"Mechanical" VU Meter

A simple VU meter realized with only mechanical typical items, as screws or nuts, but powered by Arduino!

Sep 20, 2021

•

4592 views

•

3 respects

audio

lights

music

Components and supplies

Resistor 330 ohm

Connector Accessory, Hex Nut

Male/Male Jumper Wires

Arduino UNO

Machine Screw, M2.5

Jumper wires (generic)

RGB LCD Shield Kit, 16x2 Character Display

Breadboard (generic)

Rotary potentiometer (generic)

Male/Female Jumper Wires

Tools and machines

Multitool, Screwdriver

Apps and platforms

Arduino IDE

Project description

Code

Github Repository - VU_Meter

no description/ Read More

Latest commit to the master branch on Invalid date

Download as a zip

VU.ino

arduino

1/*
2   Mechanical VU meter
3   Author: Marco Croce
4   Version:  1.0 - 09/2021
5*/
6
7// library used for the LCD display
8#include <LiquidCrystal.h>
9
10/*
11   Bit / Pixel Mapping to create the letters
12   and the symbols to show on the  display
13*/
14
15byte c0[8] = {
16  B11111,
17  B00000,
18  B00000,
19  B00000,
20  B00000,
21  B00000,
22  B00000,
23  B11111
24};
25
26byte c1[8] = {
27  B11111,
28  B00000,
29  B10000,
30  B10000,
31  B10000,
32  B10000,
33  B00000,
34  B11111
35};
36
37byte c2[8] = {
38  B11111,
39  B00000,
40  B11000,
41  B11000,
42  B11000,
43  B11000,
44  B00000,
45  B11111
46};
47
48byte c3[8]  = {
49  B11111,
50  B00000,
51  B11100,
52  B11100,
53  B11100,
54  B11100,
55  B00000,
56  B11111
57};
58
59byte c4[8] = {
60  B11111,
61  B00000,
62  B11110,
63  B11110,
64  B11110,
65  B11110,
66  B00000,
67  B11111
68};
69
70byte  c5[8] = {
71  B11111,
72  B00000,
73  B11111,
74  B11111,
75  B11111,
76  B11111,
77  B00000,
78  B11111
79};
80
81byte C[8] = {
82  B11100,
83  B11110,
84  B11111,
85  B11111,
86  B11111,
87  B11111,
88  B11110,
89  B11100
90};
91
92byte R[8]  = {
93  B00000,
94  B11110,
95  B10001,
96  B10001,
97  B11110,
98  B10100,
99  B10010,
100  B10001
101};
102
103byte L[8] = {
104  B00000,
105  B10000,
106  B10000,
107  B10000,
108  B10000,
109  B10000,
110  B10000,
111  B11111
112};
113
114// Set  the LCD's pin number through the constructor
115LiquidCrystal lcd(12, 11, 5, 4,  3, 2);
116// Range of dB values
117int valori[] = {-75, -50, -40, -30, -20, 0, 5,  10};
118
119/*
120   Variables:
121   - valore -> The value of volts read using  Arduino
122   - i -> A simple counter
123   - dbVU -> The value of dbVU obtained  by valore
124   - livello -> A counter for the rectangles of the VU Meter
125 */
126int  valore = 0, i = 0;
127double dbVU;
128int livello;
129
130void setup()
131{
132//  set up the LCD's number of columns and rows
133  lcd.begin(16, 2);
134// set up  the pin from which to read the value
135  pinMode(A1, INPUT);
136
137/*
138   Creation  of the custom characters to be used
139   on the display
140*/
141  lcd.createChar(1,  c1);
142  lcd.createChar(2, c2);
143  lcd.createChar(3, c3);
144  lcd.createChar(4,  c4);
145  lcd.createChar(5, c5);
146  lcd.createChar(6, c0);
147  lcd.createChar(7,  C);
148  lcd.createChar(8, L);
149  lcd.createChar(9, R);
150
151// Loading initial  screen
152  lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
153  lcd.print("    VU METER    ");
154  delay(500);
155
156//  Loading line
157  for ( livello = 0; livello < 16; livello++ )
158  {
159    lcd.setCursor(livello,  1);
160    lcd.write(5);
161    delay(100);
162  }
163
164  delay(500);
165
166  lcd.clear();
167  
168  delay(500);
169
170}
171
172void loop()
173{
174// Letter  L - LEFT
175  lcd.setCursor(0,0);
176  lcd.write(8);
177// Letter R - RIGHT
178  lcd.setCursor(0,1);
179  lcd.write(9);
180
181// Delimitation symbol C
182  lcd.setCursor(15,0);
183  lcd.write(7);
184  lcd.setCursor(15,1);
185  lcd.write(7);
186
187  delay(100);
188
189//  Voltage reading from the pin A1
190  do
191  {
192    valore = analogRead(A1);
193  } while ( valore <= 5 );
194
195/*
196   1) valore*0.0049 -> Arduino reads 4.9  mV to unit, so this is 
197   the conversion to volt
198   More info at: https://www.arduino.cc/reference/it/language/functions/analog-io/analogread/
199   2) valore*0.0049/1.2 -> 1.2 represents the value of SOL ( Standard Operative  Level ), used
200   to indicate the maximum level to avoid the saturation, for VU  Meter is 1.2 Volt
201   3) 20*log( valore*0.0049/1.2 ) -> This is the formula to  converts values from volt to 
202   db for VU Meter, dbVU
203 */
204  dbVU = (log10((double)valore*0.0049/1.2))*20;
205
206  // Setting the new rectangles
207  for (int i = 0, livello = 1; i < 7; i++) {
208    if (valori[i] < dbVU) {
209      lcd.setCursor(livello, 0);
210      lcd.write(5);
211      lcd.setCursor(livello++, 1);
212      lcd.write(5);
213      delay(50);
214      lcd.setCursor(livello, 0);
215      lcd.write(5);
216      lcd.setCursor(livello++,  1);
217      lcd.write(5);
218    }
219  }
220
221  // Removing the old rectangles
222  for (int i = 7, livello = 14; i > 0; i--) {
223    if (valori[i] > dbVU) {
224      lcd.setCursor(livello, 0);
225      lcd.write(6);
226      lcd.setCursor(livello--,  1);
227      lcd.write(6);
228      delay(50);
229      lcd.setCursor(livello, 0);
230      lcd.write(6);
231      lcd.setCursor(livello--, 1);
232      lcd.write(6);
233    }
234  }
235
236  delay(100);
237
238}
239

