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unicontrol user guide by ayatec
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Topics

  1. Welcome
  2. Getting started
    1. What is unicontrol
    2. How it works
    3. Connectivity
    4. Integration options
    5. Default hardware
    6. Hardware extensions
    7. Special sensors
    8. RGB driver
    9. Audio driver
    10. Network API - HTTP
    11. Network API - MQTT
    12. Network security
    13. Downloads
  3. Web Interface
    1. Processes
      1. Process
      2. Name
      3. Main state
      4. Initial state
      5. Display
      6. Constraints
        1. Process timer
        2. Variable contraints
        3. Force output
      7. Input
        1. Input source
        2. Channel
        3. Control period
        4. Value
        5. Publish
        6. Frequency
        7. Subtopic
      8. Events
        1. On/Off event
        2. Condition
        3. Idle/running time
        4. Delay on/off
        5. Fade in/out
        6. High/low input
        7. Mid point/Tolerance
        8. Out on when
      9. Output
        1. Primary output
        2. Action
        3. Type
        4. Invert
        5. Duty cycle
        6. Mem value
        7. High/low output
        8. Folder/Track
        9. RGB mode
        10. RGB color
        11. RGB brightness
        12. RGB speed
        13. Publish
        14. Subtopic
        15. Secondary outputs
      10. Cycle
        1. Cycles
        2. High/Low phase
      11. On/Off button
    2. Peripheral
      1. Hardware
      2. Type
      3. Calibration
      4. Mapping (edit)
      5. IR remote (edit)
      6. Impulse_counter (edit)
      7. RGB driver (edit)
      8. DS18B20 (edit)
    3. Device
    4. Network
    5. System
    6. License
  4. Tutorials
    1. First boot
    2. First process
    3. Connect to MQTT
    4. Process sequencing
    5. DIY Project: Bath Fan

In this article

  • Introduction
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unicontrol > Getting Started > RGB driver

RGB Driver

Introduced in version 1.09

The RGB driver in unicontrol operates as an independent routine, serving as a controller for standard RGB or RGBW LED strips with various built-in color programs. Each instance of unicontrol can control two independent RGB or RGBW LED strips (with the exception of the 4s programs, where the channels are partially independent on each other, thus controlling up to 8 separate PWM channels). The output is provided continuously, provided at least one of the Red, Green, or Blue channels is defined as Hardware in the Peripheral menu. Once set, the corresponding RGB driver program's playback begins.

Given their 3.3V and 12mA power rating, the ESP8266 GPIO pins cannot power any LED strip directly. Users are expected to use these RGBW pins to control the Base of a transistor or the Gate of a MOSFET. The LED strip should have its own power supply with compatible voltage and maximum current ratings.

The RGB driver can be controlled in several ways:

  • Manually, via the user interface's edit menu,
  • Automatically or remotely, via process output, or
  • Remotely, via built-in HTTP API and MQTT API.

Furthermore, control can be exerted:

  • Directly, by accessing the driver's active parameters, or
  • Indirectly, by saving the process variables and controlling the underlying process.
Direct control is ideal for real-time control, where the changes are reflected immediately. Indirect (process) control is good as a buffer for various pre-sets to be called upon later.

Parameters

Each RGB driver program consists of four key parameters:

  • Mode - The primary parameter that selects the program.
  • Color - An auxiliary parameter that defines the rendered Color, if applicable.
  • Speed - An auxiliary parameter that defines the animation Speed, if applicable.
  • Brightness - A global modifier that reduces the overall Brightness.

One set of these parameters is always active, and controlling the driver involves dynamic overwriting of these active parameters with alternative values coming either from external commands or the processes.

There is a strict distinction between the process variables (Mode, Color, Speed, and Brightness) and the active parameters (Mode, Color, Speed, and Brightness). The active parameters are properties of the currently rendered program, while the process variables remain ineffective until the underlying process is turned on and their values are assumed by the active parameters. Also, the two sets of variables are addressed with different names by HTTP API and MQTT API:
Parameter Active Variable Process Variables**
Modergbmod*rgbmod1rgbmod2outrgbmod
Colorrgbcolor*rgbcolor1rgbcolor2outcolor
Speedrgbspd*rgbspd1rgbspd2outval1
Brightnessrgbbrt*rgbbrt1rgbbrt2outval2
Process IDDoes not applyApplies
*Obsolete from version 1.14, in which the number of RGB channels was extended from 1 to 2.
**In Process Variables the RGB channel is determined by the Primary output

