Arduino Digital RGB Light Strip

Question

I recently bought an RGB LED Light Strip from RadioShack and found the example sketch for the Arduino. I can understand parts of it but there is a lot I don't understand as well. For instance what are the DATA_1, DATA_0 and STRIP_PINOUT defines doing? Also what is the __asm__() function doing and why is it called so many times? What is the pgm_read_dword_near() function is doing?

Basically what I would like to do is to make a function that would allow me to set each group of LEDs by value (there are ten groups of three LEDs each on the strip). So I'm looking to create a function like this:

setLedGroup(int groupIndex, float redValue, float greenValue, float blueValue)

The example code is posted below:

/***************************************************************************/    
//            Hardware: RadioShack Tricolor LED Strip
//            Arduino IDE: Arduino-1.0
//            Date:      April 17, 2013
//            Copyright© 2013 RadioShack Corporation
//
//  This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
//  modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
//  License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
//  version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
//
//  This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
//  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
//  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
//  Lesser General Public License for more details.
//
//  You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
//  License along with this library; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
//
/*****************************************************************************/

#include <avr/pgmspace.h>

// ******** DEBUG ==== should auto config to adapt different mother board *********
//#define DATA_1 (PORTF |=  0X01)    // DATA 1    // for ATMEGA
//#define DATA_0 (PORTF &=  0XFE)    // DATA 0    // for ATMEGA
//#define STRIP_PINOUT DDRF=0xFF  // for ATMEGA
#define DATA_1 (PORTC |=  0X01)    // DATA 1    // for UNO
#define DATA_0 (PORTC &=  0XFE)    // DATA 0    // for UNO
#define STRIP_PINOUT (DDRC=0xFF)    // for UNO

PROGMEM const unsigned long pattern_test_red[10][10]={
  {0xff0000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0xff0000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0xff0000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xff0000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xff0000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xff0000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xff0000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xff0000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xff0000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xff0000},
};

PROGMEM const unsigned long pattern_test_blue[10][10]={
  {0x00ff00,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x00ff00,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x00ff00,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x00ff00,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x00ff00,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x00ff00,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x00ff00,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x00ff00,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x00ff00,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x00ff00},
};

PROGMEM const unsigned long pattern_test_green[10][10]={
  {0x0000ff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x0000ff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x0000ff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x0000ff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x0000ff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x0000ff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x0000ff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x0000ff,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x0000ff,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x0000ff},
};

PROGMEM const unsigned long pattern_test_white[10][10]={
  {0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xffffff,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xffffff},
};

PROGMEM const unsigned long pattern_test_comet1[][10]={
  {0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff},
};

PROGMEM const unsigned long pattern_test_comet2[][10]={
  {0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff},
  {0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff},
};

PROGMEM const unsigned long pattern_test_comet3[][10]={
  {0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xffffff},
  {0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xffffff,0x444444},
  {0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xffffff,0x444444,0x111111},
  {0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0xffffff,0x444444,0x111111,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0xffffff,0x444444,0x111111,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0xffffff,0x444444,0x111111,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xffffff,0x444444,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0xffffff,0x444444,0x111111,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0xffffff,0x444444,0x111111,0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff,0x000000},
  {0xffffff,0x444444,0x111111,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x111111,0x444444,0xffffff},
};

PROGMEM const unsigned long pattern_test_rainbow[10][10]={
  {0xff0000,0xff7f00,0xffff00,0x00ff00,0x0000ff,0x6f00ff,0x8f00ff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0xff0000,0xff7f00,0xffff00,0x00ff00,0x0000ff,0x6f00ff,0x8f00ff,0x000000,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0xff0000,0xff7f00,0xffff00,0x00ff00,0x0000ff,0x6f00ff,0x8f00ff,0x000000},
  {0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xff0000,0xff7f00,0xffff00,0x00ff00,0x0000ff,0x6f00ff,0x8f00ff},
  {0x8f00ff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xff0000,0xff7f00,0xffff00,0x00ff00,0x0000ff,0x6f00ff},
  {0x6f00ff,0x8f00ff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xff0000,0xff7f00,0xffff00,0x00ff00,0x0000ff},
  {0x0000ff,0x6f00ff,0x8f00ff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xff0000,0xff7f00,0xffff00,0x00ff00},
  {0x00ff00,0x0000ff,0x6f00ff,0x8f00ff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xff0000,0xff7f00,0xffff00},
  {0xffff00,0x00ff00,0x0000ff,0x6f00ff,0x8f00ff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xff0000,0xff7f00},
  {0xff7f00,0xffff00,0x00ff00,0x0000ff,0x6f00ff,0x8f00ff,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0xff0000},
};




