🔦 Level 2 – Sensors & IR Control

Project 2.3: "IR Controlled RGB"

Project 2.3 – IR Controlled RGB

🎯 What you’ll learn

Detect IR remote button codes.
Control RGB LED channels (Red, Green, Blue).
Mix colors by combining channels.
Trigger automatic color sequences.

🧱 Blocks glossary used

import irremote → Load IR library.
ir_rx = irremote.NEC_RX(26,8) → Setup IR receiver (pin 26, buffer 8).
ir_rx.any() → Check if signal exists.
ir_rx.code[0] → Read received code.
pinX = machine.Pin(X, machine.Pin.OUT) → Setup LED channel.
pinX.value(1) → Turn ON channel.
pinX.value(0) → Turn OFF channel.
time.sleep() → Delay.

🧰 What you need

D1 R32 board (USB connected).
IR receiver on pin 26.
RGB LED with resistors (R=5, G=4, B=2).

✅ Before you start

print("Ready!")  # Confirm serial monitor works

🎮 Microprojects

🎮 Microproject 2.3.1 – IR Red color control

Idea: Button “1” turns Red ON. Button “#” turns all OFF.
Buttons: “1” = 0x45, “#” = 0x0d.

# IR Red control: 1 → Red ON, # → RGB OFF

import irremote, machine, time                # Import IR library, pin control, and time

ir_rx = irremote.NEC_RX(26,8)                 # IR receiver on pin 26, buffer size 8
pin5 = machine.Pin(5, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Red channel on pin 5
pin4 = machine.Pin(4, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Green channel on pin 4
pin2 = machine.Pin(2, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Blue channel on pin 2

print("IR Red control ready")                 # Serial start message

while True:                                   # Main loop
    if ir_rx.any():                           # If IR signal detected
        code = ir_rx.code[0]                  # Read first code
        print("Code:", hex(code))             # Print code in hex

        if code == 0x45:                      # Button "1"
            pin5.value(1)                     # Red ON
            print("Red ON")                   # Serial confirmation

        elif code == 0x0d:                    # Button "#"
            pin5.value(0); pin4.value(0); pin2.value(0)  # All OFF
            print("RGB OFF")                  # Serial confirmation

    time.sleep(0.2)                           # Delay

Reflection: You can now control Red with a single button.
Challenge: Add button “0” (0x19) to turn Red OFF only, without affecting Green or Blue.

🎮 Microproject 2.3.2 – IR Green color control

Idea: Button “2” turns Green ON. Button “#” turns all OFF.
Buttons: “2” = 0x46, “#” = 0x0d.

# IR Green control: 2 → Green ON, # → RGB OFF

import irremote, machine, time

ir_rx = irremote.NEC_RX(26,8)                 # IR receiver setup
pin5 = machine.Pin(5, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Red channel
pin4 = machine.Pin(4, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Green channel
pin2 = machine.Pin(2, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Blue channel

print("IR Green control ready")

while True:
    if ir_rx.any():
        code = ir_rx.code[0]
        print("Code:", hex(code))

        if code == 0x46:                      # Button "2"
            pin4.value(1)                     # Green ON
            print("Green ON")

        elif code == 0x0d:                    # Button "#"
            pin5.value(0); pin4.value(0); pin2.value(0)
            print("RGB OFF")

    time.sleep(0.2)

Reflection: Green is now mapped to button “2”.
Challenge: Add button “*” (0x16) to blink Green ON/OFF quickly.

🎮 Microproject 2.3.3 – IR Blue color control

Idea: Button “3” turns Blue ON. Button “#” turns all OFF.
Buttons: “3” = 0x47, “#” = 0x0d.

