The LED Pixel Master Course

Name: The LED Pixel Master Course
Rating: 4.4 (201 reviews)

Create stunning, interactive light installations driven by Arduino and FastLED

Created byChris Parton

Last updated 4/2018

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

Create unique, interactive lighting projects with LED pixels and Arduino.
Understand and follow best practices for safe wiring, soldering, powering and programming of LED pixels.

Course content

2 sections • 20 lectures • 1h 54m total length

Section Introduction0:32
Explore the history and operation of LED pixels, clarify the jargon, and gain an understanding of what exactly lhd pixels are in this section of the LED pixel master course.
What Is An LED Pixel?5:31
Explore how LED pixels combine red, green, and blue to create colors, and how an Arduino-driven strip uses data propagation and precise timing to animate many pixels.
LED Strips7:49
Compare single color, rgb, and addressable led strips, noting pixel size, density, and power use. Learn waterproofing options and how ip ratings and density affect cost and performance.
LED Pixel Chipsets6:00
Compare three-wire and four-wire led pixel chipsets, detailing data input, power, and timing in hundreds of nanoseconds, including ws 28 12 pixels and ipa 1 or 2.
Installing The Arduino IDE and FastLED3:26
Install the Arduino IDE on Windows, add the FastLED library via the library manager, then open the blink example and compile to verify the setup.
Section Quiz
Section Recap0:47
Finish the first section and dive into hands-on pixel projects, then share progress photos and videos in the forums to motivate fellow students.

Section Introduction0:50
Master two-button control to light and move a single led pixel, building toward a fully functional game that defuses bombs, with each video covering a new topic.
Shopping List2:24
LED Strip Preparation10:54
Learn safe led strip preparation, including cutting, exposing pads, tinning wires, soldering techniques, and wiring to an Arduino with proper power and data connections.
Our First Program9:15
Develop your first Arduino program using the fast led library to light a blue pixel on an in-memory led strip, then compile and upload the sketch to your board.
Moving The Player8:13
Move the blue player along an LED array and prevent buffer overflow. Use modulus to loop position safely, add delay for animation, and implement a stop game function.
LED Strip Best Practices Part 1: Hardware7:35
Learn hardware best practices for reliable led strip projects by adding a 1000 microfarad capacitor and a 470 ohm resistor, and ensure proper grounding for signal stability.
LED Strip Best Practices Part 2: Software6:46
Improve the LED strip software by applying color correction and lowering brightness to save power, then replace the 100 ms blocking delay with a nonblocking timing approach for smoother animations.
Useful Best Practice Resources0:33
Controlling The Player8:11
Learn to control the player with two buttons on an Arduino and breadboard. Configure pull-up inputs, read button states, and implement right and left movement with wrap-around.
Adding Bombs11:58
Add bombs to an Arduino LED pixel game, using a bomb struct, random placement, millis timing, and a map-based color fade from black to yellow to signal detonation.
Adding The Wall3:09
Add a wall that moves after each bomb is diffused, turning the game into a reflex challenge; implement move wall using the bulb code, with random position and collision checks.
Game Over7:56
Implement automatic restart after game over with a 500 ms delay and explosion from the game over point (bomb or wall). Add color setting, buffer checks, and a red-to-black fade.
Some Final Polish11:51
Enhance a pixel game with entropy-based randomness, pulsing bombs to signal danger, and a distance check that guarantees a one-pixel gap between bombs and walls.
Section Recap0:44
Master the LED pixel project by recapping the section and exploring color changes, gameplay tweaks, and last-position tracking with a ghostly blue motion glow, then share your finished build.

Requirements

A soldering iron is required. Basic soldering experience will help but is not essential.
Basic C++ programming knowledge (loops, functions and arrays) will help but is not essential.
Familiarity with basic Arduino development will help but is not essential.

Description

Hi there! Welcome to The LED Pixel Master Course, the ultimate online resource for creating interactive lighting projects with LED pixels!

Most commonly arranged in LED strips, LED pixels are found all over the world at light festivals, concerts, arcades and Christmas light displays. As a software engineer, I've spent years working on systems that are completely invisible to end users. It's hard to explain to your family what exactly you do all day when you work on systems like these.

When working with LED pixels, however, the results of your work are immediately visible and everybody can enjoy the results! By taking this course, you'll learn to harness this power to make visually stunning works of art that you can proudly show off to anyone, whether they're 1 or 100 years old!

Why should I take this course?
Good question! You can learn bits and pieces through online videos, but this course is by far the most comprehensive LED pixel resource you'll find. Here are just a few reasons why:

We start at the very beginning, learning all about LED pixels and what they can do.
Instead of just taking the success path to project completion, we take the time to talk about common pitfalls and how to avoid them.
We build our projects with a strong focus on safety and reliability in terms of soldering, powering and programming our devices.
You'll be given regular challenges throughout the course to test your skills, and we'll work through the solutions together.
The course content will continue to grow, with fun new topics and projects being added regularly!

What will we cover in this course?
Throughout the course we'll:

Learn about the best components to use and where to buy them online.
Make use of the Arduino platform and FastLED to easily communicate with LED pixels.
Use FastLED to create stunning visual effects.
Power our projects in a safe and reliable manner, learning about important limitations and safety considerations.
Solder useful connections for powering and communicating with LED strips.
Create a fully-functional, reflex-based bomb defusal game using buttons and an LED strip.

I am truly passionate about creating fun, interactive projects that make people happy. Join me in this course, and discover just how fun and easy it can be to make something amazing!

Who this course is for:

Developers or creatives who are interested in the world of interactive light.

The LED Pixel Master Course

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction6 lectures • 24min

Project 1: Bomb Defusal Game14 lectures • 1hr 30min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: