How to assemble color music with your own hands. Color music on powerful LEDs
Color music on RGB LEDs
The peak of popularity of color music installations falls on the 80s of the last century. Now they are almost forgotten. And yet, time does not stand still, and there are new technologies that can revive the "color music" in a new form. Here, for example, three-color RGB LED strips or garlands, they can be of considerable length and even work as a lighting device. Only, they are usually controlled according to the program, as Christmas tree garlands or advertising, well, or you can use them to change the color of the lighting in the room. What if it all comes down to music? Imagine a CMU screen the size of a ceiling! But for this you need an appropriate control device.
The figure shows an experimental DMU circuit working with an RGB LED strip or garland. Everything is like a "typical" DMU - three frequency channels, three output keys, to which three colors of an RGB-LED strip (or garland) are respectively connected.
The bandpass filter circuit is made on LM567 microcircuits.
The LM567 ICs are PLL tone decoders designed for use in frequency coded control systems and are active filters with a very narrow PLL bandwidth. In this case, in order to cover the entire audio range at least from 50 Hz to 12000 Hz by three bands, it is necessary to expand the PLL capture bands of the microcircuits. The PLL capture bandwidth of the LM567 IC depends on the capacitor at pin 2, the larger its capacitance, the narrower the band. Usually there are several microfarads, but here the capacitances of these capacitors are reduced to 0.047 microfarads, as a result, the capture bandwidth is greatly expanded, and becomes sufficient for using LM567 microcircuits as filters in a color music installation.
The input voltage range of the AF at the input of the LM567 IC is 20-200 mV, at a frequency corresponding to the filter tuning band, capture occurs. If the frequency of the input signal lies within the band at the output of the IC LM567, the key opens, between pin 8 and the common minus of the power supply.
The input signal is fed to connector X1, the nominal value of the input voltage of the AF should be in the region of 100-300 mV. This voltage is supplied to three regulators on variable resistors R1, R6, R11. These variable resistors during operation of the device set the optimal levels of AF signals for frequency channels, specifically for each playback case, so as to obtain the desired effect.
The band mid frequencies are set by RC circuits connected between pins 5 and 6 of the LM567. You can calculate them using the formula:
F = 1/(1.1*R*C)
F - frequency in kHz, R - resistance in kOhm, C - capacitance in microfarads.
Accordingly, the center frequencies are 150 Hz, 900 Hz, and 9000 Hz. If desired, using the above formula, you can choose other center frequencies of the bands. In this case, you can select not only capacitors, but also resistors (connected between terminals 5 and 6 of the LM567 IC).
Consider the work on the example of a low-frequency channel on A1. While there is no signal with a frequency in the filter bandwidth, or its level is low, at the output, at pin 8 A1 there will be a logic unit voltage (the output switch is closed, the output is pulled up to the power plus through resistor R2). On the elements D1.1-D1.2, a Schmitt trigger is made, its output is the output of the element D1.1, so when the output of A1 is one, the output of D1.1 has a logical zero. The key on the powerful field transistor VT1 is closed and power is not supplied to the R-part of the RGB LED strip.
If there is a AF voltage at input A1 with a frequency in the filter bandwidth, and its level is sufficient to capture, at the output, at pin 8 A1 there will be a logic zero voltage (the output key is open). At the output D1.1 in this case - a logical unit. Transistor VT1 opens and turns on the power of the R-part of the RGB LED strip.
Two other channels work similarly, mid-frequency on A2 and high-frequency on A3, the difference is only in the frequency of the input voltage of the AF.
In principle, the gates of field-effect key transistors can also be directly connected to the outputs of the LM567, but, firstly, the circuit will work in reverse, that is, when there is no signal, the LED strip will light up, and when there is, it will go out. And secondly, the transistors will overheat, because the process of opening them will be delayed in time, and for a significant time they will be in the middle state when a significant voltage and power drops on the channel. The Schmitt trigger eliminates these problems.
The assembly is done on a breadboard.
Do-it-yourself color music - what could be more pleasant and interesting for a radio amateur, because it is not difficult to assemble it, having a good scheme.
