ProtoTracer  1.0
Real-time 3D rendering and animation engine
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Getting Started with ProtoTracer

Basic Setup and Usage

Welcome to the ProtoTracer: Animation Engine! This guide will help you set up your hardware, build the code, and get started with creating and deploying animations.

Overview

This project is a 3D ray-tracing and animation engine designed to run on Teensy 4.0 and Teensy 4.1 boards but can be modified to run on most hardware. It supports a variety of hardware configurations for Protogen-style characters and pixel matrices.

Hardware Requirements

To use this project, you'll need the following hardware:

  1. Microcontroller: Teensy 4.0 or Teensy 4.1.
  2. Display Matrix:
    • HUB75 LED Matrix
    • WS2812/WS2811 LED strips or panels
  3. Additional Sensors (optional, based on features used):
    • Adafruit BNO055 (IMU Sensor)
    • Adafruit APDS9960 (Gesture Sensor)
    • SSD1306 (OLED Display)
  4. Connections:
    • Power supply sufficient for the number of LEDs you plan to use.
    • USB cable for programming and power delivery.

Software Setup

  1. Install Visual Studio Code:
  2. Install PlatformIO:
    • In Visual Studio Code, go to the Extensions Marketplace and search for "PlatformIO IDE".
    • Install the PlatformIO IDE extension.
  3. Clone the Repository:
    • Clone the project repository to your local machine.
  4. Install Required Libraries:
    • PlatformIO will automatically install the required libraries listed in platformio.ini. No manual intervention is needed.

Building and Uploading

Full guide on compiling and uploading ProtoTracer: Compiling and Uploading

  1. Open the Project:
    • Launch Visual Studio Code and open the project folder.
  2. Build the Code:
    • Click the PlatformIO Build button or use the terminal command:
      pio run -e <environment_name>
  3. Upload the Code:
    • Connect your Teensy board via USB.
    • Click the PlatformIO Upload button or use the terminal command:
      pio run -t upload -e <environment_name>
  4. Serial Monitor:
    • Use the serial monitor to view debugging information. Open it via PlatformIO or with:
      pio device monitor

Hardware Setup

  1. Connect Your LEDs:
    • For HUB75: Connect the panel to the appropriate pins on the Teensy as per the documentation.
    • For WS2812/WS2811: Connect the data line to the designated pins.
  2. Power Supply:
    • Ensure your LEDs have a sufficient and stable power supply.
    • Use a capacitor across the power supply to protect the LEDs and microcontroller.
  3. Sensor Connections:
    • Refer to the Adafruit documentation for wiring details on the BNO055, APDS9960, or other sensors.

Running the Code

After uploading the code:

  1. Connect Power:
    • Provide power to your LED matrix or strips.
  2. Observe Output:
    • Animations should start immediately on the display.
    • Use the serial monitor to debug or view real-time stats if configured.

Troubleshooting

  • Build Errors:
    • Ensure PlatformIO is installed and up-to-date.
    • Verify the correct environment is selected in platformio.ini.
  • No Output:
    • Check LED connections and power supply.
    • Ensure the correct LED type is selected in UserConfiguration.h.
  • Sensor Issues:
    • Verify I2C connections for sensors.
    • Check the serial monitor for error messages.

For additional support, refer to the official documentation or open an issue in the repository.