Does using an Arduino make sense?

My Hyperion setup has been defunct for awhile now due to a failed USB Video Grabber. However I want to bring it back to life and I would like some guidance.

Previously, I was running a Raspberry Pi 1 running OpenElec with WS2801 LEDs connected to the SPI. This is what powered Hyperion. I used a Raspberry Pi 2 as my media center and thus pretty much everything was done through the USB grabber. One of the reasons I did it this way was because I wanted easy access to my media PC and having it stuck to the back of the TV was not easy access. I went through a lot of frustration setting it up initially because I ran a long cable from the SPI through the wall and out to the LEDs. It didn't work. It was frustrating because it worked perfectly in the test phase of the project. I eventually realized it was the long cable causing the problem. The signal couldn't travel that far. So I had to use a short cable and stick the Pi behind the TV. That is why the 2nd Pi came into being.

Anyway, now I'm thinking of rebuilding it using APA102 LEDs and I was curious if using an Arduino might alleviate the issue I had the last time around. Can I connect to the Arduino from a USB hub? Or must it be direct from the PI? And can I use an LED strip with more than 30 LEDs per meter? I don't know off hand how many were on the strip I saw on Amazon but it was a whole lot more than what my WS2801's had. And finally, and perhaps most importantly, does the performance suffer from adding in this extra piece of hardware?

Thanks much.

I did not have a level shifter. Clock, data, and ground went directly to the pi SPI and power came from a desperate 5v 10amp power supply.

I was looking at these Mokungit 1M APA102 Smart led pixel strip, 144 leds/pixels/m ,IP65 waterproof DATA and CLOCK seperately DC5V White PCB

That's making the assumption that more is better. Is that a correct assumption and would these work or should I stick with less LEDs per meter?

I should specify I suppose, it is for a 55 inch TV. I need to figure out the required length yet.

Yeah, I never had any gaps in my old setup either, I just thought that more lights would allow for a truer depiction of what was on the screen. More granular.

Regardless, that is really only a secondary consideration. The main purpose of the question is will I gain any advantage by using the arduino? Will performance suffer? Can I use a long USB cable between the Pi and the arduino?

I'll read up on that then. Thanks for the input.