Sean Meighan
General => The Water Cooler => Topic started by: JonB256 on April 22, 2016, 01:34:04 PM
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Sean keeps talking about putting lights on Band Members on the field.
Others about Dancers in a stage routine.
The PiZero makes it very easy. 5vdc pixels, Wifi and a smartphone battery pack.
Anyway, I dummied up a quick, lighted long sleeve shirt to wear in a Relay for Life event on Saturday night.
I'm on the committee, not a team, but I'll participate on my wife's team for their parade.
I'm using 10,000mAh batteries. One for the PiZero (24 hour run time!) and one for the pixels (over 4 hour run time). I can change out the pixel battery without disturbing the Pi. While I can control it via wireless, I've set my sequence in a 24hour schedule, so it will always start when it boots up. I'll have a router there in case I want to access it from a smart phone.
https://youtu.be/gFI7-1z2Q7c (https://youtu.be/gFI7-1z2Q7c)
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Just a suggestion - you can also use your phone's hotspot to access the PI (no need for a router) if you set up the PI as DHCP for wireless. This is how I did it at the xLights conference last weekend. Just a thought if you don't want to have to carry a router. (I have Verizon so running a stand alone wifi hotspot network from my phone is included in monthly features.)
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I will try that since I also use Verizon, but one of my battery packs is also a Router, so it isn't a problem. Thanks.
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Very nice !!! Would look cool if one wore this whilst going out to great people during the show.
Would appreciate pictures of your Pi/battery combination physical setup and the link to the battery
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On the top surface, you see the 4 wire connector. The outer black wires go to the GPIO pins, the inner wires are ground. I could run a second string easily.
The back side is where I wired in a USB cable for an Edimax wireless. The white goo is for insulation since it shrank back when soldering.
Since I'm using a 32gb uSD card, that is also where my FSEQ files are stored. I don't use nearly as many USB drives now.
All power connectors are micro - usb or full size usb to fit the smartphone battery packs.
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Thanks for the pictures Jon. So you'd just then place these in a bag or something ?
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Very Cool!!
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Thanks for the pictures Jon. So you'd just then place these in a bag or something ?
Yes. Using a front pack with zippered pockets. It all fits easily. I positioned Pixel #1 off to the side (my right side) where the pack would be. The batteries are the big items. I modified a small cardboard box to protect the PiZero. If you knew it wouldn't be running too long (less than 4 hours), a single battery could work.
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Jon
Where did you find the pin out info to connect
the lights also you can add a wifi adaptor to the
zero
Thks Robin
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The GPIO pinout info is in the FPP Help Screens on the Raspberry Pi.
Go to the Outputs tab, then click on the F1 - Help at the top.
Near the bottom it tells you the info.
WS281x Function Raspberry Pi
Data String #1 Pin 12 - GPIO18
Data String #2 Pin 35 - GPIO19 (Only on A+/B+/B v2)
Ground Pin 25 - GND
The wireless connection was found at:
http://hackaday.com/2015/11/28/first-raspberry-pi-zero-hack-piggy-back-wifi/ (http://hackaday.com/2015/11/28/first-raspberry-pi-zero-hack-piggy-back-wifi/)
I used their info but did not break open the wifi dongle