Large LED display source?
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Posts: 46,084
I'm only finding large LED/LCD displays that cost THOUSANDS of
dollars. The Texas State Archery Association ain't that rich!<G>
I have a project I did last year
(http://arcarmichael.com/BasicStampProject/BSII.htm) that is
essentially a countdown timer. I need to put the signal of seconds
counting down out to a display of some sort that is visible to archers
from say, 100 feet away. I'd prefer to drive them with 12 V car
battery and they need to be visible in broad daylight.
Can anyone recommend a source or what kind of display I might be able
to use?
If anyone is fraught with excess time, the code I have written and the
rules for the process are at the link above. I will gladly exchange
either archery coaching help (I'm an NAA level two coach) or
pharmacy-related advice(I'm a hospital clinical-type pharmacist<G>) or
basic PC/advanced DataEase relational database programming advice (14+
years as self-employed consultant) for any assistance in optimizing
code or design. The only real problem I have is that when I push the
button to sound the car horn (separate circuit from the stamp but same
power source)
dollars. The Texas State Archery Association ain't that rich!<G>
I have a project I did last year
(http://arcarmichael.com/BasicStampProject/BSII.htm) that is
essentially a countdown timer. I need to put the signal of seconds
counting down out to a display of some sort that is visible to archers
from say, 100 feet away. I'd prefer to drive them with 12 V car
battery and they need to be visible in broad daylight.
Can anyone recommend a source or what kind of display I might be able
to use?
If anyone is fraught with excess time, the code I have written and the
rules for the process are at the link above. I will gladly exchange
either archery coaching help (I'm an NAA level two coach) or
pharmacy-related advice(I'm a hospital clinical-type pharmacist<G>) or
basic PC/advanced DataEase relational database programming advice (14+
years as self-employed consultant) for any assistance in optimizing
code or design. The only real problem I have is that when I push the
button to sound the car horn (separate circuit from the stamp but same
power source)
Comments
works. Then make a large one out of plywood with automotive bulbs.
What city are you in?
Original Message
> I'm only finding large LED/LCD displays that cost THOUSANDS of
> dollars. The Texas State Archery Association ain't that rich!<G>
> I have a project I did last year
> (http://arcarmichael.com/BasicStampProject/BSII.htm) that is
> essentially a countdown timer. I need to put the signal of seconds
> counting down out to a display of some sort that is visible to archers
> from say, 100 feet away. I'd prefer to drive them with 12 V car
> battery and they need to be visible in broad daylight.
> Buy a cheap LED 7-segment display and take it apart to figure out
how it
> works. Then make a large one out of plywood with automotive bulbs.
>
> What city are you in?
I'm not sure that would be a very easy translation - size, amount of
wattage for so many bulbs - There would need to be a controller
between the stamp's serial out currently going to a 2-line LCD and
all of the light bulbs?
thanks. Near Austin,TX
a few relays and bcd to 7-segment decoders.
If you want alot of text, you may want to consider using a TV and a video
card that will output a TV signal.
Original Message
> > Buy a cheap LED 7-segment display and take it apart to figure out
> how it
> > works. Then make a large one out of plywood with automotive bulbs.
> >
> > What city are you in?
>
> I'm not sure that would be a very easy translation - size, amount of
> wattage for so many bulbs - There would need to be a controller
> between the stamp's serial out currently going to a 2-line LCD and
> all of the light bulbs?
>
> thanks. Near Austin,TX
don't use lights at all. They use a day glo painted surface and have a way
to either close a black shutter over parts of it or flip the element over to
show a black side.
You can see this same idea in some of the "price labels" at some chain
stores. They have 88.88 printed on them and the stocker whites out the part
of the price that doesn't apply. This makes the number look printed instead
of hand written, yet it only takes a pen (albeit, a white pen).
If you are using a serial LCD now, you won't have an easy replacement. You
are going to have to drive the LEDs, lightbulbs, or solenoids.
It would be a big project, but I've always thought a laser system would be
nice for this. Put a white board on a stand and paint your message on it
with a laser and a scanning mirror. This is probably outside the realm of
the Stamp though. That mirror has to spin fast and you have to know right
where it is at all times. Note: I'm not seriously suggesting this -- this
would be a big project all by itself. But neat to contemplate. Not sure how
well it would do in the bright sun either.
