StrichLux

From Hackstrich
Revision as of 16:49, 12 March 2012 by SarahEmm (talk | contribs) (Core will be 8 slaves, each module will be master, as they are the ones interacting with the outside world.)

The Modular Lighting Controller will control various kinds of lighting via various protocols/interfaces, or convert between two of the supported protocols/interfaces without directly controlling any devices.

Project Log

  • 2012-06-12 - Chose connectors, laid out basic core board interface components/defined sizes.
  • 2012-06-06 - 2012-06-11 - Defining specs, searching for appropriate parts.

Project Ideas

  • Core board, lets you plug in up to 4 input modules and 4 output modules
    • Each of the 4 would be up to one DMX universe worth of channels (512)
    • SPI slave to each I/O module, 8 SPI slave transceivers total
    • RS232 for troubleshooting and configuring the core board itself
    • Local framebuffer memory
      • Dual-port memory would be best so the output and input sections can both deal with it independently
      • 8 bits per frame * 512 channels per universe * 4 universes = 16kbit (2kbyte) of framebuffer memory required
        • Twice that for double-buffering would be awesome, so 32kbit/4kbyte of dual-port memory wanted
      • Split into 4 channels, so each block would be 8kbit/1kbyte
      • Reading/writing needs to happen in parallel for each block
    • CPLD/FPGA seems a great fit for this
      • Lattice LFXP2-5E-5TN144C or Xilinx XC3S50-4VQG100C both seem like good fits
    • Since this will likely be the most powerful chip in the whole system, we could do transforms here to to take the load off the I/O modules
      • HSV->RGB
      • Input splitting (one input channel goes to two or more output channels)
      • Input combining (two or more input channels get combined via some function and go to a single output channel)
      • Scaling/offsetting (0-255 in = 32-64 out or such)
  • Inputs
    • Art-Net over Ethernet
    • Art-Net over WiFi
    • DMX
    • Analog input channels (not 512 though, likely)
  • Outputs
    • LPD8806 LED strips
    • Other LED strips
    • Art-Net over Ethernet
    • Art-Net over WiFi
    • DMX
    • Discrete power switches (relays/FETs/whatever)
  • Dimensions
    • Core board will be 3.95" x 6.25" (max limits of EAGLE Standard, will need to purchase)
    • Modules will be 1.525" x 1.925" (2x4 layout on the board for input/output x 4 channels)