[DIY] Selfmade AmbiLight using LED Strings (1 Viewer)

[HomeY]

Nope, no joy from the other end. Exactly the same symptons. LEDs blink when the power is connected (at least some do) and that's it.
I knew i was gonna get into trouble with this (since i always have to face the 'challenges' before something works)

 

[kenwonders]

Nope, no joy from the other end. Exactly the same symptons. LEDs blink when the power is connected (at least some do) and that's it.
I knew i was gonna get into trouble with this (since i always have to face the 'challenges' before something works)

I feel for ya HomeY, it took me 4 days to get a colour out of them that I had actually asked for.

If you have covered power and direction, looks like your next culprit is the addLEDS call, perhaps try different settings there like
addLeds<WS2812, DATA_PORT, GRB>(leds, NUM_LEDS);

or change WS2812 to WS281_400 which according to the FastLED header is the 400khz version of the same thing:

            case WS2812:
            case WS2812B:
            case WS2811: { static WS2811Controller800Khz<DATA_PIN> controller; return addLeds(&controller, data, nLedsOrOffset, nLedsIfOffset); }
            case NEOPIXEL: { static WS2811Controller800Khz<DATA_PIN, GRB> controller; return addLeds(&controller, data, nLedsOrOffset, nLedsIfOffset); }
            case WS2811_400: { static WS2811Controller400Khz<DATA_PIN> controller; return addLeds(&controller, data, nLedsOrOffset, nLedsIfOffset); }

if you have the RGB order wrong, this will just mean the wrong colours (or it did for me), so I'd worry about that once they light up at all.

 

[HomeY]

addLeds<WS2812, DATA_PORT, GRB>(leds, NUM_LEDS);

Already tried that, but no result.

I've already tried the NEOPIXEL LEDs, and WS2812, my LEDs ONLY run on 800 kbps, not 400.
I'm really starting to pull my hair out here

No clue what else i could try, although i might just cut the strip into pieces tomorrow and test a shorter part.

TNX for the help guys If you have any more clues, please keep 'em coming!

 

[kenwonders]

the bit that is most familiar to me in your experiences is 'first led does something'. Can you not remove the 4/5 port doubt and wire the two grounds together? Apologies if you have already done this and if I am starting to waste your time

EDIT: of course I mean -V! and at the other end too.

 

[HomeY]

Apologies if you have already done this and if I am starting to waste your time

As long as it's not working, you're defo not wasting my time, and any input is highly appreciated
But i've indeed already tried that setup. Both black arduino GND + white LEDstrip tested on PIN 3 & 4 (both on same pin, tested both).

Every time i plug in the power, some LEDs blink, and it seems it's always other LED.
I've seen the first LED light up only when i quickly remove/attach the power to the LEDs about 5 times, but i don't think that's a good thing, although it felt good to finally see 1 LED bright

It's not that the WS2812B are incompatible or something, because i've seen multiple threads on the net that show a working solution, just not mine...

 

[HomeY]

http://www.adafruit.com/products/1138

Found some interesting info there also. It's not the same strip, but the same LED.
Maybe the RAM is the problem?

• Third, just because you have all those pixels doesn't mean you have the RAM for it - the entire strip must be buffered in memory, and we've found many Arduino UNO projects only have about 1500 bytes of RAM available after all the extras are included - enough for about 500 LED pixels. If you want to drive the entire strip and have some other libraries included, use a Mega.

Well, the only way to find that out is to cut the strip.

 

[Lightning303]

So,
im guessing its software. Are you sure you transfared all the right files to the arduino? Are you sure you actually started the code? In this case FirstLight. Is there a possibility to check if and what code is running?

Well, the only way to find that out is to cut the strip.

If you define only 20 leds in your arduino, it should only effect the first 20. The leds dont know of each other. They just latch the first 24bits, and send the rest of the message on its way. So led 1 sees 480 bit, led 2 sees 24 less, and led 20 sees just 24 bits. The rest just sees a low signal.

I just dont want you to cut the strip, and then later you cant get a refund if something is wrong with them... :/

 

[HomeY]

I just dont want you to cut the strip, and then later you cant get a refund if something is wrong with them... :/

Good point If cutting isn't gonna help, then their's no need for it yet till their on the TV.
I'm reading the adafruit site now, they seem to have everything including libraries, etc. so maybe their's a hint that helps.
http://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-neopixel-uberguide/arduino-library
They seem to have some nice 'security' tips with capacitors and stuf.

 

[kenwonders]

I'm all out of ideas, although I agree with Lightning303 that perhaps FirstLight is not running? my last suggestion as I retire for the night is to ensure you're definitely using the latest FastLED library, the correct FirstLight.ino, and make sure you remember the 'Upload' button

 

[HomeY]

my last suggestion as I retire for the night is to ensure you're definitely using the latest FastLED library, the correct FirstLight.ino, and make sure you remember the 'Upload' button

I'll go download the latest files from the 2.1 repo and see how that goes.