/*
   Mechanical VU meter
   Author: Marco Croce
   Version:  1.0 - 09/2021
*/

// library used for the LCD display
#include <LiquidCrystal.h>

/*
   Bit / Pixel Mapping to create the letters
   and the symbols to show on the  display
*/

byte c0[8] = {
  B11111,
  B00000,
  B00000,
  B00000,
  B00000,
  B00000,
  B00000,
  B11111
};

byte c1[8] = {
  B11111,
  B00000,
  B10000,
  B10000,
  B10000,
  B10000,
  B00000,
  B11111
};

byte c2[8] = {
  B11111,
  B00000,
  B11000,
  B11000,
  B11000,
  B11000,
  B00000,
  B11111
};

byte c3[8]  = {
  B11111,
  B00000,
  B11100,
  B11100,
  B11100,
  B11100,
  B00000,
  B11111
};

byte c4[8] = {
  B11111,
  B00000,
  B11110,
  B11110,
  B11110,
  B11110,
  B00000,
  B11111
};

byte  c5[8] = {
  B11111,
  B00000,
  B11111,
  B11111,
  B11111,
  B11111,
  B00000,
  B11111
};

byte C[8] = {
  B11100,
  B11110,
  B11111,
  B11111,
  B11111,
  B11111,
  B11110,
  B11100
};

byte R[8]  = {
  B00000,
  B11110,
  B10001,
  B10001,
  B11110,
  B10100,
  B10010,
  B10001
};

byte L[8] = {
  B00000,
  B10000,
  B10000,
  B10000,
  B10000,
  B10000,
  B10000,
  B11111
};

// Set  the LCD's pin number through the constructor
LiquidCrystal lcd(12, 11, 5, 4,  3, 2);
// Range of dB values
int valori[] = {-75, -50, -40, -30, -20, 0, 5,  10};

/*
   Variables:
   - valore -> The value of volts read using  Arduino
   - i -> A simple counter
   - dbVU -> The value of dbVU obtained  by valore
   - livello -> A counter for the rectangles of the VU Meter
 */
int  valore = 0, i = 0;
double dbVU;
int livello;

void setup()
{
//  set up the LCD's number of columns and rows
  lcd.begin(16, 2);
// set up  the pin from which to read the value
  pinMode(A1, INPUT);

/*
   Creation  of the custom characters to be used
   on the display
*/
  lcd.createChar(1,  c1);
  lcd.createChar(2, c2);
  lcd.createChar(3, c3);
  lcd.createChar(4,  c4);
  lcd.createChar(5, c5);
  lcd.createChar(6, c0);
  lcd.createChar(7,  C);
  lcd.createChar(8, L);
  lcd.createChar(9, R);

