SK6812 LED strips with a total of 1118 LEDS using STM32F103C8

Other Hardware LEDs and Multiplexing
1

My project is a light table where I use SK6812 strips in a S pattern of 43 LEDs and 26 rows.

Trying to split the table up into 6 individual controlled groups.

My code works but it seems to lag a little. Takes about 20 seconds or so to light up each group.

Any ideas to speed it up.

#include "FastLED.h"
#include "FastLED_RGBW.h"

/* FastLED RGBW Example Sketch

Example sketch using FastLED for RGBW strips (SK6812). Includes
color wipes and rainbow pattern.

Written by David Madison
http://partsnotincluded.com

// Set Standard FastLED Color
leds[0] = CRGB::Red;

// Set Individual Colors
leds[0].r = 255;
leds[0].g = 128;
leds[0].b = 64;
leds[0].w = 32; // Specific to RGBW

leds[0] = CRGB(255, 128, 64);
leds[0] = CRGBW(255, 128, 64, 32);

// Set HSV Color
leds[0] = CHSV(hue, sat, val);
*/

#define NUM_LEDS 1118
#define NUM_LEDS_Groups 6
#define DATA_PIN PA8

CRGBW leds[NUM_LEDS];
CRGB *ledsRGB = (CRGB *) &leds[0];

int buttonPin1 = PA9;
int buttonPin2 = PA10;
int buttonPin3 = PB3;
volatile int buttonFlag;
int buttonDebounce = 50;
int previousPress = 0;

int NUM_LEDS_PerGrp[6][1] = {{182},{182},{195},{182},{182},{195}};

