[COMPLETED with TUTORIAL] Ambilight - Atmospheric lighting behind your TV/Monitor

[Vlada]

I am so greatefull for this tutorial! As I said, I have surprise for you. I went one more step above tutorial and made two lamps with 15 pieces ws2801 each that I place next to TV so the experience is amaizong! Here is video of my setup:

can you capture your ambibox software color setup so i can modify my colors?

[d33g33]

Looks awesome @Vlada I don't know how you did the speakers but i'd like to do something similar!

 

What do you mean can  I capture ambibox so you can modify your colours?

[Vlada]

Thx my friend

Lamps only are placed on speakers, nothing more...i build them with wood and some semi see through paper...the trick is that i cut ws2801 on lover left corner and put spliter, so one part goes to the left lamp and the other part conects and continues the left side of tv. Same thing with right lamp, i cut the strip on upper right corner, put spliter, one part goes to the right lamp and other connects to the right side of tv. My first led is in lower right and goes clockwise...so final result of the lamps is that they works same as left and right side of tv (they are clones)

I ment that you make screen capture of ambibox window so I can see yours levels, brighteens... here is video link of my modified colors and saturations...:

I was playing with sliders which controls brighteens, saturation...and result is great what do you think?

[d33g33]

Ah ok I understand, well done! Very cool!

I think I just toned down the blue slightly as I had a slightly stronger blue colour to my LED strip and I had to adjust the gamma down to ensure no LEDS are on with a black screen.

[Vlada]

hey, i was wondering, do anybody know where I can find code for ws2801 to play some effect..thx

[th3magpi3]

Quick question, I've installed adalight on my Uno, it does the RGB boot sequence when plugged in and work through adalight in process. However, when I try to run ambibox there is no light output. Am I missing something? How do I actually start outputting light from my LED's through AmbiBox? Thanks. 

[d33g33]

Quick question, I've installed adalight on my Uno, it does the RGB boot sequence when plugged in and work through adalight in process. However, when I try to run ambibox there is no light output. Am I missing something? How do I actually start outputting light from my LED's through AmbiBox? Thanks.

Is the uno installed on your PC? Have you got which Com port it's talking to the uno on? Put that into ambilight make sure Ambilight is showing the device as connected.

[zedfour]

Hey d33g33, do you let your HTPC sleep/hibernate? The reason I ask, is because when I let my PC fall asleep after being idle for awhile, my LEDs won't light up. After waking my PC, Ambibox will still show that it's connected to the device on the COM port, but just no action on the LEDs. To restore it, I need to close ambibox, disable/enable my controller (happens on both uno and teensy) and re-open ambiox -- or just restart the PC. Any ideas how to prevent this? Other than keeping my PC running 24/7 or shutting it down completely whenever I'm done using it..

 

Great tutorial by the way!

 

 

 

 

 

[d33g33]

Hey d33g33, do you let your HTPC sleep/hibernate? The reason I ask, is because when I let my PC fall asleep after being idle for awhile, my LEDs won't light up. After waking my PC, Ambibox will still show that it's connected to the device on the COM port, but just no action on the LEDs. To restore it, I need to close ambibox, disable/enable my controller (happens on both uno and teensy) and re-open ambiox -- or just restart the PC. Any ideas how to prevent this? Other than keeping my PC running 24/7 or shutting it down completely whenever I'm done using it..

 

Great tutorial by the way!

 

No I never let mine sleep, I have an IR power switch on mine so it powers on and off via remote.

 

I would suggest going into system settings/bios and changing it so that your USB ports never sleep, might work for you.

[th3magpi3]

Is the uno installed on your PC? Have you got which Com port it's talking to the uno on? Put that into ambilight make sure Ambilight is showing the device as connected.

 

Yes, that was part 1 of my issue. I found the correct COM port and it shows the adalight connected. The lights turn on when i check "Backlight" however the colours are not right. The whites work but all of the other solid colours just rotate between 2 or 3 colors. None of them will stay the colour they're supposed to be. I took a slow motion video so I could show you the changing of the colours during an RGB test video. The white is the only one that works. The rest just cycle through RGB sequences. Any idea what might be causing the issue? 

[Frankz]

Thanks @d33g33 for making this! I'm in the process of redesigning my room and the plan was to mount my monitor to the wall & do what you showed in this tutorial! I just didn't really know how to start but now I do!

[Vlada]

Quick question, I've installed adalight on my Uno, it does the RGB boot sequence when plugged in and work through adalight in process. However, when I try to run ambibox there is no light output. Am I missing something? How do I actually start outputting light from my LED's through AmbiBox? Thanks. 

