OK!
A lot a guides and tutorials I am finding seem to be a couple years old, and don't address some common issues. So I have a bunch of super noob questions.
1) Is there a way to test the LEDs before splicing them into a frame? I have a RP3B and spool of WS2801 LEDs connected like so (diagram) and I would like to test them before I cut them.
1B) What is the difference between SPI and PWM? I see the WS2801 under SPI (also do I determine the output device like /dev/spidev0.0 ?) I am assuming this is what to use.
2) On the SSH tab of the hyperion-con app, there is a color wheel with "set LED". I had hoped I could select a color on the wheel and click the "set LED" button to set all teh LEDs to that color but every time I click the button the logs will show: "unable to connect to host". But that is very strange as I was able to use the SSH settings at the top of the tab to connect to the RPI, once connected I can install/uninstall Hyperion as well as start/stop the service.
3) Does Hyperion have a setting to set the LEDs to the average color on the screen?
4) If using a USB framegrabber, does Hyperion only change the LEDs in response to that input or can it also use a video playing on the RPI itself? Or would that require separate configs.
Finally
5) the WS2812b LEDs.. do they 100% need additional hardware (ie the arduino)? This guide suggests that they can be connected directly to the RPI.