I have cloned the libraries and examples from git. Run the script setup.py install in rpi-ws281x and UnicornHat directories. Using print I have determined that the script reaches just before import unicornhat as unicorn but never after.
I am running arch linux on a zero 1.3v, I am not prepared to put any other OS on it. However, if the library won’t work on arch then I would be forced to look it driving the unicorn myself.
see the discussion here:
so… try the upstream lib and if that does not work then your best bet is to file an issue at https://github.com/jgarff/rpi_ws281x
Thank you for the quick reply. I did not think to search for issues with rpi-ws281x library in my research into the topic.
I’m working on making it more obvious that we depend on the upstream rpi-ws281x, not to mention actually explicitly depending on it so the latest fixes/changes will come down the pipe faster.
Unfortunately I can’t focus specifically on Arch support, but usually that stuff gets bubbled up and fixed by a PR upstream.
The library uses some really weird techniques to work- hooking into PWM and feeding it a specially modulated signal via DMA- which can be really, really fragile.