Controlling Remote Controlled LED Strip with a PC?

[Nathan Hejnicki]

I am looking at buying one (not sure which yet, but generically thinking here) of those Remote-controlled RGB LED strips, where the remote has a bunch of different buttons on it for individual colors. What I'd like to do, mostly as a pet project, is find some way wherein I can buy any kind of IR Receiver that my PC can accept input from that remote, and find some software wherewith I can "decode" what signals/wavelengths are coming from each button press. I'd then like to (hopefully custom build) a piece of software wherein I can use an IR transmitter to transmit any of the codes I learn at will by a button press in say, VB.net or something. So it's basically have a "learning" period where I "teach" my PC what the codes are that this remote is transmitting, and then a replicating period where I basically have a software-controlled remote via an IR transmitter coming from my PC.
Anybody have any idea how I could do this?

 

[Eximo]

So many options here I am not sure what to list.

Not sure why you would use IR in this day and age with access to WiFi and bluetooth. Seems like you are adding a layer of work that isn't necessary. (Your learning period would just consist of pressing every button the remote and writing down the result (by hand for the buttons you pressed, and the software writing to a table) You would then input the buttons to the table and use it build your logic.

Personally I would just grab an Arduino kit with bluetooth.

Or get a bluetooth receiver with programmable analog and digital I/O and make a smartphone application to trigger it.

I could probably come up with a few dozen ways to do it if I sat around and thought about it. Just depends what you want to learn while doing it.

 

[Nathan Hejnicki]

OK maybe I'll take this question from a different angle then. I'm looking to buy a (preferably 25 ish dollar) RGB LED strip to do some under-desk lighting, but want it to be bright enough to be worth the money, so anything directly USB powered (and therfore just plugged into my PC) is out, since it'd take a good 12V at least to get the power needed to get all the LEDs in a decent strip working.

What I'd like to do, regardless of the steps taken to get there, is make it so I can turn those LEDs on and off without the remote they normally ship with. If that can in some way be done over wifi or bluetooth without spending, say, 45 bucks on a WeMo switch or similar, I am all ears. I know IR is outdated, it's more that an IR transmitter and receiver could net me 10 bucks and a bit of soldering, maybe.

So, new question: what solution do you recommend to be able to have a set of LEDs light up the underside of my desk, that can be controlled via PC in any way without breaking the bank?

Thanks for your input on the different methods.

 

[Eximo]

I guess I would need to understand your idea of worthwhile brightness. I presume they are more or less decorative? Are you looking at this one?:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JF0589E?psc=1

Cloning that shouldn't be too difficult and controlling it with the computer should be easy enough, though not as in-expensive as you are thinking. Not that easy to get I/O right out of a computer that is software controlled.

Here is this little guy. Basically what you could do for a simple solution is to replace your manual input on the switches on the remote with a digital version. Basically wire up the I/O on the board to a logic circuit that will provide a normally open or normally closed output to each switch (depending on how that remote is wired up) This would leave the remote in the loop though so it would still be IR to the control box, but it would be out of sight and you would be able to control it from the computer.

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/762?gclid=CKbspMfx58UCFQcpaQodnacAtw

Basically this would have a logic diagram implemented in code to trigger the I/O to act as a giant selector, one unique combo for each button. If that makes sense. The commands would be via a virtual serial port. You can then write a simple C/C++/C#, or whatever really, program in something like Visual Studio Express or Eclipse to send the serial commands. (Can't find a decent wiring example to use for this, you can look at 7-segment displays to get an idea of what I am talking about on the physical side)

The other option would be to see what the other end is doing and take the remote out of the loop completely. Not sure how they are controlling the LEDs in there, so it might require the complete replacement of the LED driver circuitry, which wouldn't be cheap in terms of hardware. Then you would have to create a hardware interface to the computer, possibly using the board above, and again write the software.

I think you might have an easier time of it with a basic arduino board and an RGB Shield. You can then just buy the raw RGB LED ribbon without all the inbetween stuff.

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/12757

http://www.robotmesh.com/rgb-led-strip-driver-shield-v1-0?gclid=CM_At6r158UCFVM1aQodgwYAlQ

You should be able to write an interface program between the computer and the Arduino that will let you do it. Also expandable and you can use it for all kinds of things including some of the bluetooth and WiFi options I mentioned before.

As for the cheapest possible method, use it as is and deal with the remote.

 

[Willie0]

thanks for the information Eximo, really helped. I had the same problem too.

 

[Nusbio]

For around $28 you can get a http://www.Nusbio.net device and an APA 102 LED Strip, plug and play C# or VB.NET

https://squareup.com/market/madeintheusb-dot-net/item/x-apa-strip-adapter-rgb-led-strip