I found these https://www.pololu.com/product/2535,

VERY interesting part, but $4 each for an LED is a lot.

Above you said that all of the channels will not have the same LED count. What are the largest and smallest number of LEDs in a channel?

ak

 

VERY interesting part, but $4 each for an LED is a lot.

Above you said that all of the channels will not have the same LED count. What are the largest and smallest number of LEDs in a channel?

ak

We are finalizing the layout Wednesday I will post then.

 

VERY interesting part, but $4 each for an LED is a lot.

That is for a 10 pack.

Bob

 

Quantity 100, 12 cents a piece on ali express:

I think this is by far the best way to go for this project. The wiring becomes trivial.

Bob

 

The ali express pricing is very good, but I disagree with your read of the Pololu pricing:



I think "unit price" means the price for 1 piece in any of the quantities listed. Makes sense to me, as I don't think the price would drop by 90% going from 1 to 10 pieces at a high-markup specialty site.

ak

 

The ali express pricing is very good, but I disagree with your read of the Pololu pricing:

View attachment 153330

I think "unit price" means the price for 1 piece in any of the quantities listed. Makes sense to me, as I don't think the price would drop by 90% going from 1 to 10 pieces at a high-markup specialty site.

ak

The pricing is for a 10 pack. If you select quantity 1 and add it to your cart, it shows 1 10 pack and a total of $4.95

Bob

 

The pricing is for a 10 pack. If you select quantity 1 and add it to your cart, it shows 1 10 pack and a total of $4.95

Bob

Bob
That is my understanding also. I beleave that with my layout and the need to use 5mm leds and added ease of programing this is the best option I have seen yet. At 50 the price drops to $3.95 or $395.00 a thousand.

 

I have very limited experience with addressable LEDs, but I've generally had good luck with advice from adafruit, and their guides raise some concerns when dealing with 1000 LEDs.

• At least when using their library, each LED requires 3 bytes of RAM, meaning this project would require 3kb of RAM just for the LEDs (50% more RAM than an Arduino Uno.) Some Arduino models have much more memory than others, and you may find a library that requires less RAM per LED than theirs, but it's something to be aware of.
• They say the data lines are vulnerable to a few different things, and that a series resistor is needed at the first LED (easy) and also that a capacitor should be wired in parallel with the + and - legs of EVERY LED when using the through-hole 5mm variety (hard!) Not sure why it's recommended there and not on the strips, but that's what they say...

Again, I'm no expert, just offering references as food for thought:

Wiring:
https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-neopixel-uberguide/basic-connections

https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-neopixel-uberguide/best-practices

Code and memory:
https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-neopixel-uberguide/arduino-library-use

P.S. I just looked at the specs on my preferred model of late, and it's got a lot more RAM! The Feather M0 (arduino zero compatible) has 32k of RAM, so that would make memory a non issue:
https://www.adafruit.com/product/2796

 

I have very limited experience with addressable LEDs, but I've generally had good luck with advice from adafruit, and their guides raise some concerns when dealing with 1000 LEDs.

• At least when using their library, each LED requires 3kb of RAM, meaning this project would require 3kb of RAM just for the LEDs (50% more RAM than an Arduino Uno.) Some Arduino models have much more memory than others, and you may find a library that requires less RAM per LED than theirs, but it's something to be aware of.
• They say the data lines are vulnerable to a few different things, and that a series resistor is needed at the first LED (easy) and also that a capacitor should be wired in parallel with the + and - legs of EVERY LED when using the through-hole 5mm variety (hard!) Not sure why it's recommended there and not on the strips, but that's what they say...

A couple of things.

You do not necessarily need to use 3 Bytes for each LED. If you can determine, in the loop, what color each LED is with a few instructions, you do not need any storage at all. You simply write a loop that puts out the bits for each LED. For this application, each LED is one of two colors (on or off) and a range of numbers will tell which ones are on and which are off, so it is two comparisons to determine which color to put out. This is entirely doable without any storage per LED.

The capacitors are already on the strips. I tried removing a single LED from a strip and wiring it without a capacitor and it did not work reliably. Putting a 100nF across the + and - fixed it.

I have made many projects using strips and I never used a series resistor, and they worked reliably.

Bob

 

A couple of things.

You do not necessarily need to use 3 Bytes for each LED. If you can determine, in the loop, what color each LED is with a few instructions, you do not need any storage at all. You simply write a loop that puts out the bits for each LED. For this application, each LED is one of two colors (on or off) and a range of numbers will tell which ones are on and which are off, so it is two comparisons to determine which color to put out. This is entirely doable without any storage per LED.

The capacitors are already on the strips. I tried removing a single LED from a strip and wiring it without a capacitor and it did not work reliably. Putting a 100nF across the + and - fixed it.

I have made many projects using strips and I never used a series resistor, and they worked reliably.