// Loading initial  screen
  lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
  lcd.print("    VU METER    ");
  delay(500);

//  Loading line
  for ( livello = 0; livello < 16; livello++ )
  {
    lcd.setCursor(livello,  1);
    lcd.write(5);
    delay(100);
  }

  delay(500);

  lcd.clear();
  
  delay(500);

}

void loop()
{
// Letter  L - LEFT
  lcd.setCursor(0,0);
  lcd.write(8);
// Letter R - RIGHT
  lcd.setCursor(0,1);
  lcd.write(9);

// Delimitation symbol C
  lcd.setCursor(15,0);
  lcd.write(7);
  lcd.setCursor(15,1);
  lcd.write(7);

  delay(100);

//  Voltage reading from the pin A1
  do
  {
    valore = analogRead(A1);
  } while ( valore <= 5 );

/*
   1) valore*0.0049 -> Arduino reads 4.9  mV to unit, so this is 
   the conversion to volt
   More info at: https://www.arduino.cc/reference/it/language/functions/analog-io/analogread/
   2) valore*0.0049/1.2 -> 1.2 represents the value of SOL ( Standard Operative  Level ), used
   to indicate the maximum level to avoid the saturation, for VU  Meter is 1.2 Volt
   3) 20*log( valore*0.0049/1.2 ) -> This is the formula to  converts values from volt to 
   db for VU Meter, dbVU
 */
  dbVU = (log10((double)valore*0.0049/1.2))*20;

  // Setting the new rectangles
  for (int i = 0, livello = 1; i < 7; i++) {
    if (valori[i] < dbVU) {
      lcd.setCursor(livello, 0);
      lcd.write(5);
      lcd.setCursor(livello++, 1);
      lcd.write(5);
      delay(50);
      lcd.setCursor(livello, 0);
      lcd.write(5);
      lcd.setCursor(livello++,  1);
      lcd.write(5);
    }
  }

  // Removing the old rectangles
  for (int i = 7, livello = 14; i > 0; i--) {
    if (valori[i] > dbVU) {
      lcd.setCursor(livello, 0);
      lcd.write(6);
      lcd.setCursor(livello--,  1);
      lcd.write(6);
      delay(50);
      lcd.setCursor(livello, 0);
      lcd.write(6);
      lcd.setCursor(livello--, 1);
      lcd.write(6);
    }
  }

  delay(100);

