Bambilight

A simple implementation to send the colors from a Windows-PC-Screen to a LED-Strip over Arduino.

Maybe some people would call it "Ambilight" ;)

The Arduino sketch is written in standard C and the Windows application in C#.

Changelog:

11.03.2016 - V1.0.0.1

• Changed minimum limit of field "MINIMUM_REFRESH_RATE_MS" from 20 to 0 for better refresh rate on older devices
• Fixed: Wrong disposing of Direct3D device when energy saving => no color update after wake up
• Changed some minor visual studio project settings

02.03.2016 - V1.0.0.0

• Init Release

Requirements:

• Arduino or compatible device

• Optional AC adapter if using too many LEDs. USB provides 500mA (USB2.0) or 1000mA (USB3.0) and each LED (in example "WS2812B") can pull up to 60mA per LED on full brightness. Note that the microcontroller needs about 50mA by itself.

• Windows PC with DirectX9 and hardware accelerated graphics

• FastLED compatible LED-Stripe (See: https://github.com/FastLED/FastLED/wiki/Chipset-reference)

How to use:

!!! If you just want to use Bambilight without compiling the Windows application by yourself, you only need the contents of the "Binary" folder and the bambilight.ino Arduino sketch. !!!

1. Customize the .ino sketch (NUM_LEDS, LED_DATA_PIN, LED_TYPE) and flash it to your arduino device.

2. Connect the arranged LED-Stripe to your arduino device and the arduino to your PC.

3. Start the Bambilight tool and configure your screen setup (maybe overlay mode helps).

Videos:

Tutorial-Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVqrkDVoCfs

Demo-Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isHl0YpEQ1A

Future Features:

• Some faster screen capturing. Depending on system the capturing takes about 20-40ms

• Serial speed calculations for max led setting

• Sending brightness value to arduino instead of fix value

• Dynamic control limit for min and max values

• Dynamic arrow positions in overlay

Known Bugs:

• Wrong start number in overlay if having only 1 column and activated "Mirror X-Axis"

Third-Party:

• Using SlimDX Library in Version 4.0.13.44 (Copyright (c) 2007-2011 SlimDX Group)
• Using FastLED Library in Version 3.1 (Copyright (c) 2013 FastLED)