NOOB: Problems with multiple strands and neopixels

Using Arduino Programming Questions
1

So let me preface this by saying this is my first experience with arduino, as well as the neopixels I am using.

I have had a lot of success getting a single strand to do exactally what I want it to do, and today I thought I made a breakthrough with where I was positioning my functions to get what I wanted done. The code I am using is the adafruit neopixel example duplicated to run on two strands.

It works, but my problem is that it works to slow, one of the strands (PIN7) has an instant response time, while the other strand's (PIN6) output comes through VERY slow, it holds up the entire process.

I am sure what I am missing is getting rid of a delay somewhere, but I've gone over the code several times and simply don't understand what I am doing here, because I do not see a delay that would hit 1 strand before the other.

I've attached my code and am sure I am doing something simple wrong, but I have had a hard time finding an explanation for it. Any advice would be amazing.

Thank you,
Sho

Strand_test_2_strips2.ino (4.74 KB)

2 
#include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>

#define PIN 6
#define PIN2 7
#define LED_COUNT 16

// Parameter 1 = number of pixels in strip
// Parameter 2 = pin number (most are valid)
// Parameter 3 = pixel type flags, add together as needed:
//   NEO_RGB     Pixels are wired for RGB bitstream
//   NEO_GRB     Pixels are wired for GRB bitstream
//   NEO_KHZ400  400 KHz bitstream (e.g. FLORA pixels)
//   NEO_KHZ800  800 KHz bitstream (e.g. High Density LED strip)
Adafruit_NeoPixel strip_a = Adafruit_NeoPixel(LED_COUNT, PIN, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);
Adafruit_NeoPixel strip_b = Adafruit_NeoPixel(LED_COUNT, PIN2, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);
void setup() {
  strip_b.begin();
  strip_b.show(); // Initialize all pixels to 'off'
  strip_a.begin();
  strip_a.show(); // Initialize all pixels to 'off'
}

void loop() {
  // Some example procedures showing how to display to the pixels:
  colorWipe(strip_a.Color(255, 0, 0), 50); // Red
  colorWipe(strip_a.Color(0, 255, 0), 50); // Green
  colorWipe(strip_a.Color(0, 0, 255), 50); // Blue
  rainbow(20);
  rainbowCycle(20);
    // Some example procedures showing how to display to the pixels:
  colorWipe(strip_b.Color(255, 0, 0), 50); // Red
  colorWipe(strip_b.Color(0, 255, 0), 50); // Green
  colorWipe(strip_b.Color(0, 0, 255), 50); // Blue
  rainbow(20);
  rainbowCycle(20);
}
// Fill the dots one after the other with a color
void colorWipe(uint32_t c, uint8_t wait) {
  for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip_a.numPixels(); i++) {
      strip_a.setPixelColor(i, c);
      strip_a.show();
      
  for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip_b.numPixels(); i++) {
      strip_b.setPixelColor(i, c);
      strip_b.show();
      delay(wait);
  }
}
}
void rainbow(uint8_t wait) {
  uint16_t i, j;

  for(j=0; j<256; j++) {
    for(i=0; i<strip_a.numPixels(); i++) {
      strip_a.setPixelColor(i, Wheel((i+j) & 255));
    }
    for(i=0; i<strip_b.numPixels(); i++) {
      strip_b.setPixelColor(i, Wheel((i+j) & 255));
    }
    strip_b.show();
    strip_a.show();
    delay(wait);
  }
}
// Slightly different, this makes the rainbow equally distributed throughout
void rainbowCycle(uint8_t wait) {
  uint16_t i, j;

  for(j=0; j<256*5; j++) { // 5 cycles of all colors on wheel
    for(i=0; i< strip_a.numPixels(); i++) {
      strip_a.setPixelColor(i, Wheel(((i * 256 / strip_a.numPixels()) + j) & 255));
    }
    for(i=0; i< strip_b.numPixels(); i++) {
      strip_b.setPixelColor(i, Wheel(((i * 256 / strip_b.numPixels()) + j) & 255));
    }
    strip_a.show();
    strip_b.show();
    delay(wait);
  }
}

