[George] started with an 8×8 grid, but just couldn’t help himself from upscaling to this 32×16 pixel ping pong ball display. That’s right, It’s a 512 pixel array of fully addressable RGB LEDs diffused with one ping pong ball each.
We featured the predecessor to this project back in January. That one was an 8×8 display using a Rainbowduino as the controller. [George] took what he learned from that build and expanded upon it. The larger display is modular. Each module starts as an 8×8 grid which connects back to the Arduino using a breakout shield with some Ethernet jacks used as quick connects. The LEDs are driven by 595 shift registers, with transistors which protect the logic chips from the currents being switched.
He had a lot of help soldering all the connections for the display and ended up bringing it to show off at the Manchester mini maker faire. See it in action in the video after the break.
Even if it’s the same old “led matrix” type of projet, this one makes me jealous :)
So pretty !
“The LEDs are driven by 595 shift registers, with transistors which protect the logic chips from the currents being switched.”
Transistors are probably switching currents, that’s what they do, and hardly protecting anything.
For a moment I read 595 as the *quantity* of shift registers (as opposed to the type)!
It would be awesome to play Pong on this Display =D
Wanted: High speed/low latency 640×480 grid of this! Too bad the costs would be prohibitive. 300k RGB LEDs, even at a cent a piece would still cost me three grand and that’s before hooking it up to any type of input architecture.
Start with 320*240 and grow from there :) (maybe a local sponsorship or else ..)
For larger displays, go with a borderless, modular approach and build boards as time/funds permit.
Also, does anyone have a good source for cheap ping pong balls?
Modular approach is the way to go. Save your sanity.
Manchester maker faire is this weekend! Woo.
come visit on 28th & 29th
YES, GO, NOW :-)
(it will be on the HAC:Man booth, which is, incidentally, the best booth there)
but can I play doom on it?