// ***********************************************************************************************************
// *
// *                            Power Up Init.
// *
// *
// ***********************************************************************************************************
void setup() {                

  STRIP_PINOUT;        // set output pin - DEBUG: should auto detect which mother board for use

  reset_strip();
  //noInterrupts();

}



// ***********************************************************************************************************
// *
// *                            Main Loop 
// *
// *
// ***********************************************************************************************************
void loop() 
{

  send_1M_pattern(pattern_test_red, 10, 500);
  delay(500);
  send_1M_pattern(pattern_test_blue, 10, 500);
  delay(500);
  send_1M_pattern(pattern_test_green, 10, 500);
  delay(500);
  send_1M_pattern(pattern_test_white, 10, 500);
  delay(500);
  send_1M_pattern(pattern_test_comet1, 10, 70);
  delay(500);
  send_1M_pattern(pattern_test_comet2, 10, 70);
  delay(500);
  send_1M_pattern(pattern_test_comet3, 10, 70);
  delay(500);

  while (1)
  {
    send_1M_pattern(pattern_test_rainbow, 10, 70);
  }


  /*
    frame++;
    if(frame<=10) LEDSTRIP_PATTERN_0();
    if(10<frame<=20) LEDSTRIP_PATTERN_0();
    if(20<frame<=30) LEDSTRIP_PATTERN_0();
    if(frame>30) frame=1;
   */
  //delay(1);
}


/*******************************************************************************
 * Function Name  : send_1M_pattern
 * Description    : Transmit pattern to whole 1 meter strip
 *                  
 * Input          : pointer to ROM pattern; pattern length; frame rate
 *                  
 * Output         : None
 * Return         : None
 *******************************************************************************/
void send_1M_pattern(const unsigned long data[][10], int pattern_no, int frame_rate)
{
  int i=0;
  int j=0;
  uint32_t temp_data;

  for (i=0;i<pattern_no;i++)
  {
    noInterrupts();
    for (j=0;j<10;j++)
    {
      temp_data=pgm_read_dword_near(&data[i][j]);
      send_strip(temp_data);
    }
    interrupts();

    delay(frame_rate);

  }
}


/*******************************************************************************
 * Function Name  : send_strip
 * Description    : Transmit 24 pulse to LED strip
 *                  
 * Input          : 24-bit data for the strip
 *                  
 * Output         : None
 * Return         : None
 *******************************************************************************/
void send_strip(uint32_t data)
{
  int i;
  unsigned long j=0x800000;


  for (i=0;i<24;i++)
  {
    if (data & j)
    {
      DATA_1;
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");    
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");

/*----------------------------*/
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");  
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");  
      __asm__("nop\n\t");  
      __asm__("nop\n\t");        
/*----------------------------*/      
      DATA_0;
    }
    else
    {
      DATA_1;
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");    
      DATA_0;
/*----------------------------*/      
       __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");
      __asm__("nop\n\t");      
/*----------------------------*/         
    }

    j>>=1;
  }



}

/*******************************************************************************
 * Function Name  : reset_strip
 * Description    : Send reset pulse to reset all color of the strip
 *                  
 * Input          : None
 *                  
 * Output         : None
 * Return         : None
 *******************************************************************************/
void    reset_strip()
{
  DATA_0;
  delayMicroseconds(20);
}

Answer 1

Searching using the terms suggested by TOMATO led me to find the FastLED Library. This library makes it super easy to use the lights trip.

Answer 2

Really dreadful "example" code from Radio Shack (they apparently still don't get it: examples are intended for learning. Amazing they are still in business).

I haven't tried this code but see this pololu set of examples. It uses the TM1804 LED driver - the Radio Shack uses the TM1803. Also it is always useful to do a search for the chip, sensor etc. name + Arduino when trying to figure stuff out; often times someone has been there already, For example a search on "TM1803" arduino yields a number of promising hits.