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Please get me started Arrowboard/lightbar project — Parallax Forums

Please get me started Arrowboard/lightbar project

GaryEGaryE Posts: 2
edited 2009-09-01 12:02 in BASIC Stamp
Hello!
Pretty much a noob to Basic Stamp here, please tell me if this is the wrong way to go for this. First, i want to make an arrow board for my truck for traffic control. banks of bright LEDs to direct right, left and flash. eventually i want to gut a strobe lightbar
and put ultrabright LEDs in it and have changeable flash patterns. ( I have a permit for emergency lighting, i am NOT trying to play cop) Is Basic stamp a good way to control this type of project? And if it is, where do i start. I have some experience in electronics (cert course 20 years ago) programming skills are more than a little rusty! Probably have to start from scratch.
Thanks in advance for your input!
Gary

Comments

  • FranklinFranklin Posts: 4,747
    edited 2009-08-28 17:05
    The stamps should work fine. If you don't have one yet get one with banked memory and the 'p' variant. It costs more but it is the top of the stamp line and you won't grow out of it soon. Next spec out the LEDs so you know how much power you will need and how many you need to control. If you are planning to control them in blocks you won't need as many outputs but you limit the things the sign can do.

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    - Stephen
  • dev/nulldev/null Posts: 381
    edited 2009-08-29 08:02
    You need to use power transistors to supply current to the LEDs, as the Stamp can only supply 25mA or so. A good option is to use 74HC575 shift registers and ULN2803 darlington arrays. Each pair of these can control 8 LEDs. The 74HC575 can be daisy chained, so you will only need three output pins on the Stamp to control all of your LEDs. There are many examples available for using the 74HC575 with Stamp.

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    Don't worry. Be happy
  • GaryEGaryE Posts: 2
    edited 2009-09-01 11:54
    Thanks for your replies!
    I guess i'll go ahead and get a stamp and start from scratch (dust off the old books). and get single LEDs to light the way i want and then figure out the banks...
    you will probably hear from me again!
    Thanks again, Gary
  • dev/nulldev/null Posts: 381
    edited 2009-09-01 12:02
    Just to mention that TPIC6B595 is also an option, but more expensive and low availability.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Don't worry. Be happy
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