How to make an equalizer from LED strip. Graphic seven-band rainbow equalizer on Arduino Nano and MSGEQ7


These original light columns are made from single square air filters, black tape and LEDs. Small improvised materials were also used. The advantages of the design lie in its originality and ease of manufacture, and its weight is negligible. In fact, this design is quickly collapsible, which makes it easy to transport and use. The air filters used in air ventilation systems measuring 20 x 20 inches were taken as a basis.

Then they are glued together with regular black adhesive tape and cardboard triangles are added to the top and bottom of the cube as structural reinforcers. In fact, the cubes in the column do not even need to be fastened together, but for reliability they can also be glued with 3M tape.
Powerful single LEDs of various colors are used as a light source, installed at the bottom of the column along with a power source.
If you have some imagination, you can create various lighting effects based on RGB LEDs using various controllers and other hardware.

Source: churchstagedesignideas

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An LED Halloween costume for a boy is a great gift! What do children love most about the holidays? - these are two things - for everything to glow and sparkle, and also various games in disguised superheroes (or villains). Why not combine these two things? Features of the demon costume: voice filter (Wave Shield), animated LED matrices that make up the face, glowing El wire for the wings and horn. The first debut of the costume was noted in a video on the Internet from Halloween in the United States. There are two good ideas for creating a quality suit that you should take note of:
- Firstly, it is worth noting that there is no carefully planned plan for creating a costume. Electronics don’t have to be complicated, the main thing is don’t be afraid to experiment and “play” with the craft, because your main goal is to give your kids a great Halloween. Even try to develop your own ideas. So, the project itself: - The project creators wrote the software as open source, which you can use partially or completely, or completely adapt the code to create your own projects;
- The project does not provide step-by-step work to complete the costume as instructed. Almost all electronic components are manufacturing parts of other devices. Related instructions:
- Use additional animation as several LED lines (like a garland on a Christmas tree). This is to illustrate the wiring of the LED arrays that form the face. There is also an idea to combine the work (facial expressions) of the face with the Shield Wave (voice filter) to pre-play pre-recorded sounds in a “terrifying” voice; - Use the opportunity to combine the Wave Shield with a microphone in order to improve the quality of the modified voice. There are two programs for this clever idea: “adavoice”, when only the voice changes, and the “adavoice_face” program, which in addition to the changed voice activates the glow of LEDs, creating an interesting facial animation. The latter is what is used as the demon's mimicry; - Work with the wires;
- Work with the shape of the demon’s face (it’s best to just buy a plastic mask), and then with the wings (can be made of cardboard) and with the horns (they, by the way, should be hollow, because they will also glow); - Next, attach the LEDs to the sneakers. The last thing is the suit itself. Here you just need to buy some cheap clothes (preferably dark colors). Tight fitting clothing is best. First, you should sew pants with a T-shirt or jacket, then make a slit so that the suit can be put on, and then simply sew on ready-made electronics in the form of horns, wings and toes.
Security measures
The main thing to avoid is, of course, moisture. It is especially important to avoid contact with liquid while the suit is being worn (after all, all the electronics are near the face). Happy Halloween!
More information on this project can be found at the links below:
https://learn.adafruit.com/animating-multiple-led-backpacks https://learn.adafruit.com/wave-shield-voice-changer
Good luck!

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Have you ever melted something you needed because it was hit by a powerful light? Or maybe you have ever accidentally broken an expensive lighting fixture by carelessly catching it with your foot? If this story is about you, then you will probably enjoy working with LEDs. This is a shock-resistant, heat-resistant product that consumes only 100W of electricity, while it burns like a 500W halogen lamp. After reading this article, you will be able to understand how in a simple way you can do this at home with your own hands. Everything is simpler than you might imagine. The assembly process begins with you attaching the component parts to the radiator. The heatsink is used to cool the high-power LED. Using special holes in the LED and bolts, you need to attach the LED module to the heatsink, as shown in the figure. It is imperative to use thermal paste and press it as tightly as possible to the radiator. Next, we attach the fans that will be used for active cooling. You can take fans that are installed in servers. Next, connect all the parts together, check the operation of the fans, the voltage on the network adapter and the fans should be the same. 5V DC or 12V DC. For reliability, you can use your own mini adapter for each fan. Connect power to the LED (the power wires from the power source must be soldered to the LED) and check the operation by applying voltage to the power source. Be sure to check that the cooling system is working properly. To determine the exact temperature, an infrared temperature gun is best.
AC adapter - for fans. Current source - for the LED module. The next step is to place the entire assembled structure in a special pre-prepared frame. It is imperative to make a hole at the bottom for the fans so that the cooling system works correctly. Don’t forget to also make several holes on top so that air can enter through them, ventilate all the working elements, take heat from them, and then blow out through the fans. The board for powering the fans can be borrowed from the charger. Do not use a used or suspicious adapter. If it fails, the powerful LED will overheat and stop shining altogether. Or it will quickly lose brightness day, month, year. Now you have a powerful LED spotlight that works just like a 500W halogen bulb. It is the same in size, just as durable and light, which guarantees ease of use with the lighting device. It is also important that the lamp operates at a temperature of 50°C, which allows the LED to operate longer than the 40,000 hours stated for a temperature of 65°C.

