Windows LED Controller

Look at the Arduino and the Processing language. You should be able to brew up something fairly quickly. It sounds like a simple project.

Tom

Oops... I typed my answer before I'd read your entire message. Sorry, I don't know of an off-the-shelf solution. I think I saw a mention of some sort of general purpose USB I/O module recently, but I don't remeber where.

Good luck!

Tom

Labjack is one of them but AFAIK not with 24 ports. You can use several but that gets expensive.

Google for "disco dance floor"

A couple of guys from MIT put together some hardware ( micro boards with LED driver) that interfaced to a windows app to control the LEDs.

Hardware is here:

They even give away all their software.

I like the Labjack systems.. cheap and versatile. The Labjack model with the highest number of digital I/O only has 23 ports. Close, but no cigar. However, National Instruments has a model that seems would suit the OP needs.

Dave M MasonDG44 at comcast dot net (Just substitute the appropriate characters in the address)

"In theory, there isn't any difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is." - Yogi Berra

They sure are nice, you can even do SPI comms with the LabJack. We did that at one client this year and it works like a champ. I've used them only at clients so far but I am going to get one here for the lab soon when I have some time.

Oh, and of course I did a proper lacing cord job on that bus harness :-)

But I bet it'll be a wee bit more expensive than $99. With LabJack there is another advantage. Now you get a free economy version of Azeotech's DAQFactory with it.

I didn't look for the price when I looked at the NI DAQ, so I went back. $99 USD... not bad. Digital I/O only though. I tried to download the data sheet for it, but it's apparently corrupt. I wouldn't mind trying that one the next time I need lots of digital I/O. The web site didn't elaborate on software for it... don't know what is supplied or what kind of programming support it offers.

Good job on that lacing harness... good to know there's still some pride in workmanship around. {:>)