Buttons with RGB Backlight

Using Arduino LEDs and Multiplexing
#1

Hi,

for a project, I need a button with RGB Backlight.

The buttons should look like this:

1495×1500 263 KB

Do you know where I can buy such buttons, or how I could build them?

Thanks for your help!

I hope this is the right forum for questions like this.

#2

This looks interesting: Adafruit Midi Keyboard
But it has only white leds and is a bit expensive.

#3

Hi, I don't have a suggestion for the buttons, but for the leds, I would recommend you get ws2812b type leds. These will be far far more simple to wire up than regular RGB leds. You simply chain them together in a single long chain and no driver chips are needed, just one Arduino output to control them all.

Paul

#4

Nice, I am going to buy some of this rgb leds and test them.

Any ideas about transparent buttons, or allready assembled rgb buttons are welchome :smiley:

#5

These two products give you an illuminated keypad of 4 by 4 switches.

Spark fun /products/7835 Silicon buttons

Spark fun /products/8033 PCB

The PCB is for an RGB LED. However you can hack it into accepting the 5mm WS2812b LEDs for easy software.

If you want the full details of this hack it is in my new book:- Dummies Projects

While it is written for the Raspberry Pi you can also use it with the Arduino using the AdaFruit library.

#6

This looks good, maybe I am going to buy this. But if I want to use many buttons, this solution is nearly expensive as the adafruit project.

Good luck with your books, I am not a fan of the "dummies" series, but I am sure it is helpfull for the beginners with the raspberry pi :wink:

#7

I am not a fan of the “dummies” series

Oddly enough nether am I and I would never even pick one up until they asked me to write one. This is my second.

Yes it is expensive, I have made some much cheaper illuminated buttons but not with the soft touch of these. See these projects:-
http://www.thebox.myzen.co.uk/Hardware/Mini_Monome.html
and
http://www.thebox.myzen.co.uk/Hardware/Hexome.html

#8

Thank you for the links.
But I guess the self made buttons are not good for a daily usage.
The besteht solution for me is propaply buying the adafruit project...

#9

But I guess the self made buttons are not good for a daily usage.

The actual button switch is a tack switch and if anything these are better than the carbon pad on PCB track type of buttons.

#10