I’ve a question regarding my holiday project, I want to use 20 ws2811 Led strings of 100 led per string (20x100 = 2000 Leds), planning to use 2 ESP32s modules to handle 10 + 10 stings (10 strings per ESP for best effects visualization). I want all 20 strings to work in sync, I don’t want to use AP or external router as it may fail something to synchronize when ESPs restart after power outage/cut.
is there any method/way to connect two ESP32 to communicate/Sync as server/client or master/slave using fixed wired (TX/RX or GPIO) connection between two WLED controllers so that all WLED effects/patterns is visible across 20x100 Leds as whole, please note both ESPs are at same place/board.
Let me know if you require any details here or not able to understand my point.
I’m assuming that you intend to sync standard WLED presets (via JSON API) – i.e. in contrast to some other “exotic” holiday lighting setup like, say, xLights/WLED. In this case, you probably could introduce a third (non-WLED) ESP to your board to serve as a “master”, and borrow from the WLED JSON API over serial example:
cross-wire the UARTs: master ESP RX and TX to each slave ESP TX and RX, resp (… sharing the UART grounds of course)
(non-WLED) master ESP implements a simple loop over your set of WLED preset JSON (e.g. copy-pasted from a WLED slave ESP’s web UI into a table of C++ strings or C char arrays on the master ESP).
Also check this discussion out for more on Arduino-core serial communications issues – particularly Hardware vs. Software serial.
Thanks @gbd for response, I’m not sure if this will solve my problem.
I just want to connect 20 parallel ws2812 Led strings of 100 leds per string & play effects with WLED, problem is I can’t connect all 20 strings to single ESP so I would need multiple ESPs but the concern is how to sync all ESPs together (without using WiFi/AP i.e need hardware sync) to play all patterns/effects on 20x100 Leds seamlessly.
