I have an ongoing project that I just converted to use FastLED and the conversion was super simple (admittedly due to previously using my own wrapper layer around the Adafruit_WS2801 library). The video I attached is one of my units, but I have a bunch of different ones using the same underlying hardware.
The LEDs I’m using are the equivalent of https://www.adafruit.com/products/322 (but bought direct from a manufacturer), but I’ve seen a lot about the WS2801 led strands being outdated so I figured this is a good forum to ask about that on.
Are there better options out there that have similar characteristics to these WS2801 LED strands? My main requirements for them are that they come in a package that is easily mountable on panels (ie these have little plastic tabs that will hold them in place on an appropriately sized hole), that they be fairly rugged and weather proof (ie they may get rained on once installed), and preferably that I can order strands with differing wire lengths between the pixels (the ones in this video are 10cm separation, but I have others using 20cm separation). What else is out there, and FastLED supported?
Yeah, I’ve seen the APA102, but all of their packaging I’ve seen is surface-mount or strips. I basically need a product that can be pushed through a panel and holds itself in place, with wiring staying behind the panel. I’ve seen lots of talk about the individual LEDs and what not, but I need to be able to just buy a finished product that has chains of them wired together, water proofed, etc.
Pim - I don’t currently have much more online about this project besides occasional photos on Facebook. This is actually part of a broader system of networked modules I’ve been working on. I’m planning on putting together a blog post regarding it within a couple weeks, I’ll be sure to post it here. If you want you can check out the code in github, though its not all that well documented yet: https://github.com/aphelps/HTML and https://github.com/aphelps/ObjectLights
@Adam_Phelps Ray Wu on Ali express will make WS2812 strings for you IP68 rated, with any length of wire or pigtail. I’m having some Icicle lights made for next christmas using 8mm WS2812s. Either Ray, or Singapore Rita, both on Ali express. Email them directly with your requirments with as much detail as possible.
@Adam_Phelps I’ve been using dome LEDs with flat, square enclosures – they mount into metal grommets quite nicely[1] and the wires remain tucked behind. Ray’s store has them[2].
adam - im having a similar issue. i would love to develop new node-based work w/ 102’s but am still stuck having to choose between 2801 or 2811/12 for things that arent strip.
