# pHAT Beat - VUmeter Colour Change?

**URL:** <https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/phat-beat-vumeter-colour-change/11966>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [October 18, 2019, 7:57pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/phat-beat-vumeter-colour-change/11966 "2019-10-18T19:57:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MisterMander](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/mistermander/32/5457_2.png) [@MisterMander](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/MisterMander)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 7:57pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/phat-beat-vumeter-colour-change/11966/1 "2019-10-18T19:57:00Z")

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Loving the pHAT Beat, on my third one now, for my current project I could do with adjusting the LED colours though, so that instead of going green-amber-red they’re red all the way across, but still go up and down keeping the same VU meter function.

Must be possible, I just can’t find the right way to make the change!

Any ideas gratefully appreciated, thanks.

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**Author:** ![alphanumeric](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/alphanumeric/32/2729_2.png) [@alphanumeric](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/alphanumeric)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2019, 8:35am UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/phat-beat-vumeter-colour-change/11966/2 "2019-10-19T08:35:52Z")

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Are you running your own code?  
Or maybe one of the examples?  
Or the Pirate Radio setup?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MisterMander](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/mistermander/32/5457_2.png) [@MisterMander](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/MisterMander)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2019, 3:51pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/phat-beat-vumeter-colour-change/11966/3 "2019-10-19T15:51:33Z")

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Just playing an MP3 from the desktop after a full standard installation, all is working absolutely fine, all I want to do is change the colour of the LEDs used in the VU meter.

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**Author:** ![alphanumeric](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/alphanumeric/32/2729_2.png) [@alphanumeric](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/alphanumeric)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2019, 4:42pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/phat-beat-vumeter-colour-change/11966/4 "2019-10-19T16:42:15Z")

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Ok, I have mine setup as the Pirate Radio / Internet Radio.  
Not sure this will help but have a look. There is some info on controlling the LEDs.  
[https://learn.pimoroni.com/tutorial/sandyj/getting-started-with-phat-beat](https://learn.pimoroni.com/tutorial/sandyj/getting-started-with-phat-beat)

I would think you’ll have to find the pHat Beat install directory, if it exists. And look for a config file.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![alphanumeric](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.pimoroni.com/alphanumeric/32/2729_2.png) [@alphanumeric](https://forums.pimoroni.com/u/alphanumeric)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2019, 4:46pm UTC](https://forums.pimoroni.com/t/phat-beat-vumeter-colour-change/11966/5 "2019-10-19T16:46:55Z")

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@Scott posted this in another thread on how to change the VU meter sensitivity. You might have to do something similar, but to a different line in that file. To be honest I don’t understand what it does or how it does it, but it did work.

You can increase the sensitivity on the Phat Beat VU Meter by doing the following:  
cd Pimoroni/pivumeter  
nano src/devices/phat-beat.c  
Change line 88 to:  
int bar = (meter\_level \* (meter\_level / 8) / 131071.0f) \* (brightness \* (NUM\_PIXELS/2));  
Recompile the library:  
sudo make  
sudo make install  
Sudo reboot

Now your VU meter is more sensitive! Tweak the values to your liking.