How to mix 3-byte pixel and 4-byte pixel (ws2812b and sk6812b)

[sonyhome]

There's a bug with the 3 byte pixels, likely missing pushing a blank w pixel.

[927465]

Hi Sonyhome, I have an Adafruit RGB Neopixel strip soldered to a Adafruit RGBW Neopixel strip. I think that means I have WS2812 & SK6812b strips. Anyway I seemed to have hit this bug. I was then trying to understand your code so that I could figure out what the bug was, but I'm struggling. I'm an electronic engineer so can muddle my way through software but I'm not an expert in SW or in Arduino. Is there any chance you could prioritise fixing this bug. Obviously, I can try out any updates you have if that reduces the time you need to spend. Even if you don't have time to spend can you provide any pointers, as to where the bug might be. Really like this library by the way.

[sonyhome]

Can you clarify how the bug manifests itself?

To use 2 types of LEDs, there is an example. The trick is to declare 2 LED types (sk and ws), on the SAME port, and push the first set, say WS, then the second set SK. The examples use a separate write routine to handle that.

Besides that it is possible there are bugs. I have not had time to muck with the library in a long time and lost my last changes when someone destroyed my laptop with my top of branch that was not checked in.

[927465]

Hi, I might be wrong, in that the problem I'm seeing might not what you were referring to "rgb & grb types display g+w instead of just g" .

I have 57 (RGB)Neopixels which appear to be WS2812 that are then connected to a further 38 (RGBW) Neopixels which appear to be SK2812 or SK2812b(Noting it makes no difference whether I call mySk6812b or mySK6812). So the example code, using Lukas(), in the void loop() with NUM_PIXELS = 95, pixCut = 57.

Red doesn't work correctly for the rgbw pixels(the 57 rgb pixels light up red correctly, but the 38 rgbw pixels are in order of pixel 1 = red, pixel 2 = green & white, pixel 3 = blue and so on until pixel 29 which is green only, pixels 30 - 38 are blank).

Green doesn't work correctly for the rgbw pixels(the 57 rgb pixels light up correctly, but the 38 rgbw pixels are in order of pixel 1 = green & white, pixel 2 = blue, pixel 3 = red and so on until pixel 28 which is green and white, pixels 29 - 38 are blank).

Blue works fine - all 57 rgb pixels light up blue only and all 38 rgbw pixels light up correctly as blue only.

White works fine - all rgb pixels light up as red, green and blue, and all 38 rgbw pixels light up correctly as white only.

Modified example code below. I can post a video but it's 18 Mb and its hard to tell the actual colours.

`//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /// Fast Adressable Bitbang LED Library /// Copyright (c)2015, 2016 Dan Truong /// /// This is an example use of the FAB_LED library using the predefined pixel /// structures rgb, grb, bgr, rgbw. It is a good first test to validate the /// library works with your LED strip, and if needed to figure out what type /// of LED strip you actually have. /// On success the LEDs will cycle red, green, blue, pause. /// /// This example works for an Arduino Uno board connected to your PC via the /// USB port to the Arduino IDE (integrated development environment used to /// compile and load an arduino sketch program to your arduino board). For /// other boards, you may have to change the port you are using. /// /// Wiring: /// /// The LED strip DI (data input) line should be on port D6 (Digital pin 6 on /// Arduino Uno). If you need to change the port, change all declarations below /// from, for example from "ws2812b<D,6> myWs2812" to "ws2812b<C,7> myWs2812" /// if you wanted to use port C7. /// The LED power (GND) and (+5V) should be connected on the Arduino Uno's GND /// and +5V. /// /// LED strip type: By default WS2812B LED code is uncommented in loop(). If /// your LED strip is another type, comment that and uncomment the function /// name that matches your LED strip. /// /// Visual results: /// /// If you use the proper LED type, your LED strip will light up in sequence /// red, green, blue then white before turning off. /// If you picked the wrong one, the order will be different, or may be /// jumbled random colors. If so try another. /// /// Details of this test: /// /// This test is going to send each type of pixel array to your LED strip. /// If the array format is the same as the LED strip (native order), the array /// is send as-is and will display correctly. /// If the array format is not the same as the LED strip, the library will /// convert the array data to be sent in the right order (it send each color /// separately for each pixel). This is slower to do, and in some cases the LED /// strip display might become buggy, if the time it takes to do the conversion /// takes too long for the LED strip. This should not happen but it could! /// In other words, even in this case the array will display correctly. :) //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

include

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /// @brief This parameter says how many LEDs will be lit up in your strip. /// If you power the LED strip through your Arduino USB power supply, and not /// through a separate power supply, make sure to not turn on too many LEDs at /// once. Maybe no more than 8 at full power (max is 60mA at 5V is 0.3Watt/LED).

