[ANSWERED] LED Strip Lighting Control?

All,

My Project objective is: control a RF Touch Remote Controller for LED lighting via Indigo 6.x.

Link for lighting control: https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/controllers/variable-color-temperature-with-rf-touch-remote-controller-vct-rftc/1457/3321/

Question: Will the I/O Linc allow control for control of brightness level AND color?

LED strip looking to control: Dual Chip LED Variable Color Temperature LED Flexible Light Strip

Link: http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/led-strips-and-bars/dual-chip-led-variable-color-temperature-led-flexible-light-strip-nfls-dw600-vct/1451/

Thanks for help! These forums are an excellent resources. Kudos to Jay and team for active posting. Appreciated.

(did search the archives. Didn't find a good match for topic)

[matt (support)]

Unfortunately, it won't help with either. The I/O-Linc only provides a relay ON/OFF (binary) output.

I am interested in how one can automate the brightness/color of LED Strip lighting though. Anyone have any thoughts or recommendations?

I believe the Global Cache iTach can output PWM for some LED lighting controllers, but I don't know the specifics as to what hardware to use. It also looks like Perry's Cynical Caché Plugin doesn't yet support the LED lighting functionality (but we might be able to bribe him by sending him some hardware).

I was looking into doing single-color LED strip control about a month ago. My thoughts were to use one of the Insteon micro-dimming modules, followed by a transformer and a rectifier attached to the strip. Certainly not a turn-key setup.

I have one strip that lights and dims off of an Insteon dimming outlet, which is what is leading me on my course. I think the transformer for this strip is magnetic, not electronic switching. The strip itself came with a 12V dimmer to use after the transformer, but I don't use it.

When I search for more economical strips and components, most LED transformers are of an electronic switching type, and have warnings not to attach them to dimmers.

I haven't implemented this yet, as I am slightly worried about signal-suck with driving a magnetic coil transformer directly off of an Insteon device. The small transformer I used at first doesn't have the capacity that I need for what I have planned. The other caveat is that if this works, for my installation, I do not have plans to expand it to RGB control, as that would require two more dimmers, transformers, and rectifiers. If I did that, it may have funky results in transitioning between selected colors if any of the control signals are delayed or fuzzed out by noise.

Insteon or Z-wave single color or RGB-driving LED controllers should really be devices that are be commercially made, to sit on one address. I'm not an Insteon or Z-wave developer so this is beyond my abilities. Who knows, as SmartHome may make one of these, like they now have the 0-10V ballast dimmer. I imagine it would fit in with their apparent new interest in commercial-type lighting, as many restaurants use LED strips for architectural lighting.

-- Len

Insteon or Z-wave single color or RGB-driving LED controllers should really be devices that are be commercially made, to sit on one address.

-- Len

Fibaro makes an interesting RGB controller:

http://www.fibaro.com/en/the-fibaro-sys ... controller

Thanks all for replies. I take it Mr. Evansic might be an electrical engineer, no?

I'll hold on implementation on this project, due to copmplexituy above my pay grade.

The LED strip does come with a RF remote, so that will suffice. Alas, no one Ring to rule them all (yet).

- andy

Anyone figure this out?

i've got a dmx controller, if the led's are dmx controlled. very basic plugin I can share

[matt (support)]

FYI, the next release of Indigo (6.0.12) will have basic support for the Fibaro RGBW inline module which can drive PWM LED RGBW strips.

no dmx.
AFAIK the Fibaro are not sold in the US yet.

thx.

FYI, the next release of Indigo (6.0.12) will have basic support for the Fibaro RGBW inline module which can drive PWM LED RGBW strips.

I am just putting together a system using the RGBW module to drive 3 separate circuits of 12v LEDS.

Colin

i've got a dmx controller, if the led's are dmx controlled. very basic plugin I can share

Please share!!

Thanks!

Link to plugin on dropbox

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/i5888d8w4vpa1om/r-UdsAc8NS

This uses the Enttec dmx usb pro, which creates a hardware link from usb to your dmx controllers.

ie, indigo (via the plugin) ---> Enttec ---> dmx controller.

the plugin sends hex to the enttec, which then sends dmx commands out on the dmx wired network.

eg 7E,06,05,00,00,ff,ff,ff,34,E7

The first ff is dmx channel 0, the next channel 1 etc. just add further comma separated hex after 34 for more channels. The preceding hex is the authentication and send message code for the enttect.

In my setup I use the following, BUT this will depend on what your actual DMX controller requires for each of the channels you are using:
The hex ff,ff,ff are the RGB colour settings (in this case white)
the hex 34 is the brightness

I change the hex value for each channel to change lighting colours as required by the dmx controller.

It's a real hack as I know virtually no python, but has been stable for over a year for me. I only use the first four dmx channels. The final E7 is the enttec send command.

I call it from within indigo using the following:

Code: Select all

simpleSerialId = indigo.server.getPlugin("org.yergeyjDoesntHaveaURL.dmx")
DMXdata = indigo.variables [1569549979] <--- insert variable containing full dmx above
if simpleSerialId.isEnabled():
   simpleSerialId.executeAction("hexToSerial", deviceId=710465692, props={"newCommand":DMXdata.value})


Change the device id in the last line to match then enttec

Hope thats clear. Let me know if you need anything further.

It could be polished into a full plugin, but works for me like this and not had time to learn python.

FWIW: Looking into this in the future.

8 Channel RGB Controller

http://www.heroicrobotics.com

FYI, the next release of Indigo (6.0.12) will have basic support for the Fibaro RGBW inline module which can drive PWM LED RGBW strips.

Fibaro finally started shipping its US products. I received my Fibaro RGBW inline module today. Is there a timeline for version 6.0.12 with support for this device? This will be an excellent step forward, adding automation to the LED strips that surround my home. -Thanks

[matt (support)]

We hope to have it available within a few days.