Comments on: Get on the BlinkM Bus with a BlinkM Cylon http://todbot.com/blog/2008/06/17/get-on-the-blinkm-bus-with-a-blinkm-cylon/ Random experiments, circuits, code, rapid prototyping, sometimes things to buy, and the odd tune by Tod E. Kurt. Sat, 14 Apr 2012 16:47:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: BlinkM Cylon mkII « todbot blog http://todbot.com/blog/2008/06/17/get-on-the-blinkm-bus-with-a-blinkm-cylon/comment-page-2/#comment-77109 BlinkM Cylon mkII « todbot blog Mon, 30 May 2011 06:32:10 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/?p=244#comment-77109 [...] Cylon mkII For Maker Faire this year I made a second version of my BlinkM Cylon: BlinkM Cylon mkII. This is not a very cost-effective way of getting a Cylon effect. It however is [...] [...] Cylon mkII For Maker Faire this year I made a second version of my BlinkM Cylon: BlinkM Cylon mkII. This is not a very cost-effective way of getting a Cylon effect. It however is [...]

]]> By: todbot http://todbot.com/blog/2008/06/17/get-on-the-blinkm-bus-with-a-blinkm-cylon/comment-page-2/#comment-76285 todbot Thu, 11 Nov 2010 19:45:03 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/?p=244#comment-76285 Hi Steve, The ribbon cable is standard 0.05"-spacing stranded ribbon cable, used in PCs for decades. You need an 8-conductor strand, but you can take a larger width and peel off the 8 conductors you need. An example part number: 3M 3801/40-100 (40-conductor, 100ft spool), http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/3M-Electronic-Solutions-Division/3801-40-100/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMsJiFh04Lj2rnGVP%252b060guwA%252bP0nMVeObM%3d Hi Steve,
The ribbon cable is standard 0.05″-spacing stranded ribbon cable, used in PCs for decades. You need an 8-conductor strand, but you can take a larger width and peel off the 8 conductors you need. An example part number: 3M 3801/40-100 (40-conductor, 100ft spool), http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/3M-Electronic-Solutions-Division/3801-40-100/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMsJiFh04Lj2rnGVP%252b060guwA%252bP0nMVeObM%3d

]]> By: Steve http://todbot.com/blog/2008/06/17/get-on-the-blinkm-bus-with-a-blinkm-cylon/comment-page-2/#comment-76284 Steve Thu, 11 Nov 2010 04:17:28 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/?p=244#comment-76284 Is there a website where I can purchase the ribbon cable you used to connect multiple blinkm's? What I really want would be a ribbon cable that would connect to the blinkm and have the male pins on the other end, if you could help direct me in the right direction for this it would be greatly appreciated. Is there a website where I can purchase the ribbon cable you used to connect multiple blinkm’s? What I really want would be a ribbon cable that would connect to the blinkm and have the male pins on the other end, if you could help direct me in the right direction for this it would be greatly appreciated.

]]> By: todbot http://todbot.com/blog/2008/06/17/get-on-the-blinkm-bus-with-a-blinkm-cylon/comment-page-2/#comment-75721 todbot Tue, 19 Oct 2010 15:58:47 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/?p=244#comment-75721 Hi Jelle, In the diagrams I forgot to include the resistors, but they should definitely be there. The Arduino will hang without them. Hi Jelle,
In the diagrams I forgot to include the resistors, but they should definitely be there. The Arduino will hang without them.

]]> By: Jelle http://todbot.com/blog/2008/06/17/get-on-the-blinkm-bus-with-a-blinkm-cylon/comment-page-2/#comment-75680 Jelle Sun, 17 Oct 2010 11:55:02 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/?p=244#comment-75680 In this example you have a picture with 3 blinkm's but no resistors, while in the documentation you mention using two resistors (2.2kohm). Why is this? :) Thanks! In this example you have a picture with 3 blinkm’s but no resistors, while in the documentation you mention using two resistors (2.2kohm). Why is this? :) Thanks!

]]> By: Joetek http://todbot.com/blog/2008/06/17/get-on-the-blinkm-bus-with-a-blinkm-cylon/comment-page-1/#comment-72651 Joetek Tue, 10 Aug 2010 21:42:57 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/?p=244#comment-72651 Hi Tod! I am basing a lighting project on this and I've just recieved my Arduino and 8 MaxM's. A single MaxM pushes the limits of what the Arduino can put out. I love the simplicity of your single ribbon cable to connect them, but should I be looking at providing a separate power connector to each MaxM? I'd still need to have the power pins connected to the arduino, correct? This looks amazing. Thanks for posting this Tod! Hi Tod!

I am basing a lighting project on this and I’ve just recieved my Arduino and 8 MaxM’s. A single MaxM pushes the limits of what the Arduino can put out.

I love the simplicity of your single ribbon cable to connect them, but should I be looking at providing a separate power connector to each MaxM? I’d still need to have the power pins connected to the arduino, correct?

This looks amazing. Thanks for posting this Tod!

]]> By: Mike http://todbot.com/blog/2008/06/17/get-on-the-blinkm-bus-with-a-blinkm-cylon/comment-page-1/#comment-70645 Mike Mon, 24 May 2010 17:25:46 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/?p=244#comment-70645 Thanks for the quick reply, I'll take a look. Thanks for the quick reply, I’ll take a look.

