Feedback

Please leave feedback and comments. I am always interested to hear how people get on using these LScripts!

Wednesday 26 October 2016

Christmas Tree LED Pixel - WS2811 / T-1000S / Arduino Nano





I decided in 2015 to develop a few light effects for my outside Christmas Tree running on a T-1000S controller with WS2811 pixel leds. I wanted to produce some effects that were more pretty and less tacky and these were the result of a few evenings work.

The tree was setup on a 5ft tree using 150 leds. This version is no longer used since I have no moved to using an Arduino Nano v3 allowing me to generate more effects dynamically in realtime with 400 or less pixel leds @ 20fps. The Arduino source code will hopefully be shared soon.

I have decided to share the source files for the T-1000S. These are limited to the WS2811 based string lights with a maximum of 256 leds connected running @ 20fps.

Please give credit where you use these light effects.

Download Zip
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByRHiM8cmgLtc3ZEVno4Uk14YWs/view?usp=drivesdk&resourcekey=0-8nRR-ntXqA6DIUtjjj2e4w

35 comments:

  1. hello
    thank you very much for the sharing! Question: what power supply do you use? it it possible to get wiring schematics? thks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you!

      I use a 5v 30a switching power supply. The wiring schematics are available on Google. +5v to +5v and grounds together and then wire signal and you are done.

      Delete
    2. thanks
      you don't need to suppy each 50leds strip? (lost of luminosity?)

      Delete
  2. Fantastic sparkling effect, like a burning fuse - amazing! Any chance you would share your arduino sketches? I would love to understand how you did this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Martin!

      I am sorting out the arduino version and will share its code soon. I have it running on a Nano v3 running 150 leds due to some of the complexity of the newer effects but it runs realtime @ 20fps and it fits my needs... with a cycling mode and effect selection and ability to enable/disable effects from running when in cycle mode.

      Delete
  3. Hi, great job..do you finish arduino code until christmas? Thamks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I will be uploading a video to YouTube shortly with the version of my code running from the Christmas just gone which runs on an Arduino Mega2560 up to 400 lights or on an Arduino Nano up to 150 lights.

      Delete
  4. These effects are beautiful! Awesome work! I would love to use these effects on my tree this year. Are you going to provide the sources to these effects? Either way, great work!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I will at some point during the year be releasing the code for the Arduino but in the mean time the files for use on the T-1000S are available above.

      Delete
  5. very nice effects. I look forward to seeing how you achieved themon the arduino!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Video will be coming soon on YouTube showing effects running directly on an Arduino Mega2560.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hello, first your effects are greate. I have made similar project with leds on arduino (nano) https://visar78.jimdo.com . I have a question to you, could you show me your c code to generate some of the effects? I would like to add Pixie Dust, Rainbow 3, Rainbow 1 and Starry Night. My source code is available on page. Best regards

    ReplyDelete
  8. Martin Polocek23 June 2017 at 05:55

    Hello Stephen, very nice project! I am not familiar with T-1000S and I have some questions:
    1) on ebay I can see wired LEDs (WS2811) but only with 3-wires, probably for +5V, DATA and GND (example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wholesale-WS2811-LED-Pixel-Digital-Diffused-12mm-RGB-Light-P68-5V-12V-Black-Wire-/262844668975?var=&hash=item3d32c35c2f:m:m6ahaR4gGJlY484JzxnxVvw) but on T-1000S I need DATA and Clock (and +5V/GND) -> 4 wires. Question is, is it possible (or how) conect together?
    2)your LED scripts are for 150 LEDs. Is it possible to use only 50 LEDs or 200LEDs without modify your scripts?
    Many thanks!

    regards
    Martin P.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WS2811 have a built in clock function that simply commits the lights to change using a latch period. A low signal of set length. Using WS2811 pixels you only need to connect signal/data out and then connect ground to both lights, power source and controller.

      Delete
  9. Downloaded to SD card, nothing works. Assuming 5V program won't play on 12v pixels and a 156 pixel program won't go on 150 pixels

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The voltage should not make any difference. The signal wire (digital in/out) still uses 5v on WS2811. Whether you have 10 pixels or 500 pixels connected the T1000S will just output as much lights as the program has encoded. If their are less lights than the program the lights will work fine. If you have less lights than the program they will simply stop animating at the last node in the file. If that makes sense? This is encoded specifically for WS2811 pixels.

      Delete
  10. This is the most wonderful led programming i have seen!
    Please share your arduino code, its almost Christmas!
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! My code has been delayed a little but it is coming. I will hopefully drop a binary for people to explore soon.

      Delete
    2. Hello, Stephen Culley or you can ask to put the old code
      These effects were also transferred to the Arduino Nano v3 using special code.
      1 - Pixie Dust
      2 - Rainbow 3
      3 - Candle
      4 - Rainbow 2
      5 - Rainbow 1
      6 - Starry Night
      7 - Rainbow 4
      I liked him very much, PLEASE!

      Delete
    3. I cant wait for your code!
      My christmastree is all setup and the Standard effects look dull compared to yours.
      Please share your code and sketch!!

      Thanks!

      Delete
    4. I, my daughter and the Christmas tree still waiting for this fairytale Christmas lights!

      Delete
  11. Very much waiting for your code under arduino. Make us a gift for the new year!

    ReplyDelete
  12. My daughter is waiting with impatience, we really enjoyed it!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your project is amazing.
    It would have been fine to get your code as a Christmas' present. What a pity that it did not come true.
    Anyway the zip files can not be opened. Most probably because of the .led extension.
    Or, I make something wrong.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The files with '.led' extensions are used on the T-1000S light controller and you simply copy the files to an SD card and run them.

      I have posted an update on the current status of the Arduino version.

      Delete
  14. Hello, many thanks! working great with ws2813! of cause till 256led.
    may i ask you to rise code to 600leds?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have been working on optimizations hoping to push its limits on the arduino version. This is very tricky but what I have done is make the device output multiple channels so that the data can split to many sets of lights.

      Delete
  15. Hello, I still waiting for your great release!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thank your patience. I have posted an update to the project. Keep an eye out for an update soon on YouTube of the public release.

      Delete
  16. Hello, thanks for the files for T-1000s. Works perfect on 150 WS2811.
    Could you share also project files (*.pjb, *.cjb)?
    I'm a new one in programming of T-1000, so just want to understand how-to.
    Thank you in advance.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The project files would just contain an imported image/animation file as I created the effects themselves externally to the LED application.

      Delete
  17. Hello, do you make garlands to order? I would buy, + postage to Russia. (only connect to outlet)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hey. Share project files. I can not run the current version on the new controller k1000c

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do not have K1000c controller. The original files I currently do now have access to as away from that location. Applogies.

      Delete