The Great DIY Arduino Controller Project

SmartAlecLights

SmartAlecLights

Im a SmartAlec what can i say!
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Joined
May 4, 2010
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Murray Bridge, S.A.
I had a Great idea the other night, an since been jotting down notes everyware.
Picture This "DMX Controller, Midi Controller, Pixel Controller, Live Pattern/sequence Player"
dimming%20desk.png

4.2" Touch Screen LCD, (or Bigger)
4x Access buttons with Led's,
4x4 Silicone Touch Pixel Matrix (with pixels in each),
8x 10mm Sliders,
4x JoySticks,
USD Stick Storage (could be inside unit),
RFID Scanner,
Onboard Clock.

On the Rear Panel,
2x DMX Out,
1x DMX In,
1x MIDI In & Out,
2x Pixel Out (ws2811),
1x E1.31 Out (Ethernet or WiFi AP)

The Build
There is 4 Main Sections (Arduino Driven)
Arduino Slider Board - There will be 4x I2C Slider Module bays , (Arduino Mini Pro - Talks Serial)
  • Each I2C Slider Module Features 2 Sliders & 1 Joystick, each Joystick has a button,
  • That Same Arduino Controls the 4 Status Buttons and there Leds.
Arduino Button Board - The 4x4 Matrix Buttons and there 16 Pixel Leds, (Arduino Mini Pro - Talks Serial)
Arduino Touch LCD Board - A 4.2" Touch Screen LCD + RFID Reader, (Arduino Mega + SD Card) Talks/Receives Serial
Main Brain Unit - (Arduino Mega Or Raspberry Pi) - Receives Serial
  • 2x DMX OUT
  • 1x DMX In
  • 1x MiDi In/Out
  • Mic Sensor
  • 2x Pixels - ws2811
  • E1.31 - Maybe Wifi AP
  • USB Storage (USB host cape for Arduino)
  • Receives Information From all other 3 Boards on how to run

What Could it do ??
  • Faders to fade DMX lights
  • Joysticks to control Moving Head Lights
  • 4x4 button matrix as pre-recorded effects, with the pixels in them to make what effect
  • Inbuilt Mic, Pulsate with music/ Scroll threw effects
  • Control or be Controlled Via Midi Device's
  • Listen to Dmx from another source an run set effects on the controller
  • Control Pixels
  • Have Ethernet for E1.31 or for a Wifi AP to (Wifi DMX/Pixels)
  • RFID scanner, to allow only you access, or grant others access.
  • Touch LCD screen for instant change of colour, load effect librarys, etc
  • Onboard Clock to play effects
  • USB Stick Storage
Faders an Joysticks send data via I2C (using ADS1115 16bit Module)
Slider an Button boards Communicate by Arduino mini pro's to the serial port.
Touch Screen controlled by (Arduino Mega) receives serial from sliders/buttons
Meaning the Main Brain Can be anything you wish to control it all with
It also means many different pieces of software could control it.
 
Last edited:
Very interesting - one stop shop! My 2c:
Blackout button - whole show switches off (unless that gets assigned to one of the matrix buttons??)
3.5mm audio in jack for light to music sync

If I think of anything else I'll add to this post :)
 
algerdes said:
With that much control on the interface, are you planning a step by step recording capability?
Click to expand...
yer something like that, any button could be programmed to play any recordings, including blackout

the 4 switchs with leds, i was thinking the leds could be the pulse count, for the recordings.
the sliders dont just have to fade, they could be speed settings or colour settings..
thats the whole advantage, nothing has a set role accept for the main brain unit

now, take a step away from lighting, an think Audio Effects Generator, has sliders an playback, record, etc
(thats what inspired me into this project)

All the parts have been ordered (minus the 3d printer for the printed case)

should the sliders be the ones with the leds in them? or too much overkill?

keithsw1111 said:
I've been known to write arduino code.
Click to expand...
Ability to play xlights effects, I like that idea
 
What about using a raspberry Pi? In built support for LCD screens and inputs, no analog inputs though.

Richard
 
Richie4540 said:
What about using a raspberry Pi? In built support for LCD screens and inputs, no analog inputs though.

Richard
Click to expand...
I cant write raspberry pi language, like i can arduino.
but i am thinking of making it a simple usb plug-in to the rasp pi, but then software would be need to written for FPP (or other software) an the dimmer board
 
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