Configuring RGB under Linux

[BarriBurt]

Morning all,

I've ordered new hardware (most exciting!), and I'm kinda open about which distro. Have been quite happy with POP on the old PC and at this point I'll probably roll that again. PopOS with bits like Nala, VIM/VMM etc has been quite refreshing after Windows.

Keeping some old bits, but the exciting parts are an AMD CPU (AM5) / AMD GPU (7900xtx) build, using Asus tuff board, Sapphire GPU and various RGB bits from Corsair.

For controlling those lights, all I've got is OpenRGB. Is that about it for options, or is there something else you guys would suggest? Don't want to end up with rainbow puke mode!
Happy with static colours, effects are a bonus.
Backup option is pass control through to a Windows VM and set colours there. Doing it natively from Linux would be better.

 

[wizardfromoz]

G'day Barri - not my area of expertise, but maybe you can provide us a screenshot from a phone pic of what the box looks like at the moment, which may assist some of our Helpers to help you?

Wiz

 

[BarriBurt]

Part​	Vendor​	Desc​
CPU​	Scorptec​	AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Desktop Processor​
M/B​	Scorptec​	ASUS TUF GAMING X670E-PLUS​
RAM​	PLE​	Corsair 32GB Kit (2x16GB) DDR5 Vengeance RGB AMD EXPO C30 6000MHz - Cool Grey​
GPU​	PLE​	Sapphire NITRO+ Radeon RX 7900 XTX Vapor-X 24GB​
Storage​	Scorptec​	Kingston KC3000 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD​
Storage​	Scorptec​	Kingston KC3000 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD​
Cooler​	PLE​	Corsair iCUE H115i Elite Capellix 280mm AIO Liquid CPU Cooler​

First upgrade in about 7 years, but we've beaten the mortgage down a bit since then.

So, controlling those RGBs - any suggestions? Nobody wants rainbow puke.

 

[BarriBurt]

No bites? OK.
Well, half of it's arrived. Kinda need the ram - still waiting. I'll let you know how this goes.

 

[BarriBurt]

Got the system, all assembled now, and we're off to the races. Weeee! And the kids scored my old system in a new case in the bargain.

2 ways to Install OpenRGB on Ubuntu 22.04 | 20.04 LTS

Learn the commands to install OpenRGB tools on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS Jammy JellyFish or Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Focal Fossa Linux using the terminal to control RGB lights. OpenRGB earlier known as OpenAuraSDK is free, multivendor software for controlling RGB lighting. The project is focused to ... Read more

linux.how2shout.com

Getting there. OpenRGB as a starting point. It picked up the Corsair Commander Core and the Asus Tuf right away, which is a great start, but wants to know how many lighting zones. "Count the LEDs", apparently... hoo boy. See how this goes...

 

[BarriBurt]

This was too funny not to share.
I've got rudimentary control of the Corsair and Asus component RGB LEDS with OpenRGB. Only seems to stay set if you leave the app open, but ok, it's something - I can live with static colours, and I'm running up a Windows VM to see what that can do for it. The Sapphire GPU however is not yet identified by OpenRGB. Maybe the plug's not set properly, I can check that tomorrow, but while Googling for solutions I found this:

That last search result is my post in this this thread. I searched for answers and found my own question!

 

[BarriBurt]

After a mighty struggle, I set up a drive with Windows 10 to install Sapphire's "Trixx" software and in it set the GPU to look to it's addressable RGB header for colour direction. Now, it's considered by OpenRGB to be just an extension of the motherboard's lights - so I control in Linux! Woohoo!

I'll keep the Windows drive around for firmware updates etc. But the old lesson came around and bit me again; don't install Windows with your Linux drives still in the computer. It'll just see a drive and say "Yummy! I got a boot loader for that!" and wipe your drive. What a horrible thing it is! Anyway, rebuilt and up and running with lighting control and up to date firmware, so I'm happy.

Good luck to any wandered who stumble in here looking for help with this. Remember, you can get a linux ISO from the web and just not register it. Un-activated Windows is sufficient for getting firmware up to date and establishing a firmware setting like that.

*Edit: Google up "Effects in OpenRGB", you can download effects profiles and get a lot better than just static colours. Lots of stuff in here. Not as easy to use as the stuff the vendors offer under Windows, but it's got a LOT of options... more than many of those vendors offer, too.

 

[wizardfromoz]

No bites? OK.

Just a word or five of encouragement.

Although it is regrettable that it appears no one with the knowledge to help has swung by, it appears to me that you are making significant progress on your lonesome.

IMO it is really handy to become relatively self-sufficient in Linux, so more power to you, and please do keep us posted on how it is going, you won't be talking to yourself.

I searched for answers and found my own question!

We rank well with Google ... must be our personal charm, lol.

I won't tell you the number of times I have Googled something up, only to find that the answer was within our own forum.

Enjoy your Linux

Wiz

 

[lomszz]

I tried OpenRGB at some point, but I haven't bothered to use it. I'm fine with the default colors.

 

[BarriBurt]

please do keep us posted on how it is going, you won't be talking to yourself.

It's working nicely under OPenRGB.

The Sapphire card support is basically absent so I loaded Windows onto an old SSD for it. Even in Windows, their website is flakey and their software pretty basic. Fairly good effects options but basic. So I set it to use the RGB header on the board, and OPenRGB has no trouble controlling the ASUS Tuf board RGB and the Corsair stuff. So, all is well, and the kids have taken to making colour requests when I wake this thing up now. So to them it's a computer that doubles as a Christmas tree. :eyeroll:

Fun times.