Hi, I have a question about the way the Library utilizes mirroring. I know you essentially define a single array of LEDs and specify multiple outputs.
Adafruit talks about memory use of the pixels, and the limitations that come with that fact. I’m assuming using that the fastled library, when mirroring pixels, doesn’t incorporate extra memory cost for each strip, because it is just copying the output data to extra pins. Is this correct?
Cool, thanks.
What about connecting multiple strips to a single pin for data? The Adafruit Uberguide puts stability at 4 strips to a pin, but I’d think there would be a lot more than that. I mean, the shift register chips that carry the signal re-shape the wave before it is output, and (I think) are pulling their power from the same 5 volts as the led itself. So, realistically, you should be able to do more.
The controller for the led draws one microamp. Arduino pins output at a max of 20 mA. Even being extremely conservative, that’s like having the option to do 10,000 different chips connected to a single data pin directly… so why the low limit?
What can I say, the physics of electronics are a bastard.
That said, I think i’ve done upwards of 8 strips before I started getting glitching, but i was also using very short wires.
Thanks for the info… I suspected it would be possible to do more, though I’m not surprised it isn’t a huge number. But, hey, it’s enough.