SparkFun
SparkFun LumiDrive LED Driver
The LumiDrive LED Driver is SparkFun’s foray into all things Python on micro-controllers. With the SparkFun LumiDrive you will be able to control and persona...
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The LumiDrive LED Driver is SparkFun’s foray into all things Python on micro-controllers. With the SparkFun LumiDrive you will be able to control and personalize a whole strand of APA102s directly from the board itself. We’ve broken out a number of analog and digital pins from the on board SAMD21G-AU microcontroller to incorporate your own external buttons, switches, and other interfaces to interact with your addressable LED strip.
It feels like Arduino, but without the need to upload and compile code. Because the LumiDrive opens up like a USB drive on your computer when you plug it in and the code you write lives directly inside the drive it feels very much like an Arduino-device. The fact that you don’t need to upload and compile code makes it a great transitionary LED driver from your traditional Arduino!
The SparkFun LumiDrive has been equipped with a USB-C connector which is capable enough to supply up to 1.5 Amps from a 3.1 USB port, a LiPo connector and charge circuit for portable power, as well as two poke-home connectors to allow you to plug in wires without the need for solder.
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- LED
- A light-emitting diode (LED) is a small electronic component that emits light when current flows through it in the correct direction. Because it only conducts one way, its polarity matters, and a through-hole LED must be soldered the correct way around to light up.
- LED driver
- An LED driver is a control chip or circuit that supplies and switches power to LEDs. For a display board, it reduces the number of microcontroller pins needed and handles tasks like lighting the right segments and adjusting brightness.
- LiPo
- A LiPo (lithium polymer) battery is a rechargeable lithium battery widely used in portable projects because it is light and compact. LiPo cells need correct charging circuitry and careful handling to stay safe, so equipment that supports LiPo generally includes charging or protection hardware suited to that battery type.
- microcontroller
- A microcontroller is a small computer on a single chip that runs a stored program and controls connected inputs and outputs such as buttons, sensors, displays and communication interfaces. In a device built around one, it is the part that executes the code and coordinates the device's behaviour.
- USB-C
- USB-C is a small, reversible USB connector that can carry power, data and, on some devices, video over a single cable. The same connector can range from charging only to high-speed data, so the functions a given port actually supports vary.
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Microcontrollers
LumiDrive Schematic
Schematic · 85.6 KB · Click any page to view full size
LumiDrive Current Draw Statistics
Test Report · 29.1 KB · Click any page to view full size
Supplier page — sparkfun.com
Supplier Description · 545.1 KB · Click any page to view full size
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