}

Github Repository - VU_Meter

no description/ Read More

Latest commit to the master branch on Invalid date

Download as a zip

VU.ino

arduino

1/*
2   Mechanical VU meter
3   Author: Marco Croce
4   Version:
5  1.0 - 09/2021
6*/
7
8// library used for the LCD display
9#include <LiquidCrystal.h>
10
11/*
12
13   Bit / Pixel Mapping to create the letters
14   and the symbols to show on the
15  display
16*/
17
18byte c0[8] = {
19  B11111,
20  B00000,
21  B00000,
22  B00000,
23
24  B00000,
25  B00000,
26  B00000,
27  B11111
28};
29
30byte c1[8] = {
31
32  B11111,
33  B00000,
34  B10000,
35  B10000,
36  B10000,
37  B10000,
38  B00000,
39
40  B11111
41};
42
43byte c2[8] = {
44  B11111,
45  B00000,
46  B11000,
47
48  B11000,
49  B11000,
50  B11000,
51  B00000,
52  B11111
53};
54
55byte c3[8]
56  = {
57  B11111,
58  B00000,
59  B11100,
60  B11100,
61  B11100,
62  B11100,
63
64  B00000,
65  B11111
66};
67
68byte c4[8] = {
69  B11111,
70  B00000,
71
72  B11110,
73  B11110,
74  B11110,
75  B11110,
76  B00000,
77  B11111
78};
79
80byte
81  c5[8] = {
82  B11111,
83  B00000,
84  B11111,
85  B11111,
86  B11111,
87  B11111,
88
89  B00000,
90  B11111
91};
92
93byte C[8] = {
94  B11100,
95  B11110,
96  B11111,
97
98  B11111,
99  B11111,
100  B11111,
101  B11110,
102  B11100
103};
104
105byte R[8]
106  = {
107  B00000,
108  B11110,
109  B10001,
110  B10001,
111  B11110,
112  B10100,
113
114  B10010,
115  B10001
116};
117
118byte L[8] = {
119  B00000,
120  B10000,
121  B10000,
122
123  B10000,
124  B10000,
125  B10000,
126  B10000,
127  B11111
128};
129
130// Set
131  the LCD's pin number through the constructor
132LiquidCrystal lcd(12, 11, 5, 4,
133  3, 2);
134// Range of dB values
135int valori[] = {-75, -50, -40, -30, -20, 0, 5,
136  10};
137
138/*
139   Variables:
140   - valore -> The value of volts read using
141  Arduino
142   - i -> A simple counter
143   - dbVU -> The value of dbVU obtained
144  by valore
145   - livello -> A counter for the rectangles of the VU Meter
146 */
147int
148  valore = 0, i = 0;
149double dbVU;
150int livello;
151
152void setup()
153{
154//
155  set up the LCD's number of columns and rows
156  lcd.begin(16, 2);
157// set up
158  the pin from which to read the value
159  pinMode(A1, INPUT);
160
161/*
162   Creation
163  of the custom characters to be used
164   on the display
165*/
166  lcd.createChar(1,
167  c1);
168  lcd.createChar(2, c2);
169  lcd.createChar(3, c3);
170  lcd.createChar(4,
171  c4);
172  lcd.createChar(5, c5);
173  lcd.createChar(6, c0);
174  lcd.createChar(7,
175  C);
176  lcd.createChar(8, L);
177  lcd.createChar(9, R);
178
179// Loading initial
180  screen
181  lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
182  lcd.print("    VU METER    ");
183  delay(500);
184
185//
186  Loading line
187  for ( livello = 0; livello < 16; livello++ )
188  {
189    lcd.setCursor(livello,
190  1);
191    lcd.write(5);
192    delay(100);
193  }
194
195  delay(500);
196
197
198  lcd.clear();
199  
200  delay(500);
201
202}
203
204void loop()
205{
206// Letter
207  L - LEFT
208  lcd.setCursor(0,0);
209  lcd.write(8);
210// Letter R - RIGHT
211
212  lcd.setCursor(0,1);
213  lcd.write(9);
214
215// Delimitation symbol C
216  lcd.setCursor(15,0);
217
218  lcd.write(7);
219  lcd.setCursor(15,1);
220  lcd.write(7);
221
222  delay(100);
223
224//
225  Voltage reading from the pin A1
226  do
227  {
228    valore = analogRead(A1);
229
230  } while ( valore <= 5 );
231
232/*
233   1) valore*0.0049 -> Arduino reads 4.9
234  mV to unit, so this is 
235   the conversion to volt
236   More info at: https://www.arduino.cc/reference/it/language/functions/analog-io/analogread/
237
238   2) valore*0.0049/1.2 -> 1.2 represents the value of SOL ( Standard Operative
239  Level ), used
240   to indicate the maximum level to avoid the saturation, for VU
241  Meter is 1.2 Volt
242   3) 20*log( valore*0.0049/1.2 ) -> This is the formula to
243  converts values from volt to 
244   db for VU Meter, dbVU
245 */
246  dbVU = (log10((double)valore*0.0049/1.2))*20;
247
248
249  // Setting the new rectangles
250  for (int i = 0, livello = 1; i < 7; i++) {
251
252    if (valori[i] < dbVU) {
253      lcd.setCursor(livello, 0);
254      lcd.write(5);
255
256      lcd.setCursor(livello++, 1);
257      lcd.write(5);
258      delay(50);
259
260      lcd.setCursor(livello, 0);
261      lcd.write(5);
262      lcd.setCursor(livello++,
263  1);
264      lcd.write(5);
265    }
266  }
267
268  // Removing the old rectangles
269
270  for (int i = 7, livello = 14; i > 0; i--) {
271    if (valori[i] > dbVU) {
272
273      lcd.setCursor(livello, 0);
274      lcd.write(6);
275      lcd.setCursor(livello--,
276  1);
277      lcd.write(6);
278      delay(50);
279      lcd.setCursor(livello, 0);
280
281      lcd.write(6);
282      lcd.setCursor(livello--, 1);
283      lcd.write(6);
284
285    }
286  }
287
288  delay(100);
289
290}
291