# IR Blue control: 3 → Blue ON, # → RGB OFF

import irremote, machine, time

ir_rx = irremote.NEC_RX(26,8)
pin5 = machine.Pin(5, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Red
pin4 = machine.Pin(4, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Green
pin2 = machine.Pin(2, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Blue

print("IR Blue control ready")

while True:
    if ir_rx.any():
        code = ir_rx.code[0]
        print("Code:", hex(code))

        if code == 0x47:                      # Button "3"
            pin2.value(1)                     # Blue ON
            print("Blue ON")

        elif code == 0x0d:                    # Button "#"
            pin5.value(0); pin4.value(0); pin2.value(0)
            print("RGB OFF")

    time.sleep(0.2)

Reflection: Blue is now controlled by button “3”.
Challenge: Add button “Down” (0x52) to turn Blue OFF only.

🎮 Microproject 2.3.4 – Custom color mix

Idea: Buttons “1”, “2”, “3” activate R/G/B. “#” clears all.
Buttons: “1”=0x45, “2”=0x46, “3”=0x47, “#”=0x0d.

# IR Color mix: 1 → R ON, 2 → G ON, 3 → B ON, # → RGB OFF

import irremote, machine, time

ir_rx = irremote.NEC_RX(26,8)
pin5 = machine.Pin(5, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Red
pin4 = machine.Pin(4, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Green
pin2 = machine.Pin(2, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Blue

print("IR Color mix ready")

while True:
    if ir_rx.any():
        code = ir_rx.code[0]
        print("Code:", hex(code))

        if code == 0x45:                      # Button "1"
            pin5.value(1)                     # Red ON
            print("R ON")

        elif code == 0x46:                    # Button "2"
            pin4.value(1)                     # Green ON
            print("G ON")

        elif code == 0x47:                    # Button "3"
            pin2.value(1)                     # Blue ON
            print("B ON")

        elif code == 0x0d:                    # Button "#"
            pin5.value(0); pin4.value(0); pin2.value(0)
            print("RGB OFF")

    time.sleep(0.2)

Reflection: Combining channels creates new colors (R+G=Yellow, G+B=Cyan, R+B=Magenta).
Challenge: Add button “OK” (0x1c) to turn ON all three channels (White).

🎮 Microproject 2.3.5 – Automatic color effects

Idea: Button “Up” runs a short RGB sequence.
Button: “Up” = 0x18.

# IR Auto color effects: Up → run RGB sequence

import irremote, machine, time                # Import IR, pin control, and time

ir_rx = irremote.NEC_RX(26,8)                 # IR receiver on pin 26
pin5 = machine.Pin(5, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Red channel
pin4 = machine.Pin(4, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Green channel
pin2 = machine.Pin(2, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Blue channel

print("IR Auto effects ready")                # Serial start message

while True:                                   # Main loop
    if ir_rx.any():                           # If IR signal detected
        code = ir_rx.code[0]                  # Read first code
        print("Code:", hex(code))             # Show code in hex

        if code == 0x18:                      # If code is "Up"
            print("Sequence start")           # Serial sequence start

            pin5.value(1); time.sleep(0.5)    # Red ON
            pin5.value(0); time.sleep(0.2)    # Red OFF
            pin4.value(1); time.sleep(0.5)    # Green ON
            pin4.value(0); time.sleep(0.2)    # Green OFF
            pin2.value(1); time.sleep(0.5)    # Blue ON
            pin2.value(0); time.sleep(0.2)    # Blue OFF

            pin5.value(1); pin4.value(1); time.sleep(0.5)  # Yellow (R+G) ON
            pin5.value(0); pin4.value(0)                   # Yellow OFF

            pin4.value(1); pin2.value(1); time.sleep(0.5)  # Cyan (G+B) ON
            pin4.value(0); pin2.value(0)                   # Cyan OFF

            print("Sequence end")             # Serial sequence end

    time.sleep(0.2)                           # Small delay

Reflection: A single “Up” press runs a full RGB show.
Challenge: Add button “Down” (0x52) to run the sequence in reverse order.

✨ Main Project – IR Controlled RGB

🔧 Blocks steps

IR input: Read codes with NEC_RX(26,8), any(), and code[0].
RGB outputs: Control pins Red=5, Green=4, Blue=2.
Logic mapping: Buttons → color actions and a sequence.
Reset: Use “#” to turn all channels OFF.