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Very soon everyone's favorite holiday is Halloween. How to make an original mask? The masquerade LED mask will be visible both day and night! There are three ways to decorate your mask with LEDs. This guide will allow you to make a mask of any complexity: all you need is a few LEDs and a battery, no programming or microcontroller required! You need skills in soldering and gluing particles, the work time is no more than an hour. You can make the mask more complicated and add animation, but this will require programming skills. But make the best masquerade mask with animation and audio by adding a small audio controller. It will shine day and night, and the animation will play to the music.

While each mask is made from different electronic components, there are a few tools and supplies you'll need to use regardless of the design you choose:
- masquerade mask
- LEDs with drivers / digital LED strip
- glue
- scissors for stripping wires
- soldering iron
- mini RGB controller / arduino / miniature battery compartment

For the first option - a simple masquerade mask with LEDs - you will additionally need miniature batteries. You need to connect the battery pack to the LEDs.

It is easier to solder the wires to the LEDs on a factory plate; if there is none, you can fix them in any convenient way on any other surface using 3M glue

The next step is to glue the LEDs to the masquerade mask. Take a hot glue gun and carefully glue them in the right place - on the front side of the mask or behind the first row of feathers, also glue the battery behind the feathers so that you can hide it; if you don’t have a hot glue gun, use superglue.

Leave the mask to dry on the stand for an hour.

To add animation - purchase a special controller to control each LED in the hotel, as in the figure below

making such a device is quite difficult without certain programming skills, a mask with animated lighting

Using a miniature microphone, you can make a mask that will respond to sound and change the color of the LEDs.

A miniature speaker can also be installed that will reproduce various audio effects.

Visually, the mask will not change, but the sound and color animation will make the masquerade mask the best addition to your carnival costume.

If you want to surprise everyone, you can install a sensor that reacts to alcohol, it will be something like a breathalyzer!
As an example of how this sensor works, you can see another project: Interactive LED robe

Source: https://learn.adafruit.com/led-masquerade-masks/overview

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Let's prepare the materials we need:
1. Glasses;
2. Glue;
3. Pencil;
4. LED lamps;
5. Chalk board or regular board (preferably black, it looks even more impressive);
6. Drill;
7. Socket;

1. The first thing we need to do is buy 100 plastic glasses, it is better to take not ordinary ones, but colored and thick ones, the more original the glasses, the more creative the lamp will be. Lamps can be bought either in hypermarkets, such as Auchan, or ordered in online stores (aliexpress, ebay). Picture 1

2. We will also need a board, you can take a regular one, or you can take a special chalk board (on it you can draw the frame of the lamp with multi-colored crayons, constantly changing it, depending on your mood), the second one, by the way, is much more expensive. If you take chalk, then its size should be 110*110 cm, 1 m2 will be occupied by cups, the rest of the space will be taken by the frame. If you choose a regular board, then its required size is 100*100 cm. Choose the color of the board yourself, taking into account the light of the glasses. Figure 2

3. The next step is to select a Christmas tree garland or LED modules. The power of the lamps must be good, otherwise the light will not penetrate through the dense walls of the cups. The lights themselves should not be small, but about 1 cm, otherwise, when inserted into special holes, they will also give off light poorly. An example of a garland in Figure 3.

4. Using glue, glue the cups one to one, occupying the entire space (if you chose a regular board) or step back 10 cm from the edge (if you have a chalk board). Choose a universal glue that interacts with both wood and plastic. Regular super glue can corrode plastic. Figure 4

5. Once the glue has completely dried and the cups are well attached to the board, turn the board over. Using a pencil, mark the centers of the cups' circumference. Then drill a hole in the marked places. This is where our LED lighting will be located. Figure 5.

6. Insert garlands into the holes of the light bulbs, starting from the top and positioning them like a snake. The end should be close to an outlet so you don't have to use an extension cord. Figure 6.

7. Voila! Figure 7. Place the finished lamp in the desired location or even somewhere outside. Original and unusual, it not only looks good in the evening when it illuminates the room, but also during the day. Figure 8.

The cost of the LED project is minimal, the completion time is about 3-4 hours.

