Controlling LED-strip Arduino-like?

[trizz]

Hi all,

First: I don't have any experience with electronics and circuits etc. I found this article about controlling a LED-strip with an Arduino. If I use the GPIO pins on my RPi, can I use this article as a start? Or do the pins on the Arduino differs a lot from the RPi? I understand that I can't use the code as provided in that article, but the programming part is the most interesting part for me.

If someone has a nice article on how to control a RGB strip with the RPi, it would be nice.

[FinleysDad]

I'm pretty new to all this myself so no expect (at all) but quite interested in this one.

I had a look at the article and one thing I notice is that it uses an analog pin on the arduino.

As far as I am aware there aren't any analog pins on the RasPi

If you want to see my simple set up for controling 4 red LEDs I'm happy to share it.

I would be interested in seeing how you get on with the RGB please keep us posted.

[rurwin]

The analogue pin is only used for the potentiometer, and there are other ways to get the control, such as a GUI. However the AVR is capable of driving 20mA out of its digital outputs, and the GPIO cannot do that. You'd have to check the datasheet for the LED strip.

[mvsopen]

There are several websites which explain how to hack/interface the General Electric "GE 35" LED Christmas lights in order to make them controllable by an Arduino. Can a Pi controller be far behind?

http://www.deepdarc.com/2010/11/27/hack ... as-lights/

(Costco has these lights in stock now, for around $60)

There is a new thread starting up about Christmas lights using a Pi, but it has very little traffic so far.

This might be the easiest, most powerful way to get things flashing....