Component: RGB LED WS2801 (LEDs)

Author	Matrix TSL
Version	2.0
Category	LEDs

RGB LED WS2801 component

A simple chained RGB LED controller IC allowing multiple LEDs to be controlled using a serial data stream. Allows RGB LEDs to be driven with full 24-bit colour depth. Allows single chains, 2D arrays and 3D cube formations to be simulated. Supports Bit Banged or SPI peripheral based data modes.

Component Source Code

Please click here for the component source code: FC_Comp_Source_LED_WS2801.fcfx

Detailed description

1D Configuration

In the 1D configuration each LED simply follows on from the last in a chain.

2D Configuration

In the 2D configuration each LED follows on from the last in a chain which travels back and forth through the columns a row at a time.

3D Configuration

In the 3D configuration each layer follows the 2D configuration with each layer then following on by mirroring the layer below. First layer connections are shown in Red and second layer connections are shown in Blue.

3V3 Microcontrollers

Note you may have to voltage shift the micro controller control pins to meet the 0.8 * VDD minimum requirement. E.g. if VDD is 5V then the input voltage needs to be at least 4V.

A simple buffer IC could be used to do the voltage shifting.

Examples

RGB Mood Light

A simple example using three potentiometers to set the individual Red, Green and Blue channels of the LED colour. MoodLight

Animated Light

A simple example which picks a random colour assigns it to the first LED, then shifts and repeats. AnimatedLightStrip

Animated Light Cascade

A simple example which picks a random colour assigns it to the first LED, then shifts and repeats. AnimatedLightCascade

Downloadable macro reference

	SetBrightness
Allows the output colour brightness of the LEDs to be scaled down. For example to save current usage or to reduce brightness in dark environments.
- FLOAT	Scaler
Range: 0.0 to 1.0 Default: 1.0, 0 = Off, 0.5 = Half Brightness, 1.0 = Full Brightness
- VOID	Return

	GetLEDColour
Sets the colour of a single LED in RAM as a 1D array.
- UINT	LED
LED to change the colour / Range: 0 to (LED Count - 1)
- BYTE	ColIdx
0 = R, 1 = G, 2 = B
- BYTE	Return

	SetBrightnessByte
Allows the output colour brightness of the LEDs to be scaled down. For example to save current usage or to reduce brightness in dark environments.
- BYTE	Scaler
Range: 0 to 255 Default: 255, 0 = Off, 128 = Half Brightness, 255 = Full Brightness
- VOID	Return

	DrawLine2D
Draws a line on a 2D array of LEDs
- UINT	X1
- UINT	Y1
- UINT	X2
- UINT	Y2
- BYTE	R
- BYTE	G
- BYTE	B
- VOID	Return

	SetLEDColour
Sets the colour of a single LED in RAM as a 1D array.
- UINT	LED
LED to change the colour / Range: 0 to (LED Count - 1)
- BYTE	R
- BYTE	G
- BYTE	B
- VOID	Return

	SetAllLEDColour
Sets the colour of all the LEDs in RAM
- BYTE	R
- BYTE	G
- BYTE	B
- VOID	Return

	Refresh
Clocks out the current colour data to the LEDs from the values stored in RAM
- VOID	Return

	ShiftLEDs1D
Shifts the LED colours in 1D and wraps
- BYTE	Direction
0 = Forwards, 1 = Backwards
- BYTE	DataMode
0=ResetToZero, 1=WrapAroundDisplay, 2=Smear
- VOID	Return

	DrawLine3D
Draws a line on a 3D array of LEDs
- UINT	X1
- UINT	Y1
- UINT	Z1
- UINT	X2
- UINT	Y2
- UINT	Z2
- BYTE	R
- BYTE	G
- BYTE	B
- VOID	Return

	GetLEDIndex2D
Sets the index of a single LED in RAM as a 2D array.
- UINT	X
LED Column to change the colour / Range: 0 to (LED Column - 1)
- UINT	Y
LED Row to change the colour / Range: 0 to (LED Row - 1)
- UINT	Return

