Today we’re going to take a deep-dive and examine the best scrolling LED signs. Needless to say, they serve a distinct purpose. However, they’re a bit more complex and expensive. They have a similar purpose to a programmable LED sign. For example, not long ago, we reviewed the best hologram projector display fans.
Here at NerdTechy, we’ve showcased similar products in the past. Truth is, there’s options from a wide range of manufacturers, available in an assortment of sizes and varieties. There are so many different options to choose from. Regardless of your reasoning, purchasing one of these scrolling LED signs can be somewhat complicated. In fact, they’re even a fun addition at your home or office. Letting you add your own custom messages via WiFi, these “smart” displays aren’t just for businesses. Whether you operate a restaurant, convenience store or other attraction, investing in a programmable LED sign is a smart choice. The Arduino/Teensy can then listen for the 0b00000001 bits and re-square each frame of video.A scrolling LED sign is a great idea if you’re a business with a store-front.
On the first pixel of each frame, binary OR each RGB value with 0b00000001. In order to keep the video looking right, binary AND every RGB value with 0b111111110. The plugin would then send uncompressed RGB values for each frame of video, so we could play any animation we like on the giant wall o LEDS or on your new LED panel. I want to tell the plugin "my screen is X by Y pixels" and "my arduino/teensy is over here" (serial port or ethernet address). I challenge you to write a new output plugin for VLC (VideoLAN). If you're keen to build a big wall o LEDs, contact me through my website and we'll make it happen. You'll also need to tweak the code in fun ways. Octoshield can handle a LOT more LEDs than that. This is because the Arduino is too slow to deliver more instructions quickly enough to fool your eye.įor VHS' giant wall o LEDs - 4 panels wide and 3 panels high - we used a Teensy 3.1 with the Octoshield and a 5v60a power supply - that's 300 watts of power in 768 LEDs. Over 3 strips and there will start to be flickering lights and strange behavior. 4a for every 64 LEDs, or 12a for 192 LEDs (x3). For more strips you need to multiply the number of amps. The power supply recommended at the start is only enough to power 1 strip of 64 LEDs. It's also a great way to start learning about computer games: one pixel at a time is how I learned way back in the 1990s. I'm sorry, you can't lead the robot uprising. This is a crucial step if you're going to fight the robot uprising. Read the full programming LEDs tutorial to start learning how to bend machines to your will. Share this with your friends so I can keep making weird stuff. I put a rubber band around the arduino to hold the wires in place. Now the Arduino and the LEDs are getting power from the PS and they have a common ground (white wire/GND). If you have a soldering iron feel free to tin the white wire so it's easier to stick in the Arduino.Ĭonnect a red wire from power supply V+ to Arduino VIN.Ĭonnect a white wire from power supply V- to Arduino GND. Look around the board - there's more than one GND and they're all the same. Connect either one to to V-.Ĭonnect the other LED white wire to Arduino GND. If you have a cable that is brown/blue/yellow or brown/blue/green: Brown is Live (L), green/yellow is ground, and blue is neutral (N).įrom there a red wire from the LEDs to V+. The three wires are brown, blue, and yellow The white wire goes to the power supply's neutral (N), the green wire goes to ground, and finally the black wire goes to live (L). The three wires inside are black, green, and white YOU WON'T GET TO MAKE THAT MISTAKE TWICE.Ĭut off the end of the power plug that doesn't go in the wall. I don't want you to be surprised.ĭO NONE OF THESE STEPS WHEN POWER IS CONNECTED. The power supply in these pictures is more amps than in the model I suggested on the previous step.