Upcoming shows/vending:

 

 

 

 

 

 Know of a show I should go to? Tell me!

Custom Blinky LED Buttons

Add some flair to your arcade. Watch the video, use my code and modify it to make your own 'light show'. I wrote the code for arduino microcontrollers. You could  accomplish this on the Pi, but why waste precious processing power and GPIOs for LEDs? We need all we can get when emulating games and arcade controls.

 

I was very tempted to make this setup for driving many LEDs with a few darlington transistor ICs; which are great for driving 12V LEDs and not having to worry about higher current draw. I opted to keep things simple than build this elaborate circuit. The code can be optimized of course, but there is no need since we have a dedicated unit.  

 

Copy and past the code below into the Arduino IDE. Make sure to change the pin #'s to match your board and omit the FADE patters if not using PWM pins. 

Schematic

/*
Blink-a-tron patterns for 6 LED arcade buttons
(c) 2015 Ryan Bates, RetroBuiltGames.com
*/

//LED pin connections for Teensy 2.0++
//change these for your arduino compatible device
const int led0 = 14;
const int led1 = 15;
const int led2 = 16;
const int led3 = 24;
const int led4 = 25;
const int led5 = 26;

// button/switch used to cycle between 'demo mode' and 
//'non-seizure light pattern mode' when playing arcade
const int buttonPin = 2;


int buttonState = 0; //variable for reading button state

 

//variables used to adjust pattern speeds (all in millis delays)
const int  ledx = 0;
const int  delaytime = 50;
const int  delaytimeX = 200;
const int  delayloop = 10;
const int  masterDelay = 10;  //changes speed of ALL Blink patterns: must be a multiple of 5

const int fadeIncriment = 15;
const int fadeIncriment2 = 15;  //determines how long the fade cycles; must be a multple of 255 
void setup() {                
 
pinMode(led0, OUTPUT);
pinMode(led1, OUTPUT); 
pinMode(led2, OUTPUT); 
pinMode(led3, OUTPUT); 
pinMode(led4, OUTPUT); 
pinMode(led5, OUTPUT);
pinMode(buttonPin, INPUT);

/* The arcade button layout is as follows:
        (5)(4)(3)
        (0)(1)(2)
 There for if want to illuminate the buttons starting at button#5 
 and go clockwise the order is 543210
*/
}


//pattern routine that loops forever; arrange, copy, remove these to make your 'light show'
void loop(){
  
buttonState = digitalRead(buttonPin);
if (buttonState == HIGH ) {
scrollup();          scrolldown();
lightup();           lightdown();
scrollpairup();      scrollpairdown();
loopforward();       loopreverse();
loopspeedUpFwd();    loopspeedDwnRvs();
strobethreeUP();     strobethreeDWN();
strobecrisscross();  strobecircle();
zigzag1();           oneoffloop();

fade();           //fade features are for PWM pins only
fadethree();      
fadecross();
fadecrossreverse();

}
 else {
 digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);   
 digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);   
 digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);   
 digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);   
 digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);   
 digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);  }

 

}

// LED patterns are below.-------------------------------------------------------------------
void oneoffloop() 
 {  for (int loopspeed = 1 ; loopspeed <=201; loopspeed +=masterDelay) {
 digitalWrite(led5, LOW);   digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);  
 digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);  digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);  
      delay(loopspeed);
 digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led4, LOW);   digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);  
 digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);  digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);  
      delay(loopspeed);     
 digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led3, LOW);  
 digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);  digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);  
      delay(loopspeed);    
 digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);  
 digitalWrite(led2, LOW);  digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);  
      delay(loopspeed); 
 digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);  
 digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);  digitalWrite(led1, LOW);   digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);  
      delay(loopspeed);    
 digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);  
 digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);  digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led0, LOW);  
      delay(loopspeed); }
}

void zigzag1()
 { for (int loopspeed = 1 ; loopspeed <=151; loopspeed +=masterDelay) {
  digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);  delay(loopspeed);   digitalWrite(led5, LOW); 
  digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);  delay(loopspeed);   digitalWrite(led0, LOW);
  digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);  delay(loopspeed);   digitalWrite(led1, LOW);
  digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);  delay(loopspeed);   digitalWrite(led4, LOW);
  digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);  delay(loopspeed);   digitalWrite(led3, LOW);
  digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);  delay(loopspeed);   digitalWrite(led2, LOW);
  digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);  delay(loopspeed);   digitalWrite(led3, LOW);
  digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);  delay(loopspeed);   digitalWrite(led4, LOW);
  digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);  delay(loopspeed);   digitalWrite(led1, LOW);
  digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);  delay(loopspeed);   digitalWrite(led0, LOW);
                           }
 }
  

