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My little project.

I'm new to the whole Electronics scene, and was hoping to find a good place to start.

I already have an idea for a project, but I think it'll be a little complicated for a first project. I'm thinking of making a modded computer case, which has an two dimensional array of LEDs on one side (or wrapped around the top and on both sides) which can be controlled by a microcontroller that is programmed by the computer its on.

I can do the programming no problem, its the hardware I'm not sure about. I don't even know where to get the hardware.

I'm thinking that for an interface to the LEDs, I'll need a timer chip (for 50x50 leds with 8 levels of intensity, I'll need about 3MHz), three counters (two going 0 to 49, and one going 0-7) On the other side of things, I think I'll need some RAM (not sure what type, but it needs to store the intensity values of the leds, and be updated at least 30 times a second, with the possibility of multiple read/writes for the whole "screen") some flash (for the software that creates the LED designs) and, of course, the CPU. Something fast enough to handle updating the memory with moderate math capabilities. Floating point is a bonus, but most things I want to do can use precalculated integer tables if necessary (increasing the memory requirement, not a big deal though) Oh, and a way to easily program the flash (via USB or Rs232 maybe?) from the master computer.

I'm not opposed to getting a SoC solution of some sort that allows me to install Linux, or NetBSD, or something like that, but I don't really need something that sophisticated, and would like to keep the price down if possible.

I'm also just looking to create this for myself, not planing on reselling or mass producing them :-)

I wouldn't even mind paying someone to help me out, but I don't have a large amount of spare cash.

Any idea's where I can start? Is this even the right group? :-) Thanks for reading, Daniel.

Reply to
Daniel Pitts
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A possible way to go: get yourself a (commercial) USB microcontroller board with memory and some spare I/O (Google around a bit). Then add row and column drivers and use PWM or something to modulate the LED intensities. The processor is going to do all the display driving work. Start with a display of 1x1, when that works well add more.

--DF

Reply to
Deefoo

Okay, thanks :-) I'll check it out.

Reply to
Daniel Pitts

news:sci.electronics.basics

Good Luck! Rich

Reply to
Rich Grise 

--
Nice. :-)



>
>Okay, thanks :-) I\'ll check it out.
Reply to
John Fields 

--
So, giving them good data is better than estranging them with
confusion?
Reply to
John Fields

Well, I'll be! A googler with class! :-) :-) :-)

This is a _good_ thing! :-)

Thanks! Rich

Reply to
Rich Grise

Well, yeah, when they're as polite and clueful as this "Daniel Pitts" seems to be.

But, please note - I suggested a different newsgrouup for the really basic "where do I start" question, and the thing that put me over the top with gushing is that Daniel Pitts actually came back here, and _thanked_ me for providing such a simple answer. ;-D

From my recent experiences with googlegroups posters, this is exemplary, and should be encouraged. < what's the "I'm an official netcop, and I'm serious here" smiley? >

And the fellow (I ass-u-me that "Daniel" is a fellow) has already figured out how to quote context right, which is amazing to see from a googlegroups poster.

Cheers! Rich

Reply to
Rich Grise

That would be nice :)

Cheers

PeteS

Reply to
PeteS

I agree with you. It is unusual - and a shame that it happens too infrequently. There have been some great solutions posted to various questions - some including design work, schematics, links etc - where the effort to try to help the OP is obvious. And there are posters who consistently provide those good answers.

At a minimum, it would be nice if those good answer providers didn't have to work into a vacuum. Maybe if the OPs would at least grunt in acknowledgement, to show they saw the post...

Ed

Reply to
ehsjr

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