Building an LED Curtain with WLED

[@ResinChemTech]

CORRECTION: When describing the BTF fairy lights, I state that there are 100 LEDs per 5 meters. It is actually 10 meters (32.8'). Sorry about that... I'm used to using LED strips which always come in 5 meter lengths!

[@Zeaiclies]

LED strips come in one meter length as well.

[@davidhawley1132]

AliExpress has 20m lengths of the same lights for about $12.

[@kieranclarke135]

Well covered comparison. DIY is not always about the money - satisfaction and "she who must be obeyed" approval is priceless.

[@ResinChemTech]

Ha... that's the truth! I do usually try to save money with DIY versions, but the cost of the LED fairy lights were higher than I expected. My goal was just to see if I could make a version that was close to the Govee version, but used WLED. From all the DIY versions of retail products that I've tried, this one easily turned out the best and the closest to the retail version. I also failed to mention in the video that the curtain is nearly invisible when turned off... and if you wanted, you could paint the pipe to match your wall and it would really make the curtain blend in when not in use. That helped with the WAF... but when she saw them 'in action' just laying on the floor, she recommended both the install location and leaving them up. They weren't as "garish" as she was probably expecting, especially when powered off. Thanks for watching... and I always appreciate the comments.

[@NoirDesigns]

It’s the satisfaction every time you see it in action knowing I or you built it. If it’s cheaper or the same $$ the satisfaction speaker bigger ##

[@nikushim6665]

To be fair here the DIY version is superior, simply because Govee's API is garbage mostly to force people into their walled garden app. Govee curtain's outside of the App can only have 10 assigned addresses basically two entire strips per address (meaning you cant address individual LED's with the API)

[@DariuszLachowski]

Thank you so much for the inspiration, and for sharing your ideas with all of us. Your explanation of the project is very good, and I have no further questions. It's great that you point out your mistakes, as it allows for learning, and there's no need to worry when things don't go perfectly.

[@ResinChemTech]

You are most welcome. I nearly cut out the section showing my silly mistake due to the length of the video, but I thought it was important to show that this WILL happen on occasion, but it is rarely more costly than a few dollars and a little bit of time... and as you mention, it is part of the learning process. Thanks for the comment and the kind words!

[@joseroda5863]

This was an awesome tutorial. Good tempo, excellent remarks, just plain useful stuff. Thanks a lot for sharing.

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and your kind words. It is much appreciated!

[@danielsnyder6900]

Awesome tutorial, appreciate you testing the concept. I was investigating this same type of project, thanks for taking the lead.

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks! Glad you found it helpful. There might be a few things I'd do differently if I were to build another one (mostly involving 3D printed parts... but I committed to doing this project without any, in deference to those without a printer). Let me know if you do build your own and if you find ways to make improvements. Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment!

[@LasseBuck]

Great editing and narration. The level of detail and the flow is just perfect! The choice of black pipes gives a nice touch.

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks. I was pretty happy how it turned out considering I had no idea how I was going to build it when I first started. The pipes not only made for a convenient place to hide the wires, but the bottom pipe added just enough weight to keep the LED strands straight and aligned. Thanks for watching... and taking the time to leave a comment. I appreciate it!

[@NorthparkLights]

Awesome to see someone making a curtain with these seed pixels! I did basically the same last year for my wiring to make a 2,400 pixel Christmas tree. Some worthy notes: * A few sellers sell 4-wire seed pixels, these have 1 unconnected wire you can connect to data out at the last pixel and data goes back to the start of the string. * Many sellers have a 12v version and one vendor (I'm aware of) sells a 24v version. This 24v version is 6 individually controllable pixels in series across the 24v (4v per pixel). I have heard the vendor is willing to wire this for other voltages up to 48v (POE pixels with a WLED Ethernet board...?) * Some Chinese vendors call these 'pebble pixels', although sadly they're taking a name likely trademarked by Minleon group (for a larger type of pixel). * Cheapest I know is 2.8c USD per pixel on spools over 2,000 pixels. * and finally, these work well outdoors for their cheap price. They yellow slightly in the sun but are waterproof. - For the record, my mega tree is 450W and you see I have it split across two 350 PSUs. I used WLED when testing then moved to my main pixel controller.

[@ResinChemTech]

Wow... thanks for the tips and ideas. I do have my indoor Christmas tree strung with 12V bullet-style pixel lights and connected to SR WLED. I almost wish I would have used these seed pixels (thanks for giving me the proper name... I wasn't sure just what they were called!) on the tree instead. If I ever have the need to restring the tree, I will definitely consider it. Thanks for watching and taking the time to pass along some very useful info!

[@NorthparkLights]

@@ResinChemTech All good, thanks for the great videos on WLED and other projects. One other thing I tried an AliExpress seed pixel curtain, they used a 't splitter' at the top of each string. The 't' took data in, sent pixel 1 - 20 out one port and data 21 onwards out the other port. I've been trying to find these for sale. A downside these had is running at 400khz, not the typical 800khz.

[@MrRichyRich213]

@@NorthparkLights Can you possibly point me in the right direction for the 2.8c USD per pixel on a spool of 2000? :)

[@rodneysmith1750]

So much awesomeness, this project like almost all of your projects is impressive, providing some number of hours of fun building and of course debugging. I'm not sure how I can ever catch up or keep up with your pace. Long and short this is a great video, a superb explanation and illustration.

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks Rodney! This project was fun... and a bit challenging in terms of figuring out how I wanted to build things, especially the LEDs. That was the most difficult part. The actual build was really pretty easy once I had an approach that I thought would work. As always, I greatly appreciate the comment and kind words!

[@enoekim]

I've been looking to do this for a little while now but I thought it was a lot more difficult it . I appreciate you doing this video and showing everyone how the matrix curtain is basically done

[@ResinChemTech]

When I saw the first review of the Govee curtain right after it came out, my first thought was a DIY version with WLED. It was a bit of trial-and-error to figure out how to build the system, but I've been really happy with the final result. True that there are a handful of things that the Govee firmware can do that WLED can't... but WLED offers a lot of features not include with the Govee retail version as well. After this video, quite a few folks reported success in removing the Govee controller and replacing it with a WLED controller, using the default retail "curtain". I do find it interesting that v2 of the curtain lights added a bottom strap to attempt to keep the strands hanging straight... something I found as an initial issue and one reason I wanted the bottom "bar" to keep the stands hanging straight. Thanks for watching and taking a few minutes to post a comment. It is appreciated!

[@Mithinco]

Alright! It was a matter of time for a diy version!

[@ResinChemTech]

Yeah... I'm always looking for new project ideas and on occasion I'll see some sort of new retail product that just screams DIY to me. Sometimes it works out... other times my version doesn't really come that close to the retail version. This, I think, was one of my better retail "clone" projects in terms of both features and final appearance.

[@KC-pf4tj]

Great information! A friend of mine purchased the LED matrix and didn’t want to diy it . The bad thing about it was the software was clunky. I love WLED and the digital microphone is amazingly sensitive and the gain of the microphone is so easy to adjust. I this maybe after the holidays I’ll tackle one of these curtains. Again great information and video!

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks! Once I figured out the mounting method with the two "half-pipes", the rest of the project was actually pretty easy. And I totally agree that any sort of commercial controller isn't going to give you the effects, options and flexibility of WLED... and of course without the need for any sort of cloud account as well. Good luck if you do opt to build your own. Let me know if you run into any questions along the way.

[@glennsgrainger]

Awesome Video, I want to build this for the Holiday Season. Hang outside. Thanks!

[@ResinChemTech]

You are welcome! I originally had the same thought (hang it up for the holidays, then store in between), but we liked it so much we found a location to leave it up. But it is lightweight and easy to move, so I can relocate it for the holidays. Just remember as I stated in the video, if using outside and where it might be exposed to rain or other moisture, the wiring connections need to be made waterproof or otherwise protected. What I showed in the video in terms of the wiring connections would only be good for indoor use. Thanks for watching and your comment.

[@Mrgrisez]

Great job! Looks great!

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks! I appreciate it. They turned out much better than I expected when I first had the idea.

[@wasdaletimelapse7658]

Hi, great video and thanks for sharing. I am very new to all this and I have recently finished building a Chakri with 200 WS2812B LED's based on a video from youtube. It works great but it only taught me how to solder really. I am looking forward to watching a lot more of your content and learning all about LED's.

[@ResinChemTech]

You are welcome. I'm glad you found it helpful. I really struggled with soldering at first... and was awful at it. But it really does get better with practice. My recommendations... purchase a good soldering iron, always keep the tip tinned and flux is your friend! Thanks for watching. And don't hesitate to reach out if you run into any questions with any of my videos.

[@code__on]

I may not be able to build one for this New Year seeing this too late, however, thank you so much for this great guide

[@ResinChemTech]

You are welcome! I really wanted to use mine at Halloween for trick-or-treat night (along with my LED t-shirt and having the two of them synced), but the weather was really, really crappy this year, with high winds and spitting snow. I haven't decided if I'm going to move it to a window for Christmas or not yet. But if you do eventually build one and run into any questions, don't hesitate to reach out. Thanks for watching and taking a few minutes to leave a comment.

[@b.r.c9156]

Hi, I am watching this from Europe and as a retired electronic engineer and teacher, I appreciate your video very much. Well prepared and presentation of documents/ informations. Particular the purchasing links are really helpful. I Will build the project for Christmas decoration, thanks, and good luck with your next project, of course I subscribed your KZbin channel.

[@ResinChemTech]

Thank you for the kind words! For most of my projects, I try to always include the actual parts I used. And normally there is an associated written guide that not only has the parts lists, but wiring diagrams, code used, etc. if appropriate. From when I first started, I would get frustrated trying to 'freeze frame' a video to try to be able to see the wiring of some component. So I create written versions of those things to try to make it easier on beginners. If there is a written guide, it too is always listed in the video comments. Thanks for watching... and subscribing. Welcome to the channel!

[@tomlarue6436]

Love the WLED curtain. I built one for a wall next to my bar based on your design and it looks great. Would love to share a video of it to you. I plan to build one for my 2car garage door for Halloween and Christmas holiday decorations. Obviously with some modifications to the PVC on the top and bottom. Thanks for your videos

[@ResinChemTech]

Glad you like it! Yeah... you could just buy the Govee version (or one of the many other clones that have come out since), but where's the fun and challenge in that? I have an uncle that has the Govee version and honestly, I like my version better as the strands hang straighter with more consistent spacing, so the matrix effects look better (in my opinion), not to mention the huge number of effects and control options with WLED. I had every intention of using mine at Halloween as well. I even did that battery-powered t-shirt version ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/imO8eH9not-AgaM ) that synced up to the LED curtain that I was going to wear, as we normally sit in the driveway with various displays around us. Unfortunately, it was cold, windy and spitting snow here in Indiana this year, so I had to abandon the whole thing! Looking forward to next Halloween when I finally get to wear my matrix t-shirt! I'd love to see a video. If you post it somewhere (or even here on KZbin), please follow up and shoot me a link. I love to see and hear from my viewers when they duplicate (or even improve) one of my projects. Thanks for posting the comment!

[@kareno8634]

HI! I love hearing about electronic anything even if i lack understanding how to use electronic components', i still Learn. GREAT info, i will pass it on. Added Knowledge, Reading comments below, Plus with each of your answers. *Thanks!*

[@ResinChemTech]

I honestly knew very little about electronic components myself just a few short years ago, other than you plug it into the wall or put batteries in it! But I had a lot of good folks help me out at the start and I learned bit by bit, project by project. And as you may have seen in the video, I still occasionally make a silly mistake and fry a component or two... all part of the learning process. If you have an interest, I'd encourage you to give it a shot! You can start with a simple project like building an LED controller in a short time that doesn't require any soldering ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/momvgKR9lpKha6M ). You may not even understand what you are doing at first... but the more you do it, the more you will start to understand. My videos are generally very long because I do try to explain the "why" and not just the "how", but nothing beats learning by fire and building something yourself. Regardless, thanks for watching and I greatly appreciate the comment and kind words. It is comments like yours that motivate me to make additional videos.

[@Teckstudio]

Excellent build! 🤩

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks! It was actually one of my most enjoyable... really just the challenge to see if I could build something similar to the retail version but using only off-the-shelf parts and WLED. Thanks for the comment and kind words!

[@karllaun2427]

Thanks for this tutorial. It’s high on my build list.

[@ResinChemTech]

You are welcome. Follow up when you get it built and let me know how it went... or of course if you have any questions along the way.

[@grigoretiplea]

That’s really cool! I bought 5 x10m of fairy lights last year and had no idea where to put them as I changed my mind and this is the perfect idea

[@ResinChemTech]

I'm pretty happy with it. I like the idea that I can move it out to the front yard for trick-or-treat, or maybe in a front window for Christmas, then hang it back in its normal location when the holiday is over. Good luck if you decide to proceed. Don't hesitate to reach out if you run into any questions! I _might_ be doing a follow up on this project in a month or two.

[@grigoretiplea]

@@ResinChemTech thank you, I will if I ran into any issues.

[@Micro-Motive]

Electronics 101 - Although starting my Electronics Hobby, Formal Education, and Career in design, development and manufacturing when ICs and Semiconductors were expensive and all socketed, the first rule of building circuits still applies. Whether using matrix, strip, prototype or Printed Circuit boards, always check the power rails and all power connections to the ICs and polarity sensitive devices (including polarised capacitors) before plugging/soldering in the ICs and Semiconductors. Great demonstration of what can be done with a bit of ingenuity, skill and imagination with the range of hardware and softwares out there!

[@khayfer]

Loved you addressed the "smile more" comment 😂 Ireally enjoy your videos, I kept thinking your videos are like a lecture at a college, come to find out you were a professor; keep up the amazing job. I haven't done any wled projects yet because I have never done any soldering (nor do I have the equipment) but is there a particular reason why you always use a breadboard? Is it necessary or just nice to have?

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks for the kind words. And actually, while I worked at a university, I wasn't a professor. I was the Chief Technology Officer in charge of all IT. But I do appreciate the compliment. The soldered breadboard version isn't really a necessity. You can build a WLED controller with no soldering on a standard breadboard with jumpers and things like Dupont cables or you can even connect the components together directly with things like Dupont connectors and alligator clips. In fact, I show another video on how you can get started and try WLED in only about 15 minutes with no soldering. You might want to give this a watch: kzbin.info/www/bejne/momvgKR9lpKha6M But as far as soldering, it just takes practice. I was absolutely horrible at it when I first started building my projects. Now, I actually enjoy it and find it relaxing! You can always watch some other KZbin videos on soldering tips to get you started. A decent starting soldering iron really isn't very expensive. I think I spent about $35 on mine and it isn't very fancy. Thanks again for watching and posting a comment!

[@frosty1433]

I'm definitely going to build one... eventually....

[@manukalias]

Loved your detailed DIY Project 😍😍 Respect ++ from India 🙏🙏

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks... I really appreciate it!

[@DaveCarvey]

I only have 130 LEDs in my matrix and only have an ESP32 Node MCU and a SN74 level logic, WLED recommends the 2.5a power supply, referencing the BOM, I purchased the 15a brick style, could I get away with a 3A wall wart?

[@philiphart6688]

Many thanks for a very inspiring 'tube.

[@ResinChemTech]

You are most welcome. Thanks for taking time to post a comment.

[@digitalnatalie7475]

Your videos are great!! Thanks for all of the info! With that said, I have a question that I'm sure will be easy for you to answer! What would be the best led strip series (addressable of course) to use to go around an entire bedroom (for my kids rooms, I think the run would be between 60-70 foot)? I'm thinking of ordering the esp32 setups, but there are SOOOO many choices of led strips! 30 per meter would be fine, just looking for something addressable that won't break the bank, but also won't draw a lot of current, as I am sure my kids will probably leave them on quite often! (kids hate to turn lights off lol) Thanks!!

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks! But your question is actually quite difficult to answer because there are so many factors to consider... and as you mention, so many options out there. How do you want to mount the LEDs? Strip-style (like WS2812b or WS2811) would probably need to be put in a channel or some other type of adhesive in addition to the backing on the strips would be needed. Do you need/want diffusion? You could use standard strips, fairy-style like I use here... or even the tiny pixie style like I used on the t-shirt video. Next you need to consider power injection and whether 12V or even 24V makes more sense in your case. You are looking at around 20 meters (60-70 ft) and even using only 30 pixels/m, that will still be 600 pixels and you will almost certainly need power injection. The lower the voltage, the more often you will need to inject. As far as amp draw, standard 5050 RGB pixels can draw up to 60 mA each. There are eco versions and the fairy lights generally pull less, but almost all of them will draw at least 20 mA per LED. So for 600 pixels you would be looking at somewhere between 12A and 36A. But remember, that is the max when on full bright white. Other colors and patterns will draw significantly less. So as you can see, it isn't an easy answer. I can't point to a particular product or item and say that they would be best for your situation. I would say you first need to consider the 'type' of LEDs... strip, fairy, pixie... and how you plan to mount them. Then think about the wiring runs, including power injection needs. This will help narrow down the selection to at least a style and voltage. I can at least recommend BTF lighting products. No.. they are not a sponsor, but I've used their LED products extensively and have always had good luck with them. Good luck with your own project... and let me know if you run into any questions or problems along the way.

[@digitalnatalie7475]

@@ResinChemTech Your answer was fine, thank you very much for all your information! I was definitely meaning strips like 2812, 2811, etc, etc., ones that lay flat for sure (no concern if they do or don't come with adhesive, I have plenty). Channel diffusing not a necessity, but I think it would be smart for low density strips to help effect I'm guessing? Power injecting at the end i think would be easy, since I will be ending where I started, but I've heard that some may not require it at that distance? Or is it worth even trying that? I guess what I'm really asking is, what would you do if you were encircling an entire bedroom? I have a good understanding of it and have done quite a few projects with led single diodes, string, strip, rope, fairy, I just have absolutely no experience when it comes to long distances like this. I haven't been keeping up with all the newer tech over the last 10 years. So, yep, I'm lost! lol

[@tomgle]

Outstanding piece of work as usual. Now that Christmas is over AliExpress is selling the fairy lights for half price. They have a 20M length with 200 LEDS. Given the brightness issue you had with 200 LEDS I'm wondering if it is going to need power injection midway. I should know in a few weeks. Thanks for all the ideas!!!!

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks for the tip! Do let me know about the power injection. Maybe it is due to the longer lead distance between pixels, less efficiency/higher resistance or some other cause, but I did find that I had to inject power with fewer LEDs on the fairly lights as opposed to the standard WS2812b LED strips. Not a huge deal in my case since I had the bottom pipe which made it easy to run and conceal the power injection wires, but for my 400 LEDs I had to inject power at the midpoint and end of the run. As always, I'd recommend a bench test before you actually design and install the LEDs, so you will know ahead of time and can account for any needed power injection runs. Good luck with your projects... and thanks for the comment and kind words!

[@kb0cow]

great video, hopefully i can find the info on Get Hub about down loading images, i have two Govee curtians that i haven't played with much but i have built a 30 x 32 smaller matrix 20" x 20" with 960 led's that i control with WLED. I have been wanting to figure out how to get images on it for a window Christmas display, but when i go to Get Hub i get lost lol. lots of stuff there, but ill give it another go, thanks again awesome video.

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks! Yeah... Github can be a bit confusing until you kind of get the hang of it, especially since not all repositories are arranged in the same way. But for the PixelArtConverter, you should just be able to go to that repository ( github.com/werkstrom/WLED-PixelArtConverter/ ) and under the download instruction, right-click on the stable 1.0.8 link and 'save link as...' to download the pixart.htm file. Once downloaded, just double-click the file to open it up in your browser. That's all there is to it. You don't really need anything else from the repository. Hope that info helps. Good luck with your project!

[@kb0cow]

@ResinChemTech thanks so very much for the link I just went to Get Hubs web page again I did finely fi d some apps for creating pixel art ut none of them are WLED related lol. Thanks again. I'll give it a go after breakfast and a little more coffee.

[@DocEntertainmentProd]

Excellent build! Thanks for sharing. I have a question: on your version, you have the serpentine where the curtain versions terminate on each strand "at the bottom".. I'm trying to modify some previously purchased curtains that terminate on each strand but can't figure out the magic behind it. Do you have any leads (research, ideas, links to info) on how this is accomplished with most consumer LED curtains like Govee? Any insight is appreciated!

[@ResinChemTech]

As I don't own any of the retail versions, I haven't been able to try reverse-engineering them. But I can think of two possibilities. First, the controller/firmware is simply designed to address the strips and pixel positions based on how they are wired (this is probably how I'd do it if writing my own firmware - and I _think_ WLED can be configured this way too). The other possibility is that a data wire is running internally from the bottom of each strip back to the top and then over to the next strip... basically duplicating the serpentine configuration I use without anything joined at the bottom. If you look through the comments for this video, another viewer (jeremiahbullfrog9288 ) states he was able to take apart the Govee controller for their curtain and replace it with a WLED controller and get it to work. He might be able to provide additional info in terms of how it was configured in WLED.

[@DocEntertainmentProd]

@@ResinChemTech Thanks for the reply! I found the comment and replied to it.

[@DocEntertainmentProd]

Wanted to do a quick update (lol, a year later).. After some research, I came across someone who did more research and found that (in some strands) the LED's used actually have their address programmed into their chip! I cut the last strand off a 20x20 curtain and wasn't having any luck until I told WLED that I had 400 LED's.. suddenly that whole strand worked! They still operate as WS281x but they individually know their address! Wow! Tagging @jeremiahbullfrog9288 and @ResinChemTech here

[@wanttoplae]

Where can I find more info about the logic level shifter, what it does, why I might need it? I’m new to WLED and have only done one or two projects but am interested in learning more. Thanks in advance.

[@harkoharko9]

Thanks for the comment with the link to the video before. I just watched the entire video. Great project. Regarding the IR, do you just solder the IR receiver as shown in the plan, set in WLED that a remote control is used (for example, a 24 Key) and then it just works?

[@ResinChemTech]

Yeah... that's pretty much it. But do note that if using an ESP8266, there are only certain GPIO pins that can be used. I can't post an image here, but there is a setting in WLED where you tell it which GPIO pin you are using for the IR receiver and what type of remote you are using. WLED has built-in support for a number of different types of remotes, but there is also an option to provide a JSON file to have it work with virtually any IR remote. You can see more info, the valid 8266 GPIO pins and the types of remotes with built-in support here: kno.wled.ge/interfaces/infrared/

[@harkoharko9]

​@@ResinChemTechit works!!!!

[@harkoharko9]

​@@ResinChemTechit works, tried it now with an tsop4838. Thank you very much 🥰

[@ResinChemTech]

Fantastic! I always love to hear when one of my viewers is successful with a project. Thanks for sharing.

[@Jerry-ko9pi]

I wonder what these would look like on (2) 4x8 peg boards for an 8x8 area! I think the holes are 1" apart, so you would have 4x as many LED's. Do you happen to sell ready made "controllers"? Could have 2 controllers and just install a switch to switch between one with sound mic and one without?

[@ResinChemTech]

You could certainly build something like this in a number of different ways and configurations. Just remember with 4x as many LEDs, you are going to need a 4x bigger power supply and probably 4x as many power injection points.... and there is also a practical limit on the number of LEDs an ESP can control (without using multiple data pins). I've had many people ask, but unfortunately my standing response is that I simply don't have time to build, ship, track and deal with all the other logistics selling pre-built versions of my projects would involve. My channel's goal has always been to show others how to build these projects for themselves. However, if you want a pre-built controller you can take a look at the ones sold by Quindor: quinled.info/pre-assembled-boards/ I appreciate the interest but simply can't sell any of my projects or builds. Otherwise, I'm happy to answer questions about the project to try to help. Best of luck with your own projects.

[@PedroLopez-yo7nr]

Thank You.

[@ResinChemTech]

You are very welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@HugRunner]

Thanks for the video! A thought though. The effects are of course cool, but what if you want to display text, e.g. scrolling text, or a digital clock or countdown? Could you display e.g. keystrokes "live" from a computer? (e.g. write words and send it directly) I have seen a scrolling text effect in WLED, but it assumes you want to loop same text all the time, not change it dynamically, e.g. display a scoreboard and update it programmatically.

[@ResinChemTech]

Well, that's a feature of the firmware... the excellent WLED in this case, which is not something that I developed. However, it does do scrolling text, which I show in the video at around the 25:13 mark. It scrolls the current date and time by default, but you can specify the text to scroll as I did in the video. I have also created my own matrix clock with a scoreboard, countdown timer and text display. I can send any text I want to the display from the computer (but not 'live' as I type each letter). Nearly anything is possible with addressable LEDs... if you can find or develop the firmware to make it do what you want.