int grp[6][195] ={{0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,
85, 84, 83, 82, 81, 80, 79, 78, 77, 76, 75, 74, 73, 72,
86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99,
171,170,169,168,167,166,165,164,163,162,161,160,159,158,
172,173,174,175,176,177,178,179,180,181,182,183,184,185,
257,256,255,254,253,252,251,250,249,248,247,246,245,244,
258,259,260,261,262,263,264,265,266,267,268,269,270,271,
343,342,341,340,339,338,337,336,335,334,333,332,331,330,
344,345,346,347,348,349,350,351,352,353,354,355,356,357,
429,428,427,426,425,424,423,422,421,420,419,418,417,416,
430,431,432,433,434,435,436,437,438,439,440,441,442,443,
515,514,513,512,511,510,509,508,507,506,505,504,503,502,
516,517,518,519,520,521,522,523,524,525,526,527,528,529},//Group1
{14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27,
71, 70, 69, 68, 67, 66, 65, 64, 63, 62, 61, 60, 59, 58,
100,101,102,103,104,105,106,107,108,109,110,111,112,113,
157,156,155,154,153,152,151,150,149,148,147,146,145,144,
186,187,188,189,190,191,192,193,194,195,196,197,198,199,
243,242,241,240,239,238,237,236,235,234,233,232,231,230,
272,273,274,275,276,277,278,279,280,281,282,283,284,285,
329,328,327,326,325,324,323,322,321,320,319,318,317,316,
358,359,360,361,362,363,364,365,366,367,368,369,370,371,
415,414,413,412,411,410,409,408,407,406,405,404,403,402,
444,445,446,447,448,449,450,451,452,453,454,455,456,457,
501,500,499,498,497,496,495,494,493,492,491,490,489,488,
530,531,532,533,534,535,536,537,538,539,540,541,542,543},//Group2
{28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42,
57, 56, 55, 54, 53, 52, 51, 50, 49, 48, 47, 46, 45, 44, 43,
114,115,116,117,118,119,120,121,122,123,124,125,126,127,128,
143,142,141,140,139,138,137,136,135,134,133,132,131,130,129,
200,201,202,203,204,205,206,207,208,209,210,211,212,213,214,
229,228,227,226,225,224,223,222,221,220,219,218,217,216,215,
286,287,288,289,290,291,292,293,294,295,296,297,298,299,300,
315,314,313,312,311,310,309,308,307,306,305,304,303,302,301,
372,373,374,375,376,377,378,379,380,381,382,383,384,385,386,
401,400,399,398,397,396,395,394,393,392,391,390,389,388,387,
458,459,460,461,462,463,464,465,466,467,468,469,470,471,472,
487,486,485,484,483,482,481,480,479,478,477,476,475,474,473,
544,545,546,547,548,549,550,551,552,553,554,555,556,557,558},//Group3
{601, 600, 599, 598, 597, 596, 595, 594, 593, 592, 591, 590, 589, 588,
602, 603, 604, 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 610, 611, 612, 613, 614, 615,
687, 686, 685, 684, 683, 682, 681, 680, 679, 678, 677, 676, 675, 674,
688, 689, 690, 691, 692, 693, 694, 695, 696, 697, 698, 699, 700, 701,
773, 772, 771, 770, 769, 768, 767, 766, 765, 764, 763, 762, 761, 760,
774, 775, 776, 777, 778, 779, 780, 781, 782, 783, 784, 785, 786, 787,
859, 858, 857, 856, 855, 854, 853, 852, 851, 850, 849, 848, 847, 846,
860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 866, 867, 868, 869, 870, 871, 872, 873,
945, 944, 943, 942, 941, 940, 939, 938, 937, 936, 935, 934, 933, 932,
946, 947, 948, 949, 950, 951, 952, 953, 954, 955, 956, 957, 958, 959,
1031,1030,1029,1028,1027,1026,1025,1024,1023,1022,1021,1020,1019,1018,
1032,1033,1034,1035,1036,1037,1038,1039,1040,1041,1042,1043,1044,1045,
1117,1116,1115,1114,1113,1112,1111,1110,1109,1108,1107,1106,1105,1104},//Group4
{587, 586, 585, 584, 583, 582, 581, 580, 579, 578, 577, 576, 575, 574,
616, 617, 618, 619, 620, 621, 622, 623, 624, 625, 626, 627, 628, 629,
673, 672, 671, 670, 669, 668, 667, 666, 665, 664, 663, 662, 661, 660,
702, 703, 704, 705, 706, 707, 708, 709, 710, 711, 712, 713, 714, 715,
759, 758, 757, 756, 755, 754, 753, 752, 751, 750, 749, 748, 747, 746,
788, 789, 790, 791, 792, 793, 794, 795, 796, 797, 798, 799, 800, 801,
845, 844, 843, 842, 841, 840, 839, 838, 837, 836, 835, 834, 833, 832,
874, 875, 876, 877, 878, 879, 880, 881, 882, 883, 884, 885, 886, 887,
931, 930, 929, 928, 927, 926, 925, 924, 923, 922, 921, 920, 919, 918,
960, 961, 962, 963, 964, 965, 966, 967, 968, 969, 970, 971, 972, 973,
1017,1016,1015,1014,1013,1012,1011,1010,1009,1008,1007,1006,1005,1004,
1046,1047,1048,1049,1050,1051,1052,1053,1054,1055,1056,1057,1058,1059,
1103,1102,1101,1100,1099,1098,1097,1096,1095,1094,1093,1092,1091,1090},//Group5
{573, 572, 571, 570, 569, 568, 567, 566, 565, 564, 563, 562, 561, 560, 559,
630, 631, 632, 633, 634, 635, 636, 637, 638, 639, 640, 641, 642, 643, 644,
659, 658, 657, 656, 655, 654, 653, 652, 651, 650, 649, 648, 647, 646, 645,
716, 717, 718, 719, 720, 721, 722, 723, 724, 725, 726, 727, 728, 729, 730,
745, 744, 743, 742, 741, 740, 739, 738, 737, 736, 735, 734, 733, 732, 731,
802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 808, 809, 810, 811, 812, 813, 814, 815, 816,
831, 830, 829, 828, 827, 826, 825, 824, 823, 822, 821, 820, 819, 818, 817,
888, 889, 890, 891, 892, 893, 894, 895, 896, 897, 898, 899, 900, 901, 902,
917, 916, 915, 914, 913, 912, 911, 910, 909, 908, 907, 906, 905, 904, 903,
974, 975, 976, 977, 978, 979, 980, 981, 982, 983, 984, 985, 986, 987, 988,
1003,1002,1001,1000,999, 998, 997, 996, 995, 994, 993, 992, 991, 990, 989,
1060,1061,1062,1063,1064,1065,1066,1067,1068,1069,1070,1071,1072,1073,1074,
1089,1088,1087,1086,1085,1084,1083,1082,1081,1080,1079,1078,1077,1076,1075}};//Group6

int currentGrpCondition[6][3] = {}; // Group row, Colour mode, Brightness Selector, Brightness Value
int groupSelector = 0;
int modeSelector = 0;
int brightnessSel = 0;
int StringBrightness = 0;
int brightness = 255;

void setup() {
FastLED.addLeds<SK6812, DATA_PIN, RGB>(ledsRGB, getRGBWsize(NUM_LEDS)).setCorrection(TypicalLEDStrip);
FastLED.setBrightness(brightness);
FastLED.show();
pinMode(buttonPin1, INPUT);
pinMode(buttonPin2, INPUT);
pinMode(buttonPin3, INPUT);
attachInterrupt(digitalPinToInterrupt(buttonPin1), button1_ISR, CHANGE);
attachInterrupt(digitalPinToInterrupt(buttonPin2), button2_ISR, CHANGE);
attachInterrupt(digitalPinToInterrupt(buttonPin3), button3_ISR, CHANGE);
delay(300);
}

void loop() {
//But1 Group Selector, But2 Colour Selector, But3 Brightness Selector
if (buttonFlag == 1){
if((millis() - previousPress) > buttonDebounce){
previousPress = millis();
groupSelector++;
if (groupSelector == NUM_LEDS_Groups) {groupSelector = 0;}
flashOnce();
}
buttonFlag = 0;
}

