For microcontrollers without an analog-to-digital converter or when you want a higher-precision ADC, the ADS1115 provides 16-bit precision at 860 samples/second over I2C. The chip can be configured as 4 single-ended input channels, or two differential channels. As a nice bonus, it even includes a programmable gain amplifier, up to x16, to help boost up smaller single/differential signals to the full range. We like this ADC because it can run from 2V to 5V power/logic, can measure a large range of signals and its super easy to use. It is a great general purpose 16 bit converter.The chip's fairly small so it comes on a breakout board with ferrites to keep the AVDD and AGND quiet. Interfacing is done via I2C. The address can be changed to one of four options (see the datasheet table 5) so you can have up to 4 ADS1115's connected on a single 2-wire I2C bus for 16 single ended inputs.

To get you started, we have example code for both the Raspberry Pi (in our Adafruit Pi Python library), Arduino (in our ADS1X15 Arduino library repository) and CircuitPython. Simply connect GND to ground, VDD to your logic power supply, and SCL/SDA to your microcontroller's I2C port and run the example code to start reading data.

Our detailed guide will get you started with wiring diagrams, example code for Arduino & CircuitPython, datasheets, and more!

A new collaboration between Adafruit & Micah from Scanlime, we are excited to introduce Fadecandy, a NeoPixel driver with built in dithering, that can be controlled over USB. Fadecandy is not just hardware! It is a kit of both hardware and software parts that make LED art projects easier to build and better-looking so sculptors and makers and multimedia artists can concentrate on beautiful things instead of reinventing the wheel. It's an easy way to get started and an advanced tool for professionals. It's a collection of simple parts that work well together:

Firmware that uses unique dithering and color correction algorithms to raise the bar for quality while getting out of the way of your creativity.

Open source hardware for connecting cheap and popular WS2811 based LEDs to a laptop, desktop, or Raspberry Pi over USB.

Fadecandy Server Software, which communicates with one Fadecandy board or dozens. It runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS, and on embedded platforms like Raspberry Pi.

The Open Pixel Control protocol, a simple way of getting pixel data from your creative tools into the Fadecandy server.

Libraries and examples for popular languages. We have Python and Processing already, with Javascript and Max coming soon.

LEDs! Fadecandy works with Adafruit's popular WS2811/WS2812 LEDs. Each controller board supports up to 512 LEDs, arranged as 8 strips of 64 each. Not for use with RGBW NeoPixels, you can only use RGB type at this time.

Headers are not included but we have tons of different kinds of dual header in the shop if you want to solder something into the pads.Fadecandy is designed to enable art that is subtle, interactive, and playful - exploring the interplay between light, form, and shadow. If you’re tired of seeing project after project with frenetic blinky rainbow fades, you’ll appreciate how easy it is to create expressive lighting!It's also battle tested! The firmware was originally developed to run the Ardent Mobile Cloud Platform, a Burning Man project which used 2500 LEDs to project ever-changing rolling cloud patterns onto the interior of a translucent plastic sculpture. It used five Fadecandy boards, a single Raspberry Pi, and the effects were written in a mixture of C and Python. The lighting on this project blew people away, and it made me realize just how much potential there is for creative lighting, but it takes significant technical drudgery to get beyond frenetic-rainbow-fade into territory where the lighting can really add to an art piece instead of distracting from it. How it's made - Ladyada and Micah Scott manufacturing Fadecandy at Adafruit.

FadeCandy - Dithering USB-Controlled Driver for NeoPixels (18:41)

Your microcontroller probably has an ADC (analog -> digital converter) but does it have a DAC (digital -> analog converter)??? Now it can! This breakout board features the easy-to-use MCP4725 12-bit DAC. Control it via I2C and send it the value you want it to output, and the VOUT pin will have it. Great for audio / analog projects, such as when you can't use PWM but need a sine wave or adjustable bias point.We break out the ADDR/A0 pin so you can connect two of these DACs on one I2C bus, just tie that pin of one high to keep it from conflicting. Also included is a 6-pin header, for use in a breadboard. Works with both 3.3V or 5V logic.Some nice extras with this chip: for chips that have 3.4Mbps Fast Mode I2C (Arduino's don't) you can update the Vout at ~200 KHz. There's an EEPROM so if you write the output voltage, you can 'store it' so if the device is power cycled it will restore that voltage. The output voltage is rail-to-rail and proportional to the power pin so if you run it from 3.3V, the output range is 0-3.3V. If you run it from 5V the output range is 0-5V.We have an easy-to-use Arduino library and tutorial with a triangle-wave and sine-wave output example that can be used with any 'duino or ported to any microcontroller with I2C host. Wiring it up is easy - connect VDD to your microcontroller power pin (3-5V), GND to ground, SDA to I2C Data (on the Arduino Uno, this is A4 on the Mega it is 20 and on the Leonardo digital 2), SCL to I2C Clock(on the Arduino Uno, this is A5 on the Mega it is 21 and on the Leonardo digital 3) and listen on VOUT.