🐍 MicroPython code (line‑by‑line comments)

# Project 2.3 – IR Controlled RGB (Main Project)

import irremote, machine, time                # Import IR, pin control, and time

ir_rx = irremote.NEC_RX(26,8)                 # IR receiver on pin 26 with buffer size 8
pin5 = machine.Pin(5, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Red channel on pin 5
pin4 = machine.Pin(4, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Green channel on pin 4
pin2 = machine.Pin(2, machine.Pin.OUT)        # Blue channel on pin 2

print("IR RGB Main ready")                    # Serial start message

while True:                                   # Main loop
    if ir_rx.any():                           # Check if IR signal is available
        code = ir_rx.code[0]                  # Read the first code
        print("Code:", hex(code))             # Show the code in hex

        if code == 0x45:                      # Button "1"
            pin5.value(1)                     # Red ON
            print("R ON")

        elif code == 0x46:                    # Button "2"
            pin4.value(1)                     # Green ON
            print("G ON")

        elif code == 0x47:                    # Button "3"
            pin2.value(1)                     # Blue ON
            print("B ON")

        elif code == 0x0d:                    # Button "#"
            pin5.value(0); pin4.value(0); pin2.value(0)  # All OFF
            print("RGB OFF")

        elif code == 0x18:                    # Button "Up"
            print("Macro start")

            pin5.value(1); time.sleep(0.5)    # Red ON
            pin5.value(0); time.sleep(0.2)    # Red OFF
            pin4.value(1); time.sleep(0.5)    # Green ON
            pin4.value(0); time.sleep(0.2)    # Green OFF
            pin2.value(1); time.sleep(0.5)    # Blue ON
            pin2.value(0); time.sleep(0.2)    # Blue OFF

            pin5.value(1); pin4.value(1); time.sleep(0.5)  # Yellow ON
            pin5.value(0); pin4.value(0)                   # Yellow OFF

            pin4.value(1); pin2.value(1); time.sleep(0.5)  # Cyan ON
            pin4.value(0); pin2.value(0)                   # Cyan OFF

            print("Macro end")

    time.sleep(0.2)                           # Delay for stability

Reflection: This final program lets you turn each color ON with “1–3”, clear with “#”, and run a short RGB effect with “Up”.
Challenge: Add button “OK” (0x1c) to turn ON all three channels (White).

🕵️ Debugging

🐞 Debugging 2.3.A – Incorrect mixed colors

Symptom: You expect yellow, but you only see red or green.
Cause: One channel didn’t turn ON, or wiring is wrong.
Fix:

pin5.value(1)   # Red ON
pin4.value(1)   # Green ON
# Check wiring: Red=5, Green=4, Blue=2, with proper resistors

Why it works: Yellow is made by Red + Green. Both must be ON and wired correctly.

🐞 Debugging 2.3.B – Unequal intensity

Symptom: One color looks much brighter than the others.
Cause: LED hardware differences or resistor values.
Fix (digital only):

# Use similar resistor values on R, G, and B for balanced brightness.

Why it works: Balanced resistors equalize current and brightness.

✅ Final checklist

IR receiver: NEC_RX(26,8) created, codes read via any() and code[0].
Buttons mapped: 1→R, 2→G, 3→B, #→OFF, Up→macro.
RGB wiring: R=5, G=4, B=2 connected with resistors.
Serial feedback: Every action prints a clear message.
Stable loop: Short delay keeps inputs readable and smooth.

📚 Extras

Student tip: Write down your favorite hex codes with print(hex(code)) before mapping actions.
Instructor tip: Demonstrate additive color mixing by turning ON two channels at the same time.
Glossary: IR code, hex, digital output, macro, RGB.
Mini tip: If nothing happens, check the IR receiver’s signal pin on 26 and make sure all grounds are connected together.