Intro
Welcome to the Starklicht firmware repository!
This project powers creative lighting for movie makers, theater productions, and professional lighting installations—where dynamic, reliable, and customizable effects matter most.
🌟 What is Starklicht?
Starklicht is a modular, STM32-based lighting controller for professional and creative environments.
It enables dynamic lighting animations, battery management, and intuitive user control for demanding applications.
Files
You can download all files for Hardware (PCB, 3D Print) at Cults3D!
Note: We will update the Circuit diagrams for the PCB etc. in the next days!
🛠️ Starklicht Build – Estimated Cost Breakdown
| Category | Details / Notes | Estimated Cost (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| PCBs | Main controller, driver boards, etc. | ~$100 |
| Electronic Components | LED chip, power supply, heatsink, fan | ~$65 |
| 3D Printed Parts | Filament for case and mounting parts | ~$7 |
| Shipping & Taxes | Depends on your region and import fees | ~$27 |
| 🔢 Estimated Total | (Before time investment) | ~$199 |
🔍 A Few Important Notes
-
Economies of Scale
Buying components and PCBs in bulk can significantly reduce the cost per unit. -
Time Investment Not Included
This estimate does not account for the time spent sourcing, soldering, or assembling. Expect a hands-on, rewarding process! -
Component Flexibility
This is an open-source project. You’re free to substitute parts depending on what you have or prefer—which can impact final costs.
📖 Documentation
We are working on a detailed Documentation right now, work in Progress 👷♀️. Just click on Wiki to check it out. It will tell you, how it's made, how to 3D-Print components, etc.
🛠️ Building the Lamp
✅ The entire Lamp housing can be 3D Printed. We will provide them very soon here!
We also provide PCB's fitting exactly into the housing. You can order both PCB's and Lamp housings on https://www.starklicht.net ! 😊
For detailed instructions on Hardware (PCBs, Wiring, Housing), refer to the Wiki Hardware. This chapter will be updated the next weeks.
Components
- Microcontroller: STM32F401CCU6 Blackpill Board
- Display: 1.3" 128x64 OLED Display (SH1106 Driver)
- Bluetooth Module: HM-10 BLE Module
- LEDs: High-power RGB LEDs
- Potentiometers: For manual control of color and brightness
- Buttons: For preset selection and other functions
- Fan: For cooling the LEDs and driver
- Current Sensor: To monitor power consumption
- Temperature Sensors: To monitor the temperature of the LEDs and driver
🚀 Features
- 🎨 Customizable Lighting Animations: Create and control stunning effects for any scene.
- 🔋 Battery Management: Real-time monitoring and smart power handling.
- 🖥️ User Interface: Graphical display and button input for easy, on-the-fly adjustments.
- 💾 EEPROM Support: Save and recall your favorite effects and settings.
- 🧩 Modular C++ Design: Clean, maintainable codebase with reusable classes.
🧩 Software Architecture
- Main Application: Entry point (
main.c,starklicht.cpp) - Controller: Central logic and coordination
- Display: Handles graphical output (u8g2 library)
- Animation: Manages lighting effects
- Battery: Monitors and manages power
- Messaging: Communication and event handling over BLE
📚 Third-Party Libraries
This project utilizes the following open-source libraries:
- u8g2: A monochrome graphics library for OLEDs and LCDs.
✉️ Messaging Protocol
Design Philosophy
The Starklicht BLE protocol is designed for maximum efficiency and simplicity, tailored for the constraints of Bluetooth Low Energy and embedded microcontrollers.
- Lightweight: We use a raw binary format instead of text (like JSON). This makes messages extremely compact, ensuring most commands fit within a single 20-byte BLE packet to reduce latency and power consumption.
- Fast to Parse: The fixed
[ID][DATA]structure allows the device's firmware to read values directly from memory offsets without needing a complex parser, saving precious CPU cycles and RAM. - Embedded-Friendly: The protocol uses integer math where possible to avoid computationally expensive floating-point operations on the microcontroller.