[@HugRunner]

​@@ResinChemTech Thanks! What I'm trying to accomplish is first a LED screen that I can display a timer on, e.g. during a running event with the race/finish time ticking, and secondly also a larger screen with multiple rows that I can send text to, e.g. during a long jump (athletics) which participant is jumping, their result, placement etc. So I don't need to necessarily have live updates but I want to send and exchange data to display using data on the computer using various "templates" to display it on the LEDs. Apart from time, the biggest obstacle I see right now is what hardware and how much I actually need. Many videos just focus on effects and strips, or smaller matrices. And how many power supplies, controllers etc. is needed is really difficult to imagine before doing the project. And if I need more than 1 controller, how would they sync up etc. Is there any video or resource you can point me to that can give me some answers?

[@ResinChemTech]

The closest thing that I have that does most of what you are describing is my matrix clock. You can see how it works in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h2G2YauFjJhooZo - skip ahead to about the 10 minute mark to just see the matrix clock/scoreboard, etc. This can be controlled locally via push buttons... or remotely via MQTT. I'm using Home Assistant, but you could use anything that can send MQTT commands. It could even be automated so that it receives data from some other scoring/timing system. I wrote my own Arduino code for this particular project (it's available on Github) and the clock/scoreboard runs off of an ESP8266. It could easily be scaled to something larger and with more LEDs, but that would require also modifying the code since my code is built specifically for layout I am using. Naturally, the countdown timer could be revised to be a 'count up' timer for displaying elapsed time. But something like Arduino code isn't going to be accurate enough for any sort of 'official' timing without using an outside system for that data. Nearest second is probably OK... but not when you get down to tenths or hundredths of a second. But conceptually, I think something like this would do what you are describing. I can send text and/or control things like the scoreboard scores, timer, etc. from my phone or laptop. I'm using Home Assistant as the "middle man" here to send/receive those MQTT commands, but there are other options for that portion. I don't know if any of that is helpful or not... but it's the closest thing I have to what I think you are asking for. I've used this clock (and it's 3D printed cousin on the opposite side of the room) on game nights for both keeping score and as a timer for games that use one, as the two clocks can also be 'synced' together.

[@HugRunner]

​@@ResinChemTechThanks a lot for your answer and information! I also read a bit about the HTTP/JSON APIs that WLED provides to control individual LEDs within a segment. Perhaps that's the way to go for me. I'm a developer myself, so I'm quite comfortable writing my own code, but I would of course prefer not having to invent the wheel again by e.g. writing my own code to display each letter for each word etc. with all the mapping that it requires and positioning every pixel individually. Hopefully I could just reuse and possibly rewrite a bit of the scrolling text code to display data I send to it instead and also have some "templates" that positions the data correctly and handles overflow etc. I think I'll start by buying some smaller scale matrix that I can at least chain with another to get some experience with that as well and then build from there. I'm sure your videos will help to get me started on some of it :)

[@spencerssatelliteservices-9132]

As always awesome work....

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks... it is much appreciated.

[@spencerssatelliteservices-9132]

@@ResinChemTechI finally did the staircase led

[@ResinChemTech]

Fantastic! Do you have any video or photos posted anywhere? I really enjoy it when others implement (and often improve upon) the projects that I share. Regardless, thanks for letting me know that you did get it built. Congrats!

[@cmdrbravo2zero726]

Thank you so very much for "going the extra mile" with your excellent design which I am enjoying building. Can I ask you one question please ... I am using a 1/2 size ElectroCookie board and NodeMCU ESP32 WROOM USB Type C (CH340C driver) Dev Board with Logic Level Shifter (I2C) but "should I link the negative -5v line to the negative -3.3v line" or not? I am a early retired CTV Engineer (Year 2000) but am unsure about this link. Subscribed and Liked.

[@ResinChemTech]

I'm not sure I am completely understanding what you mean by the -5V and -3.3V. Are you referring to the ground (GND) connections? All grounds should be connected together. In fact, it is important that the controller and LEDs share a common ground (not an issue if both are powered in parallel from the same power supply as I show in this video). If you are talking about the I2C shifter, I connect the grounds on both the HV (5V) and LV (3.3V) sides to the ground rails on the ElectroCookie, although this technically isn't necessary... only one ground is truly needed for the shifter. If it helps, I have a blog article that shows a lot of the common wiring options for LED controllers: resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/01/wiring-diagrams.html I also have separate videos on just building the LED controller and common LED questions that cover the wiring of the controller in a bit more detail than I went into with this video. You can find these (and more) in my LED playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLqjDNeOVHOkf079FYwRLRoOHJwLijKkP3 But let me know if you have any additional questions not addressed by any of the above. And welcome to the channel!

[@fabriciooliveira6671]

Great video, I'm inspired to make my own, but I still haven't been able to think of a solution that would be even closer to Govee, where each wire is completely free, I wouldn't like to add a tube or rail to the bottom, but I don't know how to do with data wire

[@AaronEisele-hf5ho]

Couldn't you also buy the Govee version and just replace the controller? I don't know about this particular one but I've done this successfully with both 12V and 24V Govee Strip Lights before. I always reuse the LEDs' included PSU and just connect power to the LEDs, GND and Data to the ESP, use a level shifter. I do this so I can "upgrade" existing, already bought strip lights to WLED without having to buy new lights.

[@ResinChemTech]

You could certainly do that... as others here in the comments have stated. But to me personally, that defeats the purpose of DIY and you'd be spending money on the original controller, removing it and then spending additional money for the parts to build a new controller. But as you mentioned, if you have already purchased the Govee version, apparently you can replace the controller. I can't confirm this myself, as I don't own any Govee products (since I always build my own versions). Others here in the comments have stated success in doing so however.

[@rickjames302]

govee has added image upload, must be in .gif format, but 0 information is given on the parameters of length of gif run time or file size. i have been experimenting with hand/manually making a gif with a multiple frame "slices" of jpg/png images. i still haven't fully figured out the parameters even doing it this way as it seems very hit or miss on total number of frames of gif, their delay times before moving on to next frame, etc. great info on your videos

[@ResinChemTech]

Yeah... I still don't own the Govee version (and probably never will since I have my own DIY version) so I haven't kept up with things they may have added. But right now, even with the DIY WLED, you can't upload or create any sort of moving image.... at least not yet or not without adding some sort of modification. But matrix support is still relatively new to WLED and the developers are constantly improving it. I would not be surprised if support for some sort of moving image via individual frames happens in the future. Thanks for watching and sharing info on the Govee version.

[@SmartLightDimwit]

Nice work. I love WLED. I actually have the GOVEE curtain, and while it does allow you to upload GIFs, they often don’t look very good or import completely and the animations are very jagged, which is true of most of their effects. Just FYI, I was able to pickup the GOVEE curtain for 99, but I prefer yours.

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks! As I mentioned, I don't have the Govee version for comparison, but I suspect the jaggedness is likely caused by the strands not hanging down perfectly straight and the distance between the pixels isn't consistent. From watching other's reviews, I I thought that this could be an issue and that's one reason I wanted to add some sort of bottom rail or weight to try to keep the pixel strings straight and aligned (and I could hide wiring as well). The Govee version, with more pixels, should actually look better than mine... but for matrices to look best, the alignment and spacing between pixels needs to be equal and consistent (or as much as possible). And to be honest, at $99, my DIY version is very likely going to cost more to build. But for me and this particular project, my goal wasn't really to try to save money, but more about seeing if I could build something similar... and that would use WLED. Thanks for watching and taking time to leave a comment!

[@knowyourjoe8826]

I agree. Wish I would have seen this first. After a couple of months now how are you liking the Govee setup? We recently saw and bought the Govee system... One of the stands is shorter and throws the matrix off bit. Will be replacing that curtain in the next day or two. The wind is an issue as well as they are mounted on a wall outside. The price was decent on early Black Friday sale at $90. The lack of control/sequencing is a bit of a bummer. Have you heard of anyone controlling the Govee curtain with a Wled controller or anything else?

[@SmartLightDimwit]

​@@knowyourjoe8826 I did see a video of someone controlling Govee with WLED but only after cutting off the controller and connecting their own chip with WLED installed. I’m indifferent about Govee, some of their stuff is nice, but I stand by my earlier statement.

[@knowyourjoe8826]

Thanks. I will look it up. I am new to this and have no experience with WLED ... yet.. @@SmartLightDimwit

[@fu1r4]

11:35 All these kind of boards should have polarity protection.

