New to the community and FastLed programming. I just started a project where I plan to use an Adruino Mega to drive led strips lighting up 6"x 6" glass blocks for a shower wall similar to the video below. Final project will be 72 blocks (6 X 12) wall with strips running up the sides of the blocks.
So far I have a 4 X 4 test wall with a 5050/WS2811 5m strip. I have been able to create animations by addressing each LED and it looks great but each animation is long so I really want to find a way to set up certain pixels in an array for each block and address that array.
I have thought about using a matrix but problem I have run into is that my current strip has 3 leds per IC and they don’t line up perfectly for each block so I need to leave some off that are between blocks and some blocks have 2 pixels and some 1. So it is hard to use the usual ++/-- to shorten codes.
Is this possible, so far all of my attempts have been unsuccessful to address an array that has multiple pixel numbers in it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtrrn2QNc5s
Others might have another way, but one thing you could do is use a mapping function to assign little leds to big pixels. Instead of doing an led[XY()]= directly, call a setPixel() function and have it loop over all the little leds assigned to the given bigPixel with a lookup table. This might help in the long run given the alignment variance you have to deal with.
I thought about this recently for an led table I’m working on because I realized a 5m set of strips I have had double the led/m density of the others, but decided to just order a few more.
BTW That effect with the glass blocks is so cool with the rumbled texture. Thanks for giving me #yetanotherprojectidea!
You definitely have to cut the three LEDs segments and then wire bridging one withe next , that will solve all your problems with the glass bricks arrangement , saludos
Thank you Brian I will learn more bout the mapping function.
Gustavo - For the final wall I will be using other strips that have single pixels, the 3 led one is just what I ordered first not really sure how it would line up but I still may not want to use Leds between the bricks so I still will look for a solution.
Marc - Yeah I am really excited for this project, it is for my kids bathroom I am currently finishing.
I thought of that but mainly two reasons discouraged me; laziness and was afraid to have so many connections and one of them comes loose during install. The bad connection will be sealed in
If I was to take on a project like this, I wouldn’t like sealing in the electronics or the leds behind mortar. I have seen premature failures on strips, IC’s and power supplies. Not to mention wiring and connection problems. I would look into some kind of clear plastic chanel that the strips could slide in from the top of the wall or someplace that can be hidden. Thus could cause a larger mortar joint, but I highly recommend against sealing leds behind mortar and glass…
