This post has been updated for the first round of 2017 Group Buys. This buy will last 3 weeks, ending on February 10th and I expect to start shipping boards out the week of March 13th. All orders for the group buy must be placed and paid for by midnight on 2/12. The cost will be the same as the last group buy, and I’ll be using Google Forms with PayPal invoicing again for order placements. Details are all below!
The ESPixelStick is an E1.31 WiFi pixel controller built around the ESP8266 in an Arduino environment. An overview of the ESPixelStick V1 is available here, and I’ll expand on the V2 changes in just a bit. The ESPixelStick supports up to four universes of WS2811 pixels on a single output, or up to 63 GECE Pixels. The firmware is open source, available here. Once connected to your WiFi network, further configuration can be done via the embedded web server. The controller is small enough to fit inside 1″ thin wall PVC, allowing you to embed the controller next to your element eliminating issues of long pixel runs. The ESPixelStick V2 is provided in kit form, with all SMD components pre-soldered. Please feel free to address any questions or concerns in this thread, thank you!
V2 Updates
1) Power supply section is completely different. It has an on board buck converter for 5V-24V DC input that will run 100% duty cycle at 5V and the 3.3V LDO is a different part as well. No longer have to worry about voltage configuration.
2) Mounting hole sized for a #8 screw to easily mount in CG cases.
3) Fixed the issue with using 3.3v programmers.
4) Fixed a potential issue that could cause the ESP module to hang if a watchdog reset occurred or the module rebooted.
5) All passives are SMD now. Only components left to solder are headers and buttons.
ESPixelStick V2 Kit Board:
ESPixelStick V2 Assembled:
ESPixelStick Group Buy Costs
ESPixelStick Kit* – Includes all SMD pre-soldered and BOM (minus ESP-01) – $10 each
ESP-01 Module* (optional, but required to complete) – $3 each
Shipping** – All US shipping will done via USPS Priority Mail small flat rate boxes – $6.80
* PayPal fees are included in these costs
** each box can hold around 15 kits.
THT BOM – This is the BOM provided for you to assemble.
1 – Mini ATM Fuse Holder
1 – 3A Mini ATM Fuse
1 – 1×3 Header
1 – 2×4 Header
1 – HT3.96-6P plug and right angle socket
2 – Tactile Switch
How to Participate
I’m doing this a little different than most group buys. To ease logistics and keep orders / shipping straight, I’ve created a Google Form for participants to fill out. I will periodically review submissions, issue invoices via PayPal and update this thread with participants. Please allow a day for me to invoice you. If there are any questions or concerns, please feel free to post about them in this thread. If you have not received a PayPal invoice from me by 12PM EST on 8/15, CONTACT ME ASAP.
Order Form – ESPixelStick V2 Group Buy Form
Important Dates
The dates on this buy are pretty short to give people time for their Halloween shows as well. It’s my plan to start shipping kits out by September 12th.
Expected Shipment – Week of March 13
Participant cut-off – 2/10
Payment cut-off – 2/12
More information and discussion threads
http://forkineye.com/ESPixelStick
ESPixelStick thread on diychristmas.org
ESPixelStick thread on doityourselfchristmas.com
One ESPixelStick driving a 720 pixel matrix (just over the advertised 4 universe capability):
103 thoughts on “ESPixelStick V2 Group Buy”
Do you have a date for when Shipping out will begin.
Duh, read the details better
Is there a chance to get on If i missed the group buy ?
typemismatch
to get one ore some of them
Also international shipping ?
I’ll be making some available once the group buy is complete and fully shipped. Probably mid September.
Definitely interested, I’ll have to source some ESP-01’s, I probably have a few hundred ESP-12F’s on the shelf (I love these little chips).
Have you thought of offering a board & BOM list for those of us that are not afraid of surface mount soldering?
I know I’d be interested in a handful of them (kit form would be fine for this batch) to test and go through my own proof of concept in my show. After that we could discuss a quote for boards.
I’ll be making the board available on OSH Park and posting a BOM, however I don’t plan on stocking bare boards. The toughest part on the board is the buck converter, a TPS62175. It’s a .5mm pitch WSON with a power pad underneath. If you can do that, you’d be fine soldering a few up.
Any chance this will happen soon? Christmas is coming quickly, and OSH Park is not that fast. I would LOVE to use them this year. Thank you!
Sorry, just getting around to having more boards made. New group buy should be starting soon.
There’s been a slight delay in manufacturing. We’re now looking at the week of the 19th for shipping kits out, sorry for the delay.
I only just discovered ESPixelStick today whilst investigating the best way for me to drive some light arrangements I decided to start building this weekend.
I am disappointed that I missed out on the group buy, if you do end up with any additional stock I would be extremely interested in the opportunity to buy some.
I plan on trying to make more available after the current buy is wrapped up. Possibly later this month.
