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Arduino Forum RGB LED lighting for my living room
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Related

RGB LED lighting for my living room

rhydian98
rhydian98 over 10 years ago

I want to build a lighting system for the living room in my house but am not sure what to do. My initial idea was to have a piece of software that could change the colors of the RGB LEDs that i would use and have an arduino uno control them. My only problem is that i have very limited experience with electronics and no experience with arduino. I was hoping some one might be able to point out  the correct way to approach this and give some direction as to how i would use my houses internet connection to allow my mum to control the leds through the arduino. i want to be able to allow her to use her laptop to change the color of the LEDs without having to plug into the arduino itself and reprogram them. my only other problem is interfacing with the arduino to allow my mum to do this wirelessly.  

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  • shabaz
    shabaz over 10 years ago +2
    Hi Rhydian, Perhaps an easier way is to use a raspberry pi, because it has a network connection (with the Arduino, you need to add a 'shield' board, and due to some limitations won't be as flexible technically…
  • ipv1
    ipv1 over 10 years ago +2
    Kinda like this... http://www.element14.com/community/groups/arduino/blog/2015/01/24/dynamic-living-room-lights-the-project-summary-and-demo-video ?
  • bobalexander
    bobalexander over 10 years ago +1
    Are you looking for something like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pFcZ-ijrDY
  • shabaz
    0 shabaz over 10 years ago

    Hi Rhydian,

     

    Perhaps an easier way is to use a raspberry pi, because it has a network connection (with the Arduino, you need to add a 'shield' board, and due to some limitations won't be as flexible technically).

    Also, there are radio controlled switches (see for example these Energenie ones these Energenie ones) so you can then control lighting safely. (There are similar products by other suppliers that could be more suitable

    for you, depending which country you're in, to suit the mains supply connections). That could be a useful first stage, to establish that you can get remote control for your mum to be able to do this from

    the laptop, and doesn't cost too much to do. You could use any table lamp for the testing.

     

    The next stage is a bit harder, and really depends on what RGB lighting you intend to use. Do you mean something small like the Philips color ball thing?

    If so, there is a nice board by Infineon that does a lot of the hard work for you, but still requires some work to locate suitable RGB LEDs and a power supply. The board is intended for Arduino, but with little effort

    can be connected to a raspberry pi instead.

    Anyway, personally I'd take this project in two steps, so that you don't get bogged down with too much to learn all in one go.

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  • bobalexander
    0 bobalexander over 10 years ago

    Are you looking for something like this:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pFcZ-ijrDY

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  • rhydian98
    0 rhydian98 over 10 years ago in reply to bobalexander

    no. i am looking for a strip of leds that will go around the outside of my living room near the ceiling that can be controlled wirelessly. thanks for the idea though it looks cool just not what i am looking for

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  • ipv1
    0 ipv1 over 10 years ago

    Kinda like this... http://www.element14.com/community/groups/arduino/blog/2015/01/24/dynamic-living-room-lights-the-project-summary-and-demo-video ?

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  • shabaz
    0 shabaz over 10 years ago in reply to ipv1

    Hey Inderpreet,

     

    I somehow missed that the first time round, but just watched it now - very nice video, you and your wife did a great job!

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  • rhydian98
    0 rhydian98 over 10 years ago

    thanks for all the advice guys but i have decided to go with the adafruit 2.8 inch touch screen LED display that will allow my mum to still change all the colors without having to faff with the building of a secondary application that would connect wirelessly. again thanks for all the help but after a little more research i decided on a different solution.

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  • Robert Peter Oakes
    0 Robert Peter Oakes over 10 years ago

    As already hinted, the last Xmas Internet of Holiday Lights contest has loads of examples of how to do what you want

     

    After looking im sure you will have more questions

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