Light Show Behind the Scenes - 2 cheap controllers and WLED
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 มิ.ย. 2024
- Happy Pi Day to everyone. In this video we go behind the scenes of our first attempt at a house light show in 2021. The show is running off of 2 $15 WT32-ETH01 microcontrollers running WLED. We showcase a few additional features like home automation and delay timers. We had a lot of trial and error, but overall came up with a decent first year run.
Lots of things slowed us getting this out. Smashed thumb with a hammer so please excuse the black dot on my thumb. A few weeks ago we were just about to deploy this video when the hard drive crashed and became inaccessible. Lots of rework 😑 Ah well...
Links to the hardware in Amazon are below. One thing to note is the WT32-ETH01 doesn't have a USB port and requires a USB to TTL translator (link to one is below). I will put out another video on how to flash when I get a new HD for my computer that crashed.
The show is run off of:
-) 2 WT32-ETH01 boards running WLED
-) 3 5v 60A power supplies
-) Raspberry Pi 4B with FPP
-) 2400+ 5V bullet pixels
Enjoy!
Key hardware for show:
Electronics
-) JacobsParts WT32-ETH01 ESP32 Board - amzn.to/3vkNzDA
-) Programmer for the ETH01 (USB 2.0 to TTL) - amzn.to/3EbRruC
-) Logic Level converters - amzn.to/3EbBDrY
-) NE555 Delay Timer Relay - amzn.to/3jG2EKu
-) FM Transmitter - amzn.to/37LAhb9
Cable Connectors / Glands
-) MUYI 2 Pin Way Waterproof Electrical Connector 2.5mm - amzn.to/3rmVn6v
-) MUYI 3 Pin Way Waterproof Electrical Connector 2.5mm - amzn.to/3JFuvFq
-) RJ45 Waterproof Connector, Female to Female - amzn.to/3EbRNBs
-) Cable Gland PG11 Plastic Waterproof Adjustable 5-10mm (for Power cables) - amzn.to/36iAB0Q
-) Cable Gland PG9 Plastic Waterproof for 4mm-8mm Cable (for Data cables) - amzn.to/3KKKnHN
Cables
-) Cat6 Gigabit Patch Cable Right-Angle - amzn.to/3rsE0S6
-) Cat5e Patch Cable 75 Feet - amzn.to/3KM6fTs
-) 18AWG Low Voltage LED Cable, 2 Conductor - amzn.to/3LZ4ulQ
-) 18AWG Low Voltage LED Cable 3 - amzn.to/3KKrwN4
Box Hardware
-) 12 Positions Dual Row 600V 15A Screw Terminal Strip Blocks - amzn.to/38EhkaL
-) 12 AWG In-Line Fuse Holder - amzn.to/3jAKeec
-) MTM ACR7-18 Ammo Crate Box - amzn.to/3uEAFkS
-) Lead Free solder - amzn.to/3jFZ6Ia
Table of Contents
00:00 - Intro
03:23 - WLED
05:09 - Show Hub (FPP, Router)
06:59 - Roofline Control Box
10:38 - Windows/Door/Matrix Control Box
We have a few of those, as well as some other esp32 modules running our house. So much cheaper and way more fun!
It is really fascinating how much is available now commercially for those interested in DIY home automation.
Being able to buy a handful of cheap esp8266 or esp32 boards and create your own IoT devices is crazy. In my other video, I create a light suit for my daughter using an ESP8266 and 1 phone battery charger.
@@BytesOfPi I love Christmas Light shows because everything can be done with open source stuff. It's a pretty awesome hobby. Just the other day I wired an esp8266 to a projector to turn in on and off with FPP.
Great video, will like to see one when installing everything together as a tutorial.
Thanks! I built these boxes a few years ago when WLED had just caught on and there weren't many commercially available all in one WLED boards.
I still prefer my setup, especially with the ethernet connection, but I'm exploring new options now and seeing if Wi-Fi options can hold their weight. More to come!
thanks i have a lot to learn.
No problem! It's a fun hobby to get into and the community is really helpful. So many new things have come out just in the last few years making it much easier to get started cheaper than just 10 years ago. Good luck on your project!
Thank you I am a composite fabricator let me know if I can help you,
@@BytesOfPi
Well if I am going to light this shape with the 12volt lights I have what will I ned to buy the light feature will be about 15feet from the house
\@@BytesOfPi
Great video. It would have been great to give the final price of getting the multiple things together to run 2 pins (ports). Then others could understand the per port cost against other (Dig Uno, Falcon or Kulp) controllers.
Definitely. If you check the description of the video, I have links to the components used in the build from Amazon and you can get a more accurate dollar amount (inflation has taken a bite in the last year).
I believe you can reliably get four (4) ports from each controller ( see the W32-ETH01 specs for I/O pins). I actually run three (3) ports from each controller. The matrix, left side windows and right side windows from the big box, and the three different roof lines from the other.
When I started this, the Digi Uno was on an earlier version of WLED which only controlled from one port. Quindor's video about flashing WLED using platform IO was very helpful.
