Can anyone identify what's going on here? please help

[kamikazinyc]

Hello to all noobie's 1st post. this is a led strip Ied removed from a taxi roof ads light, total 6 strips, 3 in series 2 parallel, they are so much brighter then the fluorescent tube they replaced. So I want to use it elsewhere, just wondering why it's got so many things on it IC resistors etc.... just by eyeballing can anyone tell me if I can just use 1 resistor for 3? Or I'm better off just cut the strip and move the other 2 chips closer?
Here's another quick question, kinda off topic,
From this link the resistor is between power source and the (+) side of the led.
http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz

On this link the resistor is between the led (-) and ground!? For a noobie this is too much to handle. By the way I'm using Cree CP41B-RHS/AHS
http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz
Thanks to all

 

[Mike S]

It looks like an op amp based voltage regulator. Have tried powering it with 12V?

Here's another quick question, kinda off topic,
From this link the resistor is between power source and the (+) side of the led.
http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz

On this link the resistor is between the led (-) and ground!? For a noobie this is too much to handle. By the way I'm using Cree CP41B-RHS/AHS
http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz

Current is the same at all points in a series circuit, so the resistor can be placed before or after the LED and it will have the same effect.