if (buttonFlag == 2) {
if((millis() - previousPress) > buttonDebounce){
previousPress = millis();
modeSelector = currentGrpCondition[groupSelector][0];
modeSelector++;
if (modeSelector == 6) {modeSelector = 0;}
currentGrpCondition[groupSelector][0] = modeSelector;
ColourModeSwitch ();
}
buttonFlag = 0;
}

if (buttonFlag == 3) {
if((millis() - previousPress) > buttonDebounce && buttonFlag){
previousPress = millis();
brightnessSel = currentGrpCondition[groupSelector][1];
brightnessSel++;
if (brightnessSel == 6) {brightnessSel = 0;}
BrightnessSwitch ();
}
buttonFlag = 0;
}
}

void button1_ISR(){
buttonFlag = 1;
}

void button2_ISR(){
buttonFlag = 2;
}

void button3_ISR(){
buttonFlag = 3;
}

void flashOnce() {
for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS_PerGrp[groupSelector][0]; i++) {
leds[grp[groupSelector][i]] = CHSV(224, 255, 255);
FastLED.show();
}
delay(150);
modeSelector = currentGrpCondition[groupSelector][0];
ColourModeSwitch ();
}

void colorFill(int h, int s, int bright) {
for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS_PerGrp[groupSelector][0]; i++) {
leds[grp[groupSelector][i]] = CHSV(h, s, bright);
FastLED.show();
}
}

void fillWhite() {
for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS_PerGrp[groupSelector][0]; i++) {
leds[grp[groupSelector][i]] = CRGBW(0, 0, 0, currentGrpCondition[groupSelector][2]);
FastLED.show();
}
}

void rainbow() {
static uint8_t hue;

for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS_PerGrp[groupSelector][0]; i++) {
leds[grp[groupSelector][i]] = CHSV((i * 256 / NUM_LEDS) + hue, 255, 255);
}
FastLED.show();
hue++;
}

void rainbowLoop() {
long millisIn = millis();
long loopTime = 5000; // 5 seconds

while (millis() < millisIn + loopTime) {
rainbow();
delay(5);
}
}

void BrightnessSwitch () {
switch (brightnessSel) {
case 0:
StringBrightness = 0;
break;
case 1:
StringBrightness = 32;
break;
case 2:
StringBrightness = 80;
break;
case 3:
StringBrightness = 120;
break;
case 4:
StringBrightness = 180;
break;
case 5:
StringBrightness = 255;
break;
}
currentGrpCondition[groupSelector][1] = brightnessSel;
currentGrpCondition[groupSelector][2] = StringBrightness;
modeSelector = currentGrpCondition[groupSelector][0];
ColourModeSwitch ();
}

void ColourModeSwitch () {
switch (modeSelector) {
case 0:
fillWhite(); //White
break;
case 1:
colorFill(0, 255, currentGrpCondition[groupSelector][2]); //Red
break;
case 2:
colorFill(96, 255, currentGrpCondition[groupSelector][2]); //Green
break;
case 3:
colorFill(160, 255, currentGrpCondition[groupSelector][2]); //Blue
break;
case 4:
colorFill(192, 255, currentGrpCondition[groupSelector][2]); //PartyMode
break;
case 5:
rainbowLoop();
break;
}
}

2

This thread should draw lots of comments.
That many LEDs is tough, but doable.
Check out:
NeoPixels Revealed: How to (not need to) generate precisely timed signals | josh.com;

and:
How many leds can a arduino uno control? - Using Arduino / Project Guidance - Arduino Forum

I'm not sure how much faster the stm32 is at bit-banging out the sequences either. Other will better make that comparison.

3

As far as I can see, for every LED you set, you do a call of FastLED.show(). This updates the complete display. Maybe you can reduce these call by moving it after the loop.

e.g.:

void flashOnce() {
for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS_PerGrp[groupSelector][0]; i++) {
leds[grp[groupSelector][i]] = CHSV(224, 255, 255);
}
FastLED.show();
delay(150);
modeSelector = currentGrpCondition[groupSelector][0];
ColourModeSwitch ();
}
1 Like
4

You cannot bitbang it faster, you have to follow the preceise timing that the WS2812 requires. Faster CPU means faster busy-waiting.

You can split the matrix into separate segments and connect these to different pins. Now you dont have to update everything when you change only one LED which saves time.

5

I was making the point that there isn't a lot of gain by using a faster processor.

but even though we're saying something similar, I don't quite agree with you.
You have more flexibility with the timing than is spec'd. There are more than a couple people exploring it.

Please read the link I posted earlier. Especially since it actually solves OPs issue.

6

This is another great option.
GitHub - sonyhome/FAB_LED: Fast Arduino Bitbang LED library supports programmable LEDs (WS2812B, APA102...), color palettes for Arduino AVR

7

That worked perfectly, now its to fast. I'll be adding more debounce time and some delays. Thanks.

8

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