void strobecircle() //lights up 2 on top 1 on botton then mirrors pattren
{ for (int loopspeed = 1 ; loopspeed <=201; loopspeed +=masterDelay) {
  digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);  digitalWrite(led1, HIGH); 
      delay(loopspeed);  
  digitalWrite(led5, LOW);   digitalWrite(led3, LOW);   digitalWrite(led1, LOW);  
      delay(loopspeed); 
  digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led2, HIGH); 
      delay(loopspeed);  
  digitalWrite(led0, LOW);   digitalWrite(led4, LOW);   digitalWrite(led2, LOW); 
      delay(loopspeed);                                        }
 }

void strobecrisscross() // lights up set up 4 then 2.
{ for (int loopspeed = 1 ; loopspeed <=201; loopspeed +=masterDelay) {
  digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);  digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);  digitalWrite(led2, HIGH); 
      delay(loopspeed);  
  digitalWrite(led5, LOW);   digitalWrite(led3, LOW);   digitalWrite(led0, LOW); digitalWrite(led2, LOW); 
      delay(loopspeed); 
  digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);  
      delay(loopspeed);  
  digitalWrite(led4, LOW);   digitalWrite(led1, LOW);  
      delay(loopspeed);                                        }
 }


void strobethreeDWN() //lights a row of 3 buttons with increaseing strobe speed
{ for (int loopspeed = 1 ; loopspeed <=201; loopspeed +=masterDelay) {
  digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);  digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);  
      delay(loopspeed);  
  digitalWrite(led5, LOW);    digitalWrite(led4, LOW);   digitalWrite(led3, LOW); 
      delay(loopspeed); 
  digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);  digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);  
      delay(loopspeed);  
  digitalWrite(led2, LOW);    digitalWrite(led1, LOW);   digitalWrite(led0, LOW); 
      delay(loopspeed);                                        }
 }


void strobethreeUP() //lights a row of 3 buttons with increaseing strobe speed
{ for (int loopspeed = 201 ; loopspeed >=1; loopspeed -=masterDelay) {
  digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);  digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);  
      delay(loopspeed);  
  digitalWrite(led5, LOW);    digitalWrite(led4, LOW);   digitalWrite(led3, LOW); 
      delay(loopspeed); 
  digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);   digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);  digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);  
      delay(loopspeed);  
  digitalWrite(led2, LOW);    digitalWrite(led1, LOW);   digitalWrite(led0, LOW); 
      delay(loopspeed);                                        }
 } 


//scrolls thru buttons and decreases speed for every cycle
void loopspeedDwnRvs() 
{ for (int loopspeed = 1 ; loopspeed <=101; loopspeed +=masterDelay) {
  digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);     delay(loopspeed);              
  digitalWrite(led5, LOW);      delay(loopspeed);  
  digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);     delay(loopspeed);              
  digitalWrite(led4, LOW);      delay(loopspeed);
  digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);     delay(loopspeed);              
  digitalWrite(led3, LOW);      delay(loopspeed);  
  digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);     delay(loopspeed);              
  digitalWrite(led2, LOW);      delay(loopspeed);  
  digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);     delay(loopspeed);              
  digitalWrite(led1, LOW);      delay(loopspeed);  
  digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);     delay(loopspeed);              
  digitalWrite(led0, LOW);      delay(loopspeed);                 }
 

 


//scrolls thru buttons and increases speed for every cycle
void loopspeedUpFwd() 
{ for (int loopspeed = 101 ; loopspeed >=1; loopspeed -=masterDelay) {
  digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);     delay(loopspeed);              
  digitalWrite(led5, LOW);      delay(loopspeed);  
  digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);     delay(loopspeed);              
  digitalWrite(led4, LOW);      delay(loopspeed);
  digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);     delay(loopspeed);              
  digitalWrite(led3, LOW);      delay(loopspeed);  
  digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);     delay(loopspeed);              
  digitalWrite(led2, LOW);      delay(loopspeed);  
  digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);     delay(loopspeed);              
  digitalWrite(led1, LOW);      delay(loopspeed);  
  digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);     delay(loopspeed);              
  digitalWrite(led0, LOW);      delay(loopspeed);                 }
 

 

