Custom LED control?

[rizenfrmtheashes]

Hey guys, I am starting to put together a parts list for an ultimate PC build for myself when I graduate from uni in the next few months (Accepted a job offer at twitch so woooo).  This PC is going to a black/white/gray build.  I intend to have a custom water cooling loop, though I'll use soft tubing instead of hard tubing.  I intend to use pastel white fluid and some white UV as well.  

My question is this.  Are there LED controllers for strips that can be controlled over USB? or would I have to sit down and do it myself over arduino?  I can do either, But I'd rather pay for a tested solution than spend a weekend tinkering with code to get it right.  I kind of have this idea to have UV lighting inside my machine turn on as my machine is put under load.  I think it would look pretty cool if it does work. 

 

Any advice?

 

 

[modguru]

Hi! I've actaully never seen a LED controller that works that way. Our has a remote but it's not connected to the computer. Might be a greay idea

[AddonCustoms]

At the moment I only know of LEDs controlled by an Audrino and similar devices by doing it yourself, I don't know of any that are plug and play.

 

I am working with a couple of people on a new LED controller (still working on the design and features) unit that will plugged in to the pc via USB, and using software you will be able to change the colours, pattern, speed, on the fly. One of the features will be colour changing depending on the temperature of the system, everything will be customization including the LED  controller unit where you will be able to buy addons such as a 5.25" bay display.

 

As mentioned the device will connect to the system with a USB (for controlling) and powered by either a mains adapter so you can have the unit on your desk, or with a molex/sata power an have the unit hidden inside your computer. If you opt to have it on your desk you can buy a sort of dock/case for it that will have its own LCD screen.

This is only in the planning stage, but I would like to be able to launch it next year.

 

 

 

But for now I think an Arduino might be the best way, have you looked online to see if anyone has an online guide to do what you are after? There are loads of amazing things being done with the Arduino and Raspberry pi, I wouldn't be surprised if someone has already done this with one.

[rizenfrmtheashes]

I haven't looked much to be honest.  I'll start looking, But I'm pretty good at tinkering and hacking things together.  Plus i'm still at uni, and the hacker movement here is full swing so I can get a ton of help here if I need it, haha. 

I have a few Pi's that Run mini home servers, I might canibalize one of those.  

http://www.tested.com/art/makers/453665-how-get-started-programmable-rgb-led-strip-lighting/I was looking at this as a good intro. 

[W-L]

I haven't looked much to be honest.  I'll start looking, But I'm pretty good at tinkering and hacking things together.  Plus i'm still at uni, and the hacker movement here is full swing so I can get a ton of help here if I need it, haha. 

I have a few Pi's that Run mini home servers, I might canibalize one of those.  

http://www.tested.com/art/makers/453665-how-get-started-programmable-rgb-led-strip-lighting/I was looking at this as a good intro. 

 

This sounds very interesting, I have seen others use an Audrino to control RGB LED's and have it based on a temperature reading they receive on an input into the aurdino which would be easy to implement into a PC say near the CPU heatsink. As for doing it based on the CPU usage I think it could be possible through the motherboard's USB headers but a program of sorts would need to run in the background to send that data to the USB port into the aurdino. 

[rizenfrmtheashes]

This sounds very interesting, I have seen others use an Audrino to control RGB LED's and have it based on a temperature reading they receive on an input into the aurdino which would be easy to implement into a PC say near the CPU heatsink. As for doing it based on the CPU usage I think it could be possible through the motherboard's USB headers but a program of sorts would need to run in the background to send that data to the USB port into the aurdino. 

 

That's probably what I'm going to need to do.  I've done most of my development on unix systems (And I will have that as a separate boot partition in the machine) but getting it to work on windows is going to be an interesting ride because i haven't developed any windows apps.  ever.  Probs gunna just try to do some quick scripting and hope for the best, haha.  

And, I don't want to use an analog solution, because I want to be able to turn it on manually if i choose to, for showing off's sake.  Yes, I could probs make a switch and ghettomount it, but that's not my forte, plus this is supposed to be a clean looking build. 

[Scheer]

This wouldn't work exactly how you want, but it is pretty close: http://www.corsair.com/en-us/corsair-link-lightning-node

 

No idea why its not on the controller page, but in the description for the additional LED strips it says:

 

 

 Options include selecting a single color, rotating between two or four colors, selecting steady or pulsing lighting, and configuring the lighting to automatically change color based on temperature inputs.

 

http://www.corsair.com/en-us/corsair-link-rgb-led-lighting-kit

 

It can also be done with the Commander Mini if you were planning on getting a fan controller anyways: http://www.corsair.com/se-fi/corsair-commander-mini

[_SpaVet_]

That's probably what I'm going to need to do.  I've done most of my development on unix systems (And I will have that as a separate boot partition in the machine) but getting it to work on windows is going to be an interesting ride because i haven't developed any windows apps.  ever.  Probs gunna just try to do some quick scripting and hope for the best, haha.  

And, I don't want to use an analog solution, because I want to be able to turn it on manually if i choose to, for showing off's sake.  Yes, I could probs make a switch and ghettomount it, but that's not my forte, plus this is supposed to be a clean looking build. 

 

Maybe something like this?

[silentanarchy]

Hey guys, I am starting to put together a parts list for an ultimate PC build for myself when I graduate from uni in the next few months (Accepted a job offer at twitch so woooo).  This PC is going to a black/white/gray build.  I intend to have a custom water cooling loop, though I'll use soft tubing instead of hard tubing.  I intend to use pastel white fluid and some white UV as well.  

My question is this.  Are there LED controllers for strips that can be controlled over USB? or would I have to sit down and do it myself over arduino?  I can do either, But I'd rather pay for a tested solution than spend a weekend tinkering with code to get it right.  I kind of have this idea to have UV lighting inside my machine turn on as my machine is put under load.  I think it would look pretty cool if it does work. 

 

Any advice?

I know of an internal LED controller that has a smartphone app as well as a remote and it works with internal USB. If you're curious watch the Rebel-A build log on Bill owens youtube channel. I don't know which episode it's on so you might have to watch all of them. I think it might be on the third one though.

[rizenfrmtheashes]

Maybe something like this?

 

This might work well,  Let me do some research into this and see the level of  customization I can achieve. 

[rizenfrmtheashes]

This might work well,  Let me do some research into this and see the level of  customization I can achieve. 

 

This is one of those more standard Infrared remote controlled LED strip things.  I'm looking for something with a bit more automation.  I just watched part3, and I'm looking at part 4 or 5 to see if they changed that up.  Thanks though. 

[_SpaVet_]

This is one of those more standard Infrared remote controlled LED strip things.  I'm looking for something with a bit more automation.  I just watched part3, and I'm looking at part 4 or 5 to see if they changed that up.  Thanks though. 

 

What kind of automation do you mean? You can control everything through the software on your pc and via bluetooth.But no problem

[rizenfrmtheashes]

What kind of automation do you mean? You can control everything through the software on your pc and via bluetooth.But no problem

 

really? let me check again. mybad if i was wrong. 

[SIGSEGV]

I'm doing mine with an Arduino and I'd say it's better tbh because it gives you more control over what you lights look like, I'm using PWM atm to make my LEDs 'breath'

[Mushious]

I'd take a look at what ADAfruit has to offer. They have some pretty good Arduino tutorials and even sell the stuff you'd need to get it all running.