[@jj_6632]

Congratulations on the channel, could you put several independent curtains, each with its controller and be able to interact with each other? How would it be done?

[@ResinChemTech]

You can certainly do that if you are using WLED. You can sync controllers together and changes (effect, color, brightness, etc.) made to one are synced to the others, so that they will all run the same. Or you still have the ability to control them independently. I demonstrate this in my video on making a battery-operated matrix t-shirt that I sync it to the LED curtain: kzbin.info/www/bejne/imO8eH9not-AgaM If you skip ahead to the chapter on syncing to the curtain, you can see how this feature can be turned on or off. The same process could be used with one or more additional LED curtains each with their own independent controller in the same manner that I show with the t-shirt. I hope that answers your question!

[@jj_6632]

@@ResinChemTech Thank you very much for answering, it has been a great help. I will start the project as soon as time allows. Cheer up with the channel and greetings from Spain.

[@1designer111]

How difficult would you make it motion-activated to display a shillouttte?

[@ResinChemTech]

You can add various components, include motion detectors, to the WLED controller for different control options as I recently showed in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z4LNYp2AdsagY5o So, you can certainly use a motion detector to turn on the LEDs and display a certain effect or image.

[@TraderRebahan]

Sir can you make video tutorial make stop lamp RGB from wled?

[@jimfergusondev]

Great Video! The Govee curtain lights are usually on sale (11/20/2023) for $90 and you can sometimes buy them in a 3 pack. I understand you can cut the connector to add wled support.

[@ResinChemTech]

Yeah... a number of other folks have stated that they successfully "operated" on the Govee version and upgraded it to run with a WLED controller. I think that's a great option. For me, I wanted to see if I could create a completely DIY version. And I do like the bottom "pipe" on mine that adds a little weight to the bottom which helps keep the strands straight. While I don't own them, the one thing I've heard others say about the Govee version is that the strands don't always hang straight with the LEDs all facing the same way. But I definitely had more than $90 in my version. I don't think there's anything wrong with the Govee version (but again, I don't own them so I can't give a personal review). I just like the challenge of seeing something like this and seeing if I can build my own DIY version. Thanks for watching and the comment.

[@ResinChemTech]

Well, this isn't my firmware... it's WLED by Aircookie. However, there are some frequency based matrix sound effects that do similar to what you are talking about. As far as the microphone and sound-reactivity, it isn't a conflict but two different forks of the same firmware. "Official" WLED does not yet have sound reactivity, while the SR fork simply does not have the modules for IR compiled into the binary. You can either compile your own that includes the IR module, or you can use the cutting edge MoonModules that attempts to merge the feature of the two forks together. Again, this isn't my firmware... I didn't write it, nor do I support it. But you can find more here: Official WLED Site: kno.wled.ge/ Sound Reactive Fork: github.com/atuline/WLED MoonModules: mm.kno.wled.ge/

[@dustinc2988]

What about doing this same project but as a cube?

[@ResinChemTech]

I've seen many versions of an "infinity cube" built with LEDs and have considered trying to build one myself, but it just hasn't risen to the top of the project list yet. If you were to build something the size of this curtain as a 3D cube, it would be interesting to see how the current 2D effects would look... or what you could do with segments and effects in WLED. Maybe I'll get around to giving it a shot someday! Thanks for watching and the comment!

[@realnipacani]

Hello tahaks for your video. I have question is it realy need 5v 15a?

[@ResinChemTech]

Since the specs say each LED can draw up to 20 mA on full brightness, .020 x 400 = 8A. So you could probably use a 10A power supply or run the LEDs at lower brightness. I choose to always oversize my power supply so I don't have to be concerned about brightness level or overtaxing the power supply. But the final choice is yours.

[@JB-fh1bb]

I love the idea to use a bottom piece as a weight, and want to add one more possibility: Window screen It would allow you to roll it up easily, the air goes right through it so it doesn’t get blown around as easily, and you can secure the individual LEDs in-place exactly where you want them.

[@ResinChemTech]

Great idea. Thanks for passing it along.

[@knowyourjoe8826]

Great idea.

[@emilyrln]

Yes! You could also white or colored tulle/mesh/organza to match a background wall.

[@OnyxDragun]

I just saw a video where they used WLED to control a Govee outdoor LED strip. So if you buy the Govee curtain it sounds like you might be able to use WLED with the Govee too

[@ResinChemTech]

Yes, numerous others have reported here in the comments and elsewhere that they were able to replace the existing Govee controller with a DIY WLED controller. As I mentioned, I don't own any Govee products (since I just build my own) so I have not tried that method. But others have said they have had success in doing so.

[@knowyourjoe8826]

I really like your design. While I realize the pixel configuration is bit of a rectangle (my OCD is kicking in) it looks and functions great. I wish I would have seen this a when it was released. As it was I saw the Govee setup and it went on sale on an early Black Friday sale at $90 I bit the bullet and bought into the their system. We got 3 curtains and linked them together. I find it to be a mixed bag of tricks and treats. Some of it looks great and some not so much. The most frustrating part is the lack of control. It is kinda a set it and forget it system. I have not found a way to change the effects on the fly especially in the sound active mode. After a short while of seeing the same effect continually the dazzle seems to loose a bit of its luster. So now I am deciding if I want to keep the Govee setup or build up a whole system that will offer the ability too create music synced sequences. I wonder if there is a way to convert the Govee curtain to be controlled by the something like the Quin-LED Dig-Octo. What do you think?

[@ResinChemTech]

I think a number of folks (and a few in these comments) have stated that they successfully removed the existing controller on the Govee curtains and replaced it with a WLED controller. So, apparently is it possible. Not having purchased the Govee version, I can't really specify any details... but I believe the Govee LEDs are standard WS2812b LEDs, so once you get the controller connected and the matrix defined properly, it should work fine. You might browse thru the comments here and see if you can find one that talks about replacing the controller and reaching out to them with the details.

[@knowyourjoe8826]

Thank You! BTW subscribed and set to alert to "all." I like your style and attention to detail. @@ResinChemTech

[@JulianMino]

Thank you so much for sharing this. I was wondering if you use a specific app/tool to draw your wiring diagrams?

[@ResinChemTech]

You are very welcome! For most drawings, I'm just using Google Drawings. I try to capture images of most components that I use, so I can drop those into the drawings. I know that for me at the start, and many other beginners and 'non-engineers', seeing a drawing with the actual components and wiring connections as opposed to a true wiring diagram with a bunch of symbols might make it a bit easier to understand and follow. Thanks for watching... I appreciate it!

[@nialljones9987]

Great video and something im definitely going to try and learn more, one question as i was going to buy the govee version but the length is too short, with your version could the square be adjustable to say 3 meter lenght with 1 meter drop, would suit my window a lot better

[@ResinChemTech]

Well, one of the nice things about DIY is that you can basically make it in any dimensions you want. There will be some limitations though unless you are willing to cut and re-solder the wires or have exposed JST connectors. As you saw in the video, I ran the LED strings so that each string ended and the next began at either the top or bottom of the display so that the connectors between two strings could be hidden inside the half pipe. Depending on how you layout your strings... and the dimensions... you could end up with the need to connect two strings in the middle (and also do power injection). But if you can adjust the layout so that the connections align at the top or bottom, you can certainly make something that is wider than it is tall. Also be aware that if you use more than the 400 pixels I used here, you may also need to adjust the size of the power supply and the number of power injection points. Good luck and let me know how it works out!

[@dukeplc]

Need a shout out for your lovely assistant!! 🙂 Awesome work. Liked and Subbed.

[@ResinChemTech]

I'm sure she'd say "thanks"... but I've only managed to get her to appear in brief "cameos" in a couple of videos. I've been trying to convince her to join me on a live stream to discuss the "wife approval factor" and to get a non-techie spouse's take on all the home automation stuff. But I haven't quite succeeded on that front yet! Thanks for the comment and subscribing. Welcome to the channel!