One thing to be careful about with the Digi Uno and Digi Quad, is using a microcontroller that's only wireless and not Ethernet enabled. Results will vary if you try and run an xLights fseq show via E1.31.
an esp32 with ethernet port is is 16$ on amazon right now and can run 4 channels with 1000 leds per channel (stably) level shifter is 10$ for a 20 pack, the plastic box you stick the electronics in would be the most expensive part. Falcon controllers have alot of extra features but theyre not even close to being worth the $. And in my opinion all the extra plugs and features are unnecessary since xlights does all the work anyway.
I have 2 questions, what are the pins on which the data outputs are connected? and how many outputs can be done in this controller?
I believe you have five pins that you can use, resulting in five output channels. Pins 2, 4, 12, 14, and 15... Pin35 is input only so you can't send data out. Here's a pinout diagram. m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71CYGN4D47L._AC_SL1500_.jpg
And the other cool thing is you're not limited to just one universe per output... So that's a cool thing
Thanks, very helpful. Do you have a link or further description of the "8 second" delay module? thank you.
Sure thing. I found that the 555 board was very helpful in making sure that the power supply was completely powered up and sending 5 volts before sending it to the microcontroller. This video was very helpful showing how to use the timer.
Fair warning, the video shows a 12 volt timer, but I used a 5 volt timer. Same manufacturer, same layout, different voltages. The link to that timer in Amazon is in the video description
th-cam.com/video/WCbU2VMnmTc/w-d-xo.html
Thanks!
I know it has been a while since you created this video, But I have a question and some information on my project that is based on yours.
1) I created a 4 channel controller using the WT32-ETH01 board, but when I tried to used IO12, it would freeze up. I ended up using IO2, IO4, IO14 and IO15.
2) If I would plug in the Ethernet cable the local AP did not show up for me.
3) with the Ethernet cable plugged in, it did not grab an IP address from my DHCP server.
4) I had to keep the Ethernet cable unplugged, Log into the Local AP for the device and set up the IP and gateway as static in the WiFi setup. This seems a little unintuitive. Once I done that there were no issues connecting to it from the LAN.
5) I fused each port at 5A
6) I did not use the 555 timer as mine seems to come up with no issues
7) I am using 12V WS2811 LEDs, and a 12V to 5V Buck converter to power the WT32-ETH01 and Logic shifter HV input.
I have tested all four ports with Props and xLights and all seems to be good. Although I want to do some more testing.
Questions:
1) How many nodes are you running on each port?
2) Are your LEDs exclusively at 5V?
3) What does your AC and DC current draws look like, or have you monitored them?
2) How many nodes do you think that can be run on each port? The WLED documentation makes it sound like I can effectively run 800 nodes per port. I will run at 30% brightness for the show and assuming that this count will be something less because of the current requirements.
Thanks for the video. It has been very helpful getting me started. This is our first year trying to do a light show and I must admit, the learning curve was real. HAHA
Regards,
Joe
I love the idea of a timer relay, prevents startup power surges. Do you have a link to the one you used?
The timer relay has been really useful. I'm glad you mentioned it, because I thought I had included the link in my description, but I hadn't.
I updated my description, but to save you some time here's the link to the NE555... amzn.to/3jG2EKu
I've only purchased the 5v timers (I only have 5v in my display), but I also included a link for 12v timers in case you use 12v in your display. I've not purchased the 12v, so I can't speak to the reliability of the vendor.
-) NE555 Delay Timer Relay (5v) - amzn.to/3jG2EKu
-) NE555 Delay Timer Relay (12v) - amzn.to/3EccHAx
@@BytesOfPi Thanks for the info.
Thanks Mate, (B.O.Pie) but they are out of stock, (5v) would love to buy it though your affiliate link. Will try the other brand.
@@bishamsingh1490 no problem, they are definitely worth the purchase no matter the vendor. You could try to replicate the circuit with a potentiometer, a capacitor, a relay, and the right circuit diagram, but buying it all assembled like this is probably most cost-effective
Howdy Mr. B.O.P. so now that I have everything working in xlights...what do I wire the lights to, I have watched this video...and it doesn't really tell me the "GPIO Pins" on what device I should be wiring to. In other words, am I wiring the lights to the WT32-ETH01 pins?.
As I eluded to before, a simple wiring diagram "in where to wire the lights" would be helpful at this point.
Thank You...I wouldn't't have got this far without these helpful videos.
Sure thing. Each microcontroller pinout is different. For the WT32-ETH01, you can find the pinout diagram here:
community-assets.home-assistant.io/original/4X/a/2/9/a290da10619d9d0019ad0baf42bda455010a173d.jpeg
If you take a look at the pins on the left, you'll see a lot of pins marked as:
IO2, IO4, IO35, IO12, IO14, IO15, etc...
The number following "IO" is the # you match in WLED.
