Pixel Controller Comparison: Baldrick and Kulp

A controller should fit the way your display is wired. Start with the props, their locations and the outputs you need, then decide how the show will play. Baldrick8 and Baldrick17 receive show data over Ethernet and suit layouts organized around local pixel outputs. The Kulp options below add an onboard FPP computer and dedicated differential connections when your plan calls for them.

Reviewed October 29, 2026. This comparison covers the named models and revisions below. Use the selected product listing and the manual for your actual board when ordering or wiring.

Start with the job you need done

• A group of props near one controller: compare Baldrick8 with the number of separate cable runs in your plan.
• More local outputs: compare Baldrick17 before assuming a larger pixel total alone will solve the layout.
• Playback and differential outputs in one system: compare the current Kulp PocketBeagle 2 models, including the computer, enclosure and receiver requirements.

Pixel controller comparison

Local outputs connect to pixel strings at the controller. Differential sockets carry data to compatible receiver hardware elsewhere. The pixel figures below describe data capacity at 40 frames per second; they do not establish how many pixels one cable can safely power.

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Board specifications: Baldrick8, Baldrick17, and Kulp K8 PRO, K8 MAX, K16 PRO, K16 MAX, K32 PRO, K32 MAX.

The table counts physical sockets. It does not promise every receiver mode, chained-receiver arrangement or output combination. Also distinguish board sockets from the connections exposed on an assembled enclosure: our MD1500 Baldrick listings specify one external network connection.

Other controllers you may already own

Keep a working controller in your plan when its supported outputs, firmware and electrical arrangement fit the job. These references help identify common existing systems alongside the Baldrick and Kulp choices above.

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The Falcon entries are based on the manufacturer's current F16V5/F48V5 pages and linked specification sheet. Both document network input and microSD playback synchronized with an FPP master. Check the desired frame rate and selected output mode before comparing pixel-capacity figures. An advertised maximum node count does not establish the electrical load available at the connectors.

On the F48V5, the built-in receiver's four local outputs are part of the documented output mapping. Do not treat the product name as 48 local connectors or assume that adding those four creates a separate 52-output allocation. Confirm the receiver generation, configured chain and local mapping in the actual setup.

For an existing E682, match instructions to the installed firmware. The manufacturer's linked operating manual covers version 4 firmware and has a June 2014 revision; later firmware documentation can change configuration details and limits. We therefore leave its pixel-capacity figure out of this reference rather than apply one firmware version's limit to every board.

Use the dedicated network, receiver and serial connections for their documented jobs. A common RJ45 shape does not make them interchangeable, and receiver compatibility must be established for the exact controller, receiver revision and mode.

Manufacturer documentation: F16V5 manual · Falcon specification sheet · SanDevices E682 operating manual.

Pixel capacity and power capacity are different checks

Suppose six 100-node props each get their own cable. That plan needs six local outputs and controls 600 RGB nodes. Whether the power system can run them depends on the selected pixels, brightness, cable lengths and distribution. An advertised thousands-of-pixels total does not answer those questions.

Check the load at the supply, each power bank, each output and every cable or connector in between. The Baldrick manuals list 7.5A output fuses. Kulp's current PRO specifications list 5A output protection or capacity; the MAX versions list monitored electronic fuses and up to 6A per local output. These limits do not override a lower-rated part elsewhere in the installation.

Voltage also follows the actual build. Baldrick8 v1.0 has different input limits from v1.1/v2; Baldrick17 and the current Kulp boards have their own bank requirements. A board accepting multiple voltages does not make a finished 12V controller suitable for 5V pixels. Work through our power-supply guide before sizing the complete system.

Who plays the show?

Baldrick receives network lighting data using DDP, E1.31/sACN or Art-Net. A computer or FPP player can provide the musical show. Its built-in test functions and CunningFX effects are useful for other jobs; they do not mean that an FPP computer is inside the board.

The current Kulp PRO/MAX boards are capes for PocketBeagle 2. With the required computer and FPP, the assembly can play stored sequences or accept network data. The PB2i listings identify FPP on internal eMMC; check the exact package before buying storage or following an SD-card tutorial for different hardware.

FPP's player and remote roles determine playback, while its channel inputs handle incoming E1.31, Art-Net and DDP. Match that role to the job before uploading files or output settings.

Ethernet, differential and DMX: identify the socket

An RJ45 shape does not tell you what a connection carries. On the Kulp models above, Ethernet, differential outputs and RS485 outputs have different jobs. A network switch belongs on the Ethernet path. A differential receiver belongs on a supported differential output with the required mode, wiring and local power.

Baldrick's receiver guidance uses another networked controller for expansion. Do not plug a differential receiver into its Ethernet socket. For a Kulp receiver plan, record the exact controller model, FPP version, receiver model/revision and configured mode. Have that combination confirmed before ordering; the socket counts above are not a blanket compatibility approval.

For moving heads, check the dedicated DMX interface and fixture channel map. A pixel output does not become a DMX output through a connector adapter.

Board-only or ready-to-run?

A bare board still needs suitable power, housing, mounting, connections and assembly. The enclosure has to accommodate terminals, cable bends, cooling and access as well as the board itself. Use the manufacturer's dimensional drawing and the actual mounting plate; a box name alone does not establish fit.

Our MD1500 builds include the board, listed 12V supply arrangement, enclosure and installed pixel pigtails. Choose the connector family you use:

• Baldrick8 RTR: xConnect or Mconnect.
• Baldrick17 RTR: xConnect or Mconnect.

Follow the MD1500 build's required vertical mounting with cable exits downward. Ready-to-run still needs the correct pixels, software configuration and load plan. For Kulp, distinguish a controller-and-computer package from an assembled enclosure; our K16 MAX assembled listing is a separate purchase option.

Bring us a layout, and we can help you choose

Mark every prop, pixel count, voltage, connector and cable route. Identify what will play the show and which props need separate outputs. Include any equipment you already own and the next expansion you actually intend to build.

Send those details to Support@MattosDesigns.com, or continue with our controller-selection walkthrough. The goal is a complete, workable setup with enough capacity where you need it.

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