define NUM_PIXELS 95

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// // Classes to write to a GRB WS2812B LED strip and a RGBW SK6812 LED strip. // All are controlling port D6 by default, so attach your LED strip data line // to pin 6 on an Arduino Uno. It may be another pin on other boards. ws2812b<D,6> myWs2812; sk6812<D,6> mySk6812; sk6812b<D,6> mySk6812b; apa104<D,6> myApa104; apa106<D,6> myApa106;

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// // We define 3 arrays as example, each storing pixels in a different order. // The rgbw order is native to sk6812 // The grbw order is native to sk6812b // The grb is native to ws2812b // the rgb is native to apa106 // Whichever array we use, should on any LED strip display a single solid // color as defined in setup. This is because the library will convert the pixel // on display if it is not native (that is slower to run so avoid it if you can). // If there's a bug, some of the displays will be random colors. rgbw rgbwPixels[NUM_PIXELS] = {}; grbw grbwPixels[NUM_PIXELS] = {}; rgb rgbPixels[NUM_PIXELS] = {}; grb grbPixels[NUM_PIXELS] = {};

// Demo display on WS2812B LED strip void showWs2812b(void) { // Show rgb array (red) myWs2812.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,rgbPixels); // Wait to have display lit for a while delay(1000);

// Show grb array (green) myWs2812.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,grbPixels); delay(1000);

// Show rgbw array (blue) myWs2812.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,rgbwPixels); delay(1000);

// Show grbw array (white) myWs2812.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,grbwPixels); delay(1000); }

// Demo display on APA104 LED strip void showApa104(void) { // Show rgb array (red) myApa104.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,rgbPixels); // Wait to have display lit for a while delay(1000);

// Show grb array (green) myApa104.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,grbPixels); delay(1000);

// Show rgbw array (blue) myApa104.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,rgbwPixels); delay(1000);

// Show grbw array (white) myApa104.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,grbwPixels); delay(1000); }

// Demo display on APA106 LED strip void showApa106(void) { // Show rgb array (red) myApa106.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,rgbPixels); // Wait to have display lit for a while delay(1000);

// Show grb array (green) myApa106.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,grbPixels); delay(1000);

// Show rgbw array (blue) myApa106.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,rgbwPixels); delay(1000);

// Show grbw array (white) myApa106.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,grbwPixels); delay(1000); }

// Demo display on RGB SK6812 LED strip void showSk6812(void) { // Show rgb array (red) mySk6812.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,rgbPixels); // Wait to have display lit for a while delay(1000);

// Show grb array (green) mySk6812.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,grbPixels); delay(1000);

// Show rgbw array (blue) mySk6812.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,rgbwPixels); delay(1000);

// Show grbw array (blue) mySk6812.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,grbwPixels); delay(1000); }

// Demo display on GRB SK6812 LED strip void showSk6812b(void) { // Show rgb array (red) mySk6812b.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,rgbPixels); // Wait to have display lit for a while delay(1000);

// Show grb array (green) mySk6812b.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,grbPixels); delay(1000);

// Show rgbw array (blue) mySk6812b.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,rgbwPixels); delay(1000);

// Show grbw array (blue) mySk6812b.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,grbwPixels); delay(1000); }

// This method shows that all pixel types work seamlessly // for all LED strip types. It is better to use the pixel // type that matches your LED strip as it will be faster // and more compact code, but otherwise, it should not // change the outcome of your display. template void showSequence(void) { myStripClass myStrip;

// Show rgb array (red) myStrip.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,rgbPixels); // Wait to have display lit for a while delay(1000);

// Show grb array (green) myStrip.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,grbPixels); delay(1000);

// Show rgbw array (blue) myStrip.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,rgbwPixels); delay(1000);

// Show grbw array (blue) myStrip.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS,grbwPixels); delay(1000); }

// This is for Lukas who wants to mix LED strips // with different display formats: // Demo display of one WS2812B LED strip soldered // before a SK6812 LED strip, both displaying the // same colors, so the end result should be to // see R then G then B then W. For fun, ws2812b // LED white is done with R=G=B=16, and white on // sk6812 with R=G=B=0 and W=48. // There will be pixCut WS2812B pixels (12) and // NUM_PIXELS - pixCut (30) Sk6812 pixels. // If the LED configuration does not match the code, // the pixels will have multiple colors and more or // fewer LEDs will light up. This is because one // LED strip uses 3 bytes per pixels, and the other // uses 4 bytes per pixel. void lukas(void) { const uint16_t pixCut = 57;

// Test rgb array // Disable interupts const uint8_t oldSREG = SREG; // Red Pixels cli(); // Draw the pixels, sk strip is after ws strip hence pushed first. myWs2812.sendPixels(pixCut, rgbPixels); mySk6812b.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS - pixCut, &rgbPixels[pixCut]); // Enable interupts SREG = oldSREG; // Wait to have display lit for a while delay(1000);

// Test grb array // Green Pixels cli(); myWs2812.sendPixels(pixCut, grbPixels); mySk6812b.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS - pixCut, &grbPixels[pixCut]); SREG = oldSREG; delay(1000);