[@paulcabrelli1863]

Great build and video. Good to see the mistakes as well!! As a question for you as you have set up and tested LED's and Home Assistant quite extensively. Have you set up a separate access point for your WiFi router for added security so when using Home Assistant so it doesn't use the same AP that, for example, you may use to do your electronic banking on? If so do have any instructions on how to set up a second access point on a home internet router? BTW I use your build for the WS2812 controller all the time. It is the best one I have found to build and use. 👍👍👍

[@ResinChemTech]

First off... thanks! And I'm glad you find the LED controller info helpful. As far as my network, that is probably a lot longer explanation than I can put here in the KZbin comments! First off, I have a Unifi/Ubiquiti network. So, I'd love to have a completely separate VLAN for all my IoT devices. But in short, I don't. Partially is due to the fact that I have around 150 devices on my network, most of them wireless.... many mounted in not easily accessible locations (like in-the-wall behind light switch Shellys). A large number of these were configured and installed before I had Unifii and the ability to do VLANs. Changing networks, SSIDs and/or password at this point is no small task and could require reflashing the devices if I lose wifi access in the process of porting them. So, in short, no I do not have Home Assistant/IoT network segregated. Home Assistant, and any devices that support it, use wired/Ethernet connections and not wifi. However, almost all my devices (~98%) are local-only and do not require Internet access. I have pretty strong firewall rules in place and those devices that do not need external access are simply blocked. It's not the highest level of security, but it's what I am currently doing. If I were starting over and already had Ubiquiti/Unifi in place, I would do it much differently with a separate VLAN for my IoT network.

[@PhaTs00p]

Haha I just recently fried a esp32 board with reversed polarity while trying to get wled working. I did get a considerable amount of blue smoke though. Good to know I'm not the only one.

[@ResinChemTech]

Oh, I've seen my share of the blue smoke and could probably fill a large trash can with all the small components I've fried over the years. But as I mentioned, it is all part of the learning process. I think a lot of people are intimidated and reluctant to give some of these DIY electronic projects a shot. My intent of leaving this in the video was to show that even after building dozens and dozens of these types of projects, I still make mistakes... and it isn't really a big deal and not something to stop someone from trying their own projects. Thanks for watching and taking the time to share your own experience.

[@TurboSound1983]

How difficult is it to program? I also work with W-LEDs but I only use purchased controls, unfortunately these are very limited in their effects. Wants to do a show next Christmas, I think it will be a tough learning curve. Thanks for the video ! greetings from Germany

[@ResinChemTech]

If you use the WLED firmware, there is no programming involved at all. You just fllash WLED onto your ESP8266 or ES32 board and then join it to your WiFi. At no point do you have to write any code or do any "programming" to use it. And it has over 100 different lighting effects and many other features.. all available via a web browser or your phone. I'd recommend that you check out the official WLED web site for more information: kno.wled.ge/

[@TECHHAMARA]

How can setup ds3231 rtc in digital clock in wled to avoid power cut and retrieve the time.

[@ResinChemTech]

github.com/Aircoookie/WLED/tree/main/usermods/RTC

[@jstro-hobbytech]

the new esp32 wroom boards with the usb micro are being horrible for uploading code. the usb c based ones work fine though. the serial ic cp2102 is quite power hungry when flashing.

[@leetomlin8885]

Hi can you tell me where the matrix section is on wled. Thanks

[@ResinChemTech]

If you are running a recent version of WLED (0.14.0 or later), under the config menu at the top, you should see 2D Configuration. Under the 2D setup, change the strip or panel from 1D strip to 2D matrix. This will enable the fields where you can define how your matrix is configured. Be sure to set the proper number of LEDs in the rows/columns, the direction, location of first pixel and whether they are wired in serpentine fashion or not. Once you have done that and saved the settings, you will see new matrix effects appear on the main WLED screen. Hope that helps.

[@leetomlin8885]

Thanks I'll give that a go

[@Dorff_Meister]

Fun project.

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks. I'm pretty pleased at how it turned out. It's my best project so far at creating a DIY version of a retail product... at least in terms of final appearance and features.

[@salta199]

hello. i want to make a project. i hope you can help me. i bought on AliEx..press a curtain made of led pixels, but it is not serpentine. for each node there is a micro circuit. so i can't make it work with wled. i was wondering how i can do it? thank you very much

[@ResinChemTech]

I don't own any Govee products, so I can't say for sure how they work. But I do know a number of folks have stated here in the comments that they replaced the default Govee controller with a WLED controller, so I believe it is possible. I suspect that the existing circuitry allows the LED data signal to "travel" from one strand to another. You might just try setting it up with WLED and uncheck the 'serpentine' option under the 2D/matrix setup and see what you get. Alternatively, you could run a signal to each strand from a different GPIO pin and use segments. But maybe someone that has successfully replaced the Govee controller with WLED can give you some additional advice. As I mentioned, I don't own any Govee products so I can't say how the controller actually works.

[@salta199]

@ResinChemTech grazie mille

[@larrybud]

Is SmartThings integration possible?

[@ResinChemTech]

I believe SmartThings supports MQTT, so it would be theoretically possible to integrate at least some of the WLED features in that manner, since WLED can use MQTT. But as of right now, SmartThings is not one of the native platforms for WLED integration, at least according to their official site for smart home integrations: kno.wled.ge/advanced/home-automation/

[@saliston]

That's really cool. Just think if you had lights spaced 1 inches apart

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks. Yeah, at least at the time when I made this video, I could only find these particular LED strings with 4" spacing. Obviously, having a higher density of pixels would mean better resolution. I have a matrix made with LED strips where the LEDs are just over 1/2" apart.. but strips like WS2812b don't work well for something like a curtain. The tradeoff with more densely packed LEDs is of course more LEDs in a given space.. which needs a larger power supply and more power injection. But you are correct, the more LEDs and the closer they are, the better resolution you will get.

[@david105141]

I use WLED SR on my tent lights with the digital mic, it will react to the dance club at camp that’s 800’ away from where I pitch, but funny part is the lag watching from the club as the sound takes more time to travel to the controller than the light coming back 😂 it’s most noticeable when there’s a break in the beat, thats not in time to the music in the club. Wish I could post the video in the comments

[@ResinChemTech]

That's interesting... I haven't done anything with SR WLED outdoors or at any appreciable distance. But it does bring up an interesting point. I would suspect that the same type of effect might even occur at something like a concert in a large arena or outdoor amphitheater... where the light from anything that was synced to the music on the stage would reach your eyes before the sound reached your ears if you were sitting in the "cheap seats" some distance away from the source, assuming both sources are on the stage and remote speakers aren't used. I guess you don't experience the lag with something like xLights and those large synced things like Christmas displays because the music is coming over the car stereo and doesn't have to travel any significant distance vs. the lights which could be further away. But it would be interesting to see the lag at the distances you are talking about. WLED music sync is far from perfect, but I guess for what you "pay" for it, it's pretty amazing in terms of what all it can do out of the box. Thanks for taking time to leave a comment.

[@phongtran343]

Can you give me the signal wire connection diagram?

[@ResinChemTech]

resinchemtech.blogspot.com/2023/07/curtain-lights.html

[@404-UsernameNotFound]

Great video. I have a Govee curtain and I can confirm that it does have image upload. You can even upload an animated gif and it animates on the curtain. Another advantage to the Govee, is the ability to share custom animations with their community. That said, I am definitely going to try this project out as overall i do prefer WLED to the Govee interface. Thank you for the great instructions.

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks. I knew that feature was supposed to be coming, but based on the reviews I watched at the time, that feature was not yet available. I appreciate the update, since as I mentioned, I don't have the actual Govee version... and obviously don't really need it at this point!

[@404-UsernameNotFound]

​@@ResinChemTechI agree, your curtain is just as good, if not better. I too prefer the WLED interface and will be following your GREAT instructions. I just thought it was fair to mention.

[@rgsattphone]

Is it possible to use a gif or video to display?

[@ResinChemTech]

As I show in the video, you can upload an image via the pixel art utility. However, WLED does not currently support moving images or video. To be honest, with the pixel density of the curtain, I highly doubt that video would really be viewable. You would need something with a much higher and more dense pixel count. But yes, I show exactly how to upload an image in the video.

[@jeremiahbullfrog9288]

Thanks for this! I am interested in converting the retail version for WLED use. I haven't started reverse engineering yet, but it can't be rocket science..

[@ResinChemTech]

You are welcome! I think the biggest thing with trying to convert the retail version will be determining the type of LEDs used... and whether WLED can support them.. and the unique layout/wiring, since the retail version (from what I can tell) are not all connected in a serpentine layout and instead are individual strands all hanging freely from the top. Not sure how this would be addressed in something like WLED but it may be entirely possible. But if you do get the retail version working with WLED, be sure to let me know!

