12mm IP65 Waterproof Full Color Digital RGB LED Pixel with WS2801 Arduino for my 50:plazma to try and make the amblight iv allso bought the connections for the lights and power supply 5v will i allso need to buy the arduino to run the lights or can i just plug them into my pi direct im runing openelec on it can i still get it runing with that or do i have to reinstall raspbmc please can you help many thanks john.
Hi John,
If you check out the PiBob guide you’ll see how to hook up the LEDs directly to the Pi. So no need for an arduino.
As for OpenElec, I don’t use it so can’t say for sure how to get it working but I’m sure it’s possible.
Firstly you’d need to install/compile boblightd then install boblight-dispmanx.
See this blog post for some details http://blog.nadnerb.co.uk/?p=126
When I get some time I plan to install OpenElec and write up a guide on how to get it working.
HI brendan thanks for you quick reply i read you put on dev version of openelec can the boblight work on the official ver 3.0.6 ??
I’m afraid not.
Boblight requires the latest firmware and 3.0.6 is too old. If you can upgrade the firmware on 3.0.6 then it should work, but I don’t know if that’s possible – hence why I went with the latest dev build instead.
HI brendan
iv updated to 3.1.5 will that do lol or if not i will need the link to the dev ver and how to install it as its tar.bz2 file ?? not zip and install via install from zip on pi.
HI brendan
just to let you know i installed 3.1.5 and the boblight add-on is in there and iv installed it now so that part is done now do i have to install the commands to get it to work or does that come in the add-on ? and if not as im using a mac would coda work to ssh into the pi ? many thanks john.
HI brendan
iv received the 100 rgb led lights but was not sure what power supply to use as the guids are for 50 lights would i need 5v 4amp power supply to run these leds ?Any help would be gratefully received
at first thank you for the great boblight tutorial. I have a little question. im working with a 5V 2A Power supply, also tried a few others, but i only got (7 max) a few LED`s working in the 50 pieces string.
Have you connected the data cables to the Pi etc? Usually the LEDs do nothing when connected to just the power. Sometimes a few might light up, but to test them properly you need to have them connected to a data and clock source such as the Pi.
If you follow it all, no, it won’t work with Raspbian.
If you follow the hardware setup and then install boblight-dispmanx or hyperion it should work with Raspbian
at first thank you for the great tutorial blog. Is it possible configuration setup for raspbmc + boblight (or Hyperion) for these conditions:
raspberry Pi + raspbmc + boblight (or Hyperion)
+
boblight TV clone (for TV programs, gaming consoles) at the same time.
To perform the boblight not only for raspbmc, but boblight TV clone for watching cable TV programs or perhaps from another HDMI source like gaming consoles, but to keep functionality of raspberry pi as HTPC with raspbmc + boblight at the same time. Is it possible with one board?
Hi Brendan, I’ve bought all the kit to get going with Boblight on Openelec.. I’m sat here at work waiting to get home but in the mean time i’ve stripped the red and blue cables back form the input end of the lights and connected them to the power supply (using a cctv connector as you suggested).. when i plug it in to power only the first LED lights up.. is this normal? (obviously i don’t have the Pi connected up to it at this point.. i just want to make sure i’ve got the power correct).. thanks
Yeah that’s normal. With only power connected sometimes a few LEDs will light up, sometimes none. They won’t all light up if that’s what you were expecting.
Yes and no. I *think* you can play media on a mac running XBMC with a plugin which passes colour information to a Raspberry Pi or an Arduino. I don’t have a mac so never looked into it. I’m sure you could find more info on google
nadnerb.co.uk 
HI brendan iv just bought 100
12mm IP65 Waterproof Full Color Digital RGB LED Pixel with WS2801 Arduino for my 50:plazma to try and make the amblight iv allso bought the connections for the lights and power supply 5v will i allso need to buy the arduino to run the lights or can i just plug them into my pi direct im runing openelec on it can i still get it runing with that or do i have to reinstall raspbmc please can you help many thanks john.
