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October 11, 2025October 13, 2025 by Debashis Das - 6 Comments

ESP32-based dual-port WLED controller features Ethernet port, 24V DC input

When it comes to ESP32-based WLED controllers, some of the best options are boards like the Adafruit Sparkle Motion, Mini Sparkle Motion, and Sparkle Motion Stick, but most of the time, they are out of stock. Thankfully, there are similar alternatives like the xChroma WLED Type-C and HACK Lab HackLED Pro, with similar features and wider availability. Now adding to that list is the 2-Port ESP32 ETH0 WLED Controller, which not only adds Ethernet connectivity but also supports dual outputs and 5V–24V LEDs, making it an excellent alternative to the Adafruit ones. The board supports both Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity and includes an onboard DC-DC converter that delivers a stable 5V supply to the ESP32 and logic circuits. Each output channel is fused with a 6A resettable polyfuse and a status LED that lights up during fault conditions. For added safety, the main power input is protected against reverse polarity, […]

September 23, 2025September 22, 2025 by Debashis Das - 2 Comments

DuckyPad Pro 20-key ESP32-S3 macropad supports up to 3700+ macros using duckyScript language

The duckyPad Pro is an ESP32-S3-based open-source macropad with 20 mechanical keys, rotary encoders, and powered by the duckyScript engine, for macro scripting and automation beyond QMK/VIA. This allows task automation, application control, and input scripting for productivity, creative workflows, and hacking experiments. The device features hot-swappable switches, rotary encoders, RGB lighting, USB-C, Bluetooth 5.0, and a 1.5-inch OLED display. Powered by a custom duckyScript, it supports variables, loops, conditions, and functions for complex macros up to 64 profiles and 3,712 macros total. It offers automatic profile switching based on the active window, microSD storage for quick setup and backup, and optional expansion modules for pedals or external switches. It supports various scripts and (OLED text, RGB changes, button reads) and is compatible with multiple operating systems, making this suitable for streamers, developers, office workers, and security researchers alike. DuckyPad Pro specifications: Wireless MCU – Espressif Systems ESP32-S3 CPU – Dual-core […]

August 26, 2025August 26, 2025 by Debashis Das - No Comments

Waveshare RP2350-Matrix board features 8×8 WS2812 RGB LED matrix, 6-axis IMU, Dout pin for more LEDs

Waveshare’s RP2350-Matrix is a Raspberry Pi RP2350A-powered LED matrix board featuring 64 RGB LEDs (8×8 RGB matrix), a built-in 6-axis IMU, and a Dout pin in case the user needs even more LEDs. The RP2350-Matrix also includes 25 GPIOs along with 12 PIO state machines for custom peripheral support, an on-chip temperature sensor, accurate hardware timers, and support for low-power sleep and dormant modes. It comes with a USB Type-C port for power and programming via USB 1.1 device/host, and an onboard 800mA LDO regulator for stable power delivery. These features make this board suitable for motion sensing and visual feedback. Waveshare RP2350-Matrix Specifications: SoC – Raspberry Pi RP2350A CPU Dual-core Arm Cortex-M33 @ 150 MHz with Arm Trustzone, Secure boot OR Dual-core RISC-V Hazard3 @ 150 MHz Up to two cores can be used in any combination Memory – 520 KB on-chip SRAM Package – QFN-60 Storage – 16 MB […]

July 24, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 6 Comments

$12 WLED controller board supports WS2812 RGB LED strips

“xcrhom WLED Type-C” is a tiny ESP32 board designed to run WLED open-source firmware that supports WS2812(B) RGB LED strips. It also supports audio-reactive effects using an “external microphone”, which appears to mean the microphone on the smartphone running the WLED app, more on that later. We had already written about other small ESP32/ESP32-S3-based WLED controllers with the likes of Adafruit Sparkle Motion Stick and ANAVI Miracle Emitter, and the xchhom board’s main selling point is its price, as it goes for about $12 before taxes (AliExpress even shows me a $6.14 “Welcome offer” including shipping). xchome WLED Type-C board specifications: Wireless module – ESP32-WROOM-32D SoC – Espressif ESP32-D0WD dual-core Tensilica LX6 processor @ 240 MHz Storage – 32Mbit SPI flash Connectivity – Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n up to 150 Mbps, Bluetooth 4.2/5.x LE IPEX antenna connector (antenna provided) RGB LED support 3-pin connector with GND, DA (Data), and 5V signals […]

