This is my poker table with programmable, digitally addressable, RGB color changing, LEDs with a web interface. I designed the table, the electrical hardware, and did most of the code myself. It uses an Arduino microcontroller, so there was an ample amount of supporting code from the internet. For instance, the LEDs (http://adafruit.com/products/306) I used are digitally addressable and came with a library, so I didn’t have to do all the low level programming for those. However, most of the web programming I borrowed from other projects I had worked on. There weren’t many examples of interfacing the Arduino with a web interface.
The controller is housed in a small HTPC case. I needed an enclosure with enough space to mount my terminal strips, breadboard and connectors, and I needed a power supply capable of 9-12V and 5V, so it worked out. The web pages reside on my small home server. There is a handheld controller that can be used to set all the lights, but after I finished the web app, I realized that wasn’t as fun. I wanted to make a dedicated application on my phone, but decided on the web interface for the cross-platform nature.
It didn’t come out perfectly, but it’s a prototype. Looking back a Raspberry Pi probably would have been a better choice for the controller since I could have embedded the web server. However, the Arduino provided better experience for my Electrical Engineering education. If anyone is working on a project that is similar in any way, let me know if I can help at all!
Later, I finished the regular table top I made to accompany it. After that, I added functionality to choose colors based on hex codes used to pick HTML colors.
The code is located at https://github.com/jrtrzeciak/pokerTable.
Here you can see the table in tournament mode as well as the web interface to go with it.
The result of a few people busting.
Here is the table in manual mode.
Here is the new manual mode where you can pick color codes rather than the 8 colors I hard coded. The color codes are the standard codes used for web programming/styling. A good resource is found at http://www.w3schools.com/tags/ref_colorpicker.asp.
Finally, the table without the lights.
Colors, Circuits, and Sounds 
7 Comments
You’re awesome!
Hello, cool project. I had the same idea. I’ve solved it with the arduino yun and with a 4m neopixel led strip from adafruit. Your app screens gave me a good impression for my own app. The gamingpart isn’t ready yet. Just some color and animation functions: http://youtu.be/tM2X61jQKxo
Greets Roman
Sry, wrong youtubelink, here is the correct one: http://youtu.be/ArY1J4Lf9EM
Roman
Hey, your app looks great! Any video of the table? Keep me posted!
Yes, you can have a look here: http://rp-developer.de/pokertable-modding/
Roman
Very Impressive work. I’m getting ready to start a similar project, where I build my own table and incorporate similar lights! I’m very glad I found your site, it gives me a lot of hope. I have zero programming / electrical experience, how difficult do you think this will be?
Thanks for your time!
Hi Jon,
With no electrical or programming experience, it will be difficult. I would start with simple tutorials online. The arduino ecosystem has many, many resources. Similar development boards and shops like Adafruit and Sparkfun have a ton of resources as well. Start small, demonstrate to yourself you understand how all the pieces work, then put them together for the final product.