Back to Basics: Powering LEDs

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Backlit handrail on a blue wall. The light dims on and off.

In our previous Back to Basics blog posts, we’ve explored aspects of LED lighting, delving into light quality, color temperature, and Color Rendering Index. Today, we embark on a crucial journey that bridges the gap between LED selections and their functionality: powering LEDs.

LEDs are energy-efficient, eco-friendly, and offer an incredible array of lighting options. However, without a proper understanding of the power sources required for different LED strips, customers might find themselves lost in a sea of options. We are here to shed light on this vital topic, helping you make informed decisions for your lighting needs.

120V AC Driverless LED Strips

Let’s start with the simplest option, 120V AC Driverless LED Strips. These strips are a marvel of simplicity as they can be directly plugged into any standard electrical outlet and are IP65 waterproof. The convenience they offer is unmatched, making them an excellent choice for quick installations, outdoor accent, or temporary lighting solutions. With no need for a transformer or dimmer, these driverless LED strips are ready to brighten up your space right out of the box.

24V DC LED Strips and Transformers

With our standard and most popular 24V DC LED Strips, we encounter a slightly more complex setup. These strips require a transformer to convert 120V AC voltage to the 24V DC power needed to operate. Although this may sound like an additional step, it brings several benefits to the table including increased safety and lower power consumption

Electronic Transformers vs. Magnetic Low Voltage (MLV) Dimmers

When it comes to dimming your LED strips, you have two primary options: electronic transformers and Magnetic Low Voltage (MLV) dimmers.

  • Electronic Transformers: These transformers are compatible with our dimmer/controllers sets, which allow you expert control of your LED strips. However, there’s an important consideration with electronic transformers—they require a 15% buffer on the total voltage used. This means if you are using a 72W LED strip, you’ll need our 96W transformer to accommodate the buffer. This prevents overloading the transformer and ensures smooth dimming functionality.
  • Magnetic Low Voltage (MLV) Dimmers: On the other hand, MLV dimmers offer a more user-friendly approach. Compatible with a variety of wall switches, these dimmers allow you to adjust the brightness of your LED strips just like any other light in your household. Unlike electronic transformers, you can fully load these dimmers to their maximum voltage without any complications.

Solid Apollo’s Wall Dimmer and Driver

At Solid Apollo, we always strive to provide innovative solutions to our customers. Our Wall Dimmer and Driver is an all-in-one transformer and dimmer that conveniently fits into a standard gang box. This powerful device can handle up to 100W of 24V DC LED strips, making it a versatile choice for both residential and commercial applications. With the Wall Dimmer and Driver, you get the best of both worlds – the simplicity of a direct plug-in and the flexibility of dimming control.

In summary, powering LEDs is a fundamental step that significantly impacts performance and versatility. Understanding the differences between 120V AC Driverless LED Strips, 24V DC LED Strips, and dimming options allows you to make an informed decision based on your specific needs.

There’s no need to fear powering your setup. At Solid Apollo, we are committed to providing high-quality LED lighting solutions and service and are here to help you plan, supply, and troubleshoot your project. If you’re ready to take your lighting game to the next level, explore our wide range of LED products and illuminate your world with brilliance and efficiency.

Quality Matters

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Man installing diffuser cover over an LED Strip in a recessed aluminum channel

In recent years, LED lighting has gained immense popularity due to its energy efficiency, versatility, and long lifespan. As a result, numerous brands have flooded the market, offering cheap LED strips at discounted prices. However, when it comes to lighting solutions, quality should always be a priority. At Solid Apollo, we firmly believe in providing our customers with superior products that outshine the competition and are a cut above discount LED strips found on sites like Amazon.