Mode

The current RGB driver supports 11 built-in program Modes that can be rendered by the attached LED strip. The tables below provide a detailed description of each mode and summarize the relevance of the auxiliary Color, Speed, and Brightness parameters:

Showcase [VALUE] Mode Description
RGB Rainbow0OffAll channels off.
RGB Rainbow1Static colorDisplays a predefined static color until changed.
RGB Rainbow2RainbowLoops through all rainbow colors for a predefined duration of a single loop.
RGB Rainbow3Warm RainbowLoops through warm colors (red channel always on) for a predefined duration of a single loop.
RGB Rainbow4Cool RainbowLoops through cool colors (blue channel always on) for a predefined duration of a single loop.
RGB Rainbow5CandlelightSimulates the flickering of a common candle with predetermined color and flicker speed.
RGB Rainbow6ThunderstormSimulates natural lightning flashes with predetermined color and pauses between lightning clusters.
RGB Rainbow7StrobeFlashes rapidly with predetermined color and short pauses between individual flashes.
RGB Rainbow8SunriseSimulates a natural Sunrise/Sunset with a color and brightness progression, running for a predetermined time. Sunrise ends with full brightness on all channels, while Sunset ends with all channels turned off.
RGB Rainbow9Sunset
RGB Rainbow21Thunderstorm (4s)Simulates natural lightning flashes on four independent channels with predetermined pauses between lightning clusters.

Relevance of the Color, Speed, and Brightness parameters:

[VALUE] Mode Color Speed Brightness
0Off---
1Static color✓✓
2Rainbow-✓
3Warm Rainbow
4Cool Rainbow
5Candlelight✓
6Thunderstorm
7Strobe
8Sunrise-
9Sunset
21Thunderstorm (4s)

Color

Determines the base Color for the RGB program, denoted using the standard 6-digit (non-abbreviated) RGB Hex code (web color), #RRGGBB. For further reference on web colors, please visit here. This setting is only effective for relevant programs, as detailed in the table above.

Speed

The Speed of the RGB program is denoted as a non-dimensional unit. Its exact interpretation differs among these programs as detailed in the table below:

# Mode Speed effect Min (0) Max (100)
1Static colornone--
2Rainbowduration of the cycle (linear)5 minutes5 seconds
3Warm Rainbow3 minutes3 seconds
4Cool Rainbow
5Candlelightnumber of movements per second (non-linear)101000
6Thunderstormtime between lightning clusters (linear)10-30 seconds0-2 seconds
21Thunderstorm (4s)
7Strobetime between individual flashes (linear)0.5-1 seconds0-10 milliseconds
8Sunriseduration (non-linear)1 hour10 seconds
9Sunset
Program Speed may not be evaluated continuously. Therefore, changes may require up to several seconds to take effect.

Brightness

Determines the maximum Brightness of the RGB program, represented as a percentage of the LED's maximum power output. It is used for a linear reduction of the LED's output duty cycle.

White channel

The White LED channel has a unique role within the RGB driver. Its use is fully optional and has no impact on the main color channels. As long as all four channels are defined in the Peripheral menu, the output of the White channel is set equal to the lowest value of the Red, Green, and Blue channels.

Use the White LED channel to enhance the intensity of white light without interfering with the primary colors.

Processes

Although the RGB driver operates as an independent routine not reliant on being controlled by the Processes, these still play two significant roles:

  • Automation - Despite being independent, the RGB driver is fully integrated in terms of being controllable by the processes. Thus, it inherits all the benefits of automation and remote control that the processes offer.
  • Saved presets - Each process can store all four parameters needed by the RGB driver, allowing it to serve as a set of saved presets for the driver.

The exact behavior of the RGB driver when being controlled by a process is as follows:

  • On - When turning ON a process with RGB selected as the Primary output, all four RGB driver-related process variables (Mode, Color, Speed, and Brightness) are saved into their active counterparts and the playback with these properties begins immediately.
  • Off - When turning OFF a process with RGB selected as the Primary output, the active Mode is changed to 0 (Off) and the LEDs fade out.
The Fade-in/out process parameters apply to all transitions of the RGB driver initiated by the underlying process. If the change was not initiated by the process, then a constant one-second transition applies automatically. However, these transitions are simplified.
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