Comments on: Metalab’s LED matrix display

By: mask_12

mask_12 — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:30:25 +0000

Cool & impressive installation. I can imagine this would fit perfectly in quite some clubs.

By: overflo

overflo — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:30:03 +0000

ah yes i forgot..
we got those leds SPONSORED from http://www.led1.de
they are crystal blue 5000 mcd

By: Overflo

Overflo — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:26:27 +0000

hi guys,
i am flo from viennas metalab and one of the initators of this project..

first, thanks for your great response thats really motivating :)

the schemantics WILL be available anytime soon, we just haven't had the time to make a cool project page for that monster.

in july metalab will be hosting a demoparty and by then we should have a more serious project page with a lot more detailed information online.

the costs:
yes there were some.
actually it was very expensive.

i made a little homepage upfront with pics of other blinky things we built.
this homepage was modified so to say "led1.de", "leds.de","led-shop..." and sent to the contact adresses of various online stores.
the page had these pics on it, a youtube video and a short message saying something like "ohai, we are a bunch of crazy guys with a lot motivation and we want to build this HUGE led matrix, will you sponsor us?"
finally we got high quality leds for 0.20 â¬/piece.
you dont want to get 0.1 cent leds just to find out they are class III and will not have the same radius or luminicity AFTER soldering 3456 of them together :P
the controllers cost a couple more 100er's

if you are ever in vienna visit us!
we are austrias first hackerspace opened every day from 6pm-???.
http://www.metalab.at

:*
-flo

By: FPGA Boards

FPGA Boards — Thu, 29 May 2008 04:11:34 +0000

Holly crap, that is a lot of LED. I would love to have my hands on that !!
Bendorton, good job with the soldering, you must be good :-)

- Dave

By: bendotron

bendotron — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:47:44 +0000

They were working on this at Chaos Communication Camp in August of last year, and I helped them solder some of the LEDs. It was all done by hand with pencil-style irons. They had a lot left to do when I saw it, but they also had a fairly large group of people to do it.

By: rababerkuchen

rababerkuchen — Tue, 27 May 2008 10:51:49 +0000

wow awesome,

WTB: led matrix display

By: jproach

jproach — Mon, 26 May 2008 07:04:38 +0000

Alex: the LEDs are multiplexed so it reduces a lot of the hardware.

mitch: found their schematics, verilog, etc. in their open directory. Can be opened with Kicad.

https://whatever.metalab.at/projects/FPGAMatrix/schematics/

By: Alex McCown

Alex McCown — Sun, 25 May 2008 22:43:52 +0000

u need 3.5k blue leds 3.5k pwms and there controllers … $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

By: Ron

Ron — Sun, 25 May 2008 18:36:02 +0000

Awesome work. I’d love to see it with some RGB leds.

By: strider_mt2k

strider_mt2k — Sun, 25 May 2008 15:11:53 +0000

That must have been some exacting work, whether or not you get into a rhythm of the job.

Well done, seriously.

By: macegr

macegr — Sun, 25 May 2008 14:56:00 +0000

alex: The LEDs probably cost less than the hardware needed to control them. eBay is your friend, 1000 blue LEDs for $120: http://cgi.ebay.com/1000-PC-MegaBright-Blue-LED-5mm-7kmcd-Car-DIY-Free-R-SH_W0QQitemZ320162348895QQihZ011QQcategoryZ66954QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

By: Alex

Alex — Sun, 25 May 2008 14:06:58 +0000

That is incredibly impressive and must of cost a fortune – 3,456 blue leds…

By: mitch

mitch — Sun, 25 May 2008 12:37:44 +0000

They have provided interfacing instructions, protocol details yet no schematics or source? Right…

By: aaron

aaron — Sun, 25 May 2008 11:46:25 +0000

great project. pretty impressive