Instead of a large display, how about a smaller remote display either wired
or wireless?
Al Williams
AWC
* NEW: Floating point A/D: http://www.al-williams.com/awce/pak9.htm
>
Original Message
> From: arc@i... [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=ry8fpmpvv9rQ6aX_NNNRetMW3cuEicUKGcdcUwNuaekijxSKOhwEhItR0Buag3wJ_WQBbsKG_i3l5g]arc@i...[/url
> Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2001 8:13 AM
> To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: Large LED display source?
>
>
> --- In basicstamps@y..., Rodent <daweasel@s...> wrote:
> > Buy a cheap LED 7-segment display and take it apart to figure out
> how it
> > works. Then make a large one out of plywood with automotive bulbs.
> >
> > What city are you in?
>
> I'm not sure that would be a very easy translation - size, amount of
> wattage for so many bulbs - There would need to be a controller
> between the stamp's serial out currently going to a 2-line LCD and
> all of the light bulbs?
>
> thanks. Near Austin,TX
>
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
race tracks. It has 2 digits but the idea can easily be expanded to 3
digits and the timer function will fit the display processor easily. I used
discrete super bright LEDs to make a large display. A picture of the
prototype is on my web site at
http://www.ultranet.com/~nr/racing.htm
Larry
At 12:12 AM 4/26/01 -0000, you wrote:
>I'm only finding large LED/LCD displays that cost THOUSANDS of
>dollars. The Texas State Archery Association ain't that rich!<G>
>I have a project I did last year
>(http://arcarmichael.com/BasicStampProject/BSII.htm) that is
>essentially a countdown timer. I need to put the signal of seconds
>counting down out to a display of some sort that is visible to archers
>from say, 100 feet away. I'd prefer to drive them with 12 V car
>battery and they need to be visible in broad daylight.
>
>Can anyone recommend a source or what kind of display I might be able
>to use?
>
>If anyone is fraught with excess time, the code I have written and the
>rules for the process are at the link above. I will gladly exchange
>either archery coaching help (I'm an NAA level two coach) or
>pharmacy-related advice(I'm a hospital clinical-type pharmacist<G>) or
>basic PC/advanced DataEase relational database programming advice (14+
>years as self-employed consultant) for any assistance in optimizing
>code or design. The only real problem I have is that when I push the
>button to sound the car horn (separate circuit from the stamp but same
>power source)
>
>
>
>
>Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
Larry G. Nelson Sr.
mailto:L.Nelson@i...
http://www.ultranet.com/~nr
Use a slide projector, the slides have numerals on them. Rear project
these slides againgt a translucent piece of plastic (like the plastic
panels that diffuse the light from flourescent fixtures installed in
dropped ceilings) Keep the projector close to the screen. The rear
projected images will be bright enough to see during daylight.
Kodak projectors use a 5 pin DIN interface for remote operation.
Easily interfaced to a stamp pin.
The projector is a slow mechanical device, but a projected
transparancy is a beautiful, hi-res image.
If you need to count to th 10th of a second this wont work, but if
counting by the second would suffice this would be an easy way to
display large, bright digits.
I have done this before, it does work
Regards
Rich
cooker@b...
--- In basicstamps@y..., arc@i... wrote:
> I'm only finding large LED/LCD displays that cost THOUSANDS of
> dollars. The Texas State Archery Association ain't that rich!<G>
> I have a project I did last year
> (http://arcarmichael.com/BasicStampProject/BSII.htm) that is
> essentially a countdown timer. I need to put the signal of
seconds
> counting down out to a display of some sort that is visible to
archers
> from say, 100 feet away. I'd prefer to drive them with 12 V car
> battery and they need to be visible in broad daylight.
>
> Can anyone recommend a source or what kind of display I might be
able
> to use?
>
> If anyone is fraught with excess time, the code I have written and
the
> rules for the process are at the link above. I will gladly
exchange
> either archery coaching help (I'm an NAA level two coach) or
> pharmacy-related advice(I'm a hospital clinical-type pharmacist<G>)
or
> basic PC/advanced DataEase relational database programming advice
(14+
> years as self-employed consultant) for any assistance in optimizing
> code or design. The only real problem I have is that when I push
the
> button to sound the car horn (separate circuit from the stamp but
same
> power source)
displays, What I did then was use a magnifying glass to display the number
on the wall and the size is adjustable by the distance, once you get the
focal distance down, it's a real nice project some of the super bright
led's worked quite well. now that Im thinking about it I may have had to
use Two lenses seams the numbers were backwards (I think ) then that would
give the people something to think about. I did find 4" 7 segment displays
for about 25 bucks each this is all from memory and there is not much of
that left.
