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LED Matrix Sign Plug-in
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cstrang View Drop Down
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Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Location: San Antonio
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Posts: 15 		  Quote cstrang Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: LED Matrix Sign Plug-in
    Posted: 12 Jan 2009 at 2:21pm
 
I had an excellent year for my light display/show.  Thanks to Aurorashow, D-Light, various artists and BDKEEN for sharing his sequences. 
 
For 2008 Xmas I added the 15' Mega-tree, which was knocked down by some *^(%*&^!!! teenagers and a jeep, not much damage was actually done, but next year I will be ready for them! 
 
I also added a LED matrix sign with hardcoded scrolling messages for my radio channel and Xmas greeting.  For next year I plan on having the display scroll a message that includes the currently playing song and artist (kind of like the MP3 players do).  I already have a way of hardcoding the songs into the device and use controller unit IDs and light's on/off signals to select the hardcoded message/song to display.  I was wondering how hard it would be to program a plugin to send the display a message via the RS485 network.  Keep in mind that the display will be already connected to the network and have it's own unit ID.  I would just like to be able to send the display a message from within a sequence.  I know it can be done, but the question is how hard?  The other cool thing that can be done is animations, since it is a 64x32 bi-color matrix (red/green and orange with both on).
 
 
Check out the display in action at:
 
 
 
Thanks,
 
Charles S.
 
Charles
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bdkeen View Drop Down
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Posts: 380 		  Quote bdkeen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2009 at 8:56am
I like that!  I used an Alpha BigDOT LED display for 1 of 2 radio signs.  I believe I tried running it on RS232 and streaming in the data but wasn't really happy with the display I could produce (I really didn't spend enough time with it) so hard coded the message via the remote control. Would be cool to somhow 'plug into Aurora' somehow.
 
Initially I'm thinking that with all the various brands and types of LED signs there might be a little problem trying to satisfy all of us that might use one. But I really like the idea! Sort of a RDS for Aurora!
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deweycooter View Drop Down
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Joined: 14 Oct 2007
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Posts: 674 		  Quote deweycooter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2009 at 10:14am
RDS - yeah, that's probably the right approach to take.  The plug-in would let you send text out a specified port as an event. 

I'm anxious to see what Michael has planned for the plug-in support. 
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cstrang View Drop Down
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Posts: 15 		  Quote cstrang Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2009 at 11:41pm

I got the board from this outfit:

 
and built a custom board and code for a Parallax Propeller microcontroller to run it.  The microcontrolloler has enough power to run the board, do serial comms, command processing and still have 5 of the 8 processors available for tasks.  I already have the comms working and will most likely have the code for processing the LOR protocol by the end of this week.  For about $120 anyone could have this type of display running.  Code will be freely available for anyone that is interested as well as the board design for the controller board.
 
I would be willing to develop the plugin, but I would need a good example of how one is made.  It will probably take me 3 times as long to develop it than it would take someone that knows what they are doing.  The cool thing about this idea is that it piggy backs on the existing RS485 network we are already running for the light controllers.
 
 
Smile
 
Charles S.
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deweycooter View Drop Down
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Posts: 674 		  Quote deweycooter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jan 2009 at 8:24am
Maybe we'll collaborate a bit - I'm interested in adding some DIY boards to the display this year (Renard24) which would mean adding a new protocol.  I'd be going in blind as well, but I can't imagine it'll be too terribly hard.
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ErnestTeel View Drop Down
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Posts: 1 		  Quote ErnestTeel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Apr 2012 at 10:47pm
Originally posted by bdkeen

I like that!  I used an Alpha BigDOT     led strip blue led strip 12v led strip 12v display for 1 of 2 radio signs.  I believe I tried running it on RS232 and streaming in the data but wasn't really happy with the display I could produce (I really didn't spend enough time with it) so hard coded the message via the remote control. Would be cool to somhow 'plug into Aurora' somehow.
 



Initially I'm thinking that with all the various brands and types of LED signs there might be a little problem trying to satisfy all of us that might use one. But I really like the idea! Sort of a RDS for Aurora!

led strip!
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