Hi everyone!
first I need to explain some details , please be patient.
For my arcade project I need to control at least 24 powereful led modules :
http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=83&products_id=405 Also, I need to manage
addressable RGB +W led strips:
https://www.adafruit.com/products/2842These strips are quite picky regarding the controller: please read the description.
I probably will need two strips of 1.5 meters each. It also possible that I end up using 4 shorter strips, therefore the controller must be able to manage 2 or maybe 4 strips active at the same time.
I need a controller (or 2 separate) that:
- can drive at least 24, quite powerful, RGB modules: 155mA on 3 channels / 55 mA per channel / +5V Common Anode
- can allow me to safely share channels between 5 led modules for 4 players, therefore: 15 channels used (3 x5 modules RGB), each should be able to sustain 55x4=220mA at the same time, without time limit (theoretically!)
- can control two or four RGB-W addressable strips, 1.5 meters each, 60 leds / meter at the same time. Again, without time limit for the leds being active (theoretically!). Also, I'll probably control them both the same way but I would like, if needed, to be able to manage them separately (different programming) even if they are simultaneously active.
- allow me to easily program via computer (Windows and preferably via USB)
both the RGB leds and the addressable RGB-W strips for "attract sequence": LEDBlinky compatibility or a similar software would be the best.
- manage both the RGB leds and the addressable RGB-W strips at the same time, by different dedicated programs / sequences: one for the RGB leds and one (or two different) for the two (four) strips.
- retain the programs and settings when powered off.
The dream would be to get ONE controller that can do all this but I suspect there is no such product on the market, yet: I did a LOT of searches but nothing even close to that came out.
Below, the products I considered / saw, just to give the idea.
GroovyGameGears:sells the RGB leds and a controller that can drive them:
http://www.groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=82&products_id=239The
LEDWiz can manage the RGB leds
but not the addressable RGB-W strips.
In addition it has only 48 levels PWM instead of a more appropriate (and nowadays common) 256 levels that get the best out of RGB leds. One can argue that for common use in arcade projects 100.000 colors (48 lv. PWM) can be enough and 16.000.000+ would be overkill (256 lv. PWM). This a personal opinion, besides I think that to really get the best out of the modern brilliant, beautiful, quality RBG leds the 256 levels PWM is the logical way to go. (in fact, it is by far the most common solution). My opinion is that the LEDWiz suffer from a design concept that is a little bit "outdated".....it is a product that is 10+ years old and had seen no major improvements from the first revision. I can be wrong, just my opinion really.
Actually, LEDWiz offers better features than comparable products from Ultimarc as it can be clearly understood reading below. Still GGG do not offers a SINGLE product to manage properly leds strips, even less RGB-W addressable ones.
Ultimarc:I-PAC Ultimate has 96 LEDs channels that would be wonderful.....if not that the very discutible design (my opinion, of course) limits the current per channel to a mere 20mA......totally useless for this project and for any serious project involving quality/brilliant/powerful leds. Just able to lit the average led for the average pushbutton.
Also,
it can't manage led strips.
Then we have....what?
Ultimarc's
Pac-LED 64 is a very good product
on paper: it has 256 PWM levels and very good programmability / software compatibility BUT is basically the same thing as I-PAC Ultimate (or rather viceversa): same 20mA constant current limit per channel.
Ultimarc's
PAC-Drive manage 500mA not constant current (finally....) BUT it comes with only 16 channels, in addition it can manage only standard leds (no RGB). And we are on square one again.
Ultimarc's
U-HID boards all suffer from the same limitations.
The last pertinent product from Ultimarc is the
NanoLED: it can manage RGB strips and is software programmable, etc.
So at least this one is good?
NO. Only 60 channels (20 RGB) per board. Therefore
for a measly 1 meter strip I need THREE of these board (and I should program, etc. all three of them) @ the modest price of $19 each......
about $60 of boards for every meter of LEDs strip + the hassle to program them all and to put a whole bunch of them somewhere into the CP.
Also note that NONE of Ultimarc's product can drive the GGG's RGB modules (which certainly are not an alien technology, just a moderately powerful and common led modules......).
The paradox is that Ultimarc seems to have designed its products so that you have all the features you could think of/need.....scattered between an half dozen boards, NONE of them being able to do the job alone. Why not a single decent product that includes all these features? Ok price could be a bit higher than your average board but at least you covers every possible needs and everyone should be happy. The final price of such an ideal board cannot be used as excuse here: if I'm forced to buy 2 or 3 (or more!) different products, furthermore each comes with limitations, I still will spend more and will get a solution which is FAR from ideal.
So far, the best choice is still the GGG's LEDWiz for the RGB modules and NINE Ultimarc's NanoLED for the addressable strips....in both cases there are still limitations/problems and above all the cost would be unreasonable.
Arcade Paradise Shop:premise:
I looked at lot of Arduino boards (or clones) that are actually the main choice for managing leds as they should be. Even on professional level. This is particularly true for RGB and RGB-W addressable strips.
But here, too, we get problems:
1) I didn't found a SINGLE add-on for Arduino that can drive those damn RGB modules (GGG's Helio9, see above), just tons of boards that can manage 1 km of addressable strips if you want, but 0 (ZERO) led (or led module) that use a little bit of current......
2) they are a pain in the ass to program.....I can't waste time to program them myself or to look at partial, bugged libraries written by your average dude. I want a decent ready-to-go software that does the damn job, like LEDBlinky.
Back to Arcade Paradise: they sell the "
Kaimana" board that basically is a modified Arduino board.
Now, there are really few info about it, just a couple of threads here and in another forum.
Absurdly, there is no technical description of the features on the website and the link to a "wiki" that should have provided these data points to a non existent page, as if it was DELETED........
Also, this "Kaimana" board is out of stock for quite some time already..........
For what * I think * I understood, this board * should * be able to manage both the RGB addressable strips AND common RGB led (modules).....but I don't know the current limits per channel nor other technical limitations because those data are simply nowhere to be found.
Also, Arcade Paradise * seems * to provide some sort of software assistance for this board but, again, no links, no clear details, nothing.
Now, there is someone that can suggest valid alternative products / solutions which I'm not aware of?Thank you!