  • Uncompromising Quality and Reliability:
    When it comes to LED strips, the manufacturing process plays a crucial role in determining quality and reliability. Solid Apollo strips are engineered with a higher copper content compared to many discount options. This extra copper ensures better heat dissipation, resulting in improved performance and longevity. Our dedication to using premium materials means that our LED strips are more reliable, safer, and longer-lasting than cheaper alternatives.
  • Comprehensive Warranties:
    Solid Apollo stands behind the quality of its products, which is why we offer warranties on almost every item in our inventory. Our warranties provide customers with peace of mind, knowing that they are covered in cases of defect or malfunction for up to five years.
  • Real Humans, Real Support:
    In today’s digital age, it can be frustrating to deal with automated systems and faceless companies. Solid Apollo is different. We have a local office and warehouse based in Washington state staffed with real humans who are available to answer your phone calls. Our team of experts is committed to providing top-notch customer service and addressing any inquiries or concerns you may have. When you choose Solid Apollo, you’re choosing personalized assistance and support that goes beyond the sale.
  • Free Tech Support:
    We understand that navigating the world of LED lighting can be daunting. That’s why we offer free tech support over the phone to assist you every step of the way. Whether you need guidance on installation, troubleshooting, or optimizing your LED lighting setup, our knowledgeable support staff is here to help.
  • High Customer Satisfaction:
    Solid Apollo takes immense pride in its commitment to customer satisfaction. As of July 2023, our dedication to delivering exceptional products and services has earned us a five-star rating on Trustpilot. This achievement reflects the positive experiences of customers who have chosen Solid Apollo as their preferred lighting solution provider. When you choose us, you’re not just investing in quality; you’re joining a community of satisfied customers.

When it comes to LED lighting, the choice between discount options and Solid Apollo is clear. Our commitment to uncompromising quality, personalized customer support, and high customer satisfaction sets us apart from the competition. By choosing Solid Apollo, you can illuminate your space with confidence, knowing that you’ve invested in superior lighting solutions that will stand the test of time. Don’t settle for anything less when it comes to your lighting needs.

Back to Basics: Color Rendering Index

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In our last Back to Basics blog we covered Correlated Color Temperature or CCT. We touched on the importance of selecting the correct CCT for various applications, from ambient lighting to task lighting, in homes, offices, and commercial spaces. However, not all LED strip lights are created equal in terms of color quality, which can affect the way we perceive colors and objects in the environment.

Color rendering is the ability of a light source to accurately and vividly reproduce colors, as perceived by the human eye. It is measured by the Color Rendering Index (CRI), which is a numerical scale from 0 to 100 that indicates how well a light source renders colors compared to a reference source such as sunlight. The higher the CRI, the better the color rendering ability of the light source.

High CRI lights are particularly important in business applications, where color accuracy and consistency are critical for visual aesthetics, product displays, and customer satisfaction. For instance, in retail stores, restaurants, art galleries, and museums, the lighting can significantly influence the way customers perceive the products and artworks on display. Poor color rendering can make the products or artworks look dull, distorted, or unappealing, leading to lower sales and reduced customer satisfaction.

Here at Solid Apollo we offer ULTRA High CRI LED strip lights that have exceptional color rendering properties. Our ULTRA High CRI lights have CRI ratings from 95 to 97, which means they can reproduce colors with high accuracy and fidelity, as seen in natural sunlight. Moreover, they have high ratings for R9 and R12, which are two crucial color rendering indices for red and blue tones, respectively.

Image of a shelf with colorful markers appearing dull due to low CRI. A caption on the bottom reads "Standard LED strips." Image of a shelf with colorful markers appearing vivid due to ULTRA High CRI. A caption on the bottom reads "ULTRA High CRI LED strips."

Take a look at the two images above simulating how objects in a retail store may appear under standard lighting like florescent tubes vs our ULTRA High CRI LED strips. Notice how the colors are richer under high CRI lighting, especially reds and blues referenced by R9 and R12.

R9 is a measure of how well a light source renders deep red colors, which are important for accentuating and enhancing warm colors in fabrics, flowers, and other objects. Solid Apollo’s ULTRA High CRI lights have R9 ratings up to 97, which is among the highest in the industry, indicating that they can produce deep red colors with exceptional accuracy and saturation.

R12 measures how well a light source renders blue hues. The high R12 rating of Solid Apollo’s lights means that they can accurately render blue hues, which are important for various applications such as medical procedures and clothing or retail stores, where accurate blue hues are critical. Solid Apollo’s ULTRA High CRI LED strip lights have R12 ratings up to 95 which is again among the highest in the industry.

Color rendering is an important factor to consider when choosing LED strip lights for business applications, where visual aesthetics and customer satisfaction are critical. Solid Apollo’s ULTRA High CRI LED strip lights offer exceptional color rendering properties, with high ratings for R9 and R12, making them an ideal choice for retail, hospitality, and other commercial spaces where color accuracy and consistency are paramount.