For example, in this video I link the aliens to pins in WLED. th-cam.com/video/LkGCo9Gi8mk/w-d-xo.html
In the video, in the LED Preferences, I set the pins to 2 and 4. In the pinout diagram above,
-) Pin 2 matches IO2
-) Pin 4 matches IO4
The data pin should be matched up with the middle wire on the LEDs. Red should match the positive (5v) and black with negative (GND)
As for Controller boards with Ethernet connection, would you go with an ESP32, the Dig Uno or some other boards I am not aware of? I already have a DigQuad as you know but for my expansion I will most likely need to add boards... data wire / location forcing me to add a few boards as I find it difficult to run everything from a single board (mostly due to the length of the data cable which is limited). Thank you!!
I can only comment on the boards I use (the WT32-ETH01 boards I mentioned in the video). The boards are cheap ESP32 boards with an Ethernet jack built in so no need to purchase an additional Ethernet shield.
There are drawbacks to using these boards as you have to provide your own fuses, resistors, screw terminals and NE555 timer. It also doesn't have a built-in micro USB port, so you need a TTL programmer to flash it. I talk about how to flash these types of boards in another video.
If you're willing to pay for the convenience of having the hardware set up, then the Digi boards seem the way to go
There is a whole other world of non WLED controllers like Falcon and Kulp boards which the lighting community has used for years, but they are much more expensive. They also need to be fed light show data over a network and don't work by themselves.
I think WLED is a market disruptor and those expensive controllers are going to need to deal with the control that WLED provides.
@@BytesOfPi Thanks for the reply, I agree that based on what you said, the Dig Uno seemed to be my best option. I'll look at it in the Spring. Falcon products (and other) are very expensive and I do agree with you that WLED and xLights are most likely hurting them... Competition is always good for the consumer!! : )
It all started off with two cheap $15 controllers!
Yep. That's where it started. I wanted a cheap entry into a display of individually addressable lights and spending $15 on a controller really beat out the $300+ Falcon controllers available at the time.
Since that video, so many engineers have capitalized on WLED and microcontrollers (Quindor, Kulp, Forkineye, etc...). They build PCBs with preassembled components like level shifters and fuses that undercut the larger players for $40-$50 a pop.
It's exciting to see how much has changed in the last 4 years and how many newcomers have gotten started since
I'd honestly like a build breakdown of everything in the box. I see a breadboard, the WY32-ETH01 etc but I myself don't know how to connect all those together. I see jumper wires but don't have the first clue how any of it works. I can copy cat though with a build video if possible
I will definitely keep that in mind. I have all the components for another box, but other projects like putting stars on trees, and creating two new xLights sequences are holding me up.
A fritzing diagram may also help as well.
One of the other things I'm trying is I created a PCB circuit and am waiting for it to be delivered from China. That should make it easier and cleaner to connect the pieces than with just a breadboard. If it works, I have improvements in mind to make it cleaner
Many thanks for producing such informative videos. I'm just about to start learning Xlights configured with WT32 controllers however I've been using Wled for a number of years, so no learning required for that part. Regarding the overall setup, you use a RasPi with FPP installed and connected to a Router. I assume each WT32 controller then plugs into one of the routers spare ports. (4 being the norm on most routers) Is that correct?
Thanks! That's a good question.
Almost. One port goes to the Pi. The second port goes to one of the WT32-ETH01 inside the garage. A third port goes to an 8 port switch out in the yard.
The box is positioned centrally in the yard to minimize the distance to the 4 additional exterior WT32-ETH01 boards running the rest of the show. That central box also provides power outlets to the rest of the yard. I have enough to be able to expand to an additional 3 controllers in the future.
The power going out into the yard box is always on, keeping the switch constantly powered. It also has a home automation switch that powers the other outlets so I can schedule when the props turn on or off or manually turn them on/off via my phone.
@@BytesOfPi Many thanks for the detailed reply. The use of an additional 8 ports for future controllers is a great idea. It's amazing how the WT32 performs for such a low cost when comparing it to commercial controllers. I have successfully run around 1500 pixels before on a single pinout with an ESP32. The frame rate wasn't too bad either considering I was probably approaching the controllers limits. I believe there are at least 5 usable pins on the WT32, meaning as many as 4000 pixels at 800 per output could be used per controller.
@@modelmanmark
Yep, that's definitely true. The most I have running off of one WT32-ETH01 is my latest matrix of 2365 pixels using 3 output ports.
It doesn't handle the canned WLED 2d patterns well, but it handles xLights 40FPS sequences like a champ.
WLED has a page talking about their recommendation on performance for ESP32s
kno.wled.ge/features/multi-strip/#esp32
For perfect performance, it is recommeded to use 512 LEDs/pin with 4 outputs for a total of 2048 LEDs.
For very good performance, it is recommended to use 800 LEDs/pin with 4 outputs for a total of 3200 LEDs.
For good performance, you can use 1000 LEDs/pin with 4 outputs for a total of 4000 LEDs.
For okay performance, you can use 1000 LEDs/pin with 5 outputs for a total of 5000 LEDs.