Then a power supply with a power of 12 V, 0.5 A is connected, plugged into the network and the star lights up in one specific color.
If you have imagination and certain skills in working with LEDs and control controllers, you can add a variety of lighting effects.

You can download files with 3D models of all parts, as well as see the step-by-step production of a New Year's star, in the original instructions at the link:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Vega-The-LED-lit-Christmas-Star/?ALLSTEPS

Good luck with your projects. Don't forget to use your imagination, and then your projects will truly become unique!

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Do-it-yourself LED lighting using an LED strip can be done without any particular difficulties, you just need to resort to the advice of the experts. It is necessary to determine the required footage of the LED strip and the required brightness. When laying the tape, the multiplicity of its cutting should be equal to 3 or 6 LEDs, the segments of which, if necessary, are connected using connectors. To attach the finished tape, remove the protective layer of 3M glue from it and glue it to the surface of the base, having previously degreased it. Select the power of the power source that matches the power of the tape/tape segment.

Full text of the article

Enjoy reading!

Many car owners try to give their car special parameters that are not similar to others. Some try to improve the technical characteristics of their car, in some cases bringing the performance of a production car almost to the characteristics of a sports car. Others are trying to increase the cross-country ability of already good SUVs. Such modifications relate to tuning, and a large number of car enthusiasts “suffer” from them - from those who have just received a driver’s license to “respectable successful guys”.

But such a trend as facelifting, which for some reason is also classified as tuning, is more characteristic of young people. They try to externally give individuality to their car by replacing bumpers, attaching spoilers, body kits, applying vinyl or airbrushing, and equipping the car with high-quality acoustics.

A special place in facelifting is occupied by equipping the car with additional lighting equipment. In addition to replacing standard optics with more “advanced” and modern ones, the car is often equipped with additional lighting equipment. – now the phenomenon is not so rare.

Recently, another type of car lighting equipment has appeared, which appealed to those who like to add features to their car - equalizers.

Features of equalizers

Blue equalizer on the rear window

This equipment creates a luminous equalizer image on the car window, which pulsates depending on the frequency of the music. Essentially, this is the same equalizer that every car radio usually has on its display, but only significantly increased in size. In itself, this equipment does not have any positive function; it simply translates the sound of music into a light indication, which... Therefore, this type of equipment should not be confused with an equalizer, which fine-tune the sound of music.

The image shape of such an equalizer may be different. The most common are the columns responsible for a specific sound frequency. The coloring of such equipment can be of the same type - they all have the same color; during operation, such equalizers display only single-color columns increasing or decreasing in height, divided into segments.

There are also multi-colored equalizers. Each column has several types of segment colors, each color is responsible for a certain range of sound frequencies. For example, a low frequency sound is colored red, a medium frequency sound is green, and a high frequency sound is colored blue.

Some expensive equalizer models may include several types of light images, for example, there are round multi-colored light indicators on the sides and columns in the center.

Equalizer sizes can also be different. Some are small in size and suitable even for use on side windows, while others are quite large and can cover the rear window completely.

The most convenient place to install such equipment is the rear window. Its overall dimensions allow you to equip your car with large-sized lighting equipment. Some also install equalizers on the side windows of the rear doors, but this is not always justified.

How a car equalizer works

Equalizers for the rear window of a car have a relatively simple design. There is a tape on which LEDs are attached, forming segments of columns or circles. Moreover, the tape and the LEDs attached to it are usually transparent, so they do not interfere with the visibility of the car during the day. The number of segments that light up depends on the voltage that the control unit supplies to them. The unit itself is equipped with a very sensitive microphone that picks up sound in the cabin.

Setting the equalizer

This microphone regulates the voltage, which is then supplied to the LEDs. When certain frequencies sound weak, the voltage is applied small, which is why only the lower segments of the columns glow. As the sound frequency increases, the microphone begins to transmit more voltage, causing more segments to light up.

The entire design of this equipment consists of a strip with LEDs attached to it, wiring, a control unit equipped with a power button and adjustment of the sound sensitivity of the microphone, as well as an adapter for connecting to the vehicle’s on-board network. This is the peculiarity of the equalizer design. It does not require connection to the car radio; its operation depends on the volume of music in the cabin.

Installing an equalizer does not require special knowledge, so anyone can do it.

The LED strip around the perimeter is equipped with an adhesive strip covered with a protective film. To install this tape, it is enough to remove the film around the perimeter and lean it against the rear window of the car from the inside, so that the adhesive strip sets. If you couldn’t glue it straight away right away, you can carefully peel off the tape and stick it again.

Then this tape is connected to the control unit. The wire coming from the unit is long enough to hide it around the cabin when installing it to avoid damage. The wiring must be laid so that the control unit is within reach of the driver. The best option is a storage box between the front seats. There this block will not interfere. There should be enough wiring to place this unit between the seats.