Back To Basics: Correlated Color Temperature

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This spring as we think about refreshing our spaces and bringing in upgrades like new LED, it’s important for us to take a moment and get back to basics. Let’s review the importance of color temperature in LED lighting, especially in spaces designed for commerce.

As LED lighting becomes more prevalent in retail environments, it’s important to understand the impact of correlated color temperature (CCT) on customers. CCT is a measure of the warmth or coolness of a light source, measured in Kelvin (K), with lower temperatures indicating warmer, reddish light and higher temperatures indicating cooler, bluish light. Understanding CCT and its effects on customers can help retailers create more effective and appealing environments. Take a look at the color temperatures we offer at Solid Apollo on the chart below.

A chart showing the range of LED light temperatures Solid Apollo sells. From left to right, 2400K, 2700K, 3000K, 3500K, 4000K, 5000K, and 6000K.

One of the most significant effects of CCT is its impact on mood and perception. Warmer, reddish light (CCT below 3000K) is often associated with comfort, relaxation, and intimacy, while cooler, bluish light (CCT above 5000K) is often associated with alertness, focus, and productivity. This means that retailers can use CCT to create specific moods and experiences in their stores.

For example, a high-end clothing retailer might use warm, reddish light to create a cozy, inviting atmosphere that encourages customers to browse and try on clothes. Conversely, a grocery store might use cooler, bluish light to create a bright, energizing environment that keeps customers alert and engaged as they shop.

CCT can also affect how customers perceive the colors of products in a store. Different CCTs can make colors appear warmer or cooler, which can impact how customers perceive the quality and desirability of those products. For example, a jewelry store might use a cool, bluish light to enhance the sparkle of silver, diamonds, and other gemstones, while a bakery might use warm, reddish light to make its products look more appetizing.

Overall, the importance of CCT in retail lighting cannot be overstated. By understanding the impact of CCT on mood, perception, and color, retailers can create more effective and appealing environments that attract and engage customers. Solid Apollo LED’s products offer a range of CCT options to help retailers achieve their desired lighting effects and create the perfect atmosphere for their stores. Take a look at our LED light strip selection, organized by CCT.

When you’re ready to invigorate your space, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 425.582.7533. We can’t wait to help you light up your way to success!

Link up Our Durable, Extendable Light Bars

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Effective and stunning lighting design shouldn’t require a doctorate in engineering. One of our main objectives at Solid Apollo is to offer high quality and innovate lighting with exceptional service. As part of our efforts to realize this goal, we’ve developed a series of LED light bars that offer quality, customization, and installation ease.

Solid Apollo's LED light bars used as under cabinet lighting.

Our LED light bar collection features a variety of sleek and durably constructed models to fit your needs. Today we’re featuring our extendable models which include the Lumalink and Premium light bars. These state-of-the-art lights offer many advantages over traditional fixtures. All our light bars are modular making updating a room’s layout headache-free. Our LEDs use a fraction of the energy consumed by traditional bulbs saving cash over the life of the fixtures. Running at 120V directly from an outlet with no transformers, the Lumalink light bars are ready to plug and play immediately in runs of up to 80 feet. The Premium light bars offer a sophisticated look that’s perfectly angled to light your cabinets and shelves without glare. Running at a safe, low voltage of 24V, the Premium light bars can be installed in runs of up to 9 feet before needing to be re-powered. Both fixtures are available in daylight white and warm white with the Premium light bars also available in super warm white.

These light bar collections are perfect for a variety of uses from task lighting, to under-cabinets, display cases, bookshelves, and more. Personalize any installation with a myriad of accessories like dimmers and motion detectors. With simple plug and play set up, you can craft an LED framed pantry or walk-in closet that illuminates upon your entry or attach a dimmer to a under-cabinet light bars to set a soft mood for after dinner cocktails. The possibilities are only as endless as your imagination.

Installation is a breeze as our light bars are pre-constructed and ready for your project. Both the Lumalink and Premium light bars are easily extendable with plug-in joiners for quick and professional installation of multiple units. The ease of installation cannot be overstated with these light bars. Simply mount the fixtures, attach your power source and accessories, and the lights are immediately ready for use.

