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.
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.
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.
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.
Gotta love the markup on stuff like that. They're clearly still making money on the $99 sales.
Reminds me of the extortionate prices of lab equipment when I was working at a uni. Stirrer hot plates being one of the items that made me angry. They're just a hot plate with a magnetic part spinning under the plate so you can pop a stirrer bar in the flask and get things stirring. Not sure I saw even the basic models under around £300.