After my first Wiimote project in which I controlled my curtains, I realized the endless possibilties of home automation with a Nintendo Wii and it’s Wiimote controller. On this page you can read how I set the color of my LED lighting with the Wiimote. Read on to get a detailed HowTo.

Let’s start with a video of the end-result:

The RGB Controller
The controller I used is from a Vogel’s Moodvision XLF200 set. These real nice looking, very intense LED lighting tubes are available in 2 versions. There is a button controlled version (XLF200) and a remote controlled version (XLF300). Extra LED tubes are available in the XLF100 package. I used the XLF200 controller with a nice blue button.

Hacking the controller
I wanted to be able to make any color and not only simulate button presses with my Wiimote. So I had to modify the controller a bit. It’s rather easy to open the controller. Inside is a microcontroller, some fet’s that drive the LEDs and a switch. I wanted to talk to this controller by RS232 so I soldered a SUB-D9 connector to the TDO and RDI pins of the micro. Picture below:

Bluetooth Dongle
On the PC I attached a cheap USB Bluetooth dongle that I bought in China. It comes with a free version of the Blue Soleil bluetooth stack.

I paired my Wiimote with my PC. This is done by holding down the 1 and 2 button on the Wiimote (leds will flash) and use the bluetooth software to set op a connection with a HID device.

It makes the Philips Ambilight TV system look like child play

A what?

Do you know that Philips TV system that lights up your wall with the same color as the picture on the TV screen? That’s what they call Ambilight. It’s a great system that ads another dimension to watching TV. It really ads a cozy atmosphere but…. only around the TV.

So when we decided to build a new fireplace, I decided to start a new project to make an ambilight fireplace. Read on to see how I did it.

Let’s start with the results:

This small animated gif file shows just a few colors. But… It can make ANY COLOR it can do many different EFFECTS from very smooth transitions to seizure causing blisterings. Even a fire effect is not missing. it can also be turned off…

So now you got a small impression of what an ambilight fireplace is.

Since you are still reading, I assume you want to know more and see every single detail about this project. In the next paragraphs I will try to show you all the ins and outs.