Expand a Baldrick Show: More Controllers, Input8 and Switchy

Expand by assigning each new device a specific job. More pixels in another part of the yard, a visitor button and a switched accessory are different requirements. A useful plan names the device, its local power, its network path and what it should do when the show starts or stops.

Reviewed October 29, 2026. This guide covers the roles of Baldrick8/17, BaldrickInput8 and BaldrickSwitchy. Match board-level instructions to the actual ready-to-run enclosure or bare board you purchase.

Choose the device for the job

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Input8 is not an eight-output pixel controller. Switchy does not provide load power or dim a load. Its exact board revision matters when checking the supply specification. For a switched machine or mains circuit, have a suitably qualified person establish the complete connection and load requirements.

Add another pixel zone through Ethernet

The Baldrick17 manufacturer's expansion guidance uses another networked controller. A differential pixel receiver is not an Ethernet device that can be plugged into a Baldrick network socket.

For a straightforward installation, connect each controller to a suitably located Ethernet switch and power each controller from its own planned local arrangement. The network cable carries show data; it does not replace the pixel-power wiring.

Some bare Baldrick boards offer two switched Ethernet sockets for a chain. Check the enclosure as well as the board: current MD1500 packages expose one network connection, while the separately listed Cosmic Pro-Series Baldrick17 exposes two. A second socket is not a promise of redundant failover. Keep one planned network path and avoid creating a loop by connecting a chain back into the same network.

Give each controller a unique record

Name the zones clearly, such as Porch and Tree. Record the address and MAC/device identity for each, and use your router's reservation scheme where applicable. Add one board at a time so there is no ambiguity about which new device appeared.

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In xLights, create the correct controller record for each physical board. Assign models to their actual outputs, resolve layout errors and upload each verified configuration. Re-render sequences after changing the channel layout, then send the current configuration and files to the intended player.

Test each zone alone before playing them together. The same brief color/chase sequence makes it easier to spot a mistaken address, swapped extension or model on the wrong controller.

Use Turnip discovery and test synchronization deliberately

The Turnip Network helps compatible Baldrick boards discover each other and FPP. Its test synchronization can coordinate supported boards during setup. Use a low, planned test brightness and confirm exactly which boards are participating before starting a broad test.

Discovery does not assign your entire xLights layout or make every socket interchangeable. Keep the network diagram and the physical output map as separate records. Stop synchronized test modes before checking the musical show.

Build one simple input action

Start with a supported button or sensor and the documented pinout for that input. A connector that fits does not establish the correct sensor or lamp voltage. The Cosmic Input8 package listing describes a 12V build and a dedicated lamp feed; verify the delivered feed before selecting illuminated buttons.

1. Connect the input under the product's installation instructions, with power removed for wiring changes.
2. Open the input configuration and confirm that its status changes when the button is pressed or the sensor activates.
3. Assign one press action to a verified CunningFX preset or simple test action. Leave an unused hold action disabled or set to Do Nothing.
4. Test press, release, hold and repeated presses. Confirm only the intended target responds.
5. Record the finished action and add any supported lockout behavior needed for repeated visitor presses.

Once that works, an FPP action can select the actual player and one existing, manually tested playlist. Test what a second press does while a show is already running. Choose the behavior you want and verify it rather than assuming repeated presses are ignored.

Use Switchy only for a defined switching job

For a compatible accessory, identify whether the intended control is a relay contact, a device's external trigger or a switched power circuit. Those are different electrical arrangements. Follow the exact Switchy revision and accessory instructions before connecting either.

First verify the command with the load safely isolated, then prove the intended on/off behavior under the completed installation plan. Include an accessible stop method and test what happens when the network stream ends or the controller restarts. The manufacturer provides xLights and Turnip control paths; choosing one does not remove the need to check the actual load.

Finish by saving the network record, controller settings and input actions. Our recovery checklist gives those details a permanent place, and the controller comparison helps decide whether another local-output controller fits the next zone.

Sources and next steps

• Baldrick8 specifications
• Baldrick17 expansion FAQ
• Turnip Network
• Turniput inputs
• BaldrickInput8 manual
• BaldrickSwitchy manual
• xLights check and render tools
• Mattos MD1500 Baldrick17 package
• Cosmic Pro-Series Baldrick17 package
• Cosmic Interact Input8 package

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