LEDs blink/fade with music?

[CodilX 0]

Yes, I was going to direct you to such a strip, but you could consider an RGB strip instead: http://dx.com/p/12v-54-led-rgb-light-strip-50cm-11304 (they have longer ones also at not much higher price). RGB is even cooler since you can change colour. 

 

If you want to drive just a simple LED, you can do it straight from the port of the MSP, as long as you put a 150 ohm resistor in series. But for these strips and anything bright, you need to have a driver circuit. The simplest driver circuit is a mosfet, but you have to make sure you can drive it with the 3.6V from the launchpad.

 

You also need some regulators etc, since your MSP430 needs 3.6V (or 5V via the USB), but the LED strip needs 12V. 

 

If you are ok with soldering, then you could simply buy some MOSFETs and a prototype-board and connect up stuff. You could also look at some products like this: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10256 (check that it can be used with a logic voltage as low as 3.6V)

Does seedstudio sell the components I need? And what are those regulators?....

[larsie 121]

They seem to be out-of-stock of their mosfet breakout, and I'm not quite sure about that mosfet. Sparkfun have several options. 

 

On the regulator. Well, I guess you need a power-supply that provides 12V. That could be a computer supply. Probably you'll get it cheapest in a local store. 

 

and then you need a 3.6V or 5V regulator (latter being fed to the Launchpad which has a 3.6 regulator on it). Something like this: http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/5v33v-breadboard-power-supply-p-566.html?cPath=1_4 ( though there are cheaper options).