How do we get on the list to buy any spare boards? Im keen but missed the group buy.
The boards and rest of BOM arrived today, expect kits to start shipping out first of next week!
Sadly I missed it.
Any updates on when it will be possible to order again?
Orders were pushed back a little bit, so its looking like October at the earliest.
All orders from the group buy have been shipped, thanks!
Hi! Can I get in on the next group buy?
Hi, Just learned about the ESPixelstick.Realize I missed out on the group buy. I am interested in the next group buy OR BOM and/or PCB to enable building my own. The power pad will be tricky soldering but the rest of the soldering seems doable.
how is shipment going shelby?
guess i should have read these posts, i apologize.
Do you have any extra’s for sale?
Shelby,
Thanks for the great work on this little board. Any update to when you will run another group buy?
Is the V2 board available on OSH Park? Only saw the V1.1.
Thanks
Are there any additional stock available for purchase?
I would love to build my lightshow off of these brilliant little guys.
Im keen to get my hands on a some of these but i know i missed the group buy. Please can you let me know if and when i can buy a few or even just one to test for this Xmas. Thanks in advance Paul
smerrick, let me know if you end up with some extra parts once you shipped out the GB, interested in finally trying a couple of this out. Thanks
-Livermore-Dad
I had planned to have more available by now, but Hurricane Matthew set me back a little bit. I’m hoping to have more available next week in limited quantity, with more by early November.
thanks,
-shelby
Ok that would be great. I saw the old board design on oshpark so if you dont have any spare boards i would be happy to have a few made myself and source shared parts from a list like u did before. I prefer the new design with the buck converter so hopefully you have enough for me to grab a few.
Arghhh….I missed your group buy! Please count me in for one as soon as you have any available.
thank you,
Rich
Any more updates on if there are any spares of these availible? Would you consider putting the schematic on osh park like you did the older one as would make it easier for us all to get hold of them.
Shelby, how are you looking at getting more of these? Looking for about 11 of them.
I plan on starting another group buy this week, thanks!
Hi Shelby,
Any news on availability?
Also I was wondering if you have observed or heard of any issues in running a large number of ESP based E1.31 endpoints over a wifi AP?
Shelby,
If you have any available I am interested as well. I will buy at least 10.
Thanks
I’ll have another group starting soon (probably this week) if you’re still interested. Thanks!
I am still really interested. I dont check back here loads but i will try to keep an eye on it for the new run. Thanks again.
Any updates on availability? Read to order….
any idea when the next group buy will start?
Soon, probably this week. Thanks!
If possible I would like to acquire a few ESPixelSticks on the outside chance any are available this time of year.
Sorry, the season was way too busy for me to have anymore made last year. I’ll be starting another group buy soon, probably this week.
Hi Excellent work! how many pixels this device can manage?
4 Universes / 680 pixels. You can go higher, but you’ll have to drop your refresh rate (not recommended).
Hello, I would love to get into the group buy this year. Please contact me when you do.
Thanks!
I plan to have a buy going by the end of this month, thanks!
Hi Shelby,
Can you please advise when your next group buy will start? I am very interested in about 10 of the ESpixelsticks.
I am completing my planning for my first Christmas light show and your product looks like the direction i would like to go but I would really like them as early as possible so I can make sure I have got them working properly before the end of the year.
Cheers,
Patrick
I plan to have a buy going by the end of this month. Thanks!
The group buy is now active again. Post has been updated to reflect the dates.
Just saw that the 2017 buy was open and that I missed the cut-off…still possible to order a few kits? If not, are you planning on running a second buy this year? Thanks
I’ll be doing another buy or making more available soon after this one wraps up. Thanks!
Will this only work on WS2811 pixels?
At this time, only WS2811/WS2812 and GECE pixels are supported.
HI,
I’m interested in buying 5 of these with the ESP-01 modules, but wondered if you had any idea how much it would cost to ship to the UK?
Kind Regards
Kieran
$13.50 to everything in UK I’ve sent so far, up to 8oz which would cover your 5 easily. Thanks!
Thanks for acommodating us Brits, Just posted my order.
The work is great. I have tested with MADRIX, JINX! and XLights.
I am from Romania, Europe.
Do you have any problem if I’ll produce my own variant and sell it on a group buy in Europe ?
Thanks! Go for it, just ask that any firmware changes be kept open source.
Ok, thanks
If we will change something, it will be open source.
Buying without the ESP-01 as i have some already but will need to buy a few more. Has this been tested with the ESP-01S and if so is there any advantage of going for the newer version of the ESP-01 or not. Cant really see what the difference is.
I haven’t been able to test against the ESP-01S as I don’t have any. I’m not sure exactly what they’ve changed on the ESP-01S module. From what I’ve read, it seems they’ve just re-labeled some pins yet their functions are the same. I’d stick with the ESP-01.
thanks!
-shelby
What would be a recommendation on the power supply to purchase?