Typically, this equipment is powered from the cigarette lighter socket. For this purpose, an adapter for connection is included with the equipment. One end of this adapter is connected to the control unit, and the other - with a special adapter into the cigarette lighter socket.

This is the entire connection sequence. All that remains is to check the functionality and adjust the sensitivity of the microphone. To do this, you need to connect the equalizer to the on-board network and turn on the power to the control unit. Then you should turn on the music on the radio and use the adjustment wheel to select the microphone sensitivity.

Installing this equipment is not difficult, and given that LEDs are used as light elements, there will be no significant voltage drop in the car’s network.

The light equalizer on glass certainly looks beautiful. But it is worth considering that this is ordinary lighting equipment that only works well in the dark. Therefore, if the car is rarely used at night, and the owner himself is not a music lover and does not like loud music in the cabin, then an equalizer, in fact, is not needed.

Finally, it is worth mentioning the legality of using light equalizers on a car. There is no clause in the traffic rules prohibiting the use of this equipment, therefore there is no fine for it, although it is quite possible that one will appear soon.

However, in case of an accident, it may be indicated that the equipment has become a distraction, and this condition already provides for a fine. But here, too, it is still necessary to prove that it was the equalizer that caused the accident.

Dynamic equalizers for the rear window are an accessory for party and modern drivers. The devices are effective when used in the dark, when the dynamic diode flow to the beat of club music looks as stylish as possible to others.

Bright and colorful colors, various designs from standard equalizers to amazing masterpieces - this is the modernized appearance of your iron horse. The product is produced in the form flexible diode strip which takes power from cigarette lighter And picks up sound frequencies, providing the dynamics of movement to the beat.

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With the help of a stylish equalizer you can change the interior design of your car. The device operates from a 12-volt passenger car network, connecting to the on-board power supply system. The base of the body is a flexible sticker, inside of which there are multi-colored diodes in the form of a “BodyBuilding” pattern. The device is attached using 3M tape, which allows you to firmly attach the equalizer to the rear window inside the cabin. It can be dismantled at any time. Designed for reusable installation. The rear window equalizer "BodyBuilding" is sensitive to the rhythms of music, resulting in the production of color...

An amazing feature for a spectacular and stunning exterior of the car would be the installation of an equalizer model. This is a diode tuning tool that is sensitive to musical vibrations and is often placed on the rear window. The device with the “Club” picture is available in various sizes and connections in colorful colors, which are offered to choose from before purchasing. ..

A sound responsive tool for upgrading and tuning your car is an equalizer with the “Love” logo, which delightfully shimmers to the beat of the music. The device is placed on the rear view glass and connected to the car's power supply, or rather to the cigarette lighter socket. It looks very impressive and colorful, especially in the dark, which will allow you to surprise your friends with the spectacular diode shimmering around you. ..

The color "MusicParty" equalizer is a means of tuning and upgrading the rear view glass of cars with LED products. The equalizer is a flexible neon graphic plate that is sensitive to vibrations in music and sound, and once installed, lights up and moves to the beat. The device is amazing, impressive and eye-catching at night, giving the car a stunning look. It connects to the cigarette lighter and comes with a special unit on which sensitivity to vibrations is adjusted, since the product is not connected to the radio. ..

The neon strip sensitive to sound fluctuations on the rear glass format of the iron horse is an equalizer. The "Music" devices are distinguished by the beautiful shimmer of diode lamps to the beat of musical accompaniment. The product connects to the cigarette lighter and responds to music, that is, to vibrations, and therefore is not connected to the radio. Looks beautiful and impressive at night. Not only the size is chosen, but also the colors. ..

A modern decoration for your car will be the installation of an equalizer, that is, a flexible LED strip, the functionality of which is to sensitivity music waves and ensure the movement of the picture. This model is made in the form of an image of "AK-47". Connects to the cigarette lighter, but does not connect to the radio, since the built-in sensor reacts to the frequency of sound. To adjust the sensitivity, a special unit is supplied. ..

Sensitive diode strip of various volumes and color saturation is the main part of the equalizer, which is offered for installation on the rear glass of cars. The device adds luxury and extravagance to the car when working at night. A sensitive sensor responds to sound vibrations, thereby ensuring that the picture moves to the beat of the music. The connection occurs only to the cigarette lighter, from where the device is powered. ..

This equalizer model with the “Demon” picture will make your car look more impressive. This is a device that is mounted on the rear window. The product is an LED strip that, using a built-in sensor, is able to respond to vibrations in sound frequencies, moving and shimmering in time with them. It is powered by a 12V system and connects to the cigarette lighter. It is worth noting that there is no connection to the radio, thanks to the functionality of the sound vibration sensor. Colors and sizes are selected before making a purchase. ..

