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I can't be the first to look at these RGB "beauty" ring lights?
There is 100% an RGBW SK6812 or compatible strip in there.
If no one hacked these yet I will have a go, its almost too perfect of a setup.
There is 100% an RGBW SK6812 or compatible strip in there.
If no one hacked these yet I will have a go, its almost too perfect of a setup.
They even thought about giving you a nice little case with buttons to put your own PCB in there.
Good news, its not welded and just a snap fit case you can pry open.
The bad news, the USB cable is power only but I guess that was too much to expect.
(Yes it also got an RF receiver)
(Yes it also got an RF receiver)
Interestingly it not a RGBW strip but an RGB pixel strip and a plain dual color white strip.
lol
A little cutting with the side cutter and it fits perfectly. Thats all you technically need if you don't care about buttons or the extra white led strip.
I'll make a little addon PCB to give you buttons and mosfets to control the white led strip.
I'll make a little addon PCB to give you buttons and mosfets to control the white led strip.
Ok back at it. @CircuitPython makes hacking trivial as always.
The ring has 48 LEDs in it.
Will make a little addon board now.
The ring has 48 LEDs in it.
Will make a little addon board now.
First reversing the button layout of the original case.
done, luckily a very sane metric design
Ok might as well model the whole thing
Test fitting with Pico STEP file
Close to perfect I'd say
And back at it again after a walk and dinner.
Worked on the PCB the last hour, will try to mill it now.
Worked on the PCB the last hour, will try to mill it now.
bzzz
Forgot to cut off the other end in CAD to leave space for the cable retention. Side cutters to the rescue once more.
Hacking completed
The whole modification takes probably around 15min.
I chose parts that are available for JLC assembly. So anyone with a side cutter and basic soldering skills should be able to put this hack together.
I will clean things up a bit and make a repo with all the files.
I chose parts that are available for JLC assembly. So anyone with a side cutter and basic soldering skills should be able to put this hack together.
I will clean things up a bit and make a repo with all the files.
I thought about what way is the easiest and most approachable for people to replicate this. The issue is always the MCU, QFN or even QFP is scary for many so thats why I looked if the @Raspberry_Pi Pico would fit in there and oh boy did it fit well.
I still chose SMD components for the addon board because you could then have it assembled by JLC. They are very easy to hand solder too though.
Ok dimming the white LED strip also works.
Now just need PWM support in @CircuitPython for the RP2040.
Now just need PWM support in @CircuitPython for the RP2040.