Hi John,
If you check out the PiBob guide you’ll see how to hook up the LEDs directly to the Pi. So no need for an arduino.
As for OpenElec, I don’t use it so can’t say for sure how to get it working but I’m sure it’s possible.
Firstly you’d need to install/compile boblightd then install boblight-dispmanx.
See this blog post for some details http://blog.nadnerb.co.uk/?p=126
When I get some time I plan to install OpenElec and write up a guide on how to get it working.
HI brendan thx for you quick reply i will be wating in anitcipation for the openelec and boblight thax again for your time.
I just posted a new how-to openElec blog…
HI brendan i can not finf your blog on the openelec can you please help or email me the link many thanks john.
http://blog.nadnerb.co.uk/?p=142
HI brendan thanks for you quick reply i read you put on dev version of openelec can the boblight work on the official ver 3.0.6 ??
I’m afraid not.
Boblight requires the latest firmware and 3.0.6 is too old. If you can upgrade the firmware on 3.0.6 then it should work, but I don’t know if that’s possible – hence why I went with the latest dev build instead.
HI brendan
iv updated to 3.1.5 will that do lol or if not i will need the link to the dev ver and how to install it as its tar.bz2 file ?? not zip and install via install from zip on pi.
HI brendan
just to let you know i installed 3.1.5 and the boblight add-on is in there and iv installed it now so that part is done now do i have to install the commands to get it to work or does that come in the add-on ? and if not as im using a mac would coda work to ssh into the pi ? many thanks john.
HI brendan
iv received the 100 rgb led lights but was not sure what power supply to use as the guids are for 50 lights would i need 5v 4amp power supply to run these leds ?Any help would be gratefully received
Yeah, 4A should be enough.
Hi,
at first thank you for the great boblight tutorial. I have a little question. im working with a 5V 2A Power supply, also tried a few others, but i only got (7 max) a few LED`s working in the 50 pieces string.
Do you have any ideas?
ty
Have you connected the data cables to the Pi etc? Usually the LEDs do nothing when connected to just the power. Sometimes a few might light up, but to test them properly you need to have them connected to a data and clock source such as the Pi.
Another question,
whats the normal behaviour, when only power supply is attached to the string. Should light up all of the LED`s or none of them?
This tutorial (http://pibob.nadnerb.co.uk/) works on raspbian?
If you follow it all, no, it won’t work with Raspbian.
If you follow the hardware setup and then install boblight-dispmanx or hyperion it should work with Raspbian
HI brendan
at first thank you for the great tutorial blog. Is it possible configuration setup for raspbmc + boblight (or Hyperion) for these conditions:
raspberry Pi + raspbmc + boblight (or Hyperion)
+
boblight TV clone (for TV programs, gaming consoles) at the same time.
To perform the boblight not only for raspbmc, but boblight TV clone for watching cable TV programs or perhaps from another HDMI source like gaming consoles, but to keep functionality of raspberry pi as HTPC with raspbmc + boblight at the same time. Is it possible with one board?
Hi Brendan, I’ve bought all the kit to get going with Boblight on Openelec.. I’m sat here at work waiting to get home but in the mean time i’ve stripped the red and blue cables back form the input end of the lights and connected them to the power supply (using a cctv connector as you suggested).. when i plug it in to power only the first LED lights up.. is this normal? (obviously i don’t have the Pi connected up to it at this point.. i just want to make sure i’ve got the power correct).. thanks
Yeah that’s normal. With only power connected sometimes a few LEDs will light up, sometimes none. They won’t all light up if that’s what you were expecting.
Hello Brendan, i see u pibob project and think thats a great idea, but i have a question about it: could i put this on an imac?
Yes and no. I *think* you can play media on a mac running XBMC with a plugin which passes colour information to a Raspberry Pi or an Arduino. I don’t have a mac so never looked into it. I’m sure you could find more info on google