Raspberry Pi with WS2812b strips

OK, wow, big project, I wish you great success with it.

Based on my research in the past and having used and reviewed many other attempts at this.

I would delegate the task of actually running the LEDs to a Micro-Controller, not the PI, this will save you a whole pile of pain. The PI is not good at that tight a data stream, you can ask for 50nS but would be very lucky to get it most of the time.

A Micro-controller of almost any type will be able to handle the strip timing and the choice of controller will be down to how many strings you want on each controller and the overall refresh rate (And how much work you want the controllers to perform outside of the actual display refresh task. If your trying to make them all into a single image then there would also be the issue of synchronization between them if it is animated

The PI or PI's would be used as the masters, deciding what image, performing math and other manipulations etc before instructing the controllers to output the required image.

while I cannot say it is impossible to get 50nS control out of the PI, I have not seen it to-date in a reliable fashion, as long as Linux or other multitasking OS is running on it you will not be able to predict with enough accuracy to meet the requirement of driving the LED chains

Of course now you have confirmed the scope and scale of this project, I will re-iterate one of my other comments

> 1000 Amps.... your strings will be limited in length due to timing, but even more limited in length due to the power drop through the strips. To mitigate this you will need to feed power at intervals into the strips up to the limit imposed by the timing,  but still need to be aware that there can be quite a drop in volts even through the power cables so getting an even brightness may be an issue if you don't account for it

I do not know enough about getting  PI hardware to do that tight timing for driving LEDs which I assume will involve code running at the core of the OS or even replacing the OS so I will not be able to help much there. On the micro-controller side of things I can provide advice or other encouragement if needed and if you choose to go that route

I have to say, i look forward to seeing this completed, it will be amazing i'm sure.

Wow you will need a hell of a PSU to drive that. Even aiming for high-end Magnaseries  you will need a TSD16-1200 unit or bigger to drive it ... and if I recall that beast needs a 3U rack and is water cooled !!!

Not to talk about the +$12,000 it costs !!!

Wow you will need a hell of a PSU to drive that. Even aiming for high-end Magnaseries  you will need a TSD16-1200 unit or bigger to drive it ... and if I recall that beast needs a 3U rack and is water cooled !!!

Not to talk about the +$12,000 it costs !!!