Controlling LEDs via USB

M

miazmaticdotcom

Gawd
Joined
May 3, 2003
Messages
545
I'm looking to build a computer controlled mood lighting system for my room using LEDs.

I came across many USB-IO chips and boards, but I don't know if they are adequate...

My initial setup will involve 64 LEDs (4 clusters of 4 LEDs of 4 colors). I keep seeing that all these boards take only 5VDC input (or sometimes 12)... can they really provide enough power to light up 64 LEDs at once? Or will I have to look into a more complex solution involing relays and auxiliary power, like the guys who built the Disco Dance Floor at MIT?
 
whoa! those guys are sick... But how would the USB thing work in this case ? do you want to make something like they did? I now want to make a picture frame that would do that... any suggestions?
 
autobot said:
Your in luck! Here is exactly what you are looking for. It controls 64 LEDs independently or in clusters and you can even control brightness! Oh, and its uses USB connectivity. Enjoy!
http://www.phidgetsusa.com/cat/viewsubcategory.asp?category=6000&subcategory=6400
Click to expand...

Wow! Thanks for the link

Bit on the pricey side, and each LED has to have a wire leading back to the central board, that could get messy. Maybe if I can condense the wiring to the LED clusters into serial or Cat5 cables, it would make it a lot neater.

The website seems to only mention Windows drivers... Although it would probably be relatively simple to write Linux drivers for it (that is what I intend to use.)
 
Okay, so I'm 90% certain that I'm going for the Phidgets LED64 board. Now I have another stylistic/design question that I need some opinions on...

Like I said there will be 4 LED clusters, one in each roof corner of the room. However, I don't want bare LEDs glowing in my eyes, so I want some kind of surface to dampen and diffuse the light. Glass is expensive and difficult to work with, so I'm looking into what can be done with plastic.

I will be using the intensity controls of the LED64 to mix colors, so I also want a surface that the colors can come together on.

Ideas for how I might encase the lights in a relatively translucent (but not transparent) way? Frosted lexan might do the trick, or clear lexan with very thin paper behind it... Maybe I will post some of my sketches later on today.
 
miazmaticdotcom said:
Okay, so I'm 90% certain that I'm going for the Phidgets LED64 board. Now I have another stylistic/design question that I need some opinions on...

Like I said there will be 4 LED clusters, one in each roof corner of the room. However, I don't want bare LEDs glowing in my eyes, so I want some kind of surface to dampen and diffuse the light. Glass is expensive and difficult to work with, so I'm looking into what can be done with plastic.

I will be using the intensity controls of the LED64 to mix colors, so I also want a surface that the colors can come together on.

Ideas for how I might encase the lights in a relatively translucent (but not transparent) way? Frosted lexan might do the trick, or clear lexan with very thin paper behind it... Maybe I will post some of my sketches later on today.
Click to expand...

Translucent plexi glass? Or Translucent tempered glass from your local home improvement store (like the ones used for shleves in the bathroom?)
 
If you can find hazy/white plastic paper just like the ones they use to diffuse the LEDs behind car speedometers, it could provide a non-permanent solution that would look smoother than frosting the acrylic.
 
Moses said:
If you can find hazy/white plastic paper just like the ones they use to diffuse the LEDs behind car speedometers, it could provide a non-permanent solution that would look smoother than frosting the acrylic.
Click to expand...

The waxy paper that's used in plotters might do the trick.
 
SpangeMonkee said:
how is it controlled? do you have to write software for it or does it come with it?
Click to expand...
Check the links on the bottom of the page I linked to. They will explain everything. :)
 
wow, that dance floor is pretty crazy. i think i would get dizzy using it :-D

This sounds like a pretty cool room mod, make sure to post pics when you are done
 
autobot said:
Your in luck! Here is exactly what you are looking for. It controls 64 LEDs independently or in clusters and you can even control brightness! Oh, and its uses USB connectivity. Enjoy!
http://www.phidgetsusa.com/cat/viewsubcategory.asp?category=6000&subcategory=6400
Click to expand...

wow... can't beleive crap like that actually exists. and so specific to the OPers needs/wants. simply amazing.

the starter kit even comes with a power supply:
http://www.phidgetsusa.com/cat/viewproduct.asp?category=10000&subcategory=10400&SKU=92001

and to answer one of the OP's questions:
the USB port cant provide enough current to power 64 LEDs. Figuring 20mA per LED, you'd need over 1.2amps to power them all at once. the circuit above requires an external power supply, make sure the one you get can handle that much.

edit: just looked through the site, requires a 6v 1.5 amp supply.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top