The burning and moving “Dragon” to the beat of the songs on the rear car window is a diode equalizer, which is a spectacular tuning. The device is a flexible tape of various sizes and background colors, which are offered to choose from. It connects to the cigarette lighter, from where it receives power. It is equipped with a special sensor, the function of which is to respond to sound frequencies and provide movement to the picture. The device looks very beautiful at dusk or on a dark night, when the light and every shimmer is visible a hundred times more impressive. ..

The device on the rear window of the car, moving and shimmering with different LED colors, is an exclusive model of an equalizer that has the Zenit logo. The device connects to the cigarette lighter, thereby receiving power from it, and has a unit that responds to vibrations and frequencies of music, so there is no need to connect it to the radio. The device is effective when placed on a car and has different dimensions. ..

A diode flexible tape with a sensor sensitive to sound frequencies is an equalizer, which is mounted on the rear glass of the car. The device connects to the power supply of the cigarette lighter and provides an excellent and impressive appearance of the car, especially at night, when light reflections and movement are noticeable a hundred times more. The operation of the device is that the response sensor detects sound vibrations and ensures that the equalizer picture moves in time. The background can be of a uniform or multi-colored type, and the tape is also available in different sizes. ..

The equalizer is mounted on rear-format machine glass. The product is an element of perfect car tuning and decoration, especially at night. This is a multi-colored diode tape that reacts to the frequencies of sound vibrations and begins to move and shimmer in time. A Celtic pattern to the beat of a song is stylish, extraordinary, interesting and even mysterious. The device itself is powered from the cigarette lighter, and the sensor responds to sound, so there is no need to connect the graphic tape to the radio. ..

Dragon wings on the rear window of a car can appear with the installation of a flexible graphic diode product called an equalizer. The device has the ability to respond to sound vibrations of sound frequencies, moving in time with them and providing a stylish and interesting shimmer of colors and movement of the picture. It takes power from the cigarette lighter, and the unit on the tape is sensitive to sound, that is, there is no connection to the radio. Set to 12V power supply. Comes in different sizes and colors to choose from. ..

An interesting equalizer model, which is mounted on rear glass and is powered from the cigarette lighter, connecting to it with a special connector. The assortment includes graphic sound tapes of different sizes and background colors, which can be selected before purchasing. This model is distinguished by a sensitive sensor to sound, which makes it possible to activate movement and the shimmer of colors in time with the sound equipment of the cabin. It looks very unusual and impressive, especially for night street parties. ..

A beautiful and stylish appearance that delights and surprises will be given by LED products called equalizers. This model is not just a standard equalizer, but a work of art, as it is characterized by an interesting picture “A winged heart and stars”. The device takes energy from the cigarette lighter and, capturing sound frequencies, thanks to the sensor, provides movement and shimmering colors to the beat, which looks impressive at night. ..

The moving “Winged Heart” and shimmering in different colors to the beat of your music in the car is a well-made equalizer. The device is very impressive and original; it connects to the cigarette lighter, receiving power from it. Sound vibrations are captured by a sensor, which ensures the movement of the picture. It is designed in different sizes and comes in different background colors. ..

An exclusive and interesting equalizer with a picture of “Rastafari” is now offered for installation on your car. It is attached to the rear window and is powered by the cigarette lighter. It is characterized not only by bright LED colors, but also by different sizes, which you select personally. Movement in time and color shifting occurs thanks to the functionality of the built-in sensor, which picks up sound vibrations and makes the picture light up and move. ..

An extraordinary equalizer with the picture “Child in the car” is stylish and interesting. The device is a diode strip that is connected to the cigarette lighter power supply and has a special sensor that reacts to the appearance of vibrations and waves of sound, causing it to light up and move in time with the picture. Produced in different dimensional volumes from small to volume for the entire rear window. Also chosen at your discretion and color. ..

An interesting graphic equalizer model - “Russia Forward”, for true patriots. This is a device that is placed on the rear glass and provides colors and movement to your music. The connection takes place to the cigarette lighter, and thanks to the sensor, which responds to music vibrations, the device does not need to be connected to audio equipment. Before purchasing, you must select the dimensions and desired color. ..

For true connoisseurs of Spartak, we offer installation of an equalizer model on the rear window, which moves to the beat of the music, effectively shimmering with colors. The connection is made to the cigarette lighter, and the sensor built into the diode strip, catching sharp or smooth vibrations of the music, makes the picture move beautifully. Available in different volumetric dimensions and colors. ..

