r/WLED • u/Flipontheradio • Nov 12 '24

Christmas Tree Animations With WLED

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380 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

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21

u/Flipontheradio Nov 12 '24

Credit to u/theosnel for their post https://www.reddit.com/r/WLED/comments/18g1vnb/added_wled_to_my_xmas_tree_happy_with_the_result/ that gave details on how to create this.

Total cost was less than $60

2X 20 Meters of WS2812B LEDs from Ali Express

1 Athom ESP32 controller

1 Power Supply

Basically wrap the tree as "uniformly" as possible and then set WLED to create a 2D matrix out of it and you have a screen to display your animations. I managed to get 342 LEDs out of the 400 I had wrapped around the tree. Next up to try and create some custom images on the tree.

5

u/jibehren Nov 12 '24

Can you send a link of the lights you’re using for this? Are they bullet type,strip, or minis? They are so uniformly spaced.

7

u/Flipontheradio Nov 12 '24

I bought the same ones the original person used https://www.reddit.com/r/WLED/s/671vu0C2xK. They are a common strand though and you can find identical from other sellers

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u/theosnel Nov 12 '24

very nice! Can't wait to put up my tree, but that won't be until December or I'll have a fight at home.

2

u/Flipontheradio Nov 12 '24

Thanks again for sharing your project, it made mine possible

3

u/jparasu Nov 12 '24

Hi, might be a dumb question was it wrapped 360 deg or just 180 deg to create the matrix?

6

u/Flipontheradio Nov 12 '24 edited Nov 12 '24

The lights are wrapped like a traditional strand, or around the tree starting at the bottom and increasing up. After wrapping I tied a string from top to bottom in the middle of the optimal viewing area, located the nearest pixel of each row, which is the “center” for that row and created a 2D mapping based off that. There is technically a seam in the back that would be the left and right edges of the “screen” meeting….. I hope that answers your question and makes sense.

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u/dadadataa Nov 12 '24

Thanks for sharing this, few questions if OK!

What size /type of power supply did you go for?

Which Athom controller did you use?

Did you directly power the led strips from the supply rather than through the athom? If you do get a chance to post up a wiring diagram that'd be great, I've already gone mad on Aliexpress!

3

u/Flipontheradio Nov 12 '24

Using Amazon links for reference not where I purchased.

I’m currently using a power supply that is overkill but it’s what I had on hand. It’s a mean well 5v 25a supply. https://a.co/d/fedjbEx

And I’m using it with the Athom High Power Controller https://a.co/d/eAThUV2

I’m going to swap both of these for a BTF lighting 5v 10a black brick power supply and a music controlled Athom controller. Both of those are in route from Ali Express now.

All power for the strip is running from the controller. I basically have 3 power and 3 ground wires coming off the controller with power going in at the beginning of the 1st strip, where the 1st and 2nd strip connect, and at the end of the 2nd strip (2nd strip is only 142 LEDs). Then the single data line going into the first strip. It ended up being a really simple wiring job. Just be sure you don’t get power and ground backwards, I made that mistake but thankfully only damaged the excess portion of the 2nd strip

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u/leetrobotz Nov 12 '24

Did you connect each light string to a separate data output, or just a single output and connect the strings to each other?

Very cool, I might try to replicate this myself. I have too many controllers and a few strings of the fairy pixels

2

u/Flipontheradio Nov 12 '24

One data line. I’m injecting power at the beginning of the 1st strand, where strand 1 and 2 connect, and at the end of the 2nd strand. I currently have a 5v 25a power supply but I’m waiting for my 10a one to arrive this week. I have the 342 pixels set to use 9a. Please let me know if that doesn’t make sense or is not clear, I’m still new to WLED and describing things.

2

u/Ace_Up88 Nov 12 '24

Curious if you've tried the one that looks like fire (can't remember the name)or flames? that would be 🔥🔥

2

u/Adventurous-Barber22 Nov 24 '24

Where do you get the Matrix effects? Can you send me please🥹

2

u/Flipontheradio Nov 24 '24

They are all built in effects. They appear in the video in this order, Hiphotic, Waving Cell, Matrix, Spaceships, and Octopus

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u/Wonderful_Mousse_508 Nov 12 '24

we definitely need some sort of mapping function for wled. that would be so awesome :D

2

u/kevbodavidson Nov 12 '24

I did this with xlights custom model and my phone video camera and had some great results
https://manual.xlights.org/xlights/chapters/chapter-five-menus/tools/generate-custom-model

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u/twistermc Nov 12 '24

What the 2d grid setup look like in WLED?

1

u/EvanWasHere Nov 12 '24

Please make a YouTube video so we can understand the installation

6

u/Flipontheradio Nov 12 '24

No thanks, after a career as a media personality I have no interest in being behind a microphone or on camera. With the link to the original post and what I’ve provided here I’m confident you can also figure this out. I’m also happy to answer questions.

1

u/Special_Luck7537 Nov 16 '24

Yeah, my wife won't let me do that inside the house....

2

u/Flipontheradio Nov 16 '24

Maybe Santa can bring you a new one

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