Who wants a cheap, simple, Arduino-based LED controller?

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Roughly compatible. You can program them using the Arduino IDE, once you've performed some tweaks to the environment as detailed on that site, but many of the AVR's hardware functions are in different spots (SPI, One Wire, PWM, etc.) so in some cases you need to tweak libraries or sketch code to get things to work.

Plus there's the closed source bootloader thing. If you manage to erase the bootloader, the device is bricked. Or if the vendor goes under, you're stuck with zero chance of support. Given the open source nature of the official bootloader, neither of those problems will ever happen.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Drumroll please. . . .

It's not complete yet - I forgot to get a socket for the AVR and the trimpot I ordered for contrast on the LCD has the wrong pinout. But I'll put another order in today and hopefully will be testing early next week.

Now it's time to write software. . .

 

[dwl]

sounds good

so, is this going to be an inexpensive kit or something along those lines?

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

I'm not in this in any sort of commercial sense - I'm releasing it as an open source hardware and software project. That means you'll be free to build it yourself. That said, I will likely have leftover prototype PCBs so if you want to work something out, shoot me a PM.

 

[marspeed]

LOOKS GOOD Der Wille

 

[TenKreefer]

Kthx, I'll buy one now!

 

[Neogenocide]

I'm not in this in any sort of commercial sense - I'm releasing it as an open source hardware and software project. That means you'll be free to build it yourself. That said, I will likely have leftover prototype PCBs so if you want to work something out, shoot me a PM.

So if you are out of those prototype boards, how would we go about getting one made up? I only ask because I have absolutely no idea of where to even start.

Thanks for all your work on this!!!

Scott

 

[perikaruppan]

Der, with regards to increasing the PWMs, i have used the TLC5940, and increased the PWMS to 32... i dont use all of them though.

Just made a separate board between my controller and the LED driver to accomodate the PWMS.

The details are here: http://www.arduino.cc/playground/Learning/TLC5940

i have tested it and it works. It totally uses 5 Digital pins, plus you have 2 free PWM pins also.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Scott,

There are a bunch of ways to get a PCB made from a design. I'll publish the design as Eagle project files, so you can generate gerbers and send them to any board house you want to use. Board houses vary in price, minimum orders, and features so it helps to know what you want before you set out. For example, patchPCB will make one-offs but they're a little more expensive than other places. Seeedstudio has great prices but only sells in sets of 10. And so on.

Perikaruppan, I've played with the TLC series a bit. It works great for some things but not so good for other things. It consumes a fair amount of resources on the AVR and the PWM frequency it generates is too high for some uses. I've never used it to drive ELNs though, so maybe it would be OK in that role.

 

[perikaruppan]

driving LED's using those, do you see any problems? or can i get the proper PCB made?

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

If you're talking about driving HP LEDs DIRECTLY from the TLC in order to light a fish tank, it won't really work. The current/power limits on the chip are way too low to be practical. You'd be driving a very small number of LEDs on each TLC and you'd need enough of them that cost would be pretty high.

 

[perikaruppan]

I am using the TLC's to drive the CAT4101 Driver to Drive 6 LEDs, so each TLC will drive 16X6 =96 LEDS, not directly though.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Yeah, I could see that working. You'll probably get some cutoff near the bottom of the dimming spectrum thanks to the TLC's high frequency but that's probably OK for most people.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Got the rest of the parts. The base hardware (AVR, RTC, LCD) is working.

Next up: Verify the PWM outputs and write firmware.

 

[Garage1217]

Uber cool! Very smart idea. Once all is up and running, would love to buy a board to tinker with.

 

[dwl]

+1 here

 

[Ibixable]

I would love one of the boards as well if there are any left
Just let me know

Cory

 

[fstar25]

(Sorry Dwizum, couldn't help myself. Its all that time I've spent in the lounge)

I just got Dwiz's working prototype. Here's a pic. LOL.

~Frank

 

[XSiVE]

wow looks great dwzm!

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

It's 8:48 AM. Do you know what duty cycle your LEDs are running at? I do. All 4 channels are at 80%.