In modern radio engineering, there is a huge variety of radio elements and LEDs, the advantage of which is difficult to question. Large range of colors, bright and saturated light, high response speed of various elements, low energy consumption. This list of benefits is endless.
The principle of operation of color music: LEDs assembled according to the scheme blink from an existing sound source (it can be a player or a radio tape recorder and speakers) with a certain frequency.
The advantages of using LEDs over those previously used in the CMU:
- light saturation of light and an extensive color range;
- good speed;
- low power consumption.
The simplest schemes
A simple color music that can be assembled has one LED, is powered by a source direct current voltage 6–12 V.
You can assemble the above circuit using an LED strip and selecting the required transistor. The disadvantage is that there is a dependence of the LED flashing frequency on the sound level. In other words, the full effect can be observed only at one sound level. If the volume is lowered, there will be a rare flashing, and when the volume is increased, a constant glow will remain.
You can remove this drawback with the help of a three-channel sound converter. Below is a simple circuit, it is not difficult to assemble it with your own hands on transistors.
Scheme of color music with a three-channel sound converter This circuit requires a 9 volt power supply, which will allow the LEDs in the channels to glow. To assemble three amplifying stages, you will need KT315 transistors (similar to KT3102). As a load, multi-colored LEDs are used. A step-down transformer is used for amplification. Resistors perform the function of adjusting the flashes of the LEDs. The circuit contains filters for passing frequencies.
The diagram can be improved. To do this, add brightness with 12 V incandescent bulbs. You will need control thyristors. The entire device must be powered by a transformer. According to this simplest scheme, you can already work. Color music on thyristors can be collected even by a novice radio technician.
How to make color music on LEDs with your own hands? The first thing to do is to choose an electrical circuit.
Below is a diagram of light music with an RGB tape. This setup requires a 12 volt power supply. It can work in two modes: as a lamp and as a color music. The mode is selected by a switch installed on the board.
Manufacturing steps
Need to do printed circuit board. To do this, you need to take a foil fiberglass with dimensions of 50 x 90 mm and a thickness of 0.5 mm. The board manufacturing process consists of several stages:
- preparation of foil textolite;
- drilling holes for parts;
- drawing tracks;
- etching.
The board is ready, the components are purchased. Now the most crucial moment begins - the wiring of radio elements. The final result will depend on how carefully they are installed and soldered.
We assemble our printed circuit board with components soldered on it into such an affordable ceiling.
Brief description of radioelements
Radioelements for electrical circuit quite affordable, it will not be difficult to purchase them at the nearest electrical goods store.
For color and musical accompaniment, wire resistors with a power of 0.25–0.125 W are suitable. The resistance value can always be determined by the colored stripes on the body, knowing the order in which they are applied. Trimmer resistors are both domestic and imported.
Industrially produced capacitors are divided into oxide and electrolytic. It will not be difficult to choose the right ones by doing elementary calculations. Some oxide capacitors may have polarity that must be observed during installation.
The diode bridge can be taken ready-made, but if it is not there, then the rectifier bridge is easy to assemble using diodes of the KD or 1N4007 series. LEDs are taken ordinary, with a multi-colored glow. The use of RGB LED strips is a promising direction in radio electronics.
RGB LED Strip Possibility of assembling a color and music console for a car
If you managed to please with color music from a do-it-yourself LED strip, then a similar installation with a built-in radio can be made for a car. It is easy to assemble and quickly set up. It is proposed to place the prefix in a plastic case, which can be bought in the department of electrical and radio engineering. The unit is reliably protected from moisture and dust. It is easy to install for dashboard car.
Also, a similar case can be made independently using plexiglass.
Plates of the required dimensions are selected, two holes are made in the first of the parts (for power), all parts are sanded. We collect everything with a thermal gun.
An excellent lighting effect is achieved by using multi-colored (RGB) tape.
Conclusion
The well-known saying “not the gods burn the pots” remains relevant today. A diverse range of electronic components gives craftsmen a wide scope for imagination. Do-it-yourself color music on LEDs is one of the manifestations of limitless creativity.
