Streaming data from a PC

Hi,

Any advise on how can I stream data from a PC? Is blynk a suitable solution for that? I want to stream lights to a led strip from a python app. Blynk solves stuff that I would have to solve if I implemented a solution from scratch

The board is a Wemos D1, and the strip is a normal neopixel strip.

Thanks

I don’t see how Blynk will solve that issue… Blynk is an IoT app to control IoT stuff from your phone/tablet, not a magic bullet :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

If you already have working Python code to do the job, then you might try merging in Blynk’s Python library (NOTE - it is in Alpha and very much classified as “expert” use only :wink: ) and thus perhaps add a degree of App control… but it will all be up to your coding abilities as there is no simple Blynk Widget that will do the job.

Probably sending updates via HTTP API is your way to go.

I know, but it solves several things, fast debugging, etc. I will try HTTP API as @Eugene recommended to see if that is enough

Personally I use it for the GUI… I still use code for all the heavy lifting.

I still don’t see how Blynk will light your LED strip, I have to use actual code for all mine… but perhaps you can provide clearer details of your needs and issues.

I was thinking on using characters for the strip, 3 bytes per neopixel. So you could leave everything to Blynk and just stream a string with 3xN chars (from the terminal widget, for example)…

Again, Blynk is mostly an interface… there is no built in neopixel control. So while you could use the App to supply color data, pattern choices, on/off control, etc… it is really all your code and whatever neopixel library you use that does the work, with or without Blynk.

Lots of posts and projects in this forum on the subject…

https://community.blynk.cc/search?q=neo%20pixel%20order%3Alatest

For example…

And this one runs a continuous pattern loop in the background…

But you CAN send an appropriate “stream” through HTTP API (a kind of another interface!). There is a (possibly outdated) Blynk Client Java application which might be useful for some scripting purposes.
Again, this is perhaps the most exotic use of Blynk since the time I’m the user of this forum. Keep in mind @eried that Blynk does NOT like heavy traffic and will most probably kick you out when bothered too much :wink: There was a user that was trying to build a kind of an oscilloscope with Blynk. He failed…

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Yeah I understand. I mean leave the boring (aka connecting/finding/keeping a list of connected devices) part. I have used Blynk for several projects. It is already working perfectly, I was just wondering about the streaming part

As a reference, for a future googler: At the end I used https://www.cloudmqtt.com instead of blynk because the 10 Kbits/s limit on the free tier is more than enough for my streaming :slight_smile: using https://github.com/knolleary/pubsubclient on an ESP8266.

If you set-up your own MQTT and Node-Red server on a Raspberry Pi, you can install the Blynk plugin for Node-Red and have the best of both worlds.
This is the setup that I use and it makes a great home automation solution.

Node-Red has other plugins to simplify integration with many different systems. I use the Amazon Alexa and Ikea TRÅDFRI plugins that work perfectly alongside Blynk.

Pete.

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try HTTP API

2 years later? :joy:

Looks like a spam post… later post included link that led to non Blynk (or topic) related site that even stated…

image

Removed link post and closed topic.

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