RGB LED night light

Ok this is what I'm trying to do. I want to create a RGB LED night for my girlfriend using an Arduino and have the LEDs fade through different colors. I want to drive at least 6 LEDs. I've been talking to people on the Arduino Google+ group but this one guy gave me a schematic for my idea, but I'm really really new to all this. Is there a driver board for RGB LEDs that I can buy and use that and the Arduino to make this? I just want something that will do what I'm planning but is easy for newbies like myself. It would be cool too if the Arduino could detect the ambient light in the room and come on as needed. I would also buy a 9V wall adaper for so the Arduino could run off power from a outlit.

If someone on here is able to help me work through this project and give me ideas and easy ways of creating this for my GF that would be amazing!

P.S. I have a Arduino Uno

Thanks!

Josh

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josh_j over 12 years ago

Here is something else I found on adafruit! http://www.adafruit.com/product/1430 The only thing I need to know is how to code this. I want it to fade through the normal RGB but also have Yellow and Purple. Now can I use a variable resister and use a 1K resister so my gf won't over volt the shield? I want to be able to manually adjest the brightness instead of using a Cds cell to check ambient light.
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josh_j over 12 years ago

Here is something else I found on adafruit! http://www.adafruit.com/product/1430 The only thing I need to know is how to code this. I want it to fade through the normal RGB but also have Yellow and Purple. Now can I use a variable resister and use a 1K resister so my gf won't over volt the shield? I want to be able to manually adjest the brightness instead of using a Cds cell to check ambient light.
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mcb1 over 12 years ago in reply to josh_j

By chance did you look at the Adafruit tutorial.?

I'm sure the fact you did the code (rather than have someone else supply) will impress you girlfriend.

mark
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josh_j over 12 years ago in reply to mcb1

Yeah I did go look at adafruit and found what I was looking for.http://www.adafruit.com/product/1430 Now how do I add a variable resister so she can adjust the brightness manually?
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ntewinkel over 12 years ago in reply to josh_j

Cool project!

You'd have to add the variable resistor to one of the analog inputs, and then use analogWrite to output to the LED.
Oomlout has a basic example (See "Making it better, Control the Brightness") http://www.oomlout.com/oom.php/products/ardx/circ-01

For a diffuser, I've seen people use pingpong balls, drinking straws, and also plexiglass covered with "invisible tape".

Cheers,
-Nico
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josh_j over 12 years ago in reply to ntewinkel

thanks I'll look into it! I'm really gonna have to take some time learning all the coding for this whole thing. lol
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josh_j over 12 years ago in reply to ntewinkel

Also I just noticed that the analogpins the variable resister is going to use are also the same pins that the adafruit NeoPixel Shield uses. How do I wire it it so they work together?
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josh_j over 12 years ago in reply to mcb1

Which tutorial was that? Could you be send the the link to it?
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mcb1 over 12 years ago in reply to josh_j

its the tab on the right of the page link you sent.

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