Depends on your pixels and how many you wish to run off each supply. I use 12V 30A supplies from Amazon for my personal setup – http://amzn.to/2kAv8pX
If I got a Falcon 16 controller could this be a slave to it?
It wouldn’t slave to your Falcon 16. You would have to setup your sequence player (FPP, xLights, Vixen, etc…) to send E1.31 traffic to the ESPixelStick.
Thanks for the information. My first year so trying to learn as much as /I can and probably a 1000 pixels on this first endeavor. Appreciate the help.
Greg
Hi.
I fill out and sent you Google form. But don’t got invoice. Check it please.
Should be taken care of now, thanks!
-shelby
I placed an order on Friday and I haven’t received an invoice yet. Thank you for coordinating the group buy.
Is it the same email address that you used on this post? It should have sent yesterday morning. I’ll re-send.
When will your next 2017 group buy take place? I found this too late to be a part of the February one but am definitely interested in getting about 6 of these modules. Thanks!
I plan on making more available in May.
Sounds great! I am definitely interested in being part of a May group buy.
Me too!
Any update on the next group buy? May has come and gone and I’m anxious to start using these. Thanks!
Is there an update on if these have been shipped or if not when you expect to ship them out?
There was a delay in production and everything just showed up last week. I’m in the process of kitting everything out and plan to start shipping kits out sometime this coming week.
Thanks, I dont mind the delay just wanted to check I wasnt missed for some reason or it had gone missing.
Hi Shelby but did these get sent out as no sign of mine. Like i said im happy to wait but just dont want to be sat here waiting and not saying anything if they have got lost.
Ignore me im being an idiot. They have arrived i have just remembered i just put them away in my hobby desk and forgot i did it. Thanks again.
Won’t the TPS62175 pose a problem since it’s output is just rated at 500 mA ? From what I understand, it converts the 0-26V -> +5V then you use the 5V rail to feed the LEDs and also convert it to 3.3V to feed the ESP8266. Am I missing something? Won’t that allow only for a handful of LED to be powered because of the 500mA rating?
The on board regulators are only to power the ESP and drive the data line. The pixels directly receive whatever power you feed into the ESPixelStick.
These look great! Where have you been sourcing the “HT3.96-6P plug and right angle socket” from? I see I missed the group buy so I’m going to order off the BOM and give assembly a try but it looks like those parts are missing from Mouser. Any help is appreciated!
Another question, Some of the LED strings will be a permanent instillation, is there any cleaver ways to use the ESPixelStick with MQTT or Home Assistant?
Thanks!
I have my board house source them for me, however you can find them on aliexrress. Haven’t found a good US source for them. There’s no MQTT or Home Assistant support at this time, sorry!
Hey Shelby, I have had a few people interested in buying some of these, wondering when your next group buy will be?
Can you tell me when your next group buy will be? Thank you.
I’m working on making a fully assembled version available via Amazon, should be listed within the next couple of weeks.
I would love to get a hold of some of these. It fits a project that I am currently working on.
I have fully assembled ESPixelStick V2’s en-route to Amazon and they should be available by the end of this week – http://amzn.to/2t0cmzv
Are the Pixel Sticks still available for purchase?
I have fully assembled ESPixelStick V2’s en-route to Amazon and they should be available by the end of this week – http://amzn.to/2t0cmzv
Hello Shelby, is it possible you will make your ESPixelSticks in a group buy any time soon, fully assembled or otherwise – Amazon indicates this item does not ship to Australia?
I have no group buys planned at this time, but do have plans to open a web store which would support International customers. Still working on getting it setup at this time, sorry!
Hi!
I would like to buy some, but why can’t they be shipped to Austria/Europe via amazon?
Thanks,
Andy
Hello, Do you plan on selling more Espixelsticks? Thanks
They are available via Amazon – http://amzn.to/2gaxEVm.
thanks,
-shelby
Any chance you will be making more of these? I’ve been considering using pixel’s in my display and I have an affinity for ESP8266’s and ESP32’s for other projects given the performance for the dollar.
They’re available via Amazon, but are almost sold out. I should have more in stock in a few weeks. Can get them here – http://amzn.to/2xIPi5I.
Hi, any chance of being able to get one from the UK? It looks perfect for what I need it for, however, your in the US, would it be possible?
Also, is the Amazon link for the v2?
Yes, it is.
Sorry, all of our stock has been shipped to Amazon and should be showing up there next week. We won’t have more until next year.
I’m stumbling across this a few years late, but I’m very interested in the hardware. I see the firmware is open source, are the hardware PCB files and component list available? I’d love to get some of these made for personal use.
Sorry, I no longer release the hardware files due to past issues with people selling them posing as me. I had someone come to me complaining about their product and come to find out he bought it off Tindie (which i don’t sell on). Some guy was shoddily hand assembling them and selling them with my name on them.