/*
   Mechanical VU meter
   Author: Marco Croce
   Version:
  1.0 - 09/2021
*/

// library used for the LCD display
#include <LiquidCrystal.h>

/*

   Bit / Pixel Mapping to create the letters
   and the symbols to show on the
  display
*/

byte c0[8] = {
  B11111,
  B00000,
  B00000,
  B00000,

  B00000,
  B00000,
  B00000,
  B11111
};

byte c1[8] = {

  B11111,
  B00000,
  B10000,
  B10000,
  B10000,
  B10000,
  B00000,

  B11111
};

byte c2[8] = {
  B11111,
  B00000,
  B11000,

  B11000,
  B11000,
  B11000,
  B00000,
  B11111
};

byte c3[8]
  = {
  B11111,
  B00000,
  B11100,
  B11100,
  B11100,
  B11100,

  B00000,
  B11111
};

byte c4[8] = {
  B11111,
  B00000,

  B11110,
  B11110,
  B11110,
  B11110,
  B00000,
  B11111
};

byte
  c5[8] = {
  B11111,
  B00000,
  B11111,
  B11111,
  B11111,
  B11111,

  B00000,
  B11111
};

byte C[8] = {
  B11100,
  B11110,
  B11111,

  B11111,
  B11111,
  B11111,
  B11110,
  B11100
};

byte R[8]
  = {
  B00000,
  B11110,
  B10001,
  B10001,
  B11110,
  B10100,

  B10010,
  B10001
};

byte L[8] = {
  B00000,
  B10000,
  B10000,

  B10000,
  B10000,
  B10000,
  B10000,
  B11111
};

// Set
  the LCD's pin number through the constructor
LiquidCrystal lcd(12, 11, 5, 4,
  3, 2);
// Range of dB values
int valori[] = {-75, -50, -40, -30, -20, 0, 5,
  10};

/*
   Variables:
   - valore -> The value of volts read using
  Arduino
   - i -> A simple counter
   - dbVU -> The value of dbVU obtained
  by valore
   - livello -> A counter for the rectangles of the VU Meter
 */
int
  valore = 0, i = 0;
double dbVU;
int livello;

void setup()
{
//
  set up the LCD's number of columns and rows
  lcd.begin(16, 2);
// set up
  the pin from which to read the value
  pinMode(A1, INPUT);

/*
   Creation
  of the custom characters to be used
   on the display
*/
  lcd.createChar(1,
  c1);
  lcd.createChar(2, c2);
  lcd.createChar(3, c3);
  lcd.createChar(4,
  c4);
  lcd.createChar(5, c5);
  lcd.createChar(6, c0);
  lcd.createChar(7,
  C);
  lcd.createChar(8, L);
  lcd.createChar(9, R);

// Loading initial
  screen
  lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
  lcd.print("    VU METER    ");
  delay(500);

//
  Loading line
  for ( livello = 0; livello < 16; livello++ )
  {
    lcd.setCursor(livello,
  1);
    lcd.write(5);
    delay(100);
  }

  delay(500);


  lcd.clear();
  
  delay(500);

}

void loop()
{
// Letter
  L - LEFT
  lcd.setCursor(0,0);
  lcd.write(8);
// Letter R - RIGHT

  lcd.setCursor(0,1);
  lcd.write(9);

// Delimitation symbol C
  lcd.setCursor(15,0);

  lcd.write(7);
  lcd.setCursor(15,1);
  lcd.write(7);

  delay(100);

//
  Voltage reading from the pin A1
  do
  {
    valore = analogRead(A1);

  } while ( valore <= 5 );

/*
   1) valore*0.0049 -> Arduino reads 4.9
  mV to unit, so this is 
   the conversion to volt
   More info at: https://www.arduino.cc/reference/it/language/functions/analog-io/analogread/

   2) valore*0.0049/1.2 -> 1.2 represents the value of SOL ( Standard Operative
  Level ), used
   to indicate the maximum level to avoid the saturation, for VU
  Meter is 1.2 Volt
   3) 20*log( valore*0.0049/1.2 ) -> This is the formula to
  converts values from volt to 
   db for VU Meter, dbVU
 */
  dbVU = (log10((double)valore*0.0049/1.2))*20;


  // Setting the new rectangles
  for (int i = 0, livello = 1; i < 7; i++) {

    if (valori[i] < dbVU) {
      lcd.setCursor(livello, 0);
      lcd.write(5);

      lcd.setCursor(livello++, 1);
      lcd.write(5);
      delay(50);

      lcd.setCursor(livello, 0);
      lcd.write(5);
      lcd.setCursor(livello++,
  1);
      lcd.write(5);
    }
  }

  // Removing the old rectangles

  for (int i = 7, livello = 14; i > 0; i--) {
    if (valori[i] > dbVU) {

      lcd.setCursor(livello, 0);
      lcd.write(6);
      lcd.setCursor(livello--,
  1);
      lcd.write(6);
      delay(50);
      lcd.setCursor(livello, 0);

      lcd.write(6);
      lcd.setCursor(livello--, 1);
      lcd.write(6);

    }
  }

  delay(100);

}

Downloadable files

Schematics and circuit diagrams of Mechanical VUMETER - PDF

Documentation

Case with cover (AutoCAD project)

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