// Test rgbw array // Blue Pixels cli(); myWs2812.sendPixels(pixCut, &rgbwPixels[0]); mySk6812b.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS - pixCut, &rgbwPixels[pixCut]); SREG = oldSREG; delay(1000);

// Test grbw array // White Pixels for (int i= pixCut; i < NUM_PIXELS; i++) { grbwPixels[i].r = 0; grbwPixels[i].g = 0; grbwPixels[i].b = 0; grbwPixels[i].w = 16*3; } cli(); myWs2812.sendPixels(pixCut, &grbwPixels[0]); //mySk6812b.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS - pixCut, &grbwPixels[pixCut]); mySk6812.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS - pixCut, &grbwPixels[pixCut]); SREG = oldSREG; delay(1000); }

// This is for mBlade who wants to mix WS2812B // with APA106: // The last LED is an APA106, then the rest are WS2812B. void mBlade(void) { // Disable interupts const uint8_t oldSREG = SREG; cli(); // Draw the pixels, sk strip is after ws strip hence pushed first. myWs2812.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS-1,&rgbPixels[0]); myApa106.sendPixels(1,&rgbPixels[NUM_PIXELS-1]); // Enable interupts SREG = oldSREG; // Wait to have display lit for a while delay(1000);

// Disable interupts cli(); // Draw the pixels, sk strip is after ws strip hence pushed first. myWs2812.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS-1,&grbPixels[0]); myApa106.sendPixels(1,&grbPixels[NUM_PIXELS-1]); // Enable interupts SREG = oldSREG; // Wait to have display lit for a while delay(1000);

// Disable interupts cli(); // Draw the pixels, sk strip is after ws strip hence pushed first. myWs2812.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS-1,&rgbwPixels[0]); myApa106.sendPixels(1,&rgbwPixels[NUM_PIXELS-1]); // Enable interupts SREG = oldSREG; // Wait to have display lit for a while delay(1000); }

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /// @brief This method is automatically called once when the board boots. //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// void setup() { for (int i=0; i < NUM_PIXELS; i++) { // Initialize rgb array to show as red strip rgbPixels[i].r = 16; // Initialise grb array to show as green grbPixels[i].g = 16; // Initialize grbw array to show as blue rgbwPixels[i].b = 16; // Initialize rgbw array to show as white grbwPixels[i].r = 16; grbwPixels[i].g = 16; grbwPixels[i].b = 16; } }

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /// @brief This method is automatically called repeatedly after setup() has run. /// It is the main loop, and it calls all the other demo methods declared below. //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// void loop() { // Init the LEDs, all off, up to 1000 LEDs. mySk6812.clear(1000); delay(500);

// Comment all function calls here EXCEPT for the one that matches your LED // strip if you want to see the right color sequence of red, green, blue: //showWs2812b(); // showApa104(); // showApa106(); // showSk6812(); // showSk6812b(); // showSequence< sk6812b<D,6> >(); lukas(); // mBlade(); }`

[sonyhome]

You know what? I recall I might have had a bug with 3 byte to 4 byte per pixel conversions. Your best bet then is to use one of the arrays that works:

This would be waht you need from the Lucas code to do your own work:

include

rgbw Pixels[NUM_PIXELS] = {};

void displayStrip(void) { const uint16_t pixCut = 57; cli(); myWs2812.sendPixels(pixCut, &Pixels[0]); mySk6812b.sendPixels(NUM_PIXELS - pixCut, &Pixels[pixCut]); SREG = oldSREG; }

Write colors in the array then call the displayStrip(), then add a delay(), repeat!

[927465]

Sorry it will now be a few weeks before I can try this out. But I will and let you know if everything works.

[sonyhome]

Closing this.

FAB_LED does support combining (one wire) LEDs with different color protocols such as WS2812, SK6812, APA104 etc. where color order changes (RGB, GRN, RGBW etc).

It does take some care to align the colors, and it's better if you are comfortable coding in C/C++. See "mBlade and Lucas" functions in examples. I recommend adding 1 pixel of one type to N pixels of the other type and trying to color them all the same colors, cycling through RGB. If colors are off you are sending the wrong protocol to the pixel.

Methodology: On the same port define 2 LED types. ws2812b<D,6> myWs2812; sk6812<D,6> mySk6812;

If all your pixels are 3 bytes use a 3 byte type array for the pixels grb array[NUM_PIXELS] = {0}; Else use a 4 byte array: rgbw array[NUM_PIXELS] = {0};

Define a routine that writes with the right pixel protocol at the right offset, and use the send routines, surrounded by begin and end routines which handle setup/termination of the emission protocol:

myWs2812.begin(); myWs2812.send(numWs2812Pixels, array); myApa106.send(count - pixCut, &array[numWs2812Pixels]); myWs2812.end(count);

[sonyhome]

Leaving open for reference.