 


void loopreverse() 
{ for (int loopcount = 0 ; loopcount <=8; loopcount +=1) {
  digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);     delay(delayloop);              
  digitalWrite(led5, LOW);      delay(delayloop);  
  digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);     delay(delayloop);              
  digitalWrite(led4, LOW);      delay(delayloop);
  digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);     delay(delayloop);              
  digitalWrite(led3, LOW);      delay(delayloop);  
  digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);     delay(delayloop);              
  digitalWrite(led2, LOW);      delay(delayloop);  
  digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);     delay(delayloop);              
  digitalWrite(led1, LOW);      delay(delayloop);  
  digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);     delay(delayloop);              
  digitalWrite(led0, LOW);      delay(delayloop);                             }
 

 
void loopforward(){
  for (int loopcount = 0 ; loopcount <=8; loopcount +=1) {
  digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);     delay(delayloop);              
  digitalWrite(led0, LOW);      delay(delayloop);  
  digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);     delay(delayloop);              
  digitalWrite(led1, LOW);      delay(delayloop);
  digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);     delay(delayloop);              
  digitalWrite(led2, LOW);      delay(delayloop);  
  digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);     delay(delayloop);              
  digitalWrite(led3, LOW);      delay(delayloop);  
  digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);     delay(delayloop);              
  digitalWrite(led4, LOW);      delay(delayloop);  
  digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);     delay(delayloop);              
  digitalWrite(led5, LOW);      delay(delayloop);       }

}

void scrollpairup() {
 digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);   delay(delaytimeX);
 digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);   delay(delaytimeX);  
 digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);   delay(delaytimeX);
 digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);   delay(delaytimeX);
 digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);   delay(delaytimeX);
 digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);   delay(delaytimeX);  
}

void scrollpairdown(){
 digitalWrite(led0, LOW);   delay(delaytimeX);
 digitalWrite(led3, LOW);   delay(delaytimeX);  
 digitalWrite(led1, LOW);   delay(delaytimeX);
 digitalWrite(led4, LOW);   delay(delaytimeX);
 digitalWrite(led2, LOW);   delay(delaytimeX);
 digitalWrite(led5, LOW);   delay(delaytimeX);    
}

void lightdown() {
 digitalWrite(led5, LOW);   delay(delaytimeX);
 digitalWrite(led4, LOW);   delay(delaytimeX);
 digitalWrite(led3, LOW);   delay(delaytimeX);  
 digitalWrite(led2, LOW);   delay(delaytimeX);
 digitalWrite(led1, LOW);   delay(delaytimeX);

}


void lightup() {
 digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);   delay(delaytimeX);
 digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);   delay(delaytimeX);  
 digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);   delay(delaytimeX);
 digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);   delay(delaytimeX);
 digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);   delay(delaytimeX);
 digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);   delay(delaytimeX); 
}

void scrollup() {
  digitalWrite(led0, HIGH);     delay(delaytime);              
  digitalWrite(led0, LOW);      delay(delaytime);  
  digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);     delay(delaytime);              
  digitalWrite(led1, LOW);      delay(delaytime);
  digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);     delay(delaytime);              
  digitalWrite(led2, LOW);      delay(delaytime);  
  digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);     delay(delaytime);              
  digitalWrite(led3, LOW);      delay(delaytime);  
  digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);     delay(delaytime);              
  digitalWrite(led4, LOW);      delay(delaytime);  
  digitalWrite(led5, HIGH);     delay(delaytime);              
  digitalWrite(led5, LOW);      delay(delaytime); 
}

void scrolldown() {
  digitalWrite(led4, HIGH);     delay(delaytime);              
  digitalWrite(led4, LOW);      delay(delaytime);  
  digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);     delay(delaytime);              
  digitalWrite(led3, LOW);      delay(delaytime);   
  digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);     delay(delaytime);              
  digitalWrite(led2, LOW);      delay(delaytime);  
  digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);     delay(delaytime);              
  digitalWrite(led1, LOW);      delay(delaytime);
 }
 
 void test() {
   digitalWrite(led3, HIGH);
 }
 void fadecrossreverse(){
 for(int fadeValue = 0 ; fadeValue <= 255; fadeValue +=fadeIncriment2) { 
    analogWrite(led2, fadeValue);  
    analogWrite(led3, fadeValue);   delay(30);      } 
    
 for(int fadeValue = 255 ; fadeValue >= 0; fadeValue -=fadeIncriment2) { 
    analogWrite(led2, fadeValue);  
    analogWrite(led3, fadeValue);    delay(30);     }
      
 for(int fadeValue = 0 ; fadeValue <= 255; fadeValue +=fadeIncriment2) { 
    analogWrite(led1, fadeValue);  
    analogWrite(led4, fadeValue);    delay(30);     } 
      
 for(int fadeValue = 255 ; fadeValue >= 0; fadeValue -=fadeIncriment2) { 
    analogWrite(led1, fadeValue);  
    analogWrite(led4, fadeValue);    delay(30);      }
  
 for(int fadeValue = 0 ; fadeValue <= 255; fadeValue +=fadeIncriment2) { 
    analogWrite(led0, fadeValue);  
    analogWrite(led5, fadeValue);    delay(30);       } 
    
 for(int fadeValue = 255 ; fadeValue >= 0; fadeValue -=fadeIncriment2) { 
    analogWrite(led0, fadeValue);  
    analogWrite(led5, fadeValue);    delay(30);       }
}

