Component: RGB LED WS2811 / WS2812 / APA106 (LEDs)
| Author | Matrix TSL |
| Version | 1.5 |
| Category | LEDs |
Contents
RGB LED WS2811 / WS2812 / APA106 component
A simple chained RGB LED controller IC allowing multiple LEDs to be controlled using a serial data stream. Compatible with the WS2811, WS2812, WS2812B, APA104 and APA106 Type Controller ICs. Allows RGB LEDs to be driven with full 24-bit colour depth. Allows single chains, 2D arrays and 3D cube formations to be simulated. Requires a high speed microcontroller to generate the critical timings to drive the device.
Component Pack
BASICIO
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 0.7 * VDD minimum requirement. E.g. if VDD is 5V then the input voltage needs to be at least 3.5V.
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
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 = Red, 1 = Green, 2 = Blue | |
| - BYTE
|
Return |
|
|
OutputLow |
| - VOID
|
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 |
|
|
Delay_T0L |
| - VOID
|
Return |
|
|
DrawLine2D |
| Draws a line on a 2D array of LEDs | |
| - UINT
|
X1 |
| Start X Coordinate | |
| - UINT
|
Y1 |
| Start Y Coordinate | |
| - UINT
|
X2 |
| End X Coordinate | |
| - UINT
|
Y2 |
| End Y Coordinate | |
| - BYTE
|
R |
| Red colour channel | |
| - BYTE
|
G |
| Green colour channel | |
| - BYTE
|
B |
| Blue colour channel | |
| - VOID
|
Return |
|
|
OutputHigh |
| - 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 |
| Red Colour Channel | |
| - BYTE
|
G |
| Green Colour Channel | |
| - BYTE
|
B |
| Blue Colour Channel | |
| - VOID
|
Return |
|
|
SetAllLEDColour |
| Sets the colour of all the LEDs in RAM | |
| - BYTE
|
R |
| Red Colour Channel | |
| - BYTE
|
G |
| Green Colour Channel | |
| - BYTE
|
B |
| Blue Colour Channel | |
| - VOID
|
Return |
|
|
Delay_T0H |
| - VOID
|
Return |
|
|
Delay_T1L |
| - 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 |
| Start X Coordinate | |
| - UINT
|
Y1 |
| Start Y Coordinate | |
| - UINT
|
Z1 |
| Start Z Coordinate | |
| - UINT
|
X2 |
| End X Coordinate | |
| - UINT
|
Y2 |
| End Y Coordinate | |
| - UINT
|
Z2 |
| End Z Coordinate | |
| - BYTE
|
R |
| Red Colour Channel | |
| - BYTE
|
G |
| Green Colour Channel | |
| - BYTE
|
B |
| Blue Colour Channel | |
| - VOID
|
Return |
|
|
Delay_T1H |
| - 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 |
| Start X pixel coordinate | |
| - BYTE
|
Y1 |
| Start Y pixel coordinate | |
| - BYTE
|
Z1 |
| Start Z pixel coordinate | |
| - BYTE
|
X2 |
| End X pixel coordinate | |
| - BYTE
|
Y2 |
| End Y pixel coordinate | |
| - BYTE
|
Z2 |
| End Z pixel coordinate | |
| - BYTE
|
DrawStyle |
| Sets the draw style - 0=Soild, 1=Edge, 2=Corners | |
| - BYTE
|
R |
| Red Colour Channel | |
| - BYTE
|
G |
| Green Colour Channel | |
| - BYTE
|
B |
| White Colour Channel | |
| - VOID
|
Return |
|
|
Initialise |
| Inisialises the RGB colour RAM to 0,0,0 = LED Off and clocks out the data to initialise all the LED 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 |
|
Controller IC |
|
LED Controller |
| Allows the user to select which LED controller IC they are using. The different controller ICs all work the same way but have different timing characteristics. | |
|
|
Data Order |
| Configures the order the colour data is clocked out to the LEDs | |
|
Reset Time (uS) |
| Blanking reset period to reset the LED shift chain and start from the beginning | |
|
|
T0H (uS) |
| Logic 0 high time in microseconds | |
|
|
T0L (uS) |
| Logic 0 low time in microseconds | |
|
|
T1H (uS) |
| Logic 1 high time in microseconds | |
|
|
T1L (uS) |
| Logic 1 low time in microseconds | |
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LED Properties |
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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 | |
|
|
Column Spacing |
| X Spacing Between LEDs on the Panel | |
|
|
Connections |
|
Data Pin |
| LED Data Pin - Connected to the Data In pin of the first WS821x IC. | |
