independent aluminium heat sink at half the weight of die cast aluminium
Pixel Light
V020 LED DMX Pixel Light
Three, four or six LED pixel with 4096 to 65536 grayscale for facade media screens
Pixel Light
D40 RGB LED Point Light
Dual channel real time backup plus standard DMX512 in a 40 mm point body
Pixel Light
RGB LED Point Light D40
Standard DMX512 point light for building facades bridges and skylightsCases Where This Applies
Real installations photographed on site: facades, bridges, mesh screens, parks and waterfronts.
Architectural
Art Gallery Facade
A curved gallery envelope covered with round full colour pixel points that follow the shell geometry.
Media Facade
Media Facade Lighting
Twin residential towers running synchronised full colour content across both elevations.
Bridge
Bridge Night View
Arch spans outlined with colour changing lines running a slow programmed sequence over the river.
Architectural
Synchronised Linear Light Project
Vertical linear runs on two towers driven from one master controller so both buildings stay in step.Need This Applied To Your Drawing
Send the elevation and we will apply the guidance above to your specific surface, mounting distance and viewing condition.