It's been a few years since I dabbled with these but I really want to finish a project I envisioned. There are so many options! What I want to do: Light up my enclosed custom rack to make it look like the warp core from TNG. Here is the best video I was able to track down of the warp core in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNSZhRTdelc (as if we really needed a reminder?!) Each side would pulsate in sequence. I don't need the lights to meet in the middle or anything, just pulsate up or down in sequence for the entire run (about 6 feet each side, so 12 foot total). It would be nice if I could control the speed, but can be a future thing. I've used these before: http://www.amazon.com/SUPERNIGHT®-W...446572115&sr=8-1&keywords=rgb+led+light+strip These can't do what I'm after. While I love the ability to change the colors and modes, it forgets the last setting and it's a pain to cycle through everything, and as I said it doesn't give the effect I want. Ideally I'd like to be able to change the mode out of "warp core" and modify colors but priority #1 is just the basics. What kind of controller should I be looking at? Type of LED strip? I've never learned to read a diagram to make my own circuits but I'm handy with a soldering iron and can put kits together. I've dabbled in basic programming but would get lost if I didn't have a good resource to follow. Alternatively, if anyone knows how to create or modify something to do what I want then I wouldn't mind paying for it. This just might be out of my ability to do myself right now and I just want to finish this project, this is last on the to-do!
I had someone point out that a T1000S and a strip of 6803 IC LEDs should actually do what I want with the help of LED Edit software (after creating SWF to match the motion and color). This is actually a pretty cheap solution and would allow full customization, but looks like it might be a PITA. For whatever reason I was under the impression the DMX stuff was only used to sync music with lighting! Thoughts on this approach?
You want an addressable LED strip. It's pretty common for people to build their own controllers out of something like an Arduino (which would involve mostly programming, not much electronics). There are some easier to use controllers available, aside from that rather nice T1000S you already found.