An equalizer with the "Spectrum" picture is the best car tuning. This is a device that is constructed of a graphic and flexible diode strip with a sensor that captures sound vibrations and makes the image move to the music. The maximum effect from the play of various colors is ensured at night. Connects to a cigarette lighter with 12V power. ..

An extravagant and stylish equalizer model, equipped with a graphic "Speedometer" with distinctive background releases and dimensional volumes of the diode strip. It is connected to the cigarette lighter, and the sound waves are captured by the unit, that is, by the sensor. It is very impressive at night, and is the best tuning device for holding night parties with friends, accompanied by entertaining and loud music. ..

Equalizer "USSR" is a modern and innovative LED car tuning. The decorative product is mounted on the rear car window and is powered from the cigarette lighter, thanks to a special connector. The device is equipped with a block that responds to wave vibrations of sound, so there is no need to connect the device to the radio. Movement and glow to the beat in the darkness of the night looks incredibly impressive, charging with positivity and drive. ..

Patriots of their state can now arm themselves with an interesting diode car tuning device with a picture in the form of the Russian Flag. This device is called an equalizer and is placed on the rear view glass, which provides a spectacular and luxurious view at night. The product glows and moves to the rhythm of the song. The connection occurs only with the cigarette lighter; there is no need to connect anything to the radio, since the flexible graphic tape has a sensor that picks up sound vibrations, which guarantees movement to the beat of the music. ..

A graphic plate with the image of the CSKA logo, dynamically changing position to the rhythm of the music, is an equalizer that is placed on the rear windshield. The flexible panel is available in different sizes and colors, which is selected before purchase. The equalizer is activated thanks to a sensor that is built into the tape and detects sound vibrations. For power supply it is connected to the cigarette lighter. Provides a spectacular, interesting and unusual external appearance of the car. ..

An equalizer is a tool for tuning the transformation of a car. Such a device is a graphic LED plate that is mounted on the rear windshield and has maximum effect in the dark. The image of this model is a skull that moves to a musical rhythm, due to a block or sensor that responds to sound frequency vibrations. It is powered by a cigarette lighter, and the sensitivity of the speaker is adjusted by a special unit. ..

A spectacular and extravagant equalizer is the image of a black angel on the rear window of your car. A diode plate with an audio frequency vibration sensor is powered from the cigarette lighter, connecting to it thanks to a special connector. The device provides a stylish and excellent effect at night, so after installing the product, you can safely gather your friends and have rich, fun and colorful parties. ..

A solid, stylish and powerful equalizer with a graphic image of “Energy”. The device will become a delightful highlight of your car, as it has an incredible effect at night. An equalizer is a diode plate of various colors and distinctive dimensions (selected before purchase), which is mounted on the rear transport window. Changing the image to match the musical accompaniment is ensured by a sensor whose functionality is to capture sound vibrations. ..

A classic equalizer for your car is a delightful clubber's look. The device moves to the beat of music and provides a stylish and most effective look at night. It is placed on the car window for rear view and connects to the cigarette lighter, powered by it. There is no need to conduct wiring to the radio, because thanks to the sound response sensor, the image itself begins to move. The sensitivity of the sensor is regulated by a special unit or remote control. Available in different volumes and colors, which are selected by you personally. ..

The best modernization of a BMW car will be the installation of a graphic LED plate that responds to music, called an equalizer. This model has the company’s signature badge, which moves when heard and shimmers very effectively. The devices are placed on the rear view glass only. It is connected to the cigarette lighter, but nothing is connected to the radio, since the sensor, the sensitivity of which can be adjusted, picks up sound vibrations and causes the image to change dynamically. ..

I may not be a huge Justin Timberlake fan like the author of this tutorial, but I couldn't help but notice the stunning graphics in his music video for LoveStoned. This tutorial will teach you how to create a similar effect using just good old Photoshop.

This is what we will achieve:

Lesson materials:

Step 1. Create a new document with size 1024x768 px, background color - black.

Step 2. Open the equalizer image. I selected the black background of the image using the Magic wand(Magic Wand Tool) and deleted it by clicking Delete, despite the fact that black matches our main background. Now, click on the area surrounding the equalizer and invert (Ctrl+Shift+I) the selection so that only the rectangular shapes that make up the equalizer image are selected. Select blue (80D2FC) as the main color and fill our selection by pressing Ctrl+Backspace. Finally, duplicate this layer and go to Edit > Transform > Rotate 180degrees(Edit > Transform > Rotate 180 degrees) then move the copy as shown below.

Step 3. In the layers panel, select both layers with equalizer and click Ctrl+ Shift+ E to merge them into one. Now let's rotate the resulting layer 90 degrees - go to Edit > Transform > Rotate 90 degrees clockwise(Edit>Transform>Rotate 90 CW). Now copy the layer several times (Ctrl+J) and place the equalizers one below the other. Once done, merge the original layer with all the duplicates.