//Theatre-style crawling lights.
void theaterChase(uint32_t c, uint8_t wait) {
  for (int j=0; j<10; j++) {  //do 10 cycles of chasing
    for (int q=0; q < 3; q++) {
      for (int i=0; i < strip_a.numPixels(); i=i+3) {
        strip_a.setPixelColor(i+q, c);    //turn every third pixel on
      }
      for (int i=0; i < strip_b.numPixels(); i=i+3) {
        strip_b.setPixelColor(i+q, c);    //turn every third pixel on
      }
      
      strip_a.show();
      strip_b.show();
      delay(wait);
     
      for (int i=0; i < strip_a.numPixels(); i=i+3) {
        strip_a.setPixelColor(i+q, 0);        //turn every third pixel off
      }
      for (int i=0; i < strip_b.numPixels(); i=i+3) {
        strip_b.setPixelColor(i+q, 0);        //turn every third pixel off
      }
    }
  }
}

//Theatre-style crawling lights with rainbow effect
void theaterChaseRainbow(uint8_t wait) {
  for (int j=0; j < 256; j++) {     // cycle all 256 colors in the wheel
    for (int q=0; q < 3; q++) {
        for (int i=0; i < strip_a.numPixels(); i=i+3) {
          strip_a.setPixelColor(i+q, Wheel( (i+j) % 255));    //turn every third pixel on
        }
        for (int i=0; i < strip_b.numPixels(); i=i+3) {
          strip_b.setPixelColor(i+q, Wheel( (i+j) % 255));    //turn every third pixel on
        }
        
        strip_a.show();
        strip_b.show();
        delay(wait);
       
        for (int i=0; i < strip_a.numPixels(); i=i+3) {
          strip_a.setPixelColor(i+q, 0);        //turn every third pixel off
        }
        for (int i=0; i < strip_b.numPixels(); i=i+3) {
          strip_b.setPixelColor(i+q, 0);        //turn every third pixel off
        }
    }
  }
}

// Input a value 0 to 255 to get a color value.
// The colours are a transition r - g - b - back to r.
uint32_t Wheel(byte WheelPos) {
  WheelPos = 255 - WheelPos;
  if(WheelPos < 85) {
   return strip_a.Color(255 - WheelPos * 3, 0, WheelPos * 3);
   return strip_b.Color(255 - WheelPos * 3, 0, WheelPos * 3);
  } else if(WheelPos < 170) {
    WheelPos -= 85;
   return strip_a.Color(0, WheelPos * 3, 255 - WheelPos * 3);
   return strip_b.Color(0, WheelPos * 3, 255 - WheelPos * 3);
  } else {
   WheelPos -= 170;
   return strip_a.Color(WheelPos * 3, 255 - WheelPos * 3, 0);
   return strip_b.Color(WheelPos * 3, 255 - WheelPos * 3, 0);
  }
}
3

I should probably add that I'm using a sparkfun redboard with WS2812b strips, powered over USB from a windows 10 laptop.

Thanks for any insights.
Sho

4

If I get rid of the delay here (wait&delay(wait):

[// Fill the dots one after the other with a color
void colorWipe(uint32_t c, uint8_t wait) {
for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip_a.numPixels(); i++) {
strip_a.setPixelColor(i, c);
strip_a.show();

for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip_b.numPixels(); i++) {
strip_b.setPixelColor(i, c);
strip_b.show();
delay(wait);
}
]

it resolves my major problem, but still ignores the chasing theater light functions, as well as simply flashing rgb as opposed to flowing it through the strip.

Is there a way that I can get the RGB to run through the strip as well as get the chasing functions to work? I am unsure why splitting them into 2 strands has stopped this function.

Trying to figure this out, but if someone knows off hand what I am doing wrong, I would love a hint.

Thank you,
Sho

5 
// Fill the dots one after the other with a color
void colorWipe(uint32_t c, uint8_t wait) 
{
  for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip_a.numPixels(); i++)
  {
      strip_a.setPixelColor(i, c);
      strip_a.show();
     
      for(uint16_t i=0; i<strip_b.numPixels(); i++) 
      {
        strip_b.setPixelColor(i, c);
        strip_b.show();
        delay(wait);
      }

As so often happens, correct indentation makes things clearer.

6

I'm trying to run multiple WS2812B strips from and arduino nano.

I can activate each strip individually but I can't control all of them together.

It seems to use the strip that is defined first, and ignores the rest

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Three_Strips_ada.ino (1.01 KB)