Bob

Thanks for the clarification. I'm bad at low-level (or even "medium" level!) programming and still lean heavily on libraries. I suspected there would be a better way than the 3byte/LED memory requirement, but since one of the "easy" implementations has that requirement and the thread starter has less Arduino experience than me, thought it was worth bringing up. I'm glad to know it's not a significant problem.

As for the cap, the thread starter specifically said the strips are a no-go, and that the individual 5mm LEDs will be used. As such, it sounds like the one-cap-per-LED may be required.

*** Edited because I accidentally wrote kb instead of byte up above!

 

3kb/LED memory requirement

3b/LED, not 3kb/LED That had me worried!
I'm playing with some WS2812 LEDs in strips at the moment. My daughter wants a Hula Hoop for a show she is in. So far I have an accelerometer to sense the position but the LEDs may not be fast enough.
I just found out about these.. APA102 addressable LEDs have a clock signal so you can drive them FAST. Sparkfun has an article…
https://www.sparkfun.com/news/2693
and EBAY has them too
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/5M-APA1...051586?hash=item213e69f2c2:g:~OgAAOSwOgdYvoFo

I'm not much of a programmer so it takes me quite a while to figure out how the example code works, assuming I can, and to modify it to suit my program. Still, it is fun.

 

WS2811 Take a lot of speed and you must put a cap on them or your going to blow the led.

 

I'm playing with some WS2812 LEDs in strips at the moment. My daughter wants a Hula Hoop for a show she is in. So far I have an accelerometer to sense the position but the LEDs may not be fast enough.

They can be updated at 800000 bits per second. With 24 bits per LED, that is 33,333 LEDs per second. So, unless you have more tha 333 LEDs on your hula hoop, it can be updated plenty fast (100 times per second.)

Bob

 

Yes, 800Khz should be well fast enough. The holdup is really the Arduino so I'm trying to port it all to an ESP8266-01. And the ESP board is small enough to fit in the hoop. Also it will give WiFi control. Maybe Interfix could use an ESP8266 (or ESP32) too?

 

It takes a processor with at least 8 MIPs to time the control signals properly. At least some Arduino's can do this. I use PICs myself.

Bob

 

I recommend using a PLC to control the lights because an arduino is just a toy without any good mechanism to create an adequate package. AND, I recommend that the PLC be one that comes with the free programming software, which saves a lot of money and prevents a lot of grief. You will need output modules with relay contacts rather than transistor outputs. Or, it may be that you will need power relays, depending on how much current the LEDs in each channel draw. That is a big unknown at this point.
Ladder logic will allow a wide variety of options, and it is easy to understand, thus my recommendation.

 

I recommend using a PLC to control the lights because an arduino is just a toy without any good mechanism to create an adequate package. AND, I recommend that the PLC be one that comes with the free programming software, which saves a lot of money and prevents a lot of grief. You will need output modules with relay contacts rather than transistor outputs. Or, it may be that you will need power relays, depending on how much current the LEDs in each channel draw. That is a big unknown at this point.
Ladder logic will allow a wide variety of options, and it is easy to understand, thus my recommendation.

MisterBill2

Point well taken. I am selling the project and I don't want to own it.
I have not made a decision on lights so current usage is still a unknown.
Small PLC would be a better choice. I googled this up.
http://velocio.net/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzK7irbK32wIVFLbACh17vwMlEAMYASAAEgIpOPD_BwE
Do you have a suggestion for hardware?

 

MisterBill2

Point well taken. I am selling the project and I don't want to own it.
I have not made a decision on lights so current usage is still a unknown.
Small PLC would be a better choice. I googled this up.
http://velocio.net/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzK7irbK32wIVFLbACh17vwMlEAMYASAAEgIpOPD_BwE
Do you have a suggestion for hardware?

I do, in fact, have a suggestion, which is a distribution company called "Automation Direct." Aside from a large line of PLC products, the programming software is readily available and free, and it runs on a PC. And they have a wide range of models, some are quite cheap.

 

Use DMX dimmers.
Then you don't need to be an expert programmer, mess with Arduino's, MOSFETS, and all the rest.

https://www.alibaba.com/product-det...tml?spm=a2700.7724857.main07.3.2bcb656aMPFzsZ

Is there a distributor in the US that can help me with the wiring a programing?

 

Is there a distributor in the US that can help me with the wiring a programing?

Most of the PLC products from the source that I mentioned have FREE programming software available for download. You will need enough computer skills to install the software on your computer, though. Much of their product line also includes technical support service as well.. An added benefit is that they provide quite rapid product shipment, unless you owe them from previous purchases.
But if you are seeking somebody to do the physical work of building and assembly then I am unable to assist at all. There are many who offer panel building services, as well as design and programming services, but finding one that is skilled, honest, reliable, and cheap is unlikely.