Lighting project

B

BrainEater

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jul 21, 2004
Messages
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I have a couple questions I'd like to bounce offa Y'all.

I'm working on combining several different projects into a single unit.Here's the deal ;

With my recent upgrade , I managed to get in on the first batch of Matrix Orbital GX Typhoon LCD's...

Awesome display.

Anyways , this display has RGB backlighting that is fully adjustable (255 steps/color).

My intentions are to get that RGB data out of the lcd , either by the serial outputs or by physically 'piggybacking' off the backlights.This will then be used to drive the RGB caselighting I am doing.
It goes one step further ;
I have 45 feet of bookshelf in my computer room , around the perimeter , up by the cieling.I am purchasing 4 wire RGB ropelight to light this shelf and I want to be able to sync it as well.

Here's where the problem , and my questions start.

I am not sure how I'll be getting the RGB data....might be digital might be analog 3-channel .The Display is still basically beta , and the digital baybus has yet to be released.

I also do not know what kind of 'input' the ropelight controller will want.Might be making my own.

Given this lack of data , is there a method that seems like a good route to start preliminary planning with ?


Thanks for any help or insight ! :D
 
Well it looks like you have 8bits per color for the LCD to drive its back lights. The backlights are LED, I assume?

For controlling your ropelight I would use PWM in the kilohertz range. You can easily change the control voltage based on an analog input or digital input though a DAC.
 
Yep they are led's.

PWM would be my first choice as well , as the baybus controller will do it.The problem is , I don't know how easy/difficult it's going to be to get the data from the backlighting to the pwm controller , that might require a custom plugin for the software...

I'm trying to get more information on the controller , and the backlight data etc.
 
If the backlight is controlled by PWM you could always just piggyback, average the voltage and use that as your control voltage for your own PWM. Do you have access to an oscilloscope?
 
No, but I can probably build one. heh :p

I've been chatting with Ray over at Matrix Orbital.The backlight LED's are in fact controlled by PWM , and as I suspected , the 'Internal' PWM controller isnt accessable to the 'external' baybus controllers.....

At this point I think I agree that piggybacking is the way to go , but I'm still mulling it around...
 
It's looking more and more like the piggy's getting it.....er......:p

Seems like the best way to get the signal and avoids any nasty software. (imma hardware guy :D )

Thanks for your help sir !

At this point I guess I need to consider the best way to establish a 'RGB' databus.The ropelights 'can' be digital , but it'll be cheaper analog.....the caselights will more than likely be analog.
 
Although, it would be safer to build your own 3 channel PWM and more adjustable I have another idea. Depending on the peak voltage of the LCD's PWM you could pull out a signal, pass it through a comparator / buffer and drive a MOSFET with it to drive the Ropelight from the MOSFET.

However, I think building your own PWM is more elegant and fun. :D

Good luck, be sure to post pictures.
 
Heh....thx man...I'll get pictures up asap.

I am actually leaning towards basic transistor control.I have many hundreds of hours of experience with digital ac controllers (opto'd triacs).....so it's more familiar than PWM......but I like the idea of PWM because it works with the LCD....

I'm still an eggo.

:D
 
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