Animation of two Lumalink light bars being connected and lit with a lumalink connector.

Our light bar fixtures are a huge step forward on our path towards powerful, professional, and accessible LED lighting. We’re excited to continue developing new and innovative ways for you to light your new construction, office, business, and home. Reach out to us today at 1-866-592-3873 or drop us an email at info@solidapollo.com to start planning your lighting future.

LED Neon Lights for New Jersey Nights

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“Eat Heavy” says the bold sign just off of Route 3 in Clifton, New Jersey. Below it is the infamous Tick Tock Diner, a staple of classic American dining since 1948. Open twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, the retro façade oozes contemporary, metallic art deco and a spectacle of vibrant neon lights. Or does it?

Outside of Tick Tock Diner, lit with Solid Apollo LED neon lights on a cloudy, rainy day.

Last fall, the Tick Tock Diner reached out to us for lighting expertise. As part of extensive renovations to the building, the restaurant would be adding neon-like fixtures reminiscent of mid-century diners. One option to achieve this classic look is to go for traditional neon signage. Unfortunately, many disadvantages exist for neon signage. Once a neon sign is fabricated, it is permanent. You cannot change shape, color, or easily dim neon fixtures which are often very fragile. Neon fixtures also make use of a variety of gases and, occasionally, mercury to create their colors. They consume, on average, 4,800 watts over a twelve hour period.

Solid Apollo’s Neon LED Strip Lighting is the perfect alternative to traditional neon fixtures with seemingly endless benefits. Our neon LED strips are flexible, able to form to unique contours and shapes, and can be easily moved without fear of breaking. The unique structure of these strips gives the light the appearance of a neon fixture with no hot spots effectively diffusing the individual LED lights to create a glow. In contrast to neon, LED neon uses up to 75% less power than traditional gas fixtures.

Solid Apollo’s neon strips come in two formats, mini neon which functions at a low voltage of 24V DC, and the neon 120V which plugs directly into any 120V AC outlet for easy installation. Mini neon strips are more compact with a short two inch cut point, perfect for intricate designs. With longer 18 inch cut points, the neon 120V is great for long linear runs. Both strips come in a variety of colors and the 120V neon is available as an exceptional RGB flex neon that offers eight static colors and six color changing programs for ultimate control of your visual goals. All of our neon strips are fully dimmable and rated IP65 waterproof, suitable for locations inside and outdoors.

Outside of Tick Tock Diner at night, lit with Solid Apollo LED neon lights.

For the Tick Tock Diner, striking blue and red strips shoot around the building occasionally intersected with green diamond accents, created with our mini neon. Bolder red lines crafted with our neon 120V form eye catching accents. The addition of these fixtures further cements the diner as a New Jersey beacon, adding to its 70 year history. The Tick Tock Diner will now shine a little brighter with their new Solid Apollo LED Neon strips.

Do you have an LED project in mind we could assist you with? Reach out to us today at info@solidapollo.com or 425.582.7533 to begin planning your bright future.

Photos provided by courtesy of the Tick Tock Diner.

ULTRA High CRI LED Strips Are Here

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Earlier this year we featured the stunning application of our High CRI strips in a new distillery in Buffalo, NY. These LED strips use powerful lighting tech to mimic natural light and provide vivid, accurate colors in any setting. Here at Solid Apollo, we’re focused on innovation. We thought, what if we could take this beloved product and make it better, and that’s exactly what we’ve done. Today we’re introducing our newest line of quality LED strips, ULTRA High CRI. We’ve taken everything that made our High CRI strips amazing and improved upon an already fantastic product.

Animation that replicates the difference between standard LEDs and ULTRA High CRI LEDs, featuring a washed out shelf of fabric that fades into vivid colors to represent ULTRA High CRI.