Color and music equipment that changes color, intensity, effects and rhythm is an essential attribute of a good party, capable of raising and moving to the beat of the music the most lazy and melancholic of the participants in the event. In this article, we will discuss the nuances of color music on LEDs, the possibilities of making it yourself and options for using it in various conditions.
With the saturation of the market with LED lighting equipment, the scope of its application is expanding explosively and is no longer limited solely to design refinements in interior lighting, conciseness and efficiency in lighting offices and work lighting, or the desire to make durable and high-quality illumination of building exteriors. LED lamp have penetrated into all areas where their colossal technological gap, energy efficiency, minimum size with maximum return, can do good service and bring benefits or aesthetic pleasure - car tuning, phytolamps for growing home gardens, and, of course, color music.
Color music on led-components has a number of significant advantages over analogues on outdated lamps:
- The small size of LEDs, combined with energy efficiency, gives rise to an abundance of possible forms for creating light and music equipment, and we are talking not only about external form factors, but also about the possibilities of using LEDs in a wide variety of effects when working with light and its various colors, because the led element can give a point stream of light. Strobe lights, spotlights, disco balls and much more are available for use even at home.
- The safety of using color music or LED emitters is maximum compared to outdated lamps - the operating temperature range of led elements does not exceed 60 degrees Celsius, which means that there should simply be no fear of igniting any home decor elements or materials. Let the colors fill your home along with the music without any of the anxieties associated with the use of light and music equipment.
- The long service life of color music for the home makes the purchase of such equipment expedient, because it is designed for 8,000-10,000 thousand hours of operation, that is, a whole year of uninterrupted service. And taking into account the fact that the number of on and off does not affect the consumer properties of led elements, and most people do not have round-the-clock parties every day, home color music can please its owner and his guests for many years.
- The quality of color and light transmission. LED lighting has the widest range of colors and shades, which is one of the main advantages for color music as such, because the variety of colors plays an important role in creating an atmosphere. Also, unlike laser color music, LED equipment is harmless to the eyes and is not capable of damaging vision if the light flux directly hits the retina.
Options for creating light and music lighting at home
- The easiest option is to buy a special portable lamp or lamp that will change colors or use several colors at once, with one or more effects. There are a lot of such options, they are very common and budget. For entry level to please yourself and your friends with a simple but pleasant game with bright light and colors to the music - it will be quite enough.
- The best option, if you don’t do it yourself according to the most complex schemes, is to purchase a ready-made solution, the so-called CMU (Color and Music Installations). This is a turnkey solution that includes a controller that will process sound signal, turning it into a light and music performance, changing the intensity and colors of light streams, creating the effect of a full-fledged disco, and directly panels with diodes. CMUs are easy to install, and if you want to create a disco at home with your own hands, this is quite a good option. Such DMUs can be based on spectral decomposition by frequency, when each frequency will correspond to any color, or preset adjustments with all kinds of effects and their alternation, which can be configured using the supplied remote control.
- The third option is to assemble color music yourself. There are a lot on the Internet detailed diagrams, according to which a person who has experience with electronics can make color music for the home with his own hands. You can do without circuits by using a separately purchased color and music controller, and, say, several segments of an RGB tape. In fact, as far as do-it-yourself lighting fixtures for disco effects are concerned, there can really be a huge variety of them. There are a lot of schemes, as well as video instructions on how to assemble equipment according to these schemes. There are schemes using external microphones, assembled according to these schemes, lighting fixtures will change color and effects exactly to the playing melody.
The schemes offered on the Internet for making color music with your own hands are as diverse as possible - from the simplest, when the color of the RGB tape will change, to the most complex, with many effects, attenuations and overflows. Depending on your skills, you can choose the right option, find the right scheme and create something unique, lighting equipment that will delight you and your guests with overflows of all colors. If you are not ready to make color music on LEDs yourself, with your own hands, then you can turn to the market for ready-made solutions and fill your home with a variety of colors and joy.
Beginner Radio Amateur Competition
“My amateur radio design”
Competitive design of a novice radio amateur
“Five-channel LED color music”
Hello dear friends and visitors of the site!
I present to your attention the third competitive work (of the second competition of the site) of a beginner radio amateur. Design author: Morozas Igor Anatolievich:
Five-channel LED color music
Hello radio amateurs!
