Custom Arduino LED Controller

[colinreay]

Hey guys, I'm not entirely sure where to post this, so please let me know if this isn't where it should go! Anyways, here is the arduino led controller mod!

 

Purpose

   Having really got into computers recently, I reached out to my father (electrical engineer) for help with an arduino led controller. I settled for a nzxt hue style device, where the color is really just controlled by 3 linear potentiometers to control the 3 colors (RGB) brightness. I also have a switch that enables a "breathing" mode, where the voltage to all 3 colors is lowered proportionally to around 0 and back up (255).

 

I have an Acrylic box that I drilled some holes for the potentiometers and the switch to poke out of. I have an additional 2 holes for routing the power cables to the arduino from a lab supply (Surplus from my dads work) and a hole cut for the 4 pin led strip cable. I am planning to have a system where the rgb strip runs to a female connector right outside of the case, and will plug intro a fan extension cable connected to the arduino box. This is so I can quickly disconnect if I need to move the case.

 

Parts

3 potentiometers (linear)

3 potentiometer covers
Lacite Acrylic box 

RGB Strip

Arduino

Arduino RGB Shield

 

Phase 1

 

CODE LINK

 

If you guys have any questions, please let me know, and I will try to answer as best I can!

 

 

[iamdarkyoshi]

Nice work! I once had something that let you control the color based on a color pallate and it also had fan sliders. This was al, a GUI in the PC and the arduino just needed to be plugged into a USB

[RobTapps]

I would suggest using a teensy next time as they are less than half the size, I have never used an arduino but can vouch for the quality of the teensy they can be crammed in to a DIY keyboard if need be and can run on arduino code just a thought

[iamdarkyoshi]

I would suggest using a teensy next time as they are less than half the size, I have never used an arduino but can vouch for the quality of the teensy they can be crammed in to a DIY keyboard if need be and can run on arduino code just a thought

once you program the chip on the UNO, you can pull it out and use it with very little external components. then you can use some perfboard with a socket in it and the whole thing will be quite small.

[RobTapps]

True but still large in comparison, here's a pic from my first teensy project a 16 arcade button midi controller

And a comparison pic pulled from Google

just suggesting it for certain projects say if someone is doing an itx build and has limited space oh yea teensy is on the far right next to the arduino

[iamdarkyoshi]

True but still large in comparison, here's a pic from my first teensy project a 16 arcade button midi controller

And a comparison pic pulled from Google

just suggestimg it for certain projects say if someone is doing an itx build and has limited space

I tend to use the arduino micro. it has more IO than the UNO, about the same size as a tensy, and it has direct USB-USB communication to the PC, no USB to serial converter. This means that it can emulate a keyboard or mouse...

[colinreay]

I tend to use the arduino micro. it has more IO than the UNO, about the same size as a tensy, and it has direct USB-USB communication to the PC, no USB to serial converter. This means that it can emulate a keyboard or mouse...

 

I would suggest using a teensy next time as they are less than half the size, I have never used an arduino but can vouch for the quality of the teensy they can be crammed in to a DIY keyboard if need be and can run on arduino code just a thought

 

Noted... The Arduino appealed for the multiple io options, and great extension support. Also, I got it for free 

[RobTapps]

Noted... The Arduino appealed for the multiple io options, and great extension support. Also, I got it for free

free is always good

[RobTapps]

I tend to use the arduino micro. it has more IO than the UNO, about the same size as a tensy, and it has direct USB-USB communication to the PC, no USB to serial converter. This means that it can emulate a keyboard or mouse...

 

ummmmm... the Teensy doesnt need a USB to Serial.. the thing is capible ofnative midi as well (hence why i chose it for the midi controller..) gut it is defs not serial to usb.. its plug and play man "The Teensy is a complete USB-based microcontroller development system, in a very small footprint, capable of implementing many types of projects. All programming is done via the USB port. No special programmer is needed, only a standard "Mini-B" USB cable and a PC or Macintosh with a USB port."

Links:

https://www.pjrc.com/

https://www.pjrc.com/store/teensypp.html

https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/projects.html

https://www.arduino.cc

[iamdarkyoshi]

ummmmm... the Teensy doesnt need a USB to Serial.. the thing is capible ofnative midi as well (hence why i chose it for the midi controller..) gut it is defs not serial to usb.. its plug and play man "The Teensy is a complete USB-based microcontroller development system, in a very small footprint, capable of implementing many types of projects. All programming is done via the USB port. No special programmer is needed, only a standard "Mini-B" USB cable and a PC or Macintosh with a USB port."