For okay performance, you can use 800 LEDs/pin with 6 outputs for a total of 4800 LEDs.
Hi, could you tell me what diodes you used for roof lighting? I mean from the point of view of sufficient illumination. ws2812 or 2811
All my pixels are WS2811 5V 5 inch spacing IP68 bullet pixels from Ray Wu.
I've been fortunate that my roofline pixels have lasted without issues, but the last few batches from Ray have been sketchy at best. Lots of bad pixels out of the box and they are quick to blink at lower voltages. Ray is also the vendor with the most reported issues on pixel report
www.pixel.report/report-data
I'm probably going to shop around for my next batch
@@BytesOfPi I would like to clarify, what is the distance between the pixels in the end on the roof, windows? I think it's about 2 inches? Because the lines are very smooth.
I ordered for a sample of 12V 2 inches in diameter with a distance of 4 inches, each pixel has 3 diodes. Right now, in thought, while there are discounts on them, I would like more, but I'm afraid at such a distance on the roof and when observing from 6-7 meters, each pixel will be clearly visible and the rainbow will not turn out smooth.
Hello again, I have a question about the controller. I would like to know how can I make an LED blink when connecting my controller via ethernet?
on the ETH01 board comes what is link pin but I don't know how the connection would be
could you help me with that?
Are you looking to use WLED to light up a string of LEDs or just run a "Hello World" blink for the WT32-ETH01?
I've got another video (see below) on how to flash WLED onto that board. The challenge for programming this particular board is that it doesn't have a micro USB cable to program. You need to have a TTL Module Serial Converter Adapter to program...
If you go to this part in the video (th-cam.com/video/nvM-QI4Z_M4/w-d-xo.html), I talk about the specific pins and even have a pinout. Look at the pins on the side (IO2 means Pin 2, IO4 means Pin 4, IO12 is Pin 12 and so on). Here is the actual pinout image - m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71CYGN4D47L._AC_SL1200_.jpg
If you've never programmed a microcontroller or an arduino, and you are looking to do a simple start without an adapter and use, there are easier boards to program with. Most ET32 board you find on Amazon or other sites have a built in USB port and use WiFi by default (no ethernet though).
You could go even easier and purchase one of Quindor's Digi Uno that has the software already flashed and ready to plugin and use with WLED.
@@BytesOfPi I ONLY THOUGHT THAT WHEN I CONNECTED THE ETHERNET CABLE TO THE BOARD, A POWER LED WILL ACTIVATE BUT I ALREADY MANAGED TO DO IT
@@thehectorinproducer , I'm not sure what you mean by "the power led would activate" when you plug the ethernet in. The reason why the board is cheaper than other ethernet boards is that it's not POE power over ethernet.
You have to provide a separate power source to turn it on. Also with POE boards the switch you connected to also has to support POE.
The reason why I like 5 volt lights is that I can power the board the same power source as what powers the lights.
Is there a way to use digital relays with WLED for non smart lights ex. Flood lights or non smart trees ?
Oof... I've got so many thoughts on the topic it's going to be hard to reply.
Short answer WLED is not the right tool for ac (non pixel "smart" lights). However, there are lots of options if you are looking to sequence "dumb" lights to music.
DIY Path
---------
5 years ago, I built a box using an 8 channel solid state relay that would turn 8 separate strands on and off. There was a lot of hardware and programming involved. First video explained hardware, 2nd and 3rd video was the build video, and last video was programming. It was targeted for my wife's programming class, but probably not the most efficient way. If you skip the last video, FPP can control GPIO pins just like my program would and take instructions from xLights sequences th-cam.com/play/PLI52OsmA0tXyLtCUauV6TRnHpLaeu5tek.html
I based my build off of Dee Higginbotham
th-cam.com/play/PLQMY6gaXDkJeQWXHNwlDY9Bx7Umi2HPJo.html
Store bought path
---------------
If that is too much DIY, Light-O-Rama and Wired Watts have AC controllers that can take commands from x lights or vixen sequences
store.lightorama.com/collections/showtime
www.wiredwatts.com/p2tac9
I have no idea why I have not ran into your videos until about 3 weeks ago. Thanks for all the efforts you put into the videos. I was wondering if the issue you mentioned at 8:48 has to do with the power supply itself. Typically SMPS takes some time (in micro seconds I guess) to start up and some SMPS do have internal start-up load resistor as a work around. You may want to try adding a start-up load resistor to your setup and see if it works as it will save you the extra timer-relay breakout board.
One question I have for you though is, where are the output pins you used defined, is that somewhere in the WLED module? I will set aside some time to look at the module to see if I can find anything there, but any response will be helpful. I am interested in building this out as I ordered one of the board that will come in this week. I currently run all my entire house displays with ESP8266 wirelessly without delays but I know the throughput of wired network cannot compete with wireless.
Thanks for the suggestion abdultairu!
Startup load resistor: It could be the supply, but I have about 6 of these now with different power supplies (some meanwell, some not) and they all have that flakiness.
