Food Living Outside Play Technology Workshop

Android Christmas Lights Controller

by pcdevltd on December 23, 2011

Table of Contents

Android Christmas Lights Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro: Android Christmas Lights Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

http://www.instructables.com/id/Android-Christmas-Lights-Controller/
Intro: Android Christmas Lights Controller
Here's a quick intro to my latest project: an Android Open Accessory-powered Christmas lights controller!

This was born out of a coding session at our local Google Technology User Group. It is an Android app that communicates with a Google ADK board using the Open
Accessory platform released by Google earlier this year (see my first Instructable for more info).

The board outputs 9 channels of PWM signals to the board, which in turn runs the main driver board, capable of supplying up to 100v at around 5A per channel (with
suitable heatsinks). Where I come from most Christmas lights are "safety" lights, run at between 12-30v using a small stepdown transformer. While this adds significantly
to the cost of Christmas cheer, it makes a much more easily driven set of lights using the hardware I've chosen.

I'm not going to have time to add a full 'ible on this before the big day, so you'll have to settle for this for now. I'll add full instructions, code samples and schematics in the
new year.

The software can record and play back a light sequence synchronized with a music track. Interface is multi-touch, so you can control multiple channels at the same, plus
you can edit parts of a sequence when playing back. I hope you've enjoyed it - post a comment if you're keen for me to do a full instructable!

Merry Christmas!

Image Notes
1. Custom app "Southern Lights" drives the Accessory board
2. Google ADK board, this outputs a PWM signal to the driver board which (in
simple terms) "amplifies" the signal to the required voltage and current
3. Light driver - this can drive 9 channels of lights at up to 100v @ 5A max. Uses
TIP122 transistors. Each channel can be run at a different voltage if required. Note
the number of channels can be increased if required.
4. Standard incandescent light sets. But being PWM, you can just as easily run
LED sets (most of the lights in the video are LED strips). Incandescents draw more
current and have comparitively high impedance - and since the voltage is being
pulsed rapidly this causes a bit of buzzing from the transistors, but LED sets are
silent.
5. 24v power supply (extracted from an old inkjet). This powers the driver board. In
this design the driver board is in between the lights and a common ground, so it is
easy to power each channel at a different voltage. In the video the light strips run
at 12v, the strings run at 24v.
6. These wires go to the LED light strips. The red wire is the 12v supply

http://www.instructables.com/id/Android-Christmas-Lights-Controller/
 Image Notes
1. LED light strips hot-glued in place (a little messy, I know, but nobody sees it in
the dark...)

Related Instructables

SmartPhone
Lucid dream
Android-based (Android) by
Voice DIY Android Vintage Phone Super Nintendo
Controlled Ball Maze - An shortdiesel on Android with
iRobot Create Introduction to Pee to Check-In by basil.shikin original
by phroseph the Android to Foursquare - controller
ADK by pcdevltd Mark Your (video) by
Territory by bsoares
blorgggg

http://www.instructables.com/id/Android-Christmas-Lights-Controller/