I was wondering what is the best way to wire up 4 strings of WS2811 pixels? My setup will have 3 strings of 100 pixels and a fourth string of 71 pixels. I have a Teensy 3.2 and an Arduino Due as controllers. Should I use the parallel output? I tried the multiple strips in one array example and it works but I get some flicker on two of the strings. Each strip is connected to a different output pin and the LEDs are being powered by a separate power supply. The grounds are tied together.
Flicker could mean you need a faster update rate, or it could mean you’ve got power delivery or ground problems. FastLED with OctoWS2811 as its driver is the fastest possible solution (faster than using OctoWS2811 alone) for WS2811 LEDs. It may be a little overkill for only 377 LEDs. But if your flicker issue is electrical, no amount of software can help. Only bigger, shorter wires run directly to the power supplies, and of course good quality supplies capable of the full LED current will help.
It’s weird though because if I just hook up one string there is no flicker but as I add strings the flicker starts
Have you used a multimeter and checked the voltage at various places in your setup just to confirm what you think you should have? (At the beginning, middle, and end of each strip for example.)
What power supply are you using?
Is it flickering everywhere or only certain areas?