I found a great video by Andreas Spiess that explains what I've experienced. th-cam.com/video/BqwUNOHiZ9k/w-d-xo.html
If you get the board and you get a load resistor to work consistently, I'd love to hear if it works
Output pins defined: Sure, I have a few videos on setting up the WT32-ETH01 boards, but if you're looking for a pinout a good diagram is at:
community-assets.home-assistant.io/original/4X/a/2/9/a290da10619d9d0019ad0baf42bda455010a173d.jpeg
I've had the best luck with IO2, IO4, IO12,IO14, and IO15.
I talk about pins and flashing the WT32-ETH01 with WLED at: th-cam.com/video/nvM-QI4Z_M4/w-d-xo.html
Once you've flashed your board with WLED, you specify your pins in the WLED config... Specify Pin 2 for IO2, Pin 4 for IO4, etc...
@@BytesOfPiGot the WT32-ETH0 and I successfully powered it using board similar to the one I used to power Wemos D1 mini for my current displays. Configuration was a breeze using DPP protocol and so thanks for showing that on the video.
I did not experience delayed start up like you did in my setup and I tried it several times and each time WT32-ETH0 came up as fast as possible and since the IP address is static there was no issues connecting to the network.
Next step is to bring out two outputs out of the board (maybe put a fuse on the output as well) and send it out for fabrication. I will try and work on the PCB design, once I get the boards get them tested, I will let you know as I will like to put the schematic diagram and the PCB files out there for anyone who can find it useful. For you, the board will eliminate the need for logic level converter breakout board as the board that my friend and I designed uses very cheap components and is easy to put together.
Here is the link describing the boards - www.instructables.com/member/atairu/instructables/
@@abdultairu that's awesome! I took a stab at a PCB design but I got the output traces for the 4 output pins too close to each other and they interfered with each other. I'd love to see what you came up with
@@BytesOfPi, I have been trying to make updates on this thread to let you know updates on the board, but it is not getting saved. Anyway, The board designed along with my friend is now ready for testing. Here are the feature:
1. Multi-Voltage input (5-24v), so it can power both 5v, 12v and 24v pixels
2. Header pin can accommodate both types of sold WT32-ETH01 (flipped or non-flipped)
3. Power input is protected against reverse polarity
4. The board has a dedicated UART to USB IC for flashing WT32-ETH01
5. Currently, we were only able to produce 8 and 4 output boards since this is the medium and maximum that WT32 can gracefully support
6. Each individual output has 5 amp fuse
7. Pixel output has phoenix 5.08mm pitch 3-pin connector while the power input has 6.35mm pitch 2-pin connector to be able to handle sizable current
I will upload the picture of the finished board to instructable page soon, so you can take a look and for testing purposes, my friend and I will want to send you a fully populated board so you can test and provide your feedback.
Forgot to add the fact that we think we solved the issue you had to fix with the timer board and so, it will be interesting to see if indeed we fixed it once it is tested by another person.
Hi, you mentioned running your ESP32 off two 5V batteries. Are you able to provide details, please? I've always struggled with powering the ESP for any more than say 1 hour... many thanks.
Actually you can run an ESP32 and 300+ pixel LEDs off of one 5v phone power bank. If you're familiar with those portable phones chargers, they are essentially long lasting durable 5v batteries.
Check out this video where I cover how to get started with mobile lights. It talks about how to use the phone charger as your battery pack
th-cam.com/video/LAIMvWQhx_M/w-d-xo.html
@@BytesOfPi - great, many thanks, I'll check it out!
At 10:29 you say that you have the fuses fused at 10 volts and then controller at 5 volts. Did you mean amps?
Yep, exactly right... They are fused at 10 amps and 5 amps respectively.
That flub got past the multiple times I reviewed . Good catch! Volts, amps, and watts... Ohm my!
hey bytes with one if the links the JacobsParts WT32-ETH01 ESP32 Module Ethernet WiFi Bluetooth Development Board 100Mbps RJ45 isn't avabile do you recommend any thing to substitute that ?
Unfortunately no. I have used Espressif ESP8266 and ESP32 boards, but only for self contained WLED projects or my self coded light suit project.
I have never purchased the DigiUno's or DigiQuads but hear a lot of good comments about them... I've watched Quindor and DrZzz and they look like they have a lot of the challenging parts like screw terminals, resistors and level shifters integrated. Only if you are going to coordinate with xLights, you need to purchase an Ethernet shield.
@@BytesOfPi I never never build anything like this before or even solder do you think this is a great starter project for me or should I try something smaller and build up and what would you recommend
@Kyle
There are so many things I could say starting off brand new. It really depends on what your goals are.
Start small - it is so easy to sink a bunch of money into this and find it is not for you.
Check out the first video for my light suit below. You can do all of this without soldering anything. If you just want to outline your door or monitor or some feature in a room, you can substitute the portable battery for a normal USB wall charger
th-cam.com/video/LAIMvWQhx_M/w-d-xo.html
If you get WLED up and running, and you can connect it to your local Wi-Fi, you can try to create a very rudimentary xLights sequence at about 20 frames a second.
