No. I doubt it will surprise many I find it easier to program the Propeller but then I have a lot more experience programming the Propeller. I'm sure many find the Arduino easier to program than the Prop. One nice thing about Arduinos is there is a lot of example code available. I'm sure there are plenty of programs available to control WS2812B LEDs with an Arduino. Just don't try to have it read a couple quadrature encoders, control a couple motors, monitor multiple Ping sensors, play music and continually update the colors of the WS2812B LEDs all at the same time like the Prop can.
I might try the Arduino clones. Are they easy to program? I have never used Arduino stuff so I am running blind as far as that goes!!!
YES -
If you just go with BASCOM the BASIC compiler from www.mscelec.com for the ATMEL-AVR series.
free for up to 4k programms.
and very simple to program, very much like core VisualBasic
Grab the Arduino IDE and install it, then Google arduino ws2812 and you will find everything from Instructables to libraries to connection diagrams. Very sim
le to paste the exzmples together and mame things work. (Up until you run out of resources like Duane says) A nano clone is a cheap solution.
Many of the clones you'll find on eBay are imported from China with little or no QC, and many have been found to not have the right bootloader installed on the chip. Unless you're familiar with the Arduino they can be frustrating to use. The Trinket is also USB-ready, whereas some of the other cheap clone boards require a separate USB dongle, which of course adds to your cost.
The Trinket uses an AVR ATtiny85, a capable chip but not anywhere near the power of the Propeller. While the Trinket programs like an Arduino, and uses the Arduino IDE, there may be some differences in behaviors, so be sure to read the page on the Adafruit site. Get the 5V version so it will adequately drive the RGB boards.
For these really tiny MCUs in a convenient package I am looking at using the XMC1100 in a TSSOP16. What's the advantage over an AVR or any other small micro? Plenty plenty, and although an AVR may be cheaper than the $2 price of the 32-bit 64MHz/2 ARM M0, it's the fact that it is an ARM, and that it has 64K Flash and 16K RAM which is way overkill for most small apps but the package and price and internal oscillator make it worth it. But why muck about with all the compilers and tool-chains when I can build a very nice Forth into it so that it is easy to use, just talk to it from a serial terminal and watch it work. The other interesting thing about the XMC1100 is that it appears to work at 5V as well as 3.3V. The next best parts seem to be from Freescale but in troublesome QFNs.
But why does the WS2812B Fun Board only have one LED? What's the fun in that????
I have an idea for something that only requires 1 WS2812B. Using a Propeller is overkill and too big. A Propeller mini is too expensive. All I want to do is light up one of the LED's and cycle through the colors. I ordered a controller with a remote from eBay so I can see what they are using. It is small but still not small enough for what I am wanting to do. Some how, some way there has to be a way of doing this that costs less than $5.00 and will not require me spending hours programming.
I have an idea for something that only requires 1 WS2812B. Using a Propeller is overkill and too big. A Propeller mini is too expensive. All I want to do is light up one of the LED's and cycle through the colors. I ordered a controller with a remote from eBay so I can see what they are using. It is small but still not small enough for what I am wanting to do. Some how, some way there has to be a way of doing this that costs less than $5.00 and will not require me spending hours programming.
Really if this is all you want to do then it only takes a tiny amount of assembler code for an AVR or PIC, both of which are available in 8-pin DIP/SOIC, even SOT-23. I'm sure I'd have the code running in less than a hour if I had it setup in front of me. Write the bit timing, send the 24-bits from a simple 24-bit increment loop and that is pretty much it.
RGB LEDs are available in a 5x5 package -- seems like it would be easier to use one of those and three PWM channels than to create a WS2812 driver for one pixel.
Comments
No. I doubt it will surprise many I find it easier to program the Propeller but then I have a lot more experience programming the Propeller. I'm sure many find the Arduino easier to program than the Prop. One nice thing about Arduinos is there is a lot of example code available. I'm sure there are plenty of programs available to control WS2812B LEDs with an Arduino. Just don't try to have it read a couple quadrature encoders, control a couple motors, monitor multiple Ping sensors, play music and continually update the colors of the WS2812B LEDs all at the same time like the Prop can.
If you just go with BASCOM the BASIC compiler from
www.mscelec.com for the ATMEL-AVR series.
free for up to 4k programms.
and very simple to program, very much like core VisualBasic
le to paste the exzmples together and mame things work. (Up until you run out of resources like Duane says) A nano clone is a cheap solution.
Don't make us start calling you Anduino!
https://www.adafruit.com/products/1501
Many of the clones you'll find on eBay are imported from China with little or no QC, and many have been found to not have the right bootloader installed on the chip. Unless you're familiar with the Arduino they can be frustrating to use. The Trinket is also USB-ready, whereas some of the other cheap clone boards require a separate USB dongle, which of course adds to your cost.
The Trinket uses an AVR ATtiny85, a capable chip but not anywhere near the power of the Propeller. While the Trinket programs like an Arduino, and uses the Arduino IDE, there may be some differences in behaviors, so be sure to read the page on the Adafruit site. Get the 5V version so it will adequately drive the RGB boards.
But why does the WS2812B Fun Board only have one LED? What's the fun in that????
Really if this is all you want to do then it only takes a tiny amount of assembler code for an AVR or PIC, both of which are available in 8-pin DIP/SOIC, even SOT-23. I'm sure I'd have the code running in less than a hour if I had it setup in front of me. Write the bit timing, send the 24-bits from a simple 24-bit increment loop and that is pretty much it.
I have not tried them. You can use an Ardunio to program or the Blinkm programmer. Seems like a good deal if you want a single LED compact solution.