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Pocket Scion External NeoPixels

A beginner-friendly guide to driving an external 9-LED NeoPixel strip from an Instruo Pocket Scion.

The build at a glance

                    ┌──────────────┐
 USB ──────────────▶│ Pocket Scion ├─── DATA ───┐
                    └──────────────┘            │
                                                ▼
                                       ┌──────────────────┐
 USB ───┬── V+ ──[DIODE]──────────────▶│                  │
        │                              │   9 NeoPixels    │
        └── GND ──────────────────────▶│   daisy chained  │
                                       └──────────────────┘

Pages

  1. Overview — what you're building, parts, tools
  2. Building the strip — soldering the 9-LED chain
  3. Tapping the Scion — exposing and soldering to the data trace
  4. Powering the strip — USB cable, diode, final wiring
  5. Troubleshooting — common failures and further reading

Estimated build time: 2-3 hours if you are comfortable with a soldering iron.