You can buy all these pieces from Amazon and I have links in the description. However for things like the resistors and capacitor, they usually sell in Amazon in bulk. You may not want to buy these in bulk If you're just starting out. If you have a local electronics store like micro center or Fry's, you may be able to purchase some or all of these pieces individually for cheaper. Or take your chances on eBay or Ali Express
@@BytesOfPi thank you so much I’ll try that I have a huge interest in computers and electronics but I never been hands out I want to find a project that was good start so I’ll try the light suit and thank you for replying
@@pspwilliams no problem! Good luck with your project!
Hi, great video.
Please let me know if I can use ESP8266 to control 5050 RGBW addressable leds 24V?
Thank you
I've not had to work with RGBWs and if the WLED packets include the W (white) component, but a quick Google search says that WLED indeed supports that. It says that even though the power for the lights may be 12 or 24 volt, the data line is still 5 volt.
Here are two links with related information.
www.reddit.com/r/WLED/comments/pvyyur/success_5050_rgb_led_running_on_wled/
github.com/Aircoookie/WLED/issues/58
@@BytesOfPi Thank you
how did you attach everything?
For the data lines, I used 18/3 AWG gauge wire and connected them with the Ray Wu connector ends.
For the power injection lines, I use either 18/2 or 16/2 AWG gauge wire with 2 prong MUYI connectors
How many leds can be controlled with one card?
That really depends on the memory of the card. I'm not yet tested the threshold of the cards, but one of the cards handles around 1500 pixels easily.
You can probably run much more, but if you string too many pixels on a single output port, the issue is then with the string and how many pixels it has to propagate the message down. If you can split your pixels between four output pins you could probably bump it up pretty high.
If it helps, the matrix and all the windows and doors are run off a single WT32-ETH01 microcontroller in my house videos this past year.
It used to be limited at 1500, and earlier builds due to ESP8266 memory limitations, but i believe they've increased the value support of some ESP32 boards like this.
How did you get a separate router setup for just the lights? I assume it is piggybacking off your main home network?
The router was just personal preference. There is no need to have your personal network exposed to the glut of E1.31 data or have your show network exposed to the internet.
However the FPP raspberry Pi 4 has a wireless board as well as a physical ethernet jack. You can set up your FPP to hook to your main network wirelessly and control the show through the physical.
So, when the power supply overheats and needs to engage the fan, how does it circulate air in that control box? I live in the desert and I don't think that would work well here.. Also, is there a simple way to get the ESP32 to work with Bluetooth on stand alone projects(no network)..I want to program 10 LED settings onto an ESP32 so I can install a strip of 5 LEDs in a sculpture. I would prefer that it didn't need to connect to the internet. I just want to turn it on and select the light cycle. Maybe there is a better device for what i want to do? I would GREATLY appreciate any advise you have on this subject!
Good points and great questions.
I live in the midwest in the US and it's humid more often than not so venting allows for dew and humidity to get in. I also run my shows between October and January and it's cool enough not to have to vent to circulate air. However, if you're running it in hotter temperatures and it's mostly dry like in a desert, downward facing vents are very useful. I've actually purchased 2 downward facing vents for my boxes, but I've not had a need for them yet. Here's a link:
IPV-1115 IP32 Air Vent: (amzn.to/46JWnoi)
As for your small project with only 5 LEDs, I have a few ideas as well. I use WT32-ETH01 specifically for my show boxes where I need Ethernet, but you don't need that for your small project. Instead, you're probably looking for a smaller ESP32 (or even an esp8266) that can power both the board and your lights with a micro usb cable with a regular 5v wall wart. Hook the power of your LEDs to the 5 volt pin on your board and hook the ground to the ground pin. You can use one power source to power both your board and your lights all at once.
HiLetGo ESP32: amzn.to/46GRzA6
Bluetooth vs AP: Back a few years (before WLED existed), I did write a custom program that talked to my Android app via BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) (see code at github.com/BytesOfPi/LEDSuit). However, if you flash WLED onto your ESP32 and you don't set it up to hook to a network, it will stand up it's own Access Point (AP). Even with no WiFi around you, your board acts like a small WiFi Access Point. All you need to do is search for the WLED AP on your phone and you'll be able to hook to and control it using the WLED UI. I'd give that a try before rolling a custom app.
@BytesOfPi Thanks a ton!! I'll try re-flashing one of my ESP32s, and I will skip(?) where it wants to set up the network info... I didn't know it would create its own access point.. hopefully, that works, but then I would have to toggle between my network with internet and the network broadcast from the ESP-32? How would I just save 10 LED patterns onto memory somewhere that I can access via a button push on the finished device? This is for custom art where the lights are not the center of the show.. just an effect. So, when someone takes home one of my pieces, I want them to plug it in and select the light cycle and be done. I am highly proficient with hardware and troubleshooting electronics, but I can't wrap my brain around the gibberish of coding! I was hoping there was a way to just flash the ESP to do what I want.. I really appreciate your response! Honestly, I didn't expect one.. I have asked many creators long-winded questions with no response.. I am a new subscriber now! Thanks
@@Ravenseyes10
Not a problem!