 

 

My friend, copy this code from link below and paste it to your arduino program, run it, than run ambibox and should resolve your problem. I have had the same problem with flickering and I resolved it with this code:

 

http://forums.adafruit.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=59464&p=301431&hilit=WS2801#p301431

[th3magpi3]

My friend, copy this code from link below and paste it to your arduino program, run it, than run ambibox and should resolve your problem. I have had the same problem with flickering and I resolved it with this code:

 

http://forums.adafruit.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=59464&p=301431&hilit=WS2801#p301431

 

Thank you very much! I'll give it a shot when I get home today. 

[th3magpi3]

My friend, copy this code from link below and paste it to your arduino program, run it, than run ambibox and should resolve your problem. I have had the same problem with flickering and I resolved it with this code:

 

http://forums.adafruit.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=59464&p=301431&hilit=WS2801#p301431

 

THANK YOU! It worked. Thanks for being helpful and sharing that link. It should be noted for anyone else reading this having the same issue that you have to download the fast LED library and put it into the libraries directory of your arduino folder, reboot and then run the code included in the link. 

[d33g33]

My friend, copy this code from link below and paste it to your arduino program, run it, than run ambibox and should resolve your problem. I have had the same problem with flickering and I resolved it with this code:

 

http://forums.adafruit.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=59464&p=301431&hilit=WS2801#p301431

 

 

Thank you very much! I'll give it a shot when I get home today. 

I'll add this to the main post

 

Props to Vlada

[JasonHC73]

Just about finished making this for my TV, just playing with it on my computer and works awesome. I had all kinds of trouble trying to make my LED's work before, turns out I was just a crappy solderer. So I got a good soldering iron that can really put the heat out, and all works pretty great.

 

My "WS2801"s are actually "WS2801SO". Not at all sure what it means, but I do know they are not RGB, but RBG. AmbiBox fixed it super quick too. 7 individual strips to trace around my 70" TV is gonna look freaking awesome, 146 LEDS.

 

I didn't use GDI fs Areo or anything like that, I'm using the label Windows 8, constantly showing 28 - 31 fps.

 

I'm hooked up to the 5V on the board, with 5V input and USB. 4 wires  from the board, straight through line. 146 is right next to 1 and is absolutely the same brightness, 16 feet total length. 

 

https://youtu.be/rJwleSyKKVA

 

 

[d33g33]

Just about finished making this for my TV, just playing with it on my computer and works awesome. I had all kinds of trouble trying to make my LED's work before, turns out I was just a crappy solderer. So I got a good soldering iron that can really put the heat out, and all works pretty great.

 

My "WS2801"s are actually "WS2801SO". Not at all sure what it means, but I do know they are not RGB, but RBG. AmbiBox fixed it super quick too. 7 individual strips to trace around my 70" TV is gonna look freaking awesome, 146 LEDS.

 

I didn't use GDI fs Areo or anything like that, I'm using the label Windows 8, constantly showing 28 - 31 fps.

 

I'm hooked up to the 5V on the board, with 5V input and USB. 4 wires  from the board, straight through line. 146 is right next to 1 and is absolutely the same brightness, 16 feet total length. 

 

https://youtu.be/rJwleSyKKVA

Thanks for sharing. around 70" will be awesome. Be sure to post a video once mounted!

[JasonHC73]

OK, LED project complete.

 

After installation, I had a noticeable voltage drop from 1 to 146, which I could not see with the LED's pointing at my fat face. However 14 feet away with them aimed at the wall, it was painfully obvious (when white was shown (white uses all 3 leds which absorbs 3 times the current as just red or blue or green)).

 

So, all I did was solder a 2.1x5.5 female jack to the far end and viola, perfect balanced power from both ends. A Y adapter for both ends completes the power. 5v 2000ma.

 

https://plus.google.com/u/0/103201839200623869601/posts/eApNjZUiBS7?pid=6132602657660652354&oid=103201839200623869601

 

Still some tweeking to get the colors to match.

 

1/2 done so to say, now just got to add live tv input to a video in capture device.

 

 

 

Simple power connection, from the wall a 5v 2amp with 2.1x5.5mm  p/s, a Y adapter, one end going to the arduino, (start end) and other going to end of LED strips. 146 LEDs, 7 strips.

[d33g33]

Looking great! well one!

[keirjohnharry]

Hi d33g33 , this is an amazing project and one I want to try and replicate. 

 

I've got these LED's - http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5m-Addressable-24-Bit-5050-RGB-LED-Strip-Non-Waterproof-WS2811-10-Pixels-per-Meter-30LED/2048836097.html

 

A Arduino Uno and a PC running Kodi

 

I don't quite understand the difference between WS types but can I run these using your tutorial , and a 12V instead of 5V power supply ? They look similar in terms of everything else.

 

Thanks

[d33g33]

Hi d33g33 , this is an amazing project and one I want to try and replicate. 

 

I've got these LED's - http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5m-Addressable-24-Bit-5050-RGB-LED-Strip-Non-Waterproof-WS2811-10-Pixels-per-Meter-30LED/2048836097.html

 

A Arduino Uno and a PC running Kodi

 

I don't quite understand the difference between WS types but can I run these using your tutorial , and a 12V instead of 5V power supply ? They look similar in terms of everything else.