]]> By: todbot http://todbot.com/blog/2008/06/17/get-on-the-blinkm-bus-with-a-blinkm-cylon/comment-page-1/#comment-67126 todbot Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:23:36 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/?p=244#comment-67126 Hi Mike, For now the MaxM Blaster boards are discontinued. We make some more in a few months, but assume none for now. You can use any common-anode LED cluster with MaxM. I'm a big fan of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/todbot/3552701124/" rel="nofollow">RGB LED strip tape</a> commonly used in architectural lighting. But you can also use <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/todbot/2589068628/" rel="nofollow">Ikea DIODER</a> light bars, or one of the many <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/todbot/2979197694/" rel="nofollow">RGB LED clusters</a> available from <a href="http://dealextreme.com/" rel="nofollow">DealExtreme.com</a>. Hi Mike,
For now the MaxM Blaster boards are discontinued. We make some more in a few months, but assume none for now.

You can use any common-anode LED cluster with MaxM. I’m a big fan of RGB LED strip tape commonly used in architectural lighting. But you can also use Ikea DIODER light bars, or one of the many RGB LED clusters available from DealExtreme.com.

]]> By: Mike http://todbot.com/blog/2008/06/17/get-on-the-blinkm-bus-with-a-blinkm-cylon/comment-page-1/#comment-66431 Mike Thu, 15 Apr 2010 23:42:10 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/?p=244#comment-66431 I am trying to create a light show, using this project as a template. I'm trying to find more RGB blasters, but most say they are discontinued. Is that true, and should I consider a different LED in place of the RGB blaster? Thanks I am trying to create a light show, using this project as a template. I’m trying to find more RGB blasters, but most say they are discontinued. Is that true, and should I consider a different LED in place of the RGB blaster?

Thanks

]]> By: Will http://todbot.com/blog/2008/06/17/get-on-the-blinkm-bus-with-a-blinkm-cylon/comment-page-1/#comment-62802 Will Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:20:45 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/?p=244#comment-62802 Awesome project! I have a question that maybe you'll be able to answer. I would like to have multiple BlinkMs be connected to a motion sensor, so that the light animation turns on and off due to motion. For instance. Maybe someone waves their hand in front of the BlinkMs and the light animation lasts for 3 seconds after the movement stops. How in the world do I go about achieving this? Any tips or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Awesome project! I have a question that maybe you’ll be able to answer. I would like to have multiple BlinkMs be connected to a motion sensor, so that the light animation turns on and off due to motion. For instance. Maybe someone waves their hand in front of the BlinkMs and the light animation lasts for 3 seconds after the movement stops. How in the world do I go about achieving this? Any tips or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

]]> By: todbot http://todbot.com/blog/2008/06/17/get-on-the-blinkm-bus-with-a-blinkm-cylon/comment-page-1/#comment-58078 todbot Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:26:41 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/?p=244#comment-58078 Hi Michael, That's a really good question, not stupid at all. In fact it's one of the more complex BlinkM topics and one that I don't describe nearly well enough. The BlinkMs have to have their I2C address set by hand. This is done by setting up an Arduino with the BlinkMTester sketch, and one-by-one sticking a BlinkM into the Arduino and sending the 'A' ("Set Address") command it. Hi Michael,
That’s a really good question, not stupid at all. In fact it’s one of the more complex BlinkM topics and one that I don’t describe nearly well enough.

The BlinkMs have to have their I2C address set by hand. This is done by setting up an Arduino with the BlinkMTester sketch, and one-by-one sticking a BlinkM into the Arduino and sending the ‘A’ (“Set Address”) command it.

]]> By: Michael http://todbot.com/blog/2008/06/17/get-on-the-blinkm-bus-with-a-blinkm-cylon/comment-page-1/#comment-58074 Michael Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:37:18 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/?p=244#comment-58074 Just a stupid question, how the first blinkM know that it is the address 10 and the second the address 11.. and so on? Is it the Arduino that define these addresses? Because BlinkM's looks fucking same, so no way to have a specific address built on hardware, right? Just a stupid question, how the first blinkM know that it is the address 10
and the second the address 11.. and so on?
Is it the Arduino that define these addresses? Because BlinkM’s looks fucking same, so no way to have a specific address built on hardware, right?

]]> By: todbot http://todbot.com/blog/2008/06/17/get-on-the-blinkm-bus-with-a-blinkm-cylon/comment-page-1/#comment-57252 todbot Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:56:32 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/?p=244#comment-57252 To power them, correct, you do not require an Arduino. However, to get the coordinated "cylon" action, you need a central controller. (Or a different firmware on the BlinkM boards that allows them to talk to one another) To power them, correct, you do not require an Arduino. However, to get the coordinated “cylon” action, you need a central controller. (Or a different firmware on the BlinkM boards that allows them to talk to one another)

]]> By: Rook http://todbot.com/blog/2008/06/17/get-on-the-blinkm-bus-with-a-blinkm-cylon/comment-page-1/#comment-57249 Rook Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:40:54 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/?p=244#comment-57249 Awesome idea - gives me some of my own! Thanks! Question: could you power the lights independently of the arduino? It looks like you could, but I'm not sure. Thoughts? Awesome idea – gives me some of my own! Thanks!

Question: could you power the lights independently of the arduino? It looks like you could, but I’m not sure.

Thoughts?

]]> By: todbot http://todbot.com/blog/2008/06/17/get-on-the-blinkm-bus-with-a-blinkm-cylon/comment-page-1/#comment-56393 todbot Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:52:59 +0000 http://todbot.com/blog/?p=244#comment-56393 Thanks! We've used several places for BlinkM PCBs in the past. Currently we use OurPCB. They're very good. Thanks! We’ve used several places for BlinkM PCBs in the past. Currently we use OurPCB. They’re very good.

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