FastLed no output - strange behaviour

Projects Programming
1

Hello,
I am currently experimenting with the FastLed libraray in order to build my own Pixel POI.
Today I experienced a strange behaviour.

Here is my Code

#include "FastLED.h"

#define LED_PIN     5
#define CLOCK_PIN     6
#define NUM_LEDS    64
#define LED_TYPE    APA102
#define COLOR_ORDER BGR
CRGB leds[NUM_LEDS];


int currentDelay = 5;
int intermission = 500;
int currentMode = 1;
int currentBrightness = 255;

void setup() {
  delay(3000); // power-up safety delay
  FastLED.addLeds<LED_TYPE, LED_PIN, CLOCK_PIN, COLOR_ORDER>(leds, NUM_LEDS).setCorrection( TypicalLEDStrip );
  FastLED.setBrightness(currentBrightness);
  FastLED.clear();
  FastLED.show();
  Serial.begin(9600);  // HC-05 default speed in AT command more
}

byte OutImage2[95][64][3] = {
  {
    {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {1, 1, 1}, {2, 1, 1}, {17, 1, 1}, {77, 23, 13}, {163, 41, 5}, {217, 59, 2}, {236, 73, 2}, {249, 85, 1}, {254, 113, 6}, {254, 141, 10}, {227, 120, 15}, {131, 58, 12}, {52, 16, 10}, {25, 6, 8}, {30, 12, 8}, {104, 38, 3}, {222, 122, 14}, {254, 188, 15}, {249, 194, 5}, {251, 161, 11},.....
};


void loop() {
  switch (currentMode) {
    case 2:
      ShowPOVMatrix(OutImage2, 94);
      FastLED.clear();
      FastLED.show();
      CheckSerial();
      break;
  }
  if (currentMode != 3) {
    pollingDelay(intermission);
  }
}

void ShowPOVMatrix(byte ca[][64][3], int Width) {
  for (int row = 0; row < Width; row++) {
    for (int column = 0; column <= 64; column++) {
      int R =  ca[row][column][0];
      int G =   ca[row][column][1];
      int B = ca[row][column][2];
      leds[64-column] = CRGB(R, G, B);
      Serial.println(R);

    }
    FastLED.show();
    delay(200);
  }
}

void CheckSerial() {
  int AvailBytes = Serial.available();
  String newDelay = "";
  String newBrightness = "";
  String newMode = "";
  char buffer[64];
  int index = 0;
  if (AvailBytes > 0)
  {
    char command = Serial.read();
    bool othercommands = false;
    while (Serial.available() && !othercommands) {
      char current = Serial.read();
      if (current == '|' && Serial.available()) {
        othercommands = true;
      }
      if (!othercommands) {
        buffer[index] = current;
        index++;
      }
    }
    switch (command) {
      case 'D':
        newDelay = buffer;
        currentDelay = newDelay.toInt();
        break;
      case 'I':
        newDelay = buffer;
        intermission = newDelay.toInt();
        break;
      case 'B':
        newBrightness = buffer;
        currentBrightness = newBrightness.toInt();
        FastLED.setBrightness(currentBrightness);
        break;
      case 'M':
        newMode = buffer;
        currentMode = newMode.toInt();
        break;
    }
    if (othercommands) {
      CheckSerial();
    }
  }
}

void pollingDelay(int delaytime) {
  int incrDelay = 15;
  if (delaytime < 15) {
    incrDelay = delaytime;
  }
  while (1 == 1) {
    CheckSerial();
    delay(incrDelay);

    delaytime -= incrDelay;
    if (delaytime <= 0) {
      return;
    }
  }
}

When I runt the above Code I get absolutely nothing on my leds, but when I Change the line

leds[64-column] = CRGB(R, G, B);
to i.e.
leds[64-column] = CRGB(255, G, B);

All my leds turn red and I see the green and blue leds changing Color as they are supposed to do.

Am I missing something?

Thanks

2

Are you giving them enough power?

Lower the brightness of the whole display and see if it works as intended.

3

Power shouldn't be the issue.
I can drive the Strip at full brighness and with all three Color values at 255 without Problems.
I first tought it has something to do with the 3.3V logic Level my adafruit feather M0 Outputs, bit when I'm using the static 10 on the red value it works dimmed.

Also what I found out is that the red value has to be cranked up in order to make the Strip work, it won't help if i set green or blue to a static value

4 
byte OutImage2[95][64][3] = {

95 * 64 * 3 = 18,240 bytes. Variables are put in RAM by default, and you're running out.

Google for "AVR PROGMEM".

5

Using PROGMEM didn't work.
Meanwhile I'll use the Workaround

leds[64-column] = CRGB(R+1, G, B);

Which seems to work