Anyone using an Ultimarc NanoLed to control programmable RGB LEDs ?

[uptown47]

Hi all,
I want to put hollow T-molding on my cabinet with programmable WS2811 RGB LEDs down the T-molding.

I mistakenly thought I could do this with an Ultimarc I-PAC Ultimate. After several helpful emails from Andy at Ultimarc today, I realise that it can't be done like that and he suggested another product - the NanoLED (https://www.ultimarc.com/output/led-and-output-controllers/nano-led/)

However, the LEDs I have say on them "12VDC working voltage" and "Max Power 72W" per strip (5m).

I just wondered if anyone has used one of these and if they got it to work (and how?). Did you somehow connect it to an external power source?? Or did it just not work at all?

It would be great to have it working as I know it's LEDBlinky compatible and I'm going to use LEDBlinky for all the RGB LEDs on the buttons / trackball etc.

Any help / advice on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks :-)

[Arroyo]

Yeah Bud, I’ve used it.  If you look in my build thread, I used it in my mini control box that I built.

Couple of thoughts. 

1.). It’s very difficult to get diffusion from the LED’s that close to the T-Molding.  In other words it will look like a bunch of light dots rather than an even glow.

2.) The Nano supports 60LED’s (or 20 RGB LED’s), so you would need multiple for a T-Molding run on your cab sides.

There are some products coming out of China that have the built in diffusion.  Not sure if they are addressable or not.  I’ll look them up later and post.

In general I get what you are trying to do, not sure it will look the way you intend though.

If you are intent on trying it, then I would look into an Arduino as it can control many more LED’s and save you a lot of money.  To interface it with LED Blinky you would need to send a command from the iPac Ultimate, and have it then run a script on the Arduino.  Possible but a lot of work.

[uptown47]

Hi Arroyo,

Thanks for getting back to me. Yep, I was aware of the diffusion issue. I was going to experiment with a few things and see if I could improve that but, if I can't I'm not too fussed.

I do have an Arduino! I didn't think about linking it to the I-Pac Ultimate! That's exactly what I'll do.

I'm just looking at the spec for the IPAC Ultimate and it says the LED outputs can be used as both RGB or Single Channel. I'm reckoning that if I switch some to Single Channel - I'll maybe be able to use them to 'sink' an input from the Arduino. Assuming I power them both from the same reference. If I can get that working then I can multiplex a few of those signals together in order to set off predefined behaviour in the Arduino.

That's brilliant Arroyo. I'll reach out to the guys on the Arduino forum to make sure that what I'm thinking is feasible.

Thanks again matey!! (You've saved me once more - I think that's probably a barrel of beer I owe you now!)