After making all these adjustments, make a copy of the resulting blue path from the equalizers, we will need it later. Hide it for now.

Step 4. Duplicate this entire track and click Ctrl+ T- we switched to mode Free Transformation. At the top right of the screen you can see the transformation panel. We need to move our row of equalizers to the right - to do this, we increase the number in the X column, click OK - and our track has moved to the right:

Step 5. Interesting move, isn't it? Using the same commands, make five identical columns as shown below. Once done, merge it all into one layer.

Step 6. Have you merged all the equalizer layers? Now let's go in Edit > Transform > Perspective(Edit>Transform>Perspective) and drag one of the top edges towards the center. If necessary, make the bottom edges wider. Click OK. We ended up with this path:

Step 7 Add a layer mask. This can be done by clicking on the “Add Vector Mask” icon in the layers panel, or in the menu Layers > Vector Mask > Show All(Layer > Add Layer Mask > Reveal All). Now, using a black brush with soft edges, we will go over the lower part of our “path”.

Step 8 Create a new layer (Ctrl+Shift+N) and with a large white brush, again with soft edges, paint a few white spots on the “path”. Change blending mode(Blend Mode) on Overlap(Overplay) for a subtle lighting effect.

Step 9 Now select your EQ layer and apply the Outer Glow settings for the layer shown below. Now reduce the Opacity of the layer to approximately 50%.

Step 10 Now duplicate your equalizers layer, and move the duplicate below the original. Apply Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur(Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur), and then set Blend Mode(Blend Mode)layer on Hard Light(Hard Light) and reduce the Opacity to approximately 30%.

Step 11 Clamping Ctrl and clicking LMB on the mask of the original layer with equalizers, select it. Now, having made the blur layer active, let’s create the same mask on it. To do this, simply click the Vector Mask icon in the layers menu (F7).

Step 12 Now create a new layer at the very top. Select black as the main color and fill this layer by clicking Ctrl+ Backspace. Now go to Filter > Render > Clouds(Filter>Render>Clouds). Put Blend Mode(Blend Mode) layer on Lightening Basics(Color Dodge).

Step 13 Duplicate your clouds layer. We should get a more intense effect. Select your layer with equalizers and instrument Magic wand(Magic Wand Tool) click on the black area. Now invert your selection so that the "path" is selected. Go back to your second cloud layer and press Delete, then reduce the Opacity to 10%. We got some extra fog on the edges of the EQs.

Step 14 Create a new layer. Now select a large brush with 0% Hardness and 100% Opacity. Choose a light blue color (eg 77D1FF). Make several large spots. Reduce the Opacity of this layer to 30%.

Step 15 Now duplicate your original cloud layer and move it above your big brushes layer. Blend Mode leave Lightening Basics. Now reduce the Opacity of the brushes layer to 20%, and the clouds layer to 45%. We’ll also apply a 200px Gaussian Blur on the layer with the brushes to somewhat “smear” the effect ( Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur(Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur)).

Step 16 Now insert a picture of a person in the center of your image. The person is on a white background, so it is very easy to highlight him by clicking Magic Wand on a white background, invert the selection (Ctrl+Shift+I). Copy the person (Ctrl+C), go to our document, paste the person (Ctrl+V). A man should be on the top layer! Now change Blend Mode(Blend Mode) layer on Soft light(Soft Light) and use the tool Eraser(Eraser) to erase his legs, allowing him to subtly blend into the EQ.

Step 17 Now duplicate your person layer and change Blend Mode(Blend Mode) for the duplicate on Normal(Normal). Now, using any method known to you, select the light parts of the photo, in this case the face and shirt. Copy this area to a new layer (Ctrl+J), and hide or delete the previous layer (the whole person and Normal Blending Mode). Let's return to the light areas - we don't need a tie (it's dark). We delete it Eraser. Be careful not to snag your shirt!

Step 18 Now for the layer with light areas we go to Image > Adjustments > Desaturate(Image> Adjustment> Desaturation). Then, in the same menu, select Color Balance(Color Balance) and apply these settings:

Step 19 Now the fun begins! Remember, I asked you to save one of the paths. We need him now. Move it to the very top and adjust the size so that its height is equal to the height of the person. Reduce the Opacity of the layer a little (to about 80%). Make two copies of this layer and hide.
Return to the original path. Put him right in front of the man, go to Edit > Transform > Warp(Edit>Transform>Warp) and make something like a wave (see the screenshot below). Make one duplicate visible, place it on the left and do the same with it, but on this layer, where there is a narrowing in the center, there should be an expansion. I just can’t imagine how to explain it differently, just look at the screenshot. Having made the first duplicate wavy, move on to the second one and, placing it on the right, make it look like the screenshot below.

