tlc5940 on Bald Engineer

AddOhms #8: LEDs and Current Limiting Resistors

Mon, 10 Feb 2014 12:00:49 +0000

The idea for AddOhms #8 has been around for quite some time. I’m always trying to find ways to explain why current limiting resistors are necessary. So while working in the shop one day, I decided to play with some LEDs and a bench-power supply. Then I decided to record what happens.

BinBoo: Building the front panel LEDs

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 16:14:06 +0000

Short build-lapse video of building up the front panel “matrix” used in BinBoo. This isn’t a true LED matrix. Instead it combining all of the LEDs into a common Anode, since the Cathodes are all controlled by individual outputs of the TLC5940. I decided to wire up 16 LEDs, even though a binary clock only needs 11 or 12. This gives some flexibility to other uses for the box, like a random sci-fi computer pattern.

Part Stock Checker: Findchips.com

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:00:20 +0000

How many times have you been part way through ordering parts for a project when you realize the distributor you are using, doesn’t have any of the part you need in stock? Or maybe you want to design a kit and compare prices of parts. This is where findchips.com comes into play. This awesome free resource will scan inventory across a variety of distributors for a given part number. Not only will you see inventory levels but it is also a fast way to compare prices.

Binary + Bamboo = BinBoo

Sun, 20 May 2012 00:22:14 +0000

Several months ago I started a project to build a Binary Clock, using a Laser Cut enclosure. The plan was to use Ponoko’s laser cutting service. Looking through the materials available, I decided to use Bamboo. Knowing I was going to build a Bamboo enclosure for a Binary clock, helped me come to the name BinBoo. Even though I call it a Binary Clock, it is actually a BCD clock…

BinBoo - Binary Clock

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 08:33:23 +0000

Status: Completed Hackster.io Project Page: https://www.hackster.io/baldengineer/binboo Github Code: https://github.com/baldengineer/BinBoo GitHub Repository for BinBoo BinBoo Binary Clock made out of Bamboo Abstract Binary + Bamboo = BinBoo. This project is my first attempt at making a laser-cut enclosure. Ponoko was used to cut the project which holds itself together. The LEDs are driven by an Arduino-based clock that incorporates a RTC1307, FTDI chip, ATmega328, and TLC5940.

BinBoo Control Board, Alive

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 05:07:56 +0000

The control board is up and running, with some re-work. Shown next to the working LEDs is my original inspiration. Last Christmas my brother gave me the ThinkGeek Binary watch. Since then I’ve been fascinated with binary clocks. Finally I had an idea that can help with other projects. Now that this board is up and running, I am looking forward to assembling the case. The case is being built by Ponoko. Based on Google SketchUp, it is going to look like this:

TLC5940 Painter PCB

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 19:11:09 +0000

TLC5940NT Painter Board This screen shot is an all-layer view of my TLC5940 painter board. The 1st draft featured two TLC5940s, but I decided it made the board too large. Instead, I wanted the ability to mount the painter boards around the LED’s shadow box. This should make routing all the wires much easier. The board is approximately 1.25in x 3.5in. All signals have been routed on the top or bottom layers. Most of the components will mount on (or through) the top layer. Some coupling caps have been put on the bottom. Initially the board had a 7805 built in, to provide +5V to the painter boards and the arduino. Instead, I ripped that out and plan to use the regulator on the arduino instead. There are 6 data and power ports. SER-IN will either come from the host arduino, or from another painter board. SER-OUT contains 2 less pins than SER-IN. I included two surface mount buttons in the layout, so I could get some inputs back to the Arduino, these are entirely option and will only work on a single board.

Row Your Boat, Part 1

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 02:28:39 +0000

This pattern is called Row Your Boat. As one of the strips starts to get brighter, a nearby strip will join in the fading. After completing a fade cycle, they start switching colors. There is a random strobe thrown in there as well. The first 10 seconds are with a diffuser (piece of paper), the last 10 seconds are without. The final panel will use a diffuser. The colors have no correction yet, so red is really dim and green is really bright. It looks like one of the channels of my TLC5940 is going bad. The center LED strip’s blue is very dim. I’m not going to look much into it right now though. Instead, I will wait until I fab a PCB for the 5940 (this weekend?)