Custom RGB Lighting Project Idea

[Apache14]

Project : Custom RGB Lighting

Hello All,


Iv seen recently everything HAS to come with the RGB lighting so i had an idea to create a custom RGB led controller (for either full 5050 LED strips or the fancy LED strips that let you change each LED color)

It would be based on arduino stuff and would allow for any colour effect you wanted (wave / disco / pulse ect) and I would make a small desktop app to allow you to control the lighting from the PC itself. If possible i would also try and make it compatible with RGB lighting from big vendors / case makers.

All software made would be open source as well (i'm a Linux & android software engineer for my day job) so anyone could use / modify.

As a quick component list looks to be areound £20 (£12 for the LED strip, £5 for arduino nano, £3 for anything else needed (resistors, capacitors, MOSFETs ect)

Now the question is, would anyone be interested in seeing the creation / development of this ? (iv been looking for a side project for a while)



[Update 10/01/17]

Here is a picture of the LED strip

Here are a couple of test efects I set up to test the LED strip

HSV rainbow effect

Cylon eye effect

[Update 11/01/17]

Made a quick diagram of the setup at the moment, some things to note :

• The "PSU" is just a 5v 1.5A USB charger for now
• The resistor is just for safety not 100% needed
• Can be connected to enay digital pin (i just had a fly lead already on D3)

[Update 14/01/17]

Here are two more effects iv added to the list

Heartbeat Effect

Breathing Effect

Also added some serial communications to the code so the "effect" / speed / colour(s) can bee selected at run time.

Cheers,

Apache14

 

[WantoN]

I'm always up for projects like this and I certainly would very much enjoy reading it.

Products like this do exist though, what exactly are you going for?

 

[ThereIs0nly0ne]

Hello All,


Iv seen recently everything HAS to come with the RGB lighting so i had an idea to create a custom RGB led controller (for either full 5050 LED strips or the fancy LED strips that let you change each LED color)

It would be based on arduino stuff and would allow for any colour effect you wanted (wave / disco / pulse ect) and I would make a small desktop app to allow you to control the lighting from the PC itself. If possible i would also try and make it compatible with RGB lighting from big vendors / case makers.

All software made would be open source as well (i'm a Linux & android software engineer for my day job) so anyone could use / modify.

As a quick component list looks to be areound £20 (£12 for the LED strip, £5 for arduino nano, £3 for anything else needed (resistors, capacitors, MOSFETs ect)

Now the question is, would anyone be interested in seeing the creation / development of this ? (iv been looking for a side project for a while)


Cheers,

Apache14

Sounds very interesting, I definitely would.

 

[Apache14]

Products like this do exist though, what exactly are you going for?

Realistically it would be something that's cheap and user programmable from Windows / Linux / Mac. Also it would allow for any type of RGB effect.

Looking at some pre made solution you are looking for something pretty expensive (for a controller and a set of RGB LEDs)

Bonus would be if I got one of the LED sets that allow individual LED control.

 

[Ollie_B_2000]

Hello All,


Iv seen recently everything HAS to come with the RGB lighting so i had an idea to create a custom RGB led controller (for either full 5050 LED strips or the fancy LED strips that let you change each LED color)

It would be based on arduino stuff and would allow for any colour effect you wanted (wave / disco / pulse ect) and I would make a small desktop app to allow you to control the lighting from the PC itself. If possible i would also try and make it compatible with RGB lighting from big vendors / case makers.

All software made would be open source as well (i'm a Linux & android software engineer for my day job) so anyone could use / modify.

As a quick component list looks to be areound £20 (£12 for the LED strip, £5 for arduino nano, £3 for anything else needed (resistors, capacitors, MOSFETs ect)

Now the question is, would anyone be interested in seeing the creation / development of this ? (iv been looking for a side project for a while)


Cheers,

Apache14

Yep, this sounds interesting. I do enjoy following projects like this.

 

[Apache14]

Cool

LED strip ordered and will be here tomorrow (got the fancy one that allows control of each LED color)

What's the rules on here about linking to items that are not available on ocuk ? Can you link to those sites ?

 

[Legend]

Not that it matters, but this has existed for years. I've seen loads of vids on YouTube of software that you can use to programme any number of LED's in an array, have LED's plugged in a controller which does that, or ones where you download to SD card and simply pop that in to a controller.

 

[Bone9]

Sounds good, subbed

 

[skaif]

Sounds interesting! I love LEDs

 

[Apache14]

Not that it matters, but this has existed for years. I've seen loads of vids on YouTube of software that you can use to programme any number of LED's in an array, have LED's plugged in a controller which does that, or ones where you download to SD card and simply pop that in to a controller.

Ohh i know, however most only allow for the entire strip to be the same RGB colour the newer LED strips can individually control each LEDs brightness and colour. To be honest its for me to have a little fun while making a log on here that others could find useful

So i have ordered (should be here tomorrow)

1. 1 meter strip of WS2812b LEDs (60 LEDs per meter) (£12)
2. Arduino nano (Data page : https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/arduinoBoardNano)

Other bits that may be used :-

1. 1k resistor(s) (got some aying around a few pence each online)
2. 100uF (ish) capacitor (again have one laying around, a few pence online)

* Please note, i have the links to the parts but im unclear on if OCUK forum rules allow me linking to other shops (even if they do not sell the same products)

 

[Smffy]

Interesting! If they don't sell anything OCUK do the links should be fine.

 

[Apache14]

Ok so (mods can remove this link if needed) the datasheet for the RGB LED and its data protocol is here (https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/datasheets/WS2812B.pdf)

 

[Neo_trix]

Yep, love stuff like this. Will defo be up for checking it out.

 

[WantoN]

Very excited for this now. The individual control and low cost is a very cool idea.

I've got a Corsair Commander Mini handling my fans and lighting, but it only has a single LED output. I was looking at the HUE+ but I may even follow along with this.

Looking forward to it.

 

[Apache14]

Just got set up and did some test animations

here is a picture of the LED strip itself while i get the youtube videos uploaded

 

[Apache14]

Here are the two (very quick) tests i ran today :-

** Added to 1st post **

 

[Apache14]

So after playing around with the LED strip for a little while yesterday evening and a few moments today at lunch iv made the below "effects"

Cylon Eye : moving / fading led (left / right) in any hue (as shown in video above)

Rainbow Wave : Wave of rainbow colours moving along the strip (as shown in video above but with the full strip)

Static : Any one colour constant (simple)

Stereo : 50/50 split of the strip with two colours


Anyone have any other ideas for 1 or 2 more effects ?

 

[Apache14]

Update : Added simple circuit diagram to the original post

 

[meandu229]

Update : Added simple circuit diagram to the original post

Photo isnt working. - Working now
Interested in this.
How are you planning on making this? I have a similar setup ive been meaning to make into a nice nodejs setup but never got it going(using an arduino and pi).

 

[balky12]

I quite like the breathing lighting effect. Or heartbeat?