Our new ULTRA High CRI strips feature updated technology that allows us to produce a strip with every CRI R value in excess of 87. What exactly does this mean and why is it so important? CRI, or color rendering index, is a measurement of the ability of a light source to accurately represent an object’s colors in comparison to natural light. Measured by color values labeled R1 to R15 and rated on a scale of 0 to 100, lights with higher R values will show surroundings and objects in more vivid and realistic colors. Traditional LEDs have CRI averages in the low 80s and often lower. Even many LEDs labeled as High CRI can have low ratings for important values like R9 and R12 which represent vivid reds and deep blues respectively. Our new ULTRA High CRI strips successfully bridge these gaps boasting R9 and R12 values ranging from 87 to 97 with total averages from 95 to 97 for a truly full spectrum line of LED strip lights. Below is an example value graph from our new ULTRA High CRI strips in 3000K showing strong values across the entire CRI gamut.

Color Rendering Index (CRI) • ULTRA High CRI (3000K)

R1 – 99
R2 – 99
R3 – 99
R4 – 97
R5 – 98
R6 – 96
R7 – 97
R8 – 96
R9 – 91
R10 – 97
R11 – 93
R12 – 95
R13 – 98
R14 – 99
R15 – 99

Besides offering unparalleled color rendering, effective lighting offers many benefits especially in retail environments. Customers psychologically respond to light and color. It’s why McDonald’s uses red and yellow to trigger appetite, hunger, and speed and how IKEA guides customers on a specific, curated path through their showrooms. Think about your own experiences as a consumer. Have you purchased a piece of apparel that looked great in-store but then completely different outside? Or conversely maybe you’ve been in a clothing, jewelry, or makeup store where everything was dull and uninspired. The solution to these problems for business owners is our ULTRA High CRI lights.

High CRI lighting ensures merchandise and retail areas are appealing, vivid, and display accurate colors of all a retailer has to offer. Warm lights help to accent cafés, bakeries, and gold jewelry. Cooler pure white lights are perfect for areas with lots of whites and blues, bright marble or stone surfaces, and silver jewelry. A daylight or natural white is the way to go for lighting produce, clothing, or cosmetics where accurate colors as they appear in daylight is very important. Proper use of our fixtures will draw customers’ eyes and increase their likelihood of forming a positive bond with a retail area’s atmosphere and products. Stores that have moved to effective LED lighting have shown an increase in sales of two to twelve percent as reported by Lux Review.

With our new strips and expertise in LED lighting we are ready to help you effectively and professionally light your store, restaurant, bar, and more. Our new ULTRA High CRI line launches now in a full range of color temperatures. Get in touch with us today at info@solidapollo.com or 425.582.7533 to beginning planning your lighting future.

LEDs, Bars, and Bottles in Buffalo, NY

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Receiving photos of customer projects has long been one of our favorite parts of being in business here at Solid Apollo. There’s no greater reward than seeing customers’ visions blossom into fully realized lighting designs. This December we heard from Hartman’s Distilling Co. in Buffalo, NY. This new distiller recently opened in the heart of Buffalo and has already been featured on Yelp’s top ten best distillers list for the city. When Hartman’s reached out to us for lighting solutions for the shelves in their tasting room, we couldn’t wait to join their project.

Hartman's Distillery bar, blue wall in the background with lit shelves lined with bottles.To create an inviting glow that also accented Hartman’s beautiful packaging, we suggested our HI CRI PRO-Line LED Strip Lights. This incredible line of LED strip lights offers the best of color temperature and accurate color representation. In Hartman’s case both of these factors are equally important. Settling on a super warm white strip, Hartman’s cut a groove out of their shelving and inlayed the strip lights. Our HI CRI LEDs provide a warm light that crafts an appealing ambience and shows Hartman’s bottles in a vivid, color accurate setting.

Hatman's Distillery shevles on a blue wall. Sheves are lined with bottles and lit with LED strips. Two bottles of Hartman's liquor, one blue and one green, on their marble bar.

What is it about these HI CRI strips that brings Hartman’s tasting room to life? It all has to do with light and color. CRI, or color rendering index, rates how well light sources illuminate an object’s true colors in comparison to natural sunlight. CRI is measured on a scale of 0 to 100. Standard LEDs have a CRI rating around 80. Our HI CRI LED strips have CRI ratings over 92 providing unparalleled quality in color accuracy. Deep blues, verdant greens, and intense reds are all displayed vividly and accurately with our line of HI CRI strips.

Hartman’s application of our LEDs highlights one of the many ways our lights can be utilized. We’re always ready to help you achieve your lighting goals, whatever they may be. Reach out to us at info@solidapollo.com or at 425.582.7533 to begin your next project and be sure to share pictures of your own Solid Apollo lighting solutions.

