So I made an off-hand comment in one of Current USA's threads last night about an Arduino controller for their LED+ freshwater fixture. In the 12 or so hours since posting that, I have probably received a dozen PM's requesting code, IR protocol, sketches, or other information. Instead of responding to each request for information separately, it became obvious that I just needed to put together a thread for my project. This is that thread.
First, a disclaimer. While I'm not your average DIY tinkerer, I'm also not an electronics expert. I'm a mechanical engineer by day, and like to think of myself as a modern mad scientist by night. If you decide to build your own controller based on this thread, be aware that you're on your own. That's not to say I won't help... I think open source is the way of the future and love to pass knowledge on. I just mean that if you burn up your Arduino, yourself, or your house, that it's on you.
I'm putting together a guide to follow along, but none of the steps should be considered the last step. The nice thing about Arduino is how easy it is to constantly modify your code and add features. Throughout this thread, I will periodically post my newest code so that you can upload it and get the newer features. If you're experienced with Arduino, feel free to hack my code apart and have your way with it.
This process should work for any light fixture with some tweaking!
I'm writing this step-by-step so hopefully anyone can follow along. The more Arduino users we have in the world, the better life can be for everyone! If you're new to Arduino, don't be overwhelmed... it's not as difficult as it seems at first glance. And if you're an old hand please don't bash my primitive coding too much!
Everything in this post should be considered open source and public domain. Feel free to use my code, distribute it, hack it up, whatever.
First, a disclaimer. While I'm not your average DIY tinkerer, I'm also not an electronics expert. I'm a mechanical engineer by day, and like to think of myself as a modern mad scientist by night. If you decide to build your own controller based on this thread, be aware that you're on your own. That's not to say I won't help... I think open source is the way of the future and love to pass knowledge on. I just mean that if you burn up your Arduino, yourself, or your house, that it's on you.
I'm putting together a guide to follow along, but none of the steps should be considered the last step. The nice thing about Arduino is how easy it is to constantly modify your code and add features. Throughout this thread, I will periodically post my newest code so that you can upload it and get the newer features. If you're experienced with Arduino, feel free to hack my code apart and have your way with it.
This process should work for any light fixture with some tweaking!
I'm writing this step-by-step so hopefully anyone can follow along. The more Arduino users we have in the world, the better life can be for everyone! If you're new to Arduino, don't be overwhelmed... it's not as difficult as it seems at first glance. And if you're an old hand please don't bash my primitive coding too much!
Everything in this post should be considered open source and public domain. Feel free to use my code, distribute it, hack it up, whatever.