Greetings light wizards, I am currently constructing a project here in Chiang Mai, Thailand using a Teensy 3.2, an OctoWS2811, approx. 1000 WS2812 in strips and two USB batteries (both 5V and 26000mAh but with 5amp output capability) all in a wearable application on a modified wetsuit (ala super suit style)
In compiling the code I am curious if anyone might point me in the direction of some preconfigured code that allows a Spectrum Analyzer situation so that I might sync the pattern reactions to an audio score I have developed for a film piece I will be performing to whilst wearing the suit on which everything will be mounted…
However both solutions should be attached to the sound source, what might make dancing around a bit more challenging.
There is a mic for the Teensy https://www.pjrc.com/store/microphone.html
If you are looking more for beats per minute this might be for you.
Downside is that a microphone attached to the dancer will pick up any surrounding sound. Please review your special situation and let us know in what direction you want to go.
Cheers!
Hi thank you for your response. Do you happen to know if I am using two batteries and the Teensy and OctoWS2811 are connected to one via usb for power and the lights are running off a second battery if I need to split the VIN pad on the Teensy?
@jared_menane I don’t know whether I understand you right.
If both batteries are 5V you are fine. Just connect grounds together, DO NOT connect both +5V together.
If you want to power the Teensy with 3V or 4.5V (e.g. AAA cells) then YES, you need to cut the pad. However I suggest to power both with 5V Power Banks. https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/external_power.html
@Juergen_Bruegl hey so ive got it all hooked up (save for soldering the CAT6 ethernet to the Din’s and Grnd wires)
I then uploaded the Rainbow sketch to the Teensy 3.2 from the OctoWS2811 library.
what happens next is perplexing me…i will plug the teensy into its own slot on the USB battery whilst the other USB terminated ends of the LEDS are plugged into the Batteries as well…then the suit flashes Red, Blue, Green and then goes into some weird glitched out read…
I know the suit connections are all working since the entire suit lights up at the initialize, but then for it to glitch out and not run, would that be a power consumption issue that I could fix in the code?
I’m new to this and I’m just trying to get the suit to run a simple sketch! any idea how i can test this better?
@jared_menane
One LED consists of three colors, with a max current of 20mA; if you really want white all three colors are at their brightest and one LED consumes 60mA. 1000 LEDs in white are then 60,000mA (!)
On the softwareside you have two options in void setup();
FastLED.setBrightness(brightness);
FastLED.setMaxPowerInVoltsAndMilliamps(5, MILLI_AMPS);
brightness values are from 0 … 255 - start with let’s say 48
The other setting (5 = Voltage, and MILLI_AMPS - start let’s say 5000)
Load the DemoReel100 and see what happens. If the LEDs don’t lit up at all then turn up the values a bit.
Have fun!
@Juergen_Bruegl
Hey Juergen really appreciating the help my friend so thank you. Got some further development on using the Basic Test from the OctoWS2811 library. I adjusted the color set for Less Intensity as it provides in the comments and it does its basic color wipe splendid. So now I KNOW it’s a power consumption vs brightness issue.
However my next question involves being able to use the FastLED and OctoWS2811 libraries together for some sort of multi array/parallel output situation.
All I’m really looking for is how to drop in palette knife gradients at will to make this a pretty simple modifiable suit. In not know all that much about code where could I start for boilerplate or framework code to predefine the previously mentioned Brightness/ power use?
Do I just include one Library in the others sketch? (Ie include OctoWS2811 library in the FastLED or visa versa?)
I know I have to set up the octo parameters with NUMLEDS/strip etc. but if there’s any suggestions I am open to them!
