Beiträge von Manuel

Hello Muriturus,

I did try that, but that did not help

For your information.. I also have this problem when I use external ambilight only with the grabber and not with converter and splitter.

Thanks for your help

BR

Manuel

Hello Muriturus,

thanks for your reply. I will imediately try that when I come home.

But did I understand that right..? You want me to switch the slider of the HDMI 2 AV Conveter to NTSC? And furthermore change the grabber setting in the configfile to NTSC aswell?

Thanks for confirming. I am not sure about this.

BR

Manuel

Zitat von Akriss

If possible, try attaching a computer monitor to the splitter (with tv attached) to see the image it's passing along to the converter.

The splitter is definitely not responsible for the interference - because I already did plug in the external HDMI device directly to the Converter and the problem stays the same. Or what do you mean here? My english is good, but not perfect haha

Zitat von Akriss

Might be able to test the hdmi2av converter (and grabber) with something else that output's video with hdmi. A dvd player or a laptop with hdmi out, even a desktop computer.

I tested other HDMI devices - the problem is still there.

Zitat von Akriss

Could test the usb grabber with something that output to rca style connectors. A dvd player or camcorder maybe.

I am already trying to find a device which has a video output. So that I can plug in this device directly to the grabber (after that I can see if the problem comes from the converter or not)

EDIT1:
Okay, I did take an old Pi 1 (has a composite video slot) and connected it directly to the grabber (without converter and splitter). Unfortunately the problem stays the same, but the colorful lines are gone. See attatched picture of the grabber (on the old Pi 1 I also have installed Libreelec)

Zitat von Akriss

Could be interference from the tv. Try a test by moving the Rpi, grabber, hdmi2av, power supply and wires off the back of the tv and a small distance away (also from other equipment). Leaving just the led's on the back.

I already tried this and did run the ambilight without a TV power connection. So the TV was not able to make the inteference.
I wil try this again - I will plug out any not needed device except the Pi, Grabber, LEDs, Converter and splitter.

@Daniyal: Unfortunatelly not - Problem still there.
But I would be thankful if you also would help us here

EDIT:
I did now unplug everything (except Power Supply, LEDs, Pi, Grabber and Converter). Still flickering.
I did connect the external HDMI device directly to the converter without the splitter - Problem stays the same. I also did replace the external HDMI source.

More and more I think, the interference is comming from the power supply..
-> Nope, I thought about this idea, but the flickering does not occur when internal grabber (when Kodi is displayed) is used.. So it needs to be something between the Pi and the converter. Or am I wrong?

Hello Akriss,

I did replace the Grabber and the Converter and it didn't solve the problem unfortunatelly. I am glueless at the moment...

Thanks

Zitat von Akriss

I found some heavy gauge shielded 4 wire cable that worked well. It used 16, maybe 18 gauge wire If I remember correctly

Can you send a link of this kind of cables?
And how do I need to connect them from PI <-> LED Stripe? Currently I am using jumper cables.

Zitat von Akriss

Bingo! . .That is almost certainly interference. I think that is the cause of the flickering, as well. Defective in some way perhaps?

I did buy the exact same grabber again and replaced it yesterday, but the problem stays the same. I did buy this one:

Do you think the problem can come from the HDMI splitter or Video Audio AV converter? Both need extra power supply and are not working without.

It feels like we are coming closer to the solution...

Thanks

BR

Manuel

Zitat von Akriss

Running out of ideas. Possibly shielded wiring, With the shielding attached to ground. Other then building a Faraday cage around it that is =)

What kind of shielded wiring did you mean? I thought you meant network cables?

The strange thing is, that the whole ambilight system already worked for me... It just had problems with the soldingering points. Thats why I didn't use the ambilight for about 4 Months. Now after fixing the "soldering problem" I have the problem with the flickering LEDs (only with external Grabber).
All I did was:
- Removing 4 LEDs (cut them off)
- Soldering the beginning of the new LED (Dataline and powerline)

The devices stayed the same.
Before those changes, the ambilight was totally fine wether with the internal or external grabber. Both worked...

Do you preclude settings in the hyperion config or any other software?

Thanks!

