Actions
Forum Thread Details
  • State Not Answered
  • Replies 7 replies
  • Subscribers 394 subscribers
  • Views 603 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Related

RGB LED lighting for my living room

rhydian98

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.  

Parents
  • 0

    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.

Reply
  • 0

    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.

Children
No Data