Hello guys,
I've wanted to controll an RGB strip (3 channels for rgb, 1 for +12v) with a Raspberry Pi 3.
Searching on the internet I only found projects that uses mosfets. I was wondering if I can use somehow the controller that I got with this led strip, or if it's possible to controll it with the Pi 3 without mosfets.

I have not done anything like this before, I'm willing to search more on the internet and figure out the programming part myself, I'm just not sure it it's possible without purchasing mosfets.

Thanks for your help.

Here is the controller with IR receiver:

 

MOSFETs (or possibly Darlington transistors) are almost certainly the easiest solution, but if you really want to use the existing controller, there are a few ways that might work...

• Use your raspberry pi outputs to simulate button presses on the IR remote that I assume you also have to go with your IR receiver.
• Reverse engineer (or find documentation for) the communication protocol used by the remote and add an IR LED to your raspberry pi, then send IR messages to the receiver.
• Bypass most of the electronics on the control board, and connect wires from raspberry pi output pins directly to output transistors on control board. I can't tell, so this is only a reasonable guess, but the spots marked with arrows are probably where you could inject signals to control each output. If the output transistors are BJTs, you'd need current limiting resistors. If they're MOSFETs, you could wire directly in.

Given the uncertainty here, it seems easier to just add your own MOSFETs, but if you're able to do a little detective work, there are probably other solutions.