Project Help. Logic controller?

immigant

I'm looking for a cheap way to control and power approx 20 fiber optic lights for a hobby project.

I want the lights to be on a constant programmed loop with various commands to each output (eg. Light 1: off for 3 seconds on for 1 second, light 2: off for 7 seconds, on for 2 seconds etc. On repeat). I can manage basic programming but the easier this could be done the better.

The fiber optics are for a small indoor hobby project so low power, nothing special. The fiber lights will be attached to the rear of a picture in a frame, the lights poking through the canvas with the controller tucked away in the rear of the frame also.

What I'm looking for:

Name and type of a suitable controller and fiber optic equipment and where to get them. Any helpful links or tips very welcome.

fizzypish

Arduino would do it. There's probably not enough i/o's so you'd need to multiplex (5-32) it. I got relays from china that could be switched from 3.3v dc (arduino o/p) and pass mains voltage. Admittedly they look like a bit of a fire hazard..... If the lights work off of DC, (don't know much about fiber optic lights) then wire them all up to the battery/power source and use a transistor to switch them on individually.

KeithTS

Are you just going to have the tip of the fibre visible?
If so, why not use LEDs? You could simply use a basic PIC or Arduino to control these, if you don't have enough I/Os you could use shift registers, ie, 74HC595 or LED drivers such as the MAX7219 which can control up to 64 LEDs using only 3/4 I/Os.

If you're unfamiliar with microcontrollers the Arduino is the simplest way to go for hobby purposes.
There are a lot of tutorials out there on these devices if you're unfamiliar and as far as I'm aware there are Arduino libraries that do most of the work for you already.

If you're unfamiliar with this stuff a quick google will sort you out or you could drop me a PM and I'll talk you through it.