Step 20. Now merge all your duplicate EQ layers together, and go to Image>Adjustments>Brightness/Contrast(Image>Adjustment>Brigthness/Contrast) and set your Brightness to -100 and Contrast to +100 to make your image black. We need to add sharpness to the layer, for this we go to Filter > Sharpness > Sharpness+ (Filter> Sharpen> Sharpen More). The edges become sharper and then we use the tool Magic Wand with a tolerance of 50 by clicking somewhere outside of our equalizers.
Now invert the selection (Ctrl+Shift+I) and hide our equalizers layer. We got a selection of all three deformed equalizers. Let's go back to our highlight layer. However, if we now just press Delete, then too much will be removed. Let's take it Eraser(E) with soft edges and Opacity about 20% and carefully remove only those parts that you consider necessary. IMPORTANT: do not overdo your face! Without removing the selection, go to the layer with the black parts and work Eraser there.

From the translator: of course, my role here is not great - I am just a translator. But here's my opinion - the effect on the clothes is not too similar to the one in the video. To achieve the best results, I advise you to use not an equalizer image, but to create some lines yourself and only then, copying them, remove parts of the clothing.

Step 21 Now create a new top layer and use your tool Feather(Pen Tool) to draw a line near your person. Make sure your current brush is 1px in size, 100% hardness, and the foreground color is B6FEFE. After drawing an outline with the Pen, right-click on it and select Stroke a Path(Stroke Path). If your line does not suit you in some way, you can always change its shape using Free Transformation(Ctrl+T). Finally we duplicate this layer and move the duplicate a little lower than the original. I reduce the width of the second layer so that the lines are slightly different from each other.

Step 22 Merge both line layers together and apply Layer Style(Layer Style). In settings Outer Glow We expose what is shown below. Take a small soft one Eraser(E) and erase the edges of the lines a little. Now reduce the Opacity of the layer to 80%.

Step 23 Let's go to Edit > Transform > Scaling(Edit > Transform > Scale) to move our lines a little closer to each other. Now Eraser Let's delete parts of the lines that go in front of the person's feet. Now create a new layer above all the others and use round white brushes. Gradually reduce the Opacity of the brush to create the effect of the edges of the white lines gradually disappearing. Now we just put Blend Mode this layer on Overlap(Overlay), giving the lines a cool lighting effect.


For those who remember the 1980s, this project will undoubtedly bring back fond memories when every piece of audio equipment was replete with LED indicators, especially the Graphic EQ.

This project uses the MSGEQ7 IC, on the basis of which we will create a 2-channel graphic equalizer (in reality a simple spectrum analyzer). I will also be using the Arduino Uno R3, the Arduino development environment, and programming in "C" for the first time in ten years.

To make the above device you will need a certain tool, basic knowledge of electronics and the following components/libraries:

1. 3 wires with male/female connectors as shown in the image above (red, black and green) to connect the light sensitive resistor (LDR).
2. 5-wire male/female connector, also shown in the image above (red, black, blue, green and yellow) to connect the 8x8 LED matrix.
3. 2 LED matrices 8x8.
4. 1 resistor with a nominal value of 22 kOhm.
5. 1 Arduino Uno controller.
6. 1 Spectrum Shield.
7. Arduino LedControl library from the Git Hub resource. github.com/wayoda/LedControl/releases

The circuit is designed to display the left and right audio channel. The seven columns of each 8x8 matrix represent a scaled analogue of the following frequency components present in the audio signal track at any transient state in time.
16 kHz, 6.26 kHz, 2.5 kHz, 1 kHz, 400 Hz, 160 Hz and 63 Hz.

The last column represents the running average of all frequency components.

Audio is fed to the Spectrum Shield through 3.5mm jacks on the board, and other jacks are used to transmit this audio to the speaker.

The schematic diagram for the Spectrum Shield can be found

The LDR is used to programmatically dim the 8x8 LED matrix when ambient light levels drop to produce a higher contrast image.

Step 1: Detailed design


The above image shows how to connect the remaining circuit components to the Spectrum Shield and two 8x8 LED arrays. There is a copy of the Arduino sketch used to control the display. The sketch is attached below.

Step 2: Installing Components on the Universal Development Board


This procedure will require some experience in electronics and special tools such as a soldering iron, pliers, scissors, etc.
Now, I connected the developed program with a circuit and a breadboard, which was exactly located above the Arduino Uno and the Spectrum Shield.
Finally, I bent the leads on the 8x8 LED arrays so that they were perpendicular to the board and could fit into the pin holes on the PCB.
Detailed image shown above.

Step 3: Final Assembly