Like many beginners, the main problem was where to start, what would be my first product. Started by saying that I wanted to purchase a home first. The first is color music, the second is high quality amplifier for headphones. Started from the first. Color music on thyristors seems to be a hackneyed option, I decided to collect color music for RGB LED strips. I present to you my first job.
The scheme of color music is taken from the Internet. Color music is simple, on 5 channels (one channel is a white background). An LED strip can be connected to each channel, but a low-power signal amplifier is required for its operation at the input. The author suggests using an amplifier from computer speakers. I went from a difficult one, to assemble an amplifier circuit according to the datasheet on a TDA2005 2x10 W chip. This power seems to me enough, even with a margin. I diligently redraw all the diagrams in the sPLAN 7.0 program
Fig.1 Scheme of color music with an input signal amplifier.
In the color music circuit, all capacitors are electrolytic, with a voltage of 16-25v. Where it is necessary to observe the polarity, there is a “+” sign, in other cases, changing the polarity does not affect the blinking of the LEDs. At least I didn't notice it. Transistors KT819 can be replaced with KT815. Resistors with a power of 0.25 W.
In the amplifier circuit, the microcircuit must be placed on a radiator of at least 100 cm2. Capacitors electrolytic voltage 16-25v. Capacitors C8, C9, C12 film, voltage 63v. Resistors R6, R7 with a power of 1 W, the rest 0.25 W. Variable resistor R0 - dual, with a resistance of 10-50 kΩ.
I took the power supply unit with a factory impulse power of 100W, 2x12v, 7A
On the day off, as expected, a trip to the radio market to purchase radio components. The next task is to draw the printed circuit board. For this, I chose the Sprint-Layout 6.0 program. She is recommended by radio specialists for beginners. It is easy to learn, I was convinced of this.
Fig 2. Color music board.
Fig 3. Power amplifier board.
The boards were made using LUT technology. There is a lot of information about this technology on the Internet. I like it when it looks factory, so LUT did it from the side of the details too.
Fig 3.4 Assembly of radio components on the board
Fig 5. Checking the performance after assembly
As always, the most “difficult” thing when assembling a radio circuit is to complete everything in a case. I bought the case ready in the radio shop.
I made the front panel in this way. Drawn in Photoshop appearance front panel where variable resistors, a switch and LEDs, one from each channel, should be installed. Ready drawing printed inkjet printer on thin glossy photo paper.
On a fat-free prepared panel with holes, I glue photo paper with carpentry glue:
Then I put the panels under the so-called press. For a day. As a press, I have a 15 kg barbell pancake:
Final build:
Here's what happened:
Appendices to the article:
(2.9 MiB, 2,909 hits)
Dear friends and guests of the site!
Do not forget to express your opinion on the competitive works and take part in the voting for your favorite design on the site's forum. Thank you.
Some suggestions for those who will repeat the design:
1. You can connect speakers to such a powerful stereo amplifier, then you get two devices in one - color music and a high-quality low-frequency amplifier.
2. Even if the polarity of the inclusion of electrolytic capacitors in the color music circuit does not affect its operation, it is probably better to observe the polarity.
3. At the input of color music, it is probably better to put an input node for summing the signals from the left and right channels (). According to the diagram, the author has a signal from the right channel of the amplifier to the high-frequency channel of color music (blue), and a signal from the left channel of the amplifier to the remaining channels of color music, but it is probably better to send a signal to all channels from the audio signal adder.
4. Replacing the transistor KT819 with KT815 implies a decrease in the number possible connection LEDs.
In this article we will talk about color music. Probably, every novice radio amateur, and not only, at one time had a desire to collect color music. What it is, I think, is known to everyone - to put it simply, it is the creation of visual effects that change to the beat of the music.
That part of the color music that emits light can be performed on powerful lamps, for example, in a concert installation, if color music is needed for home discos, it can be done on conventional lamps incandescent 220 volts, and if color music is planned, for example, as computer modding, for everyday use, it can be performed on LEDs.
Recently, with the advent of LED strips on sale, color and music consoles using such led strips are increasingly being used. In any case, for the assembly of Color Musical Installations (CMU for short) a signal source is required, it can be a microphone with several amplifier stages assembled.
