Brown and red look too similar on resistors.

Still need to wait for a few bits to arrive: protoboard, screw connectors, dip sockets. The code is pretty much done. Comes in at around 20K, so there's room for some extra stuff if want. Though I imagine it'll mainly be on world time setting or all on.

The plan is to basically copy the map I linked with the variable sized holes and use MDF, though the UK isn't very obvious so I might tweak the design. Not bought the MDF yet though.

Just remembered I attempted to add an IR receiver to do the same as the button but it didn't seem to consistently receive the correct code from the remote I was messing with.

I have a protoboard that came with my Saintmart. Not used it yet. Are the dip sockets for the shift registers?

I kind of feel like I should have some advice for the MDF as I use lots but I can't think of anything right now. Don't breathe it in.

Different PWM frequencies. 31Hz, 122Hz, 490Hz, and 31kHz.

Got most of the functionality working with my LED controller now. Still testing on a breadboard with R, G and B LEDs. And now an IR phototransistor. I can change colours, fade up and down, and that's about it for now.

Ant: not got any problems with picking up the IR codes from the remote.

I think I'll plug in my small test strip to see how it works with that. Then to hack the control box (good thing I have a spare from when I bought another remote) and get it all working properly.

And here it is working. I might sort it out it saves the current colour to the EEPROM so that it restores it when the power comes on. Or just make it so the lights are off if the power comes back on.

The ones we have now turn back on when the power goes out, even if it was off. Which is silly. If there's a power cut while we're out the lights will turn back on when it comes back.

Red and green frequency is 31kHz, blue is 62kHz.

That's pretty cool. I think I might buy an RGB LED strip to play with. I still like the idea of making some sort of ambilight thing for my TV. I think originally I thought it would be a bit too difficult but after messing with arduinos more I should be able to do it.

Today and yesterday have mainly been spent trying to replace the wheel bearings on my car.

I'm pretty happy with how it's working out. Just set it up so it's working with one of my pro minis so I can put it in a small box in the wardrobe to power it. Got the power button working now too, forgot about that one.

I am very impressed with the Arduino. I thought I'd be playing around with the Pi far more. Surprisingly easy to get some complex things working.

Have you fixed your bearings?

The almost completed project. Just need to make the connections to the Arduino more permanent.

First pic is the oroginal controller.
Then controller with the ICs removed and a couple of cables attached.
Third one is all the wires needed for the Arduino. 5V, ground, RGB and the IR signal.
And fourth is it all wired up. Plug in the 12V transformer and it works :D

And one of the path the traces make for the MOSFETs. Took me a while to work out how they were connected up. Strangely there is no resistor on the red connection.

And I now have it in the bedroom working. And was it worth it? Definitely. No flickering at all now. Much nicer light.

My colour algorithm needs tweaking though as the colours change a bit when the brightness is changed. White changes to a very greeny colour.

Not yet. Ended up down the scrap yard buying parts.

What were the controllers on the original control box?

If you mean the ICs I removed one was some Atmel chip and I assume the other (no markings on it) was the EEPROM.

Actually not so sure about that. I guessed it was that based on another site but the FET gate pins are connected to it.

Operation wheel bearings has entered day 3.

The chip could be an AT Tiny, I wonder if it could be reprogrammed with better software.

Problems doing the bearings or needed parts? Are they easy to remove?

I'm pretty sure it was an ATTiny chip but can't remember which and I can't see from the pictures on my phone. I think part of the problem is it only has 2 PWM channels. I assume that other chip is a shift register or something similar.

Should be easy enough to repgoram it by connecting up the correct pins and using a programmer. Can the opposite be done? Read what's on there and reverse engineer it?

A bit of everything. One side the whole hub/bearing/drive shaft are very stuck. Ended up going to the scrap yard and getting a new hub, hub assembly and drive shaft. Then the passenger side bearing was an absolute pain to remove. Nearly done now....Hopefully.

I've thought about whether it's possible to do it backwards but I suspect not because the sketch is compiled then uploaded. I might be wrong though.

That's a lot of parts changed just for the bearings :O Rusty old stuck parts are a pain.

Maybe the assembly code could be read from the chip? I don't know.

I've also got variable speed beightnes adjustment on it so at low brightness it changes slower, and above a certain level it changes quicker.

Looks like the Atmel chip is just an EEPROM so no idea what the unmarked chip is.