[@jeremiahbullfrog9288]

@@ResinChemTech Huge success! The Govee controller opens easily, exposing the data pin to the LEDS. They are WS281x in RGB order. 2D Matrix panel is width 20 x height 26, orientation vertical. It was very easy to de-solder the data wire from the provided controller and connect it to my ESP32 output without any level shifting. Power from the controller supplies my ESP32. The non-serpentine configuration has a couple of advantages: you can walk through the curtain (like 70's beads lol), and 5V is injected at the top of each column. All in all I like this $130 solution that does most of the tedious work. Thanks again for your deep dive and motivating me to get back to this project.

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks for the info... especially since I don't have a Govee set here. I'm sure this info will be helpful for someone else that wants to retrofit the Govee version with WLED as opposed to building my completely DIY version. Kind of nice that you can modify it rather easily, that they do use WS281x LEDs and you can power the ESP32 from the controller as well.

[@DocEntertainmentProd]

How did you deal with not having a data wire feed to the next strand? I have a few retail/consumer ones I'm wanting to convert but didn't know how to figure out they did data without it passing from the end of a strand to the start of the next.

[@jeremiahbullfrog9288]

@@DocEntertainmentProd The Govee product seems to have a chip at the top of each column to "waste" 26 pixels if that makes sense.. so it looks like one continuous string of 520 LEDs to the software. You can't connect additional curtains end-to-end, but you can solve this by using multiple WLED segments (520 each) on multiple ESP32 pins. Then you can arrange them however you like in WLED configuration. I can't speak on other retail offerings.

[@ferrarig1763]

I did this but I took an already made led curtain and just removed the controller and reconnected to wled esp32

[@ResinChemTech]

Others have made similar comments here about retrofitting a retail version. I guess it depends on how much you want to "DIY" vs. modifying something already built... and what your end goals are. For me, I wanted to see if I could build something from scratch that duplicated, or matched as much as possible, the retail version... without actually purchasing the retail version. But if your end goal is just to replace the default firmware/controller with WLED, you can certainly just replace the controller... at least it appears that way with the Govee version. I don't own any of the retail versions, but others have reported removing the Govee controller and replacing it with an ESP32/WLED, so apparently it is possible.

[@ferrarig1763]

@@ResinChemTech what you did was awesome and a great job at building one of these from scratch, very informative Thanks for the vids

[@knowyourjoe8826]

Was this a prebuilt WLED controller using an esp32 or just the ESP32 board itself that was loaded with WLED? Thanks. I am new to this.

[@chrissmith6028]

Govee 130$. Doing it yourself and the joy of learning... Priceless

[@ResinChemTech]

Yeah... for many of my DIY vs. retail builds, it is about trying to save a few bucks. I don't think I really did that with this project, but I was really pleased with the results and do feel that it is my best job of building a retail-like project with at least nearly the same features. And as you mentioned, there was both the personal challenge of seeing if I could do it, figuring out how to make it work and the enjoyment of seeing the final results. Thanks for watching.. and taking time to comment.

[@briancihak8271]

You can have the best of both worlds with a "fork" not a fork but tuned version of WLED, google up WLED MOON MODULES, it's custom code added to the current version (WLED 14) that adds back sound reactivity.

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks... I wasn't aware of Moon Modules. But I suspect sound reactivity is going to make its way into the official WLED at some point. This is a good option for someone that knows how to download the proper bin and then update/flash it to the ESP32. It would be nice if it was a menu option for the web installers for those beginner folks as well... but you can't have everything! Thanks again for the heads up on Moon Modules. I might consider flashing the latest to one of my ESP32's and giving it a go with the curtain.

[@rklauco]

FYI, you did not "fry the esp32" - the power line has a diode, that goes out either if you put polarity wrong, or if you overvoltage it. Just replace the diode and your ESP is alive. Or, alternatively, power it from 3.3V pin, it should work.

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks for the info. In all honestly, it was simply easier to pull out a new ESP32 and solder the pin headers as opposed to trying to replace a diode or rewiring the board to power it by 3.3V from my 5V supply. At least for me and the $4-$5 cost of a new ESP32. But it's good info should anyone make the same silly mistake that I did. My videos are generally targeted at beginners, so desoldering and replacing a diode, even if that would fix the ESP32, is not something that most of my audience would want to attempt. Personally.. me either! As I said, much quicker and easier to just pull out a new board, move on and learn from the mistake. But thanks again for the info.

[@djweso]

Great video. I've had a similar idea since I saw the govee product hit youtube. I am thinking of making something similar for myself. 2 hopefully useful pieces of info. BTF Lighting sells a curtain already made but it does come with a controller and power supply. Probably more expensive but cheaper than Govee. Also since yours is running WLED software like xLights can control it for really advanced images and animations.

[@djweso]

Also thanks for showing that everything doesn't always go as planned. I always appreciate it.

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks for the thoughts and alternate ideas. I was aware of the BTF pre-built curtain, but for me that kind of defeated the purpose of building my own. But the curtain is also WS2812b, so it should be possible to cut off the existing controller and wire in your own. The xLights is a really interesting idea. I briefly played with xLights when I first started messing with LED strips, but it seemed like overkill for what I needed at the time. But I would definitely like to revisit it with this curtain. I think for holidays like Halloween or Christmas, being able to do more advanced images and animations would be a big plus.. the type of things I see my neighbor do with his large music-synced Christmas display. Thanks for taking time to comment... and for passing along a couple of great ideas.

[@ResinChemTech]

Yeah... I've heard from so many folks that think they can't do something like this... or are intimidated or timid about doing something wrong. I almost cut that scene due to length of the video, but I left it in to show that even after building dozens of LED controllers, I still make mistakes and it is all part of the learning process. Usually the worst outcome is the lost of a component or two at only a few dollars. I hoped that by leaving in my idiot mistakes, it might give some of those hesitant viewers the confidence to give it a shot.

[@jeremiahbullfrog9288]

@@djweso Thanks for pointing out xLights, i'd never heard of this software. Looks amazing.

[@djweso]

@@ResinChemTech I completely understand about the DIY, sometimes it's the point. I was honestly mostly wanting others to know about the option. xLights is definitely overkill for most days but like you suggested great for special occasions. The nice thing about pairing WLED and xLights is you only need to fire it up when you want it, WLED takes control the rest of the time. It does have a big learning curve though. I'm still at the basic level of use. I'm pretty sure you can trigger it from Home Assistant as well.

[@maxammo6282]

Isn't the Govee 12-volt ?

[@ResinChemTech]

As I mentioned in the video, I don't actually own them. But looking at the specifications on the Govee site for the curtain lights ( us.govee.com/collections/wall-decoration/products/govee-curtain-lights ), it says that they are 5V. Others have also commented that they have been able to replace the current controller with an ESP board running WLED and powering it via the 5V power supply for the curtain lights. Again... I don't own them so I can neither confirm or deny, but the actually Govee site says that the curtain lights are 5V.

[@maxammo6282]

@@ResinChemTech oh okay cool thanks. I totally did RGB LEDs and I would like to get into the customizing you're doing with the stuff.. but my technical skills are way behind. Do you offer any pre-built kits for people like me that just want to plug & Play?

[@ResinChemTech]

While I appreciate the interest, as I've stated in a number of my videos simply due to the requirements of a number of my own projects, I simply don't have the time to build any of my projects for others. Plus the goal of my channel is to try to show others how to build their own versions. I do have a number of beginner videos on starting out with building your own LED project that you might want to check out here: kzbin.info/aero/PLqjDNeOVHOkf079FYwRLRoOHJwLijKkP3 But thanks for watching and your interest in my projects

[@maxammo6282]

@@ResinChemTech thanks buddy

[@x_CrossHair_x]

Just an Idea (From a Newbie) but .. Perhaps you could flash (Two ESP32 Boards) one with the (Standard wLED Version with your IR Remote Module) and the Other ESP32 Board with the Digital Microphone Module for the Sound Reaction Version. Now simply use a (SPDT) Single Pole Double Throw Switch to toggle Select the GPIO Pin (output 16 ??) that would run to the Signal Line of the LED Strip. you then should have all the bells and whistles selectable with both Versions. (Looks like you would have enough room in the storage container for another Circuit Board. (So.. With hopes this is enough basic detail to describe what I was thinking.💡🤞👨‍🎓)

[@ResinChemTech]

I have a setup very similar to what you describe with my matrix clock. It is dual controller... WLED for general effects, and a separate controller that runs the code for the clock, scoreboard, countdown timer and text display. A toggle switch on the frame allows me to switch the data line that goes to the LEDs from the WLED controller to the custom Arduino clock controller. For the LED curtain, I always planned on primarily using the SR controller. Really the only reason I built it with a swappable controller was for testing and for creating of the KZbin video. I still have the standard controller, but have never swapped them out since I finished the video and mounted the curtain on the wall. But I have used the dual controller with a toggle for selecting the data line with my other matrices.

