Program Christmas Lights With Raspberry Pi

This project involves using a raspberry pi to drive 8 ac outlets which are connected to christmas tree light sets.

Program christmas lights with raspberry pi.

In this tutorial i will show you how to control five sets of christmas lights with a raspberry pi and the piface i o expansion board. We quite like the smart lights we made ourselves but if you want to do some serious christmas tree hacking we suggest taking a look at this amazing project on instructables. This project involves using a raspberry pi to drive 8 ac outlets which are connected to christmas tree light sets. Once i tested the connection with the board it was time for me hook up the christmas lights i was going to put on my christmas tree.

The raspberry pi is a small linux based computer that you can use to run your christmas lights display with a program called falcon player or fpp for short. David stevens made it so changes to the christmas tree in the game alter the lights outside. One led matrix displayed in a window. Andrew oakley has kept his raspberry pi christmas lighting setup compact.

You ll be able to control the lights with a simple python program which is easily modifiable for different patterns or triggers. Version 1 3 release notes. For all that it lacks in size its ability to play animations and the project s low price make this a great option. If you re like me you re not an engineer and the thought of delving into yet another computer program with vague instructions might make you feel sick.

The ac lights are simple one color strands of lights but to give a more dynamic range to the light show there is also a 25 programmable rgb led star. The final result was simply one of the most satisfyingly geeky things i have ever done. Parts list raspberry pi 3 https amzn to 2z7ls58 16gb mircosd card https amzn to 2rsbrey 16 mechanical relay board could also use ssrs https amzn to 2. The documentation is a bit light still on this new functionality but feel free to come to the community page and talk to other early adopters if you d like to try it out.

Added initial support for controlling individually controllable rgb led lights thanks to tom enos ken b and chris usey. Raspberry pi christmas led matrix ws2811. Since the board is pre assembled this project doesn t require any soldering.