I've not connected a momentary button to my WLED creations yet, but I have created presets and created a macro that cycles between other presets. Here are the steps for 0.14.0 WLED build and later.
High level :
1) Create pattern presets: Start off by adjusting the patterns and the colors and the pallets until you get your LEDs behaving the way you'd like to. Then in the app, click on the presets tab. Create a new preset and make sure that "Use Current State" is selected so it saves the current settings as a preset.
2) Create a "Macro" preset: once you have all of your presets created, Create a new preset, but uncheck the "Use current state" checkbox. A new "API" command text box will allow you to enter a macro command. Here you can specify the preset cycle macro. For example, If you want the button to cycle through presets with the ids of 1 through 9, the API command would look like:
P1=1&P2=9&PL=~
You can test if this works by continually pressing the new preset button and watch as the presets cycle.
3) Map a button to a GPIO pin: Now if you physically connect a momentary button to your three volt and a GPIO pin, you can go to "LED preferences" and map that GPIO to one of four buttons.
4) Map button to preset: finally, in the preferences section, You can go to the button actions and map a short press to the ID of your macro preset.
As I said before, I've never physically mapped a button to a GPIO pin, so the last two steps I'm semi-confident.
More documentation can be found here: kno.wled.ge/features/macros/
@@BytesOfPi you rock! Thanks!
how many channels can each controller handle? 4?
I have only needed to use up to 4, but like most ESP32 chips, you can probably get to more than 8. I just saw someone on Reddit who built a board for the WT32-ETH01 which used the following 8 GPIO pins for outputs:
GPIO2, 4, 5, 14, 15, 17, 32, 33
so i’m trying to do something in this realm. basically i have an esp32 board setup with wled on it. i want to sync it to music on my computer. Is there a way to send Midi from My Daw, and to the esp32 board to trigger different light sequences in Wled? I think Wled accepts this sac protocol for triggering. but how do i connect that to the board wireless my. does the sac have its own app for this. I feel like you are super smart and could explain it. thanks
Are you looking for the WLED sound reactive sequences to react to songs you create on your DAW? I haven't had the opportunity or need to try SAC, but there are 2 things that come to mind if you want WLED to react to custom songs
Audio reactive WLED
If you hooked a mic up to your ESP32 there are sound reactive sequences that will react to the music it hears.
kno.wled.ge/advanced/audio-reactive/
xLights sequences
I prefer to have tighter control on how my light show reacts to music, so I sequence my lights to music using xLights and then use DDP to deliver light data to my individual WLED controllers.
One place you might find solution to your problem is the r/WLED Reddit page. There are a lot of guys there that maybe able to provide more insight.
If you do go down the SAC protocol path and get it to work, it may be worth posting your success on that page so others can follow in your footsteps.
@@BytesOfPi xLights, that’s interesting. i haven’t heard of that. also DDP,
what is that? is that a lighting protocol like art-net?
@@eross21
xLights is an open source tool that the lighting community has used for years. High level, it allows you to model your display area with all of your light props and controllers and create "sequences" that will fire DMX based packets using the DDP protocol.
I have another video that demonstrates connecting xLights and WLED. The video doesn't show the music sequence because of YT policies, but you can see my current light shows on the channel synced to music
th-cam.com/video/LkGCo9Gi8mk/w-d-xo.html
If you're interested in DDP protocol or xLights, here are a few links
xLights: manual.xlights.org/xlights/
DDP protocol: www.3waylabs.com/ddp/#Efficiency
Do they work with 40fps?
Heck yeah. My show this year had 4 boards and all my sequences were 40 FPS. No lag or staggering at all with ethernet
4 boards in my Halloween show
One board for the arches
One board for the aliens
One board for the roof line
One board for the windows, door and matrix
4395 5V bullet pixels
Here's a sample show at 40 fps
th-cam.com/video/PhmG9uc8Ja0/w-d-xo.html
They sure do. All of my sequences are 40 FPS and they run with no lag or stuttering. My Halloween show this year ran 4 WT32-ETH01 boards.
-) One board ran the alien props
-) One board ran the driveway arches
-) One board ran the windows, door, and matrix
-) One board ran the roof line
4395 5V bullet pixels in total
To give you an idea, Here's one sequence from the Halloween show running on 40 FPS
th-cam.com/video/PhmG9uc8Ja0/w-d-xo.html
Hello. how do i wled fleshs on the ethernet device? I couldn't do it without the USB connector. would you give me how to do it! thank you
Glad you point that out. I believe to cut down on the cost of the board, the WT23-ETH01 doesn't have a micro usb port to flash like other common ESP32 boards on the market. In order to flash, you need a TTL Module Serial Converter Adapter. Here's a link to the adapter I use - amzn.to/3tVy9VR
I also have another video where I outline how to connect the adapter and flash the board. Check out th-cam.com/video/nvM-QI4Z_M4/w-d-xo.html
@@BytesOfPi grazie mille 👍😊
@@BytesOfPi Hello. I could ask you another question! 😊 how many channels can i use on wt32 ethernet? for esp32 10 channels pin. thank you
@@salta199
That's a good question. There are a lot of input output pins, but there are only 5 input output pins that are safe to use. You might be able to use one of the other IO pins, but at best they might be sketchy.
