LED Rings and Encoder Modules

I created these encoder modules and LED rings to be connected to controls in Reaktor ensembles. Turning the encoder makes the Teensy board send incremental MIDI Continuous Controller messages over USB to Reaktor. In response, the knobs on the Reaktor panel rotate and output MIDI back to the Teensy to tell the LED rings the current knob positions. That way, the LED rings will always represent the actual position of the controls. When a Reaktor snapshot is recalled, all the LED rings move to the knob positions stored in Reaktor.

	An encoder module and an LED ring. The encoder module has the Bourns encoder, passive lowpass filters to smooth out the sin and cos outputs, and socket strips for the LED ring to plug into. The LED ring contains the LEDs and the TLC5925 chip to drive them in response to serial input.
	Breadboard with encoder modules with LED rings not plugged in. The LED rings will be plugged into the socket strips on top.
	Breadboard with LED rings plugged into encoder boards, but no knobs installed.
	Breadboard with encoder modules, LED rings, and knobs in place. The sine, cosine, and button outputs from the 3 encoders are read by the Teensy 3.2 board through 8-to-1 multiplexers. Only 3 of 8 possible encoders are currently hooked up.

I am currently working on a new version using Neopixel Rings. These have the advantages of being pre-built, simpler to wire, and allowing separate control of color and brightness for individual LEDs.

Mark Smart Home
Last Updated on 07-06-2021 at 8:08 am
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