On 02/12/16 18:19, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Thu, 1 Dec 2016 09:53:32 +0000, Tim Watts wrote:

I don't mind a house going full chav, ie covered with illuminations: the
owner has made an effort and even if I don't like it personally, I
expect the local kids love it.

A surfet of static and/or random flashing lights is naff, full stop.
If you are going to do it do it properly, set and timed to music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90oZ52M4IC0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_hXlKCt11s How to... but uses pixel
LEDS.

Bloody hell! That's doing it properly!

All he needs is a couple of musical giant tesla coils to finish that
(and see off the burglars).

Currently have a Pi Zero directly controlling three short strings (4
ordinary bright white LEDs/string salavged from a cheap decoration
SWMBO'd didn't like) with PWM and transistor switch per string. I
might see what the current draw of the outdoor LED lights we normally
use is and hack off the basic controller and replace it with a Pi to
give sequences and effects that we like.

Using pixel LEDs seems cheating some how, but simple LED strings
can't do what they can do.


I thought he'd be doing something like that.

He says he's using the: WS2811 - you can get RGB LEDs with that
integrated to even avoid the need for a PCB (or at least all it would do
is act as mounting and a wire carrier). I suspect his setup predates
that LED, maybe - but if anyone wants to try this, the WS2812B LED works
in the same way - and you can buy them mounted on tape (from the USA)
for reasonable coin).


I wonder why all the crazy good stuff like this is always an american?