tickerPi

tickerPi is a Python Program to handle WS281X LED interactions on a Raspberry Pi

• WS2812b has only been tested at this time

Authors

• Justin Healy
• Vin Presciutti

Requirements

1. Python 3 - As Python 2 support is no longer available
2. Python 3 PIP
3. Python SMBus
4. RPI.GPIO
5. Adafruit Blinka
6. Adafruit Neopixel
7. RPI WS281X Libraries
8. Adafruit PixelFramebuffer

Installation

1. Standard Updates for Raspberry Pi:

   sudo apt-get update
   sudo apt-get upgrade
   sudo pip3 install --upgrade setuptools
   

   • If this fails, try this and repeat step 1

     sudo apt-get install python3-pip
     

   • Recommended, but may not be required, setting your Python install to default with Python 3. There are multiple ways to do this, here's an example:

     sudo apt-get install -y python3 git python3-pip
     sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python $(which python2) 1
     sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/python python $(which python3) 2
     sudo update-alternatives --config python
     

2. Enabling I2C and SPI, which is only required to be done once for each Raspberry Pi:
   Only Required if you are using multiple devices on your Raspberry Pi, if not, move to step 3
   Important:

   If you are using a GPIO wiring setup for the LEDs that does not support I2C, you will not see anything show up for the LEDS.
   Again, this is only for if you have OTHER devices you plan on hooking up to make sure they still show up under I2C

   • Enabling I2C:
     • From Command Line:

       sudo apt-get install -y python-smbus
       sudo apt-get install -y i2c-tools
       sudo raspi-config
       

       • Interfacing Options > I2C > Enable > Yes

         If you did not hit "finish" you can repeat these steps but change out the I2C for the SPI

   • Enabling SPI:
     • From Command Line:

       sudo raspi-config
       

     • Interfacing Options > SPI > Enable > Yes
     • Click "Finish"
     • Reboot your Raspberry Pi

       sudo reboot
       

   • Testing I2C and SPI after reboot:
     • I2C Testing:

       sudo i2cdetect -y 1
       

       • If you do not get anything back from the above command, try seeing which I2C is being used under Dev:

         ls /dev/i2c*
         

         Whichever number is after the "-" in "/dev/i2c-(X) is what you should replace the number in the command with >> Example: /dev/i2c-3 = "sudo i2cdetect -y 3"

     • SPI Testing:

       ls -l /dev/spidev*
       

       This should return a device for each SPI bus (two)

3. Installing Python Support Libraries:
   • GPIO - If not already installed:

     sudo pip3 install RPI.GPIO
     

   • Adafruit Blinka:

     sudo pip3 install adafruit-blinka
     

   • RPi WS281X and Neopixel:

     sudo pip3 install rpi_ws281x adafruit-circuitpython-neopixel
     sudo python3 -m pip install --force-reinstall adafruit-blinka
     

   • PixelFramebuffer:

     sudo pip3 install adafruit-circuitpython-pixel-framebuf
     

4. Changing Conflicting HDMI Settings:
   Important: Only do this if you are having issues with the LEDs, this is not always needed!\

   sudo nano /boot/config.txt
   

   • If it doesn't already exist, add:

     hdmi_force_hotplug=1
     hdmi_force_edid_audio=1
     

     • Save and exit the file (ctrl + x > y)
     • Reboot Raspberry Pi

       sudo reboot
       

Usage

TBD

Contributing

TBD

License

• MIT

  A copy of this can be found in the root directory of this project under "LICENSE"