This is my first post on this forum and I am looking for help with a project I am doing.
Looking at replacing lighting within a bubbler type jukebox.
I have WS2812B LEDs
I have an arduino R3 and have successfully programmed them with examples off the internet.
Basically I want to run 6 strips of LEDs.
String 1 and 2 - Left and right pillars - Running 24 LEDs on each string
String 3 and 4 - Left and right arches - Running 18 LEDs on each string
String 5 and 6 - Running static colour strips
So, strings 1, 2, 3 and 4 will run the same program. Strings 5 and 6 will also run the same program.
Can I use the same pin out on the arduino to run more than one string?
If I can not, how do I assign different programs to different pins?
Is it possible to install a button to cycle thru different programs?
Another way of approaching this project would be to run all the lights on one string, but certain programs would have to sync and mirror each other (ie 1 - 24 and 25-49 are to be mirrored, 50-68 and 69-87 would be mirrored etc...)
Can someone help a newbie out? I can draw a basic sketch if this would help explain what I need.
thanks all.
Phil
Can I use the same pin out on the arduino to run more than one string?
Yes if you want exactly the same thing on each string.
Another way of approaching this project would be to run all the lights on one string,
That is what I would do.
but certain programs would have to sync and mirror each other
That is no problem to do in software, it only takes one extra line of code per mirrored section.
Is it possible to install a button to cycle thru different programs?
Yes but with simple coding you have to wait until a pattern is finished before the button is looked at and changes the pattern. With more complex coding of how the patterns are produced it is possible to have the change happen instantly.
Sounds like a cool project. The WS2812FX library has an option to set patterns for different sections along with pre-programmed patterns. Might be something worth looking into if you want to run just 1 strip.
What Grumpy_Mike alluded to was state machines versus blocking functions. Definitely check those out. I ran into this issue, and he shared code that allowed me to change the pattern in the middle of the pattern. The before and after code (along with his code) is here.