Fun With WS2812(B) LEDs

RS_Jim

Duane,
Have You had any success in controlling the color in individual LEDs in a string? What I want to do is have a string of 5 and control the color of each one individually. The outer two would pair together but often have different colors, the next two the same and the center one would be totally independent.
Jim

JonnyMac

Jim,

That's very easy to do with my WS2812 driver -- you set the individual color of every LED in your string. See the set() and setx() methods.

RS_Jim

Thanks Jon
Jim

NWCCTV

So are there any other inexpensive chips that can be used to control these LED's. I have several different projects in mind (permanent) and I think it would be a waste to use a Propeller that will only use one pin and a couple cogs max.

Duane Degn

I think just about any Arduino compatible board can control the WS2811 chip.
Here are a few boards from ICStation which should work.
http://www.icstation.com/icstation-atmega328-board-compatible-arduino-lilypad-p-3518.html
http://www.icstation.com/icstation-atmega328-mini-compatible-arduino-p-3555.html
http://www.icstation.com/icstation-atmega328-nano-board-compatible-with-arduino-p-3483.html

The first two need some sort of USB to serial to program them. The Nano can be programmed with a USB cable directly.

I haven't ever used an Arduino to control these LEDs but I believe there are lots of examples online.

NWCCTV

Thanks Duane. I ordered the NANO. Hopefully the EBay ones are the same quality since it was almost five bucks cheaper with free shipping!!!! I have never programmed an Arduino but I just downloaded the Arduino IDE and also a couple sets of sample code to use with the WS 2812's. If it works out I will most likely move some of my smaller projects to the NANO. I have lot's of projects that are half completed and one of the reasons is I only have so many propeller boards available. I think I have more QS boards than anything but they are too large for some of the projects. I think the NANO might work out well for when I don't need the power of the prop!!!

Tumbler

Nice demos Duane and thx for the driver JonnyMac. (without a H)

At the moment i have a 16x8 ledstrip panel (128 ws2812 leds) and want to upgrade it to 36 x 16 leds (576 leds)
Anybody tried JonnyMac's driver with a huge amount of leds?

Here a video of my setup