Photo Credit: Shawna Stanley, provided by courtesy of Hartman’s Distilling Co.

How To: Importance of CCT (Correlated Color Temperature)

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2000K – 6000K (Kelvin) Correlated Color Temperatures (CCT)

When shopping White LED lights, one of the key factors to look for is Correlated Color Temperature (CCT), a rating measured in Kelvin (K) on the hue and tone of the light.

As shown above, as the Kelvin rating rises, the light’s color and hue shifts away from warm orange towards a yellowish white when it reaches the mid-3000K area, followed by white without hue between 4000K and 6000K that closely resembles direct sunlight.

Changing the color temperature can completely alter the mood and feeling of a room; for instance, Solid Apollo’s Candlelight White LED strip lights offer the warmest LED light available in the market at a rating of 2400K, perfect for lighting wood & stone finishes, illuminating baked goods in a display case, or accentuating antique displays.

On the other side of the spectrum, Solid Apollo’s 4000K Daylight White LED strip lights simulates the natural color of sunlight. LED Lights in the temperature of 4000K to 5000K such as Solid Apollo’s Natural White Eco 3528 Double Row, excel in hospitality, office environment, and task lighting applications.

In the case of jewelry stores, a pure white 6000K LED light will not only make gemstones such as diamonds sparkle brilliantly but also clearly define the cut and color, capturing the attention of customers. Please refer to the table below for few examples of color temperatures that are commonly applied to specific applications.

table-data

If you’re not sure which color temperature would best fit your project, give Solid Apollo LED a call (425.582.7533), their team of lighting experts can help you find the right solution for you project / application.

Solid Apollo has been lighting the US market for over 10 years, and their team comes with years of experience in lighting design, project consultation, and LED customization – all the ingredients you would need to help your own bright ideas shine.

Jaw-Dropping Pixel LED Lighting from Solid Apollo LED

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Pixel LED Lights

Solid Apollo’s Pixel LED Lights

Solid Apollo LED is back at it again, introducing the most advanced and innovative LED lighting product in the market: Pixel LED Strip Lights.

Unlike traditional LED strips where you can only display one color of light at a time through the strip, the Pixel LED lights can display multiple colors in a single strip.

No magic tricks here; these strips are a leap forward in LED lighting technology.

Solid Apollo LED offers 2 categories of Pixel LED Lighting: The PixelDot and PixelLine LED strips. Each category comes in 3 models: Black PCB, White PCB, and Waterproof. These Pixel strips run at a low voltage of 12V and have a max power of 72W per strip.

With the technical details out of the way, we can get to the fun part: the magic behind Pixel LED strips.

The PixelDot LED Strips have 300 LEDs that have a microchip embedded inside each LED, the brightness and color of every LED on the PixelDot strips can be controlled individually, resulting in a versatile lighting solution for retail and commercial environments.

With cut points at every single LED, these strips can be cut to any length, from a single pixel to the full 16.4’ spool. On the other hand, PixelLine LED strips feature three LEDs and a single microchip in each cut point, giving you the ability to control 100 segments of 3 LEDs.

While not as customizable as its PixelDot sibling, it can switch between pixel-style lighting and traditional single-color lighting much more easily. If your project would benefit from controlling every individual LED, PixelDot strips are the right choice.

mini-controller

PixelDot LED SPI Pixel Controller

If you are looking to create multiple sections of specific colors without needing to customize each LED or switch from multiple sections of different colors to a single color through the installation, then the PixelLine is the perfect choice.

Both the PixelDot and the PixelLine are RGB strips; when partnered with Solid Apollo’s LED Pixel Controller you can choose from additional colors and create lighting effects such as chasing or cascading lights to entertain guests.

For more complex lighting customization such as mixing color values to access a full spectrum of over 16 million colors, check out Solid Apollo’s DMX to SPI Pixel Control. User-friendly accessories for the Pixel LED Lights are also available to easily connect your strips.

If you have questions about installations with Solid Apollo’s PixelDot or PixelLine LED strips, please call us directly at (425) 582-7533. Our team of highly trained Sales Engineers will happily help you find the answers to your questions.