May 1, 2025 by Debashis Das - 2 Comments

Adafruit Sparkle Motion – An ESP32-based addressable LED controller with four outputs, 100W USB-C power, and WLED/xLights support

The Adafruit Sparkle Motion is an ESP32-based LED controller board designed to drive addressable LEDs, including WS2812B, APA102, SK6812, LPD8806, UCS2904, and SM16704. It supports both WLED and xLights projects and features an onboard 100W USB-C PD port to drive even high-voltage LED setups. The board includes dual power input options (USB-C PD with 5/12/20V selection and 2.1mm DC jack), a 5A fuse, and level-shifted output terminals for controlling addressable LEDs. The board also features a built-in I2S digital microphone, IR receiver, Stemma QT I2C port, USB-serial with auto-reset, GPIO breakout pads, onboard NeoPixel and status LED, and multiple JST and terminal connectors for sensor and control integration. It comes pre-assembled with terminal blocks for easy wiring, making it suitable for applications such as wearable electronics, home decor lighting, audio-reactive displays, and remote-controlled installations. Adafruit Sparkle Motion Specifications: SoC – ESP32-S3 dual-core Xtensa LX7 MCU @ 240MHz with 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and […]

April 21, 2025April 21, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

ANAVI Miracle Emitter – A WiFi and BLE RGB LED controller compatible with Home Assistant, WLED firmware (Crowdfunding)

ANAVI Miracle Emitter is an open-source hardware ESP32-C3 WiFi and BLE controller designed to control 5V addressable RGB LED strips, which works with Home Assistant over MQTT and also supports the popular WLED firmware to easily control the LED strip through a web interface. It also features four I2C expansion headers for sensors and a small OLED display, a UART header, and a GPIO header. It’s an update to Leon ANAVI’s Miracle Controller introduced in 2019 with an ESP8266. A lot of things have changed since then, and it’s gotten easier than ever to control RGB LED strips using open-source software and firmware. ANAVI Miracle Emitter specifications: Wireless Module – Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32C3 Wireless MCU – Espressif Systems ESP32-C3 single-core RISC-V microcontroller @ 160 MHz with 400KB SRAM, 384KB ROM, 4MB flash, Wi-Fi 4 & Bluetooth LE 5.0 connectivity Antenna – External u.FL antenna USB – USB Type-C port […]

November 28, 2024November 28, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - No Comments

ESP32-based YULC USB-C LED Controller features dual power inputs, supports WLED and ESPHome firmware

The YULC (Yes, a USB-C LED Controller) board is a compact, ESP32-S3-powered LED controller with USB-C and DC jack power inputs. It is a fully featured board that can easily replace a rat’s nest of wires and save space and time. This ESP32 LED controller features a built-in buck regulator that converts input power from the USB-C port or barrel jack to the voltage needed for the LED strips. The YULC provides two separate LED channels with a level shifter each to ensure clean and powerful data output, removing the need for a sacrificial pixel or external level shifter. Each channel also has a power MOSFET that can turn off the channels individually and dim simple LED strips via PWM. AAElectronics, the maker, has previously released an IR remote—the Home Assistant-compatible ESP 360 Remote—which we covered at the time. Similar products include the SMLIGHT A1-SLWF-03, DFRobot’s EDGE102-DMX512, and the PixelBlaze […]

November 14, 2024November 13, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 5 Comments

Nova open-source hardware Raspberry Pi RP2040 board features a 70 RGB LED matrix (Crowdfunding)

Vcc Labs’ Nova is a tiny, open-source hardware Raspberry Pi RP2040 development board with a USB-C port, a 70 (7×10) addressable RGB LED matrix, and two 12-pin GPIO headers for expansion. It can be used for wearables, mini-displays, interactive art, fun games, and more. Nova specifications: MCU – Raspberry Pi RP2040 dual-core Cortex-M0+ microcontroller @ up to 133 MHz with 264KB SRAM Storage – 2MB QSPI flash “Display” – 7×10 WS2812 addressable RGB LEDs, each measuring just 1x1mm USB – USB Type-C port for power, data, and programming Expansion – 2x 12-pin header with 20x GPIO, 2x SPI, 2x I2C, 2x UART, 4x ADC, Vin, 5V, 3.3V, and GND Misc – Reset and BOOT buttons Power Supply 5V via USB-C port 7V to 18V via Vin pin Power consumption – 9 Watts with all LEDs at full brightness Dimensions – 30.48 x 20.32 mm (PCB only) Weight – 4.76 grams […]