void fadecross(){
   for(int fadeValue = 0 ; fadeValue <= 255; fadeValue +=fadeIncriment2) { 
    analogWrite(led0, fadeValue);  
    analogWrite(led5, fadeValue); 
      delay(30);   
      } 
  for(int fadeValue = 255 ; fadeValue >= 0; fadeValue -=fadeIncriment2) { 
    analogWrite(led0, fadeValue);  
    analogWrite(led5, fadeValue);    
      delay(30);                                            }
      
       for(int fadeValue = 0 ; fadeValue <= 255; fadeValue +=fadeIncriment2) { 
    analogWrite(led1, fadeValue);  
    analogWrite(led4, fadeValue); 

      delay(30);                                           } 
  for(int fadeValue = 255 ; fadeValue >= 0; fadeValue -=fadeIncriment2) { 
    analogWrite(led1, fadeValue);  
    analogWrite(led4, fadeValue);         
      delay(30);                                          }
  
         for(int fadeValue = 0 ; fadeValue <= 255; fadeValue +=fadeIncriment2) { 
    analogWrite(led2, fadeValue);  
    analogWrite(led3, fadeValue); 

      delay(30);                                           } 
  for(int fadeValue = 255 ; fadeValue >= 0; fadeValue -=fadeIncriment2) { 
    analogWrite(led2, fadeValue);  
    analogWrite(led3, fadeValue);         
      delay(30);                                          } 
}

void fadethree() {
   for(int fadeValue = 0 ; fadeValue <= 255; fadeValue +=fadeIncriment2) { 
    analogWrite(led0, fadeValue);  
    analogWrite(led1, fadeValue); 
    analogWrite(led2, fadeValue); 
      delay(30);                                           } 
  for(int fadeValue = 255 ; fadeValue >= 0; fadeValue -=fadeIncriment2) { 
    analogWrite(led0, fadeValue);  
    analogWrite(led1, fadeValue); 
    analogWrite(led2, fadeValue);          
      delay(30);                                            }
      
       for(int fadeValue = 0 ; fadeValue <= 255; fadeValue +=fadeIncriment2) { 
    analogWrite(led3, fadeValue);  
    analogWrite(led4, fadeValue); 
    analogWrite(led5, fadeValue); 
      delay(30);                                           } 
  for(int fadeValue = 255 ; fadeValue >= 0; fadeValue -=fadeIncriment2) { 
    analogWrite(led3, fadeValue);  
    analogWrite(led4, fadeValue); 
    analogWrite(led5, fadeValue);          
      delay(30);                                          }
}


void fade()  { 
    for(int fadeValue = 0 ; fadeValue <= 255; fadeValue +=fadeIncriment) { 
    analogWrite(led0, fadeValue);           delay(30);                                           } 
  for(int fadeValue = 255 ; fadeValue >= 0; fadeValue -=fadeIncriment) { 
     analogWrite(led0, fadeValue);          delay(30);      }                      
                                                             
  for(int fadeValue = 0 ; fadeValue <= 255; fadeValue +=fadeIncriment) { 
    analogWrite(led1, fadeValue);           delay(30);                                           } 
  for(int fadeValue = 255 ; fadeValue >= 0; fadeValue -=fadeIncriment) { 
     analogWrite(led1, fadeValue);          delay(30);      }                      
                                                            
   for(int fadeValue = 0 ; fadeValue <= 255; fadeValue +=fadeIncriment) { 
    analogWrite(led2, fadeValue);           delay(30);                                           } 
  for(int fadeValue = 255 ; fadeValue >= 0; fadeValue -=fadeIncriment) { 
     analogWrite(led2, fadeValue);          delay(30);       }                     
                                                                 
    for(int fadeValue = 0 ; fadeValue <= 255; fadeValue +=fadeIncriment) { 
    analogWrite(led3, fadeValue);           delay(30);                                           } 
  for(int fadeValue = 255 ; fadeValue >= 0; fadeValue -=fadeIncriment) { 
    analogWrite(led3, fadeValue);           delay(30);       }                     
                                                                                                                  
   for(int fadeValue = 0 ; fadeValue <= 255; fadeValue +=fadeIncriment) { 
    analogWrite(led4, fadeValue);           delay(30);                                           } 
  for(int fadeValue = 255 ; fadeValue >= 0; fadeValue -=fadeIncriment) { 
    analogWrite(led4, fadeValue);           delay(30);        }                     
                                                            
  for(int fadeValue = 0 ; fadeValue <= 255; fadeValue +=fadeIncriment) { 
    analogWrite(led5, fadeValue);           delay(30);                                           } 
  for(int fadeValue = 255 ; fadeValue >= 0; fadeValue -=fadeIncriment) { 
    analogWrite(led5, fadeValue);           delay(30);       }                     
                                                             
}

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