This protocol is a living document. We are open to suggestions and changes to improve its functionality and performance.
Message API Reference
All multi-byte values are encoded in Big Endian format.
1. Color Message (ID: 0)
Sets a solid color.
| Byte | Field | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | ID | 0 |
| 1 | Red | Red channel (0-255) |
| 2 | Green | Green channel (0-255) |
| 3 | Blue | Blue channel (0-255) |
- Example (Set color to Blue):
[0, 0, 0, 255]
2. Animation Message (ID: 1)
Sends a color gradient animation.
| Bytes | Field | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | ID | 1 |
| 1 | Interpolation | 0=Linear, 1=Ease |
| 2 | Time Factor | 0=Once, 1=Repeat, 2=Mirror |
| 3 | Duration (Mins) | Duration minutes part (0-59) |
| 4 | Duration (Secs) | Duration seconds part (0-59) |
| 5 | Duration (Centis) | Duration milliseconds/10 (0-99) |
| 6 | Color Point Count | Number of color points (N) that follow |
| 7+ | Color Points | N blocks of Color Point data (5 bytes each) |
Color Point Structure (5 bytes per point):
| Offset | Field | Description |
|---|---|---|
| +0 | Red | Red channel (0-255) |
| +1 | Green | Green channel (0-255) |
| +2 | Blue | Blue channel (0-255) |
| +3, +4 | Position | 16-bit integer (position * 1000) |
3. Brightness Message (ID: 2)
Sets the overall brightness.
| Byte | Field | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | ID | 2 |
| 1 | Brightness | Brightness value (0-100) |
- Example (Set brightness to 50%):
[2, 50]
4. Fade Message (ID: 3)
Fades to a target color over a duration.
| Byte | Field | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | ID | 3 |
| 1, 2 | Duration | 16-bit duration in milliseconds |
| 3 | Red | Target Red channel (0-255) |
| 4 | Green | Target Green channel (0-255) |
| 5 | Blue | Target Blue channel (0-255) |
| 6 | Ease Flag | 1 for ease, 0 for linear |
- Example (Fade to purple over 1.5s):
[3, 5, 220, 128, 0, 128, 1]
5. Save/Load Message (ID: 4)
Saves the current state to a preset button or loads a state from it.
| Byte | Field | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | ID | 4 |
| 1 | Save Flag | 1 to save, 0 to load |
| 2 | Button Index | The button index to use (0-3) |
- Example (Save to Button 1):
[4, 1, 0] - Example (Load from Button 2):
[4, 0, 1]
🏁 Getting Started
Prerequisites
- STM32CubeIDE
- STM32CubeProgrammer
- CMake or Make (optional, for advanced builds)
Setup
❗️ This setup works, but is not optimal yet. If you have any Ideas, don't hesitate to add a PR!
- Clone this repository:
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/starklicht-stm32.git - Open STM32CubeIDE
- Select
File→New→STM32 Project From Existing STM32CubeMX Configuration File - A new Popup with Project Creation Wizard appears
File:Browse→ Select the.iocFile of this Repository- Set Targeted Language to
C++ - Click
Finish - Replace
Inc,SrcandStartupinCorewith the ones from this Repo - Replace
STM32F401CCUX_FLASH.ldwith the one from the Repo
Now you can Build the Project
Building and Flashing
- Build the project in STM32CubeIDE.
- Connect the STM32F410RB board via USB to UART.
- Use STM32CubeProgrammer to flash the firmware onto the MCU.
🎬 Example Use Cases
- 🎥 Movie Sets: Sync lighting with camera cues for dramatic effects.
- 🎭 Theater: Dynamic scene changes and mood lighting.
- 💡 Installations: Interactive or automated light shows.
🤝 Contributing
We welcome your ideas and improvements!
See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.
📄 License
GLP3.0 – see LICENSE for details.
📬 Contact
Questions or support?
Email us: kontakt@starklicht.net