Also, the signal can be taken from the line output of the device, sound card computer, from the output of an mp3 player, etc., in this case you will also need an amplifier, for example, two cascades on transistors, for this purpose I used KT3102 transistors. The preamplifier circuit is shown in the following figure:
Preamplifier - Schematic
The following is a diagram of a single-channel color music with a filter, working in conjunction with a preamplifier (above). In this circuit, the LED blinks under the bass ( low frequencies). To match the signal level in the color music circuit, a variable resistor R6 is provided.
There are more simple circuits color music that any beginner can assemble, on 1 transistor, besides, they do not need a preamplifier, one of these circuits is shown in the picture below:
Color music on a transistor
The pinout diagram of the Jack 3.5 plug is shown in the following figure:
If for some reason it is not possible to assemble a pre-amplifier on transistors, you can replace it with a transformer connected as a step-up one. Such a transformer should produce voltages on the windings of 220/5 Volts. The winding of the transformer with a smaller number of turns is connected in a sound source, for example, a radio tape recorder, in parallel with the speaker, while the amplifier must produce at least 3-5 watts of power. Winding with large quantity turns is connected to the color music input.
Of course, color music is not only single-channel, it can be 3, 5 or more multi-channel, when each LED or incandescent lamp flashes when reproducing the frequencies of its range. In this case, the frequency range is set by using filters. In the following scheme, three-channel color music (which I myself recently collected) capacitors are used as filters:
If we wanted to use in the last circuit not individual LEDs, but an LED strip, then the current-limiting resistors R1, R2, R3 should be removed from the circuit. If RGB tape or LED is used, it must be made with a common anode. If you plan to connect led strip long, then powerful transistors mounted on radiators should be used to control the tape.
Since the LED strips are designed for 12 volts, respectively, we should raise the power in the circuit to 12 volts, and the power should be stabilized.
Thyristors in color music
So far, the article has only talked about color-music devices based on LEDs. If there is a need to assemble a CMU on incandescent lamps, then thyristors will need to be used to control the brightness of the lamps. What is a thyristor anyway? This is a three-electrode semiconductor device, which accordingly has Anode, Cathode and Control electrode.
KU202 Thyristor
The figure above shows the Soviet thyristor KU202. Thyristors, in case it is planned to be used with a powerful load, must also be mounted on a heat sink (radiator). As we can see in the figure, the thyristor has a thread with a nut and is mounted similarly to powerful diodes. Modern imports are simply equipped with a flange with a hole.
One of these thyristor circuits is shown above. This is a three-channel color music circuit with a step-up transformer at the input. In the case of selecting analogs of thyristors, one should look at the maximum allowable voltage of thyristors, in our case, for KU202N it is 400 volts.
The figure shows a similar scheme of color music given above, the main difference in the lower scheme is missing diode bridge. Also, color music on LEDs can be built into system unit. I assembled such a three-channel color music with a preamplifier in a case from a sidirom. In this case, the signal was taken from the computer's sound card using a signal divider, the outputs of which were connected to active acoustics and color music. Signal level adjustment is provided, both general and separately by channels. The preamplifier and color music were powered from the 12 Volt Molex connector (yellow and black wires). The schemes of the preamplifier and three-channel color music for which they were assembled are given above. There are other color music schemes on LEDs, for example this one, also three-channel:
Color music on 3 LEDs - scheme
In this circuit, unlike the one that I collected, an inductance is used in the medium frequency channel. For those who want to assemble something simpler first, I give the following scheme for 2 channels:
If you collect color music on lamps, you will have to use light filters, which, in turn, can be both home-made and purchased. The figure below shows the filters that are commercially available:
Some lovers of color and musical effects assemble devices based on microcontrollers. Below is a diagram of four-channel color music on the AVR tiny 15 MK:
The Tiny 15 microcontroller in this circuit can be replaced with tiny 13V, tiny 25V. And at the end of the review, on my own behalf, I want to say that color music on lamps loses in terms of entertainment to color music on LED, since lamps are more inertial than LEDs. And for independent repetition, you can recommend this
