I started a new project that involves Arduino and LED strip. I want to control the strip wirelessly.
Can I just feed the SPI signal to one xBee and connect the output of the other xBee to LED strip? Or I need Arduinos on both sides? I'd like it to be really fast.
I was thinking of programming Arduino on receiving (LED strip) side with different functions I need and then trigger them with Arduino on sending side.
But if I can do direct SPI, then I don't need 2 Arduinos.
I have 2 60mW xBee Series 1, Arduino Uno, Arduino Mega 1280 and Teensy2++ that I program with Arduino software. I also have xBee shield for Uno.
I want the receiving part to be small enough to fit on a person. And I also need to find 5V high current battery.
In the end I decorate dancers with LED strip and control them wirelessly. I probably need 30 meters of range.
I think your going to need a micro-controller at both ends as you will need something to decode your wireless signal.
Pushbuttons, pots (to change LED functions) -> Arduino -> xBee -> xBee -> Arduino -> LED strip
Probably I need to write serial protocol with ability to send digital and analog input values to receiving Arduino.
I tried it once between Arduinos directly but I had no luck. Maybe you guys can point me to some example I might find useful?
Unless you have no other need for them you could ditch the xBee modules in favour of cheap RF modules like this Hobby Robotics ยป Cheap Arduino Wireless Communications
If your only switching between pre-programmed LED sequences then the serial communications don't need to be complex. The arduino connected to the LED strip has all the sequences programmed into it and listens for a simple 2 or 3 byte command from the arduino with the push buttons and switches to the desired pre-programmed sequence. The push button arduino only needs to cycle thru available sequence options and then send command to other arduino to select that sequence.
I also want to send analog values and I'd like LEDs to have realtime reaction to my buttons and pots.
xBee is good as it is fast, and reliable. If I get it all working, I'd like to make connection 2-way as I might need to know battery voltage, temperature, humidity etc.