Links:

https://www.pjrc.com/

https://www.pjrc.com/store/teensypp.html

https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/projects.html

https://www.arduino.cc

So it probably uses the same (or similar) chip as the micro

[colinreay]

Hey guys! Quick update. Progress hasn't been super fast, I'm still waiting for the fan 4 pin extension, but I hooked it all up to see what it looks like outside of case!

 

[RobTapps]

Looks dope, I want to do this with accent lighting behind my motherboard so there's sort of a glow from behind but you don't see the LEDs.. But the case I ordered doesn't have drive bays...

[colinreay]

Looks dope, I want to do this with accent lighting behind my motherboard so there's sort of a glow from behind but you don't see the LEDs.. But the case I ordered doesn't have drive bays...

Sounds sweet, what case did you get. I know mine doesn't have tons of space, so it might be a good idea to lay the led's under the board, the standoffs should raise the mobo enough. Thinking of using a teensy?

[RobTapps]

Sounds sweet, what case did you get. I know mine doesn't have tons of space, so it might be a good idea to lay the led's under the board, the standoffs should raise the mobo enough. Thinking of using a teensy?

I will be using a white s340, and no teensy, just going to use fan headers a resistor and switch

[colinreay]

I will be using a white s340, and no teensy, just going to use fan headers a resistor and switch

Awesome!

[RobTapps]

Awesome!

Yea I was thinking about it last night, I may just use a molex to the PSU as I have a non modular PSU. Don't want to risk the motherboard headers

[colinreay]

Yea I was thinking about it last night, I may just use a molex to the PSU as I have a non modular PSU. Don't want to risk the motherboard headers

That should work great! I was planning on using my mobo fan header as it is rated for 1.5 amps, but an external lab supply for my purposes gave me more control over amperage, and gave me peace of mind.

[RobTapps]

That should work great! I was planning on using my mobo fan header as it is rated for 1.5 amps, but an external lab supply for my purposes gave me more control over amperage, and gave me peace of mind.

The way I was thinking of doing it was slotting the motherboard tray and rewiring the strips after cutting them to length so I can tuck all the wires behind and run them down under the PSU cover

[colinreay]

The way I was thinking of doing it was slotting the motherboard tray and rewiring the strips after cutting them to length so I can tuck all the wires behind and run them down under the PSU cover

Sounds great! That's going to look pretty sweet!

[RobTapps]

no probs just a salvaged fan plug, soldered to the led strips, then plugged in to a molex adaptor then to the psu

like this. [LED+]-------[Resistor]----------

.                                                            =[FAN PLUG FEMALE]       [FAN PLUG MALE]======[MOLEX MALE]     [PSU MOLEX FEMALE]=== 12v/Grnd

and this [LED-]-----------------------------

[colinreay]

Alright guys! Final update! I received the fan extension cable and soldered everything together! I soldered just the end of the female end of the fan cable to my rgb strip, and ran it right out of my pci slot. Then, I soldered the male part of the fan extension to wires running out the back of the arduino! Now, whenever I need to move something, I can just unplug the two cables in about 1 second!

 

FINAL

 

 

 

[RobTapps]

 

Alright guys! Final update! I received the fan extension cable and soldered everything together! I soldered just the end of the female end of the fan cable to my rgb strip, and ran it right out of my pci slot. Then, I soldered the male part of the fan extension to wires running out the back of the arduino! Now, whenever I need to move something, I can just unplug the two cables in about 1 second!

 

FINAL

 

-sniop-

wors part is you dont have drive bays looks like it would have fit snug with a little case mod for clearance but either way the leds look good!

[colinreay]

wors part is you dont have drive bays looks like it would have fit snug with a little case mod for clearance but either way the leds look good!

Yeah, one bad part about the Define S! However, I may be looking into coding an rgb program for the arduino, and it would be hidden inside!

[RobTapps]

Yeah, one bad part about the Define S! However, I may be looking into coding an rgb program for the arduino, and it would be hidden inside!

you could make a pannel and wire the pot's to the back of the case {next to PCI covers) then it would feel like your computer is "wearing nothing at all,... nothing at all... nothing at all...