DIY Led Music Box (With How To)

[StuMurphy09]

Hi, great idea. I've tried it myself using a +12v supply instead of usb. when using one strip of leds and the tip31 transistor it worked perfectly, i think made two 18" boxes with 3 strips of leds each and tried the same but i found that instead of the led's being off when there is no music there are on but dim then do react to music when played but not like before. I also found that it causes the audio output from my laptop crackly. Any idea how to solve it? Would be much appreciated!

[ajmboarding]

@StuMurphy09 I don't know if i'm completely correct, but the reason it may be crackly is because your using an alternate power source, therefor, when you plug your audio cable into your computer i think you might actually be pushing some sort of power signal in the lines for the speakers. this can cause interference in the lines giving you that raspy sound.

[StuMurphy09]

@ajmboarding Thanks for the reply! I can;t understand why when i used one strip of leds it worked fine but when i add a few more it doesn't, they're getting enough power because without the audio signal they all light up perfectly. I just can't work out how to make them work properly, basically i'm a mobile dj and they're to light up the front faces of my speakers and flash to the music.

[ajmboarding]

@StuMurphy09 Yea, sorry. That's about as much as i can help ya, i couldn't tell ya what exactlys going wrong.

[StuMurphy09]

@ajmboarding Thanks anyway mate! and thanks for the idea, looks brilliant! :)

[coolmw2booster]

my alien ware m14x does this on its own and so does my self made custom computer with sound activated cold cathodes :P

[lordkesil]

@coolmw2booster Bragging anyone? Sound activated cathodes just needs to be fastened to the case, plug in a molex and then they work... Try doing this yourself with some leds and transistors, then come back.

[ajmboarding]

@lordkesil lul's :)

[coolmw2booster]

@lordkesil nope just saying that my 1000$+ computers can do this too. and i have made like 5 things simaler to this (just no in a cube form) and its not hard. + to - and add on a transister add power and a sound source (or plug in to computer) and BAM you have a crued led cube thing...yeah yeah yeah i have bad spelling but im using my iphone and dont feel like spell checking (i have auto spell off)

[supertie21]

mine does not work what I wrong

[ThePcGammer97]

is the usb connection just for power? and if so could you just use a AA battery instead?

[supertie21]

I do stuff like this every weekend to lol

[WOLFSCHRAMM1]

i just finished doing this mod, thank you!

i was able to make it work with my psp, had to change the EQ settings tho, to boost up the output signal a bit, it works nice, but i am using 5 blue LED´s

and as a power supply a 9v battery, works perfect, i assembled everything inside an ipod case, you now the plastic case that comes with the ipods when you purchase it, :D i might upload a video of it, for now i´ll use it along with my psp as an alarm

[WOLFSCHRAMM1]

hi, nicely done, i am trying to follow your schematics, did you wired all the + together and all the - together? like,... you didn`t go + to - + to - and so on.... why? , sorry, i am very amateur at electronics for the moment, i just don`t quite get why are all the + wired together and also all of the - of the leds

[Cheetothestoner]

instead of hooking the tip to a head phone jack can I hook it to my sub

[Jxordan]

what is the dimensions of the box?

[ajmboarding]

@Jxordan Its about 1' x 2.5" x 2.5"

[imors91]

in your box the leds also reacts with high and mid sounds not only with the bass ?? am i correct ??

[ajmboarding]

@imors91 yupp

[SgtCreamcake]

where can ou get that kind of casing/box?

[arider91]

@SgtCreamcake Its plexiglass. you can get it at home depot, lowes, or ant other hardware store. you have to make it. i made a six light box and the dimensions are 15cm x 5cm. the squares are 5cm x 5 cm.. hope this helped

[SgtCreamcake]

@arider91 Really helpful thanks!, how easily are they intaled for car use? and do you use a 12v supply?

[ajmboarding]

@SgtCreamcake you make it out of plexy glass, cut out the 6 pieces and rub them down with sand paper to give it that diffused look.

[arider91]

with the fix to the problem with the ipods not having enough power. cut back on the LEDs. ur using 33+ volts.. cut back to maybe lets say 8 and ur only using 24+ volts.. try that

[ceh555]

will it work transistor TIP32B? pls replyyyyyyyyy :DD

[ajmboarding]

@ceh555 to be completely honest i'm not sure, but its worth a shot, whats a couple bucks anyways now days.

[TheMrsuperbing]

@ceh555 yes

[legacy1123]

@ajmboarding I've looked at the diagram you made on instructables. So.. no resistors at all?

[ajmboarding]

@legacy1123 nope, i mean i probably should have but, it wasn't required and i was too ancy to build it when i had the stuff to do it so i didnt really care.

[DeAthZReApEr760]

Where is the sound coming out from if the jack is in the computer or ipod?

[ajmboarding]

@DeAthZReApEr760 i had a splitter coming out of my computer, so one line when to the lights and the other to my speakers

[DeliciousP00p]

woww thats friggin awesome !!! :D please make an instructional video!

[legacy1123]

Hey, can you please email me how you did that? the wiring diagrams and everything. Of course, if it's not much a trouble to you. I was looking all over youtube to find instructions on how to make a USB powered LED music box, but sadly there were none. :(

[ajmboarding]

@legacy1123 Sorry I totally forgot about puttin that up, I actually forgot how I wired it up exactly, but I'll open it soon and post one up on here.