BR

Manuel

EDIT: And after the old problem I used the newest Openelec.
EDIT2: I did add a screenshot of the grabbed picture from Hypercon.jar
I think the colourful lines maybe a problem?

Hello Akriss,

I will try to use a Cat6 cable for the Dataline from the Pi to the LED stripe. Do you think I should use for Powersuply to LED Stripe also CAT6 cables?

I did not try the level shifter option yet. I think its kind to hard for me to build it..

BR

Manuel

Hello Akriss,

sorry for tha late reply. I was on the road the last few days.

I did order some ferrite beads and did add them to the ambilight system (about 10 pieces). Unfortunatelly it didnt get better. The problem stays the same. But I noticed, that while the LEDs are showing the colors and I unplug the grabber from the pi (USB Connection), the LEDs stop flickering. Due to unplugging, the LEDs are not getting any new signal and so they arent changing the color. But the flickering stopps. Do you think it helps to replace the grabber?

I also did unplug nearly any other device, to be sure the interference is not comming from others.

What would be your next steps to fix this problem?

Thanks for your help!

BR

Manuel

EDIT:
Can you recommend a grabber? I really want to test, if its better with a new grabber.

Hello Akriss,

thanks for your help.

I don't want to use the "pre-made" level shifter, due to the shipping costs (around 20 euros to germany). I also did read, that the level shifter is only needed, if the problem occurs when the LEDs are displaying a very bright color. My problem occurs, when pretty dark scenes are displayed. On bright scenes there is almost no problem. What do you think about this?

If I want to "build" the level shifter by my own... What kind of components do I need? On the website you mentioned (core-electronics.com) is a grey thing displayed where the level shifter is attached to, what is this? I already searched for a good tutorial for installing the level shifter, but I didn't find one. Maybe you can provide me with this information? With electrical stuff i am pretty bad (newbie).

How can you explain that the problem only occurs when the external grabber is getting used? When I am controlling the LEDs with the APP or with Kodi, than the problem does not come up.
Do you think the problem comes from electrical interference (maybe from other devices)?

Thank you very much!

Best greetings from Germany.

Manuel

EDIT: I did take another video. Maybe this is better to see the problem. In the video you can see at the top the "flickering" it is more like a blazing flame effect:

Thanks

Hello Akriss,

thanks for your reply. Do I need 1 ferrite bead per line or do I need 1 on every end (2 per line). And can I put more cables into one ferrite bead (eg. 3 Data lines into one ferrite bead)? Just to know how many ferrite beads I need... Can you send me an example of what kind of ferrite bead I need to buy?

Is there any tutorial for the level shifter and how to install it? Because I don't know what it is and for what it is good for...

Thank you very much.

BR

Manuel

EDIT:
Maybe another good information:
- The PI doesn't has his own power suply. It is getting power from the silver general power suply (where the LEDs are also connected)
- When I am using the hyperion App and the effects of it. I do not get the error.

Hello Akriss,

thanks for your reply. I only have this problem when I am controlling the LEDs with an external grabber not when I am playing a video via Kodi. I did read a few things to use aluminium foil to protect the data cabes. But this did not work. The problem stays the same. Attatched a few pictures of my ambilight system. I will buy ferrite beads. Where do I need to put these? On which cables? Also on the HDMI cables?

Thanks in advance.

BR

Manuel

Hello Guys,

I have some problems with my ambilight system. Some of the LEDs are flickering in different colours. The problem occurs only when I want to control the LEDs with an external grabber (eg. HDMI device). When I am starting a video on openelec (using internal grabber) then the problem does not occur.

2 videos which should show the problem:

It looks like some LEDs can't decide which colour they want to show. The majority of the LEDs are getting controlled correctly but some not. This problem also occurs when the video is not getting played.

I am using the following things:
- Openelec (8.0.4)
- RPI3
- WS2801 RGB LED-Stripe
- USB Video grabber:
- HDMI 2 AV converter:
- HDMI splitter:

Attatched you can find:
- Screenshot of grabbed picture for external grabber
- Hyperion.json.config
- blueprint of the connection (from Powerpi.de)

I did use the german tutorial of powerpi.de to create my ambilight with the RPI.

I really hope some of you genius guys can help me out.

BR

Manuel