	DrawRectangle2D
Draws a basic 2D rectangle onto the LEDs
- BYTE	X1
- BYTE	Y1
- BYTE	X2
- BYTE	Y2
- BYTE	DrawStyle
Sets the draw style - 0=Soild, 1=Edge, 2=Corners
- BYTE	R
- BYTE	G
- BYTE	B
- VOID	Return

	ShiftLEDs2D
Shifts the contents of the display by the number of vertices specified ***Please Note that Wrap mode is currently unavailable***
- INT	X
Number of pixels to shift the display -1 to 1 / 0 = No Shift
- INT	Y
Number of pixels to shift the display -1 to 1 / 0 = No Shift
- BYTE	DataMode
0=ResetToZero, 1=WrapAroundDisplay, 2=Smear
- VOID	Return

	GetLEDIndex3D
Gets the index of a single LED in RAM as a 3D array.
- UINT	X
LED Column to change the colour / Range: 0 to (LED Column - 1)
- UINT	Y
LED Row to change the colour / Range: 0 to (LED Row - 1)
- UINT	Z
LED Layer to change the colour / Range: 0 to (LED Layer - 1)
- UINT	Return

	DrawCuboid3D
Draws a basic 3D cuboid onto the LEDs
- BYTE	X1
- BYTE	Y1
- BYTE	Z1
- BYTE	X2
- BYTE	Y2
- BYTE	Z2
- BYTE	DrawStyle
Sets the draw style - 0=Soild, 1=Edge, 2=Corners
- BYTE	R
- BYTE	G
- BYTE	B
- VOID	Return

	Initialise
Inisialises the RGB colour RAM to 0,0,0 = LED Off and clocks out the data to initialise all the WS2801 ICs in the chain.
- VOID	Return

	ShiftLEDs3D
Shifts the contents of the display by the number of vertices specified ***Please Note that Wrap mode is currently unavailable***
- INT	X
Number of pixels to shift the display -1 to 1 / 0 = No Shift
- INT	Y
Number of pixels to shift the display -1 to 1 / 0 = No Shift
- INT	Z
Number of pixels to shift the display -1 to 1 / 0 = No Shift
- BYTE	DataMode
0=ResetToZero, 1=WrapAroundDisplay, 2=Smear
- VOID	Return

Property reference

	Properties
	LED Properties
	LED Arrangement
Controls the arrangement of the LEDs on the panel. 1D - Creates a straight line of LEDs 2D - Creates an X by Y Array of LEDs 3D - Creates an X by Y by Z Array of LEDs
	LED Count
Total number of LEDs in the design
	LED Columns
Number of horizontal LEDs - X axis
	Column Spacing
X Spacing Between LEDs on the Panel
	LED Rows
Number of vertical LEDs - Y axis
	Row Spacing
Y Spacing Between LEDs on the Panel
	LED Layers
Number of LED layers - Z axis
	Layer Spacing
Z Spacing Between LEDs on the Panel
	Flip X
Flips the X axis if the LEDs are wired from the right hand side of the display.
	Flip Y
Flips the Y axis if the LEDs are wired from the bottom side of the display.
	Flip Z
Flips the Z axis if the LEDs are wired from the upper most side of the display.
	Arrangement
LEDs will likely be arranged in one of two ways. Parallel = Each row of LEDs run from left to right - easier to address but harder to wire. Alternating = Each row of LEDs runs in an alternating direction - harder to address but easier to wire.
	Connections
	Output Mode
Sets the output mode used to drive the data to the LEDs Bit Banged Mode = Allows Any I/O Pin but may be slower SPI Mode = Fixed SPI Peripheral Pins but may be faster - Note that the SPI MISO pin will not be available for general I/O
	Connection Properties
	Data Pin
LED Data Pin - Connected to the Data In pin of the first WS8201 IC.
	Clock Pin
LED Clock Pin - Connected to the Clock In pin of the first WS8201 IC.
	Scope Traces
Selects if the scope traces are automatically generated or not
	Console Data
Selects if the console data is automatically generated or not
	API