Rpi and FadeCandy or Teensy 3.2 w/ OctoWS2811 ?
and which Library? i think i’m searching for some boilerplate code and FastLED seems to have the basis for what i am trying to piece together
however
i am still pretty novice to all this (hence the post!) and i am hoping to find some solid resources for getting me learnt on how to talk to the WS2812’s
and start making them respond to my code tricks.
So the things is im working on a project involving WS2812B strips in a wearable application in addition to a SparkFun Sound Detector Module for sound responsive lights.
the wearable is a modified wetsuit with a design i came up with.
the whole thing will be used in a performance piece accompanying a film piece i made. I will be using hotel pools to stage the performance.
the wetsuit will be responsive to a submersible bluetooth subwoofer speaker cube i am also designing.
I have a few questions concerning the best route for running this thing.
I have researched and purchased the components already and I am unsure as to whether i should use the
RPi --> FadeCandy --> and a bunch of USB terminated ends that connect to a USB hub that leads to USB battery bank (I have two 5V/26aH with 3 USB inputs each)
or should I go with Teensy 3.2 and use the FastLED library to construct something due to its size and strength (32bits, baby)
and the OctoWS2811 module that uses CAT6 to connect to all the strips via wound 22awg inside the cable (essentially what id be doing with a FadeCandy and the USBs imho)
i sure hope someone is down to chime in and help a fella out. its my desire to go deeper with this stuff and ive bitten off quite a bit, it only being my second real project utilizing microcontrollers and my first ever trying to talk to LEDs with code but I have a couple of good friends who are going to help assemble the code and make sure it responds and all, but it is also very necessary for me to grasp what is going on so i can tweak and modify this thing to no end.
this is a silly drawing but it is how the suit is going to look
missing/deleted image from Google+
The answer really depends on whether you and your friends are able to program the LED patterns you want using FastLED and the Arduino IDE. Obviously running everything directly on a Teensy is much more efficient than having a Linux computer plus a board that is basically the same as a Teensy. Using only a microcontroller is also much more reliable than adding a Linux SBC which runs from a SD card. It also boots up in a fraction of a second. So there’s a lot of technical reasons to use only a microcontroller. The big thing the Raspberry Pi offers is a full Linux computer that can be programmed with “easy” scripting languages. Linux also gives networking any other advanced features that are quire difficult & limited with Arduino programming. If you or your friends know Linux and Linux-based programming really well, that may be worth the extra size and complexity of adding a Raspberry Pi. If you’re able to use Arduino and FastLED, then keeping the hardware simpler would probably be best.
@PaulStoffregen hey i really love your site. its an invaluable resource and i really appreciate your response!
so another maker friend of mine told me the same concern about utilizing the Pi in this manner and I really only was going to go with it cus the FadeCandy was what i had come across initially (plus the dithering and the gamma had me sold on the nuance i was looking for…although as i understand it, FastLED now incorporates the same functions…) and was the one who suggested rolling with the Teensy 3.2
I imagine the OctoWS2811 w/ the RJ45 jacks are going to be as awkward to route and assemble as the idea I had for the DIN’s and Fadecandy so I’m probably not conveniencing myself any more or less and now I’ve got you as an authority on this telling me it’s much simpler, i guess my next question is based on the function I am seeking to elicit as a response to certain qualities of sound…
my original concept is something like this:
the Cube (an acrylic plexiglass fabrication) features 3x 12" subwoofers, internally hosting a 12v battery, a bluetooth receiver and a marine amplifier)
this will channel sound from a mixing board and computer running abelton tracks.
at intervals the speakers will produce specific frequency tones (modeled after resonant energy centers and cymatics research) and my desire is for the SF Sound Detector to grab that information and translate it the microcontroller and run specific patterns in response to these specified sounds.
I do not know if this is possible with FastLED, perhaps you might. I just dont want to begin diving deep on something (as i am now exploring Processing for the same idea) and find i should be investing elsewhere…