IO2, IO4, IO12, IO14, IO15 - safe Input output pins
IO0, IO1, IO5 - reserved for programming
IO35, IO36, IO39 - input only (can't output a data signal)
IO32, IO33 - specialized pins...
I have a question when it comes to connect LED to the controller. I have a QuinLED-Dig-Quad Controller. For now I will be using 2 Channels as I will have 7 strips of 150 LED/Strip. First channel will have 4 strips (total of 600 LED which is what's recommended I believe), the second channel the rest. I will have power injected throughout. I know LED strips are directional, now, for simplicity and logistic reason it would be easier and more convenient for me to connect them opposite to prevent having a long data wire which is not recommended. ie: ----------led direction channel 2-----------> Can I do that?
I think I understand what you are trying to accomplish. You would like the controller to sit between the first run of 600 with data flowing to the left and the second run of 450 flowing to the right.
You can definitely do that. Not only can you do that, but If you're planning on using WLED patterns and you want the patterns to work the same, when you go to segments, there is an option to reverse a segment. If you reverse one of the segments, they'll behave as if the data was flowing in the opposite direction.
I don't know if you saw my other videos, but my arches and my alien trees have the controller sitting in the middle so that the data line is as short as possible for the props
@@BytesOfPi yes, that’s exactly what I’m trying to do!! Glad to hear that WLED can circonvenue this issue. It makes sense since it’s not always possible to have the perfect setup where everything flows in the same direction with all the props near the power supply / data controller.
My plan for this year is to have my roofline done (which is approx 750 LED) on a Dig Quad board using 2 channels and WLED. I’ll add more LED during the Summer. I want to start my project the right way and avoid complications when expanding it. I’d like to add music as well therefore WLED and xlights will be my next challenge. I haven’t figured out yet how to broadcast music but I’ll do some research later (probably need to buy an FM broadcasting device in some sort).
Thanks again for your precious advice and time, greatly appreciated! I’m learning every time I watched one of your video!
@@idscomm That's awesome! Start small and see if it works for you. Getting started is the hardest part. Once you get something working, building on is easier.
One last thing, mounting lights on a roofline is a pain.
Before you go to all the trouble of soldering things and putting things in the air, try it on the ground using the default connectors to see if it behaves as you expect. Connect using the factory connectors and reverse one of them in the segments. Then try out patterns and see if it behaves as you expect.
Easier to change your design before you put it up then after its on your house.
@@BytesOfPi Thank you! I will definitively follow your advice as I agree, fixing strips issues on the roof is probably not fun at all lol!
@@BytesOfPi Another question if you don't mind... I was reviewing my calculation and I wanted to run something by you first in regards to power injection directly from my power supply. The is the hardware I currently have for my project:
LED Strips, 5v - 150 LED @ 45w per Strips x8
Power Supply 300W / 60amp x2
Now, I read that the recommended LED per channel was between 500-600 . I was planning in connecting 4 Strips per Channel making it 600. I wanted to inject power (16 gauge wire) at the beginning / end of every strip. My calculation (adding 20% of actual max consumption, another recommendation I read):
Each 5v strip would draw 54W / 11 amp.
4 Strips would mean 216W / 44 amp. which sounds ok for the supply I have but most people recommend adding a Fuse between the Supply and the 1st strip. NOw I would need a 50 amp fuse which I don't know if this would be adequate for a 16 gauge wire...
Your thoughts? Am I drawing too much power having 4 strips together? What would you recommend?
All of this seems waaay over complicated and engineered, for example a pc power supply would supplement the slow starting 5v dc power supply eliminating the need for a 555 delay, for example the pc power supply puts out 5v standby which is used to power the pi and also used to switch on the other 3.3v 5v and 12v rails by means of the pi programmed to pull the psu on pin to ground on demand waking up the psu which will then power the lights.
There's definitely multiple ways to attack the problem. I have a few older defunct desktops that could donate a power supply that may be more reliable.
The issue I was trying to address is that on a cold startup of my Chinese 5v power supplies to power the WT32-ETH01 board and lights, the board would not start up. I had to go physically disconnect the board from the power supply, wait a few seconds, then plug it back in.
It's a hack for sure to use the NE555 timer to delay until the supply could provide a steady 5v, but it's worked in every build out since. All of my Chinese power supplies pooped out in a few years time and I've since moved on to meanwell supplies which haven't failed once. I might be able to take the delay out with better power supplies.
I'm a big fan of keeping designs simple. Less points of failure. If there's a better supply that can spin up a board and lights reliably every time, I'd say go with that.