• Finishing off my NeoPixel Color Tuner 2

    zonker.harris • 05/01/2018 at 23:35 • 0 comments

    This Color Tuner was a follow-on to my original NeoPixel tuner. The first was for RGB, because that's all we had. When RGBW strips appeared, I wanted to build a new tuner. The fifth potentiometer is to set the "brightness" value of the library.

    The TFT displays were an impulse by from PJRC.com, when I bought a few Teensy MCUs. The case was from small hand tools, and the case was deep enough for adding a rotary encoder as a menuing device.

    I made the acrylic faceplates at Techshop exactly one year ago, got the basic code working, and then put it aside. I picked it up again in March 2018, so I could show it off to a couple grade 9 classes I am mentoring. I finished the wiring for external power, and tested with a bench supply. But, in my rush to pack it up to take to class, I grabbed a 12v power pack that had found it's way into my 5v bin. I checked the jack for fit first, and when it fit I plugged it in... ZAP! There wend the display and the Trinket! :-(

    I've replaced the display and MCU, and re-assembled the case. While testing with the FTDI-friend cable, I found that three of the 6 connectors on the header going through the case wall were loose, and would push back into the case instead of holding the header pins. The solution was to apply a bit of hot glue to the wires inside the case, near the connector (but not ON IT), and that has improved the reliability of the connection.

    I was able to update the sketch. It feels a bit slow (about 1 second between reading the set of potentiometers and updating the display. (I had to add some delay so the readings last long enough for you to read them. :-)

    I added velcro to the case handle, and use that to hold the 5v power pack (now well-labeled), and I'm ready to work on new RGBW color libraries for my projects, and for show & tell at Arduino Day 2018!

    I'm using it with NeoPixels, but you can adapt the idea for other shift-register-based pixel strips with minimal changes.