Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - Project help for a PC controlled (colour) Ambient light!

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SuperRoach
06-12-06, 03:39 AM
Hey all... I've got a bit of a major hobby project under way... and I need some help and suggestions when possible.

To start, I am building this project under the idea that ambient light improves your viewing conditions and helps you enjoy your movie/game whatnot more... and it looks cool.


The project I have in mind is to use the
- K2805 Dick Smith Parallel port programmer
[/URL]- LED lights
(probably 3 - red,green, blue depending on how i can do it)

Now, the idea is that I will use the analogue outputs of the K2805 interface so I can have the computer read what is on the screen, convert it to a single colour (ie red would be 255, 0, 0), and put that out to a Led or other light to get it going.

in other words, I want to be able to put out a "red" light, and then change the same light to be a "orange", or yellow, or a lighter yellow...

Another question I have, is that I have seen LED powered Eggs, that flash in a variety of colours. Picture here:
http://www.pccasegear.com.au/images/lamp_4.jpg (http://www.ultrasmart.org/CTLplus3_mLogicDS-K2805.html)
[url]http://www.pccasegear.com.au/prod3833.htm
And link to the page for them.

Does anyone know how these work? and also, would i be able to programmaticly change their colours using an interface of any kind?

What do you guys think?
Here is an example of the inspiration behind the project - phillips tv with ambiLight:
http://www.flattv.philips.com/shome.htm


SuperRoach
06-13-06, 06:36 AM
Maybe I should take small steps and rephrase -
http://www.pccasegear.com.au/images/lamp_4.jpg

What makes these lights work? and would I be able to modify it or tweak it?

classicsat
06-13-06, 09:01 PM
Same way, with LEDs and a microcontroller, excpt the microcontroller is likely hard programmed to do its thing.

I know you can get programmable LED lamp assemblies, which resemble those touch lights.


SuperRoach
06-15-06, 05:09 AM
Would it be possible to make a simple controller to accept inputs from the K2805? It can supply a variable voltage (i think its from 0-5v, 255 steps), and replace the light possibly?

classicsat
06-21-06, 03:11 PM
Any modern microcontroller can provide PWM, which can provide a likeness of variable voltage.

wheesplat
09-10-06, 06:13 PM
You could try looking here: xxxxxxxxxxx. It simplifies the process a lot.