Raspberry Pi RGB Led Strip Remote Control

This project aims to control a RGB LED light strip using IR Sensor, Raspberry pi, Lirc, Python and an Android App.

as from Kernel 4.19.42-v7+

I use a Raspberry Pi 2 with Kernel Version 4.19.97-v7+ (You can check your Kernel using uname -a).

Steps

1. Install and Configurate LIRC
2. Setup IR Sender and IR Receiver
3. Setup and run API with the help of Linux Screen
4. Install Android App
5. Ready
6. Conda

1. Install and Configurate LIRC

First of all the /boot/config.txt need to be edited.

sudo nano /boot/config.txt

In this file you add these lines and save file (CTRL+o):

dtoverlay=gpio-ir,gpio_pin=21 dtoverlay=gpio-ir-tx,gpio_pin=21

The first line is for receiving codes and the second line is for sending codes. It's Important that you only comment in the line that you want to use. When you want to receive codes comment only the first line in otherwise it wouldn't work. The pin 21 will be important in step 2.

Next you install lirc with the following commands:

sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install lirc

Then you need to change some lines in the /etc/lirc/lirc_options.conf file (Hardware.conf didn't exists anymore):

[lircd]
driver = default
device = /dev/lirc0

[lircmd]
uinput = True

Now reboot your system

sudo reboot

2. Setup IR Sender and IR Receiver

Components

• simple IR LED Amazon
• 2 x 220 Ohm resistor
• NPN Bipolar Transistor. S9014 or similar. Amazon
• IR Receiver

Connect your IR Receiver and Sender like in the picture below. I use the same pin for receiving and sending, so if you want to switch the task you need to switch the cable, too.

When you have done this you can test your IR receiver (Dont forget to comment only dtoverlay=gpio-ir,gpio_pin=21 in and change the cable to the right pin):

Stop lircd

sudo /etc/init.d/lircd stop

and start test programme

mode2 -d /dev/lirc0

Now you can press some buttons on your IR-Controller.

After you tested the IR-Receiver start lircd

sudo /etc/init.d/lircd start

Record IR codes

In order to use the IR sender you must record codes from the IR Controller. I recorded the raw codes for this Controller. You can find them here.

sudo /etc/init.d/lircd stop
sudo irrecord -d /dev/lirc0 ~/lircd.conf

follow the instructions at the end ~/lircd.conf file will be generated

Make a backup of the original lircd.conf in the case something went wrong

sudo mv /etc/lirc/lircd.conf /etc/lirc/lircd_original.conf

And override lircd.conf

sudo cp ~/lircd.conf /etc/lirc/lircd.conf

sudo /etc/init.d/lircd start

For me this didn't work (only get 0x0 behind codes) but I found a solution that works for me. I recorded raw_codes:

sudo /etc/init.d/lircd stop
sudo irrecord -f -d /dev/lirc0 ~/lircd.conf

You can test your IR-Sender by typing this:

sudo /etc/init.d/lircd
irsend SEND_ONCE [your-remote-name] [your-key-name] 

3. Setup and run API with the help of Linux Screen

Install git and clone this repository to your Raspberry Pi

git clone https://github.com/martenjostmann/rgb-led-remote-control.git

Change IP-Address in com.py file (LED-Control-API\ControllerClass\API\com.py) to your local Ip-Address of the Raspberry Pi

You need to setup a virtual environment to use the module flask which is important work with the API. I found a good explanation here Another way to setup a virtual environment is to use Anaconda. I've provided an environment.yml

Now you can run the com.py file by navigating into the folder and type (The prerequisite for this is that you installed the latest version of python 3):

python3 com.py

To run this code in the Background of your Raspberry Pi you can use the Screen feature:

apt-get install screen
screen python3 com.py

If you want to learn more about Linux Screen look up this site.

4. Install Android App

Last but not least install the App on your mobile phone and you’re ready to go.

Conda

Use conda to easily setup a virtual environment with all necessary dependencies:

Create environment

conda env create -f environment.yml

After that activate the environment

source activate <name-of-environment>