{"id":1292,"date":"2018-05-28T13:23:02","date_gmt":"2018-05-28T12:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ofalcao.pt\/blog\/?p=1292"},"modified":"2018-05-28T13:23:02","modified_gmt":"2018-05-28T12:23:02","slug":"stage-lighting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ofalcao.pt\/blog\/2018\/stage-lighting","title":{"rendered":"Stage Lighting"},"content":{"rendered":"
This post is part 3 of 5 of \u00a0LEGO Rock Concert<\/a><\/div>

So the stage size is settled, it will use 3×3 LEGO standard baseplates (32×32 studs each).<\/p>\n

Now time to think about the lighting.<\/p>\n

For the first version I wanted to be able to control each of the spotlights individually. To minimize wiring I decided to use a 1-wire bus (2 wires for power, 1 wire for data) and I found a 1-wire USB controller that worked very well with linux and (of course) with ev3dev.<\/p>\n

I was very happy with the Ev3 1-wire network<\/a> but not so happy with the way I wired it with my LEGO trusses. I tried to create a pluggable system that would allow me to easily extend the number of spots but never got a decent and discreet solution so I use only fixed size wires, soldered in a daisy-chain. It worked but “locked” my spotlights to the trusses permanently.<\/p>\n

So for this new version I decided to use just one or two control channels and use common LEGO Power Function lights (well, at least for this year).<\/p>\n

As for the trusses that support the spotlights I also decided to try non-Technic parts – I liked my previous design with only Technic parts but it was already noticeable that the spotlights were too heavy and the 32L axles were bending.<\/p>\n

Since LEGO has a truss brick already, lets try it:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

So 1 one channel is easy: each Power Functions Light assures 2 spotlights and I just need to daisy chain several of them. We can even make the lights blink with just a electro-mechanic controller like In this video:<\/p>\n