[@ahopdanzer]

cool !

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks. Much appreciated!

[@hijodelpremio]

Awesome work, you had me until I saw the Go Colts. 🤣

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks.... and sorry about the Colts thing! But to be honest, it's been a while since there has been a lot to cheer about on that front. And I don't hold out high hopes for this season either. Regardless, thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment.

[@robinlacaden4438]

genius

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks... it actually was a pretty easy project, once I figured out an approach!

[@withanHdammit]

I know what I'm building today!

[@ResinChemTech]

I wish I would have had a better camera to do the LEDs actual justice. The truly do look a lot better in person than they appear on camera. Good luck with your build. As always, let me know if you run into any questions.

[@withanHdammit]

Yeah, I know the camera lies 😂 This will be fun, I know the WAF will be high (like yours!)

[@Dogwalkeroftwo]

WLED Also is recognized by xLights as a controller!

[@ResinChemTech]

Yeah... and I mention that in the follow up to this video where I put a matrix on a t-shirt. I actually played a little with xLights and the curtain but didn't show it in this video just due to the already long length of this video. So I ended up covering it in the follow up video. But thanks for mentioning it in case others were not aware.

[@mikemotorbike4283]

They all need to program in a millisecond forward offset predicting the beat to represent it in real time, not lag by a millisecond. Otherwise microphone triggers will always be cheezy. And you can't dance to them.

[@ResinChemTech]

Well, I guess that's something the firmware developers (and that's not me!) would have to implement. But to be honest, I don't think a DIY version of any of these LEDs using open source firmware and very low cost microcontrollers were designed or really meant to be used in some sort of "professional" dance venue. I think they are really targeted for home DIY users... and personally there isn't a lot dancing that goes on in my basement! But for some general home ambiance of LEDs that move to music or sound, I personally don't think a millisecond delay makes a huge difference to most people... but it may to others. If you want perfect synchronization, then you should look at something like xLights that allow you to lay out the effects to a sound track and you can precisely control the effects. Otherwise, I think perfect synchronization is an awful lot to ask of a $5 controller and totally free firmware. But I appreciate your sharing thoughts on it.

[@voodoomotion5855]

Awesome work! Be good to use sprites from old retro games, see if you can animate them.

[@jospa6880]

Very cool, may give this a shot. Should have used 12v, avoided power injection. Much cleaner.

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks. Yeah... I could have used 12V LEDs but then I would have needed to add a buck converter for the 5V controller. In this case, the black pipe made it very easy to add power injection and conceal the wires. The other issue was that I was trying to match the Govee style LEDs as much as possible and I could only find the closest match in 5V. In addition, 12V often only allow addressing of the LEDs in groups of three... which you probably would not want with something like a matrix . But yes, using 12V (or even 24V) likely would have negated the need for power injection.

[@jospa6880]

@@ResinChemTech Ahh makes sense, I thought someone had 12v individually addressable fairy pixels. BTW just found your channel, great content, thx again.

[@happyatticus2966]

Good knowledge, as a luddite, all I can offer is... Put a cushion under your knees on that hard floor. 😅

[@AdDiCtEdZ]

why are you recording this in the light?

[@ResinChemTech]

Because if you try to film LEDs in complete darkness, they simply overwhelm the camera and come out as one big bright blob. Try it... turn on some LEDs in a dark room and try to capture video with your phone. You'll see what I mean. Filming LEDs in near or complete darkness would require a much higher end camera than I own, and likely special filters as well.

[@x_CrossHair_x]

Music is Rather (Mario Bro's) LOL.. (Copyright Rules) are a bit ridiculous for a 30 Second Demo (not like it would have been using the full length song).. But that's KZbin Big Bro Watching. Nice Build 👍👍.. Now I need to build this..💰💲

[@ResinChemTech]

Yeah... it's likely that I could have "gotten away" with a short clip of 'real' music, but it just isn't worth the risk to me. First, if a claim is made, you are automatically guilty until proven innocent. And I've heard too many horror stories from other creators about their channel being de-monetized or even shut down over copyright strikes. I just completely avoid any possibility by using whatever KZbin makes available as "public domain". Even then, I probably could have found something better than 8-bit arcade music! Thanks for watching... and taking a moment to leave a comment!

[@x_CrossHair_x]

@@ResinChemTech guilty until proven innocent (No Truer words for sure)

[@rafterbarr1506]

Govee light curtain goes for $99.99+tx at Sam's Club.

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks. When I recorded this video over _9 months_ ago, the Govee version was relatively new and was selling for around $130. Naturally, it has been discounted a few times since then. In another 9 months it might be selling for $69.99. There are also other 'clones' of the Govee version that sell for cheaper as well. But as I stated in the video, my goal for this project wasn't to build it "cheaper" but to build a completely local version with more effects and more control that the Govee version was offering at the time.

[@cowdar]

Govee has unlimited user and community anamations which is the biggest selling point

[@ResinChemTech]

As does WLED through its usermods feature... which not only makes new user-contributed animations available, but new features as well. User mods can add support for sensors like motion detection and temperature, relays, rotary encoders, etc. There are even user mods available to allow the curtain to be interfaced to certain racing games so that the curtain acts like a live tachometer for the game. There is nothing inherently wrong with Govee... and it is certainly a decent product from what I can tell for those that don't want or simply do not have the ability to build their own DIY version. But as far as features, each would have slightly different sets or variations available, but the major of functions can be found in both options, including the ability to implement community developed features.

[@cowdar]

Yep cool. I’ve played with wled. But the DIY in Govee make is so much easier to design your own animations. My 11yrs old made loads for Christmas then I just searched the community in the app for things like Rudolph, Father Christmas Christmas tree ect and setup them to change over time. That’s the reason I got it over making my own set with photo, animated GIF, paint DIY animation. Doing that in wled is definitely not as easy.

[@2389benny]

@@cowdarhave you worked out a way to incorporate your govee ecosystem into a larger light display like xlights?

[@yusuf120581LED]

cooooolllllll...

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks! Messing around with a bit more based on some other comments. May have an update video with some additional features down the road. It really was a pretty easy build, especially if you are familiar with building WLED controllers.

[@davey2k12]

Should put Tetris on it 😂😂

[@davidzemke2549]

Just make the ACDC 5 Seconds and under

[@zsavage1820]

Seems a bit over built.. when a single ESP32 and WLED would do the same thing.. yes?

[@ResinChemTech]

Yes... but as I explained, I wanted to try out different "versions" or forks of WLED, including Sound-Reactive (this was before there was a standard option for audio-reactive), Moon Modules, etc. As built, it would even give me the option to swap out WLED for something like custom Arduino code by just swapping out the ESP module and would not require removing the entire controller to flash it with something different. So, yes I built it to allow 'swappable' ESP boards and firmware. But you would only NEED a single ESP32 and WLED.

[@Wranorn]

Might want to double check FAIR USE under copyright law. Anything to avoid that hideous music. :)

[@ResinChemTech]

Thanks. But as overly aggressive as some companies are about copyright, I simply avoid it altogether and just use what is _absolutely and clearly_ labeled as being in the public domain as it simply isn't worth the risk of having my channel flagged and demonetized, whether it is a valid claim or not. For KZbin copyright claims, it is automatically guilty until proven innocent. Another smart home creator, Rob from The Hook Up, just dealt with a ridiculous take down claim and he was forced to delete and re-upload a video to avoid a copyright strike and having to try to deal with the KZbin appeal process (again... guilty until proven innocent). So yes, on the very rare occasion that I do something that involves music, I have to select from a various assortment of "hideous" options, none of which are good. But the purpose was to show the sound reactivity of the curtain/controller... and not to provide musical entertainment... which I would have failed at miserably! I can say that it does look and react as great with "real" music as it did with the poorly made synth song. But I appreciate the recommendation at looking into fair use.