The controller is actually identical to the one I built in this article, but the schematic is duplicated here for convenience. The reel of PETG will last a really long time to the extent that I had plenty left over after printing 6 panels along with all the failed prototypes (there's a lot). The visual difference is astonishing - always use the highest density you can to avoid this problem! Keep in mind that the higher pixel count will increase the total current draw, which requires lower gauge wire and a stronger power supply. Don't be like me, I accidentally bought loads of 60 pixel/m strips and only realized when I installed them and noticed they looked wrong. Otherwise, the LEDs will create hot spots that will ruin the effect. Whichever type you use, it needs to be really strong to hold the panels on the wall. 1x roll of heavy-duty double-sided tape, such as this one on Amazon.Make sure you use PETG though! Other common materials aren't as transparent and have a lower heat tolerance. I used this, but different kinds will give different effects. 1x 1kg reel of transparent PETG, such as this one on Amazon.1x 5cm x 7cm perfboard, such as the one in this kit on Amazon.1x 2.2k resistor, from the same kit as above.1x 1k resistor, such as the one in this kit on Amazon.1x ESP8266 NodeMCU, such as these on Amazon.1x PNP transistor, such as these on Amazon.While the project will work without this, I highly recommend using one as the fuse will burn before any damage is done to your house. 1x 5A fuse (or lower/higher, depending on your wire) to prevent fires, such as these on Amazon.I used this, but please be very careful to get wire that will handle the current drawn by your panels. 1x 18-20 AWG Wire, such as this one on Amazon.You will need more amps if you want to use more LEDs! More on this later. 1x 5V 5A Power Supply, such as this one on Amazon.One meter can usually make around 2 panels. Higher is better so if there aren't any 100/m models available use something higher like 144/m. 1x-4x WS2811 LED strips 100 pixels/m, such as these on Amazon.I can't possibly plan for every combination of every material, so please stay close to the original plan to avoid having to modify any software. I have personally used and tested the following, so using different ones will be at your own risk. These materials may be substituted for others with varying rates of success. While I have provided a few effects out of the box, you can add more and tweak the project as you see fit. This is a short video demonstrating what we are going to be building in this post. If you enjoy these kinds of projects, be sure to share my post as it really does help! The final product An overwhelming amount of this project's complexity comes from the software I'm providing as a download for free. Most other DIY panels use acrylic, which is great for this purpose but is difficult to use and work with. Each panel is 3D printed out of transparent PETG filament and can immediately be used without any other assembly. These can be individually addressed, allowing for animated effects and complex color blending. You can almost certainly find a cheaper source of strips, but the key is that they must be WS2811 LED (or similar) else the project may not work. The downside is that each LED will be clearly visible, and the light won't be diffused properly. An easy way to find a cheaper strip is to pick one with a lower density than the one I used as the lowest ones often cost half the price. You can lower the cost simply by using less expensive LED strips as they represent around 80% of the cost. This DIY project manages to create each one for around 14$, which is a big difference when you need many of them. The biggest problem with them is that they can get expensive quickly with each panel easily costing over 20$ each. There is nothing wrong with commercial options, and they are actually a better choice for most people.
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