 

Thanks

Not as easily, I have WS2801's and you have WS2811's they operate slightly different. I did manage to find a re-write of my library so the arduino may work with a WS2811 strip bit I haven't spent any time testing sorry.

[cr333d]

Awwwwwwwww yissssssssssss

 

Just found a way to control WS2812's, which I can get in a 144 LED per 1 meter string, this will take me from a 200LED system to a 550-570 LED system... Amazing...

newbie here......is it working with ws2812b strip?code pls

[Juris]

Hope I'm not jumping the thread here but I'm looking to build an RPi or arduino (I presume its better than Pi as I've heard the RPi cant handle tight timings) based ambient lighting system for PC. I previously had 4 Madcatz Cyborg lights running amBX but all 4 have failed. They weren't great anyway but they provided nice mood lighting now sorely missed. I'm looking to get something with much better performance and flexibility than the old Ambx kit for gaming and movies.

 

The problems with finding a replacement/solution: 

1) Its a 6 screen setup 3x2 Eyefinity or 6 screen extended desktop depending on what I'm running at the time. The top 3 monitors have gaps between them which will need lighting. (Please see pic in link below with some outlines of the way I think I can lay the strips).

2) The distance from the monitor edges to the white blackout blind behind varies from 30cm for the lower centre monitor to 60cm for the outer bottom left monitor to 70cm for the top of the top left monitor (they are angled down for ergonomics). The right side monitors are 30cm to 40cm distance to the rear white wall. Not exactly ideal distances for LED's so I need something very bright to compensate. 

3) I'll need a minimum 5 to possibly 7 1m separate LED strips (preferably black) which connect to a central Arduino box something like a Lightpack http://tommynation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/IMG_9944.jpg. I need to be able to unplug individual light strips from the centre Arduino box so I can remove individual monitors in the rig for adjustment and maintenance so 1 giant strip around the circumference of the rig won't work. Something with RJ-11/45 style connectors would be perfect.

Proposed Outline: http://imgur.com/a2gBrWv

 

So I need an Arduino that can handle everything above with good reaction times which, strips which are bright and preferably black, plugable connectors for each strip, a case for the Arduino, power supply and anything else you can think of.

I'd love to achieve something like the OP's but using black strips which has quick reaction times and bright as his although I know with the above problems and complexity its a long shot. Something like this.

 

Thanks for any help. Been racking my brain for ages on how to do this but I'm not technical enough to know what components are best. Give me PC components and I'm good to go. Give me a soldering iron and I'll see you in A&E. Cheers.

[cr333d]

https://code.google.com/p/adalight-ws2812/

where is the code?i cant find

[Mister X]

Hey guys, this is my first post here after a night of attempts with this project. Unfortunately, without success.

Here's what I have:

LED strip of 288 LEDs in total:

http://shop.bluesandgray.com/products/addressable-led-strip-ws2812b-2-meters-144-leds-meter-white-pcb

PSU 5V 2A:

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FA7DLE0

Teensy++ 2.0:

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NC4302Q

 

What I've done:

Soldered as instructed:

GND on the strip goes to GND on the Teensy - Blue wire on my strip: GND

CLOCK on the Strip goes to PIN 1 (B1) on the Teensy - Red wire on my strip: VCC

DATA on the strip goes to PIN 2 (B2) on the Teensy - Green wire on my strip: DATA

 

My LED strip has a power connector so I've just plugged the PSU in.

 

Software:

I've downloaded the latest version of FastLED and placed it in My Documents\Arduino\Libraries

Programmed this code on the Teensy: https://code.google.com/p/adalight-ws2812/source/browse/0.9
Result: strip doesn't illuminate, yet AmbiBox says it's connected.

 

Tried this one: https://github.com/Wifsimster/adalight_ws2812 as I've found (and translated) this on Google: http://damien-battistella.fr/ambi-like-avec-240-led-ws2812b-et-une-teensy-2-0/

Result: strip doesn't illuminate, yet AmbiBox says it's connected, again.

 

In both cases I've edited the number of LEDs to 288 to match my strip size.

 

I've tried connecting the wires to the Teensy from the start of the strip with no result and then I've tried connecting them from the other end, encountering the same disappointment.

 

I've suspected that the strip might be DOA but it briefly flashes when I connect the power and in a couple of instances the last LED was illuminated green, but I was unable to reproduce the scenario.

 

Am I missing something?

I really want to make this work and right now the only things that are passing through my mind are:

- PSU doesn't provide the necessary power?

- Does the strip need to be connected in a loop of some kind? Connecting both ends to the pins?

- Is the code wrong?

 

Please help me out as I've literally spent my whole night trying to figure out what's wrong and I have no more ideas.

Thanks in advance!