> You can see this same idea in some of the "price labels" at some chain
> stores. They have 88.88 printed on them and the stocker whites out the part
> of the price that doesn't apply. This makes the number look printed instead
> of hand written, yet it only takes a pen (albeit, a white pen).
>
> If you are using a serial LCD now, you won't have an easy replacement. You
> are going to have to drive the LEDs, lightbulbs, or solenoids.
>
> It would be a big project, but I've always thought a laser system would be
> nice for this. Put a white board on a stand and paint your message on it
> with a laser and a scanning mirror. This is probably outside the realm of
> the Stamp though. That mirror has to spin fast and you have to know right
> where it is at all times. Note: I'm not seriously suggesting this -- this
> would be a big project all by itself. But neat to contemplate. Not sure how
> well it would do in the bright sun either.
>
> Instead of a large display, how about a smaller remote display either wired
> or wireless?
>
> Al Williams
> AWC
> * NEW: Floating point A/D: http://www.al-williams.com/awce/pak9.htm
>
> >
Original Message
> > From: arc@i... [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=7OMkv5oCfTbADeU1kTmW40RtSi7_S_9kPHBXYRelfEJRJFr-ZYbEjoJGwa4kAGZfL8obYLTF4cZL0ak]arc@i...[/url
> > Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2001 8:13 AM
> > To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
> > Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: Large LED display source?
> >
> >
> > --- In basicstamps@y..., Rodent <daweasel@s...> wrote:
> > > Buy a cheap LED 7-segment display and take it apart to figure out
> > how it
> > > works. Then make a large one out of plywood with automotive bulbs.
> > >
> > > What city are you in?
> >
> > I'm not sure that would be a very easy translation - size, amount of
> > wattage for so many bulbs - There would need to be a controller
> > between the stamp's serial out currently going to a 2-line LCD and
> > all of the light bulbs?
> >
> > thanks. Near Austin,TX
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> >
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
baseball scoreboard things. Or a stepper motor turning a wheel with the
numbers painted on them -- only one number is visible through a slot, kinda
like a luggage lock.
Original Message
> How about this-
>
> Use a slide projector, the slides have numerals on them. Rear project
> these slides againgt a translucent piece of plastic (like the plastic
> panels that diffuse the light from flourescent fixtures installed in
> dropped ceilings) Keep the projector close to the screen. The rear
> projected images will be bright enough to see during daylight.
means, then simply replace them with optoisolator inputs (which are LEDs).
Drive as many 12VDC lamps (or LED arrays) as you need to make a big numeric
display, using cheap darlington power transistors or MOSFETs to switch the
load current.
If your numeric display driver is multiplexed, you will get less than 12VDC
average at the lamps. Lamps with lower voltage ratings should solve this
problem neatly...
>I'm only finding large LED/LCD displays that cost THOUSANDS of
>dollars. The Texas State Archery Association ain't that rich!<G>
>I have a project I did last year
>(http://arcarmichael.com/BasicStampProject/BSII.htm) that is
>essentially a countdown timer. I need to put the signal of seconds
>counting down out to a display of some sort that is visible to archers
>from say, 100 feet away. I'd prefer to drive them with 12 V car
>battery and they need to be visible in broad daylight.
>
>Can anyone recommend a source or what kind of display I might be able
>to use?
Mike Hardwick, for Decade Engineering -- <http://www.decadenet.com>
Manufacturer of the famous BOB-II Serial Video Text Display Module!
second address has 7 seg Led 4" tall
http://www.ckplus.com.au/sound/electrodis-1.html
http://www.fairchildsemi.com/products/opto/displays/d0132.html
"L .Gaminde" wrote:
>
> There is one more option I did a little experiment using small 7 segment
> displays, What I did then was use a magnifying glass to display the number
> on the wall and the size is adjustable by the distance, once you get the
> focal distance down, it's a real nice project some of the super bright
> led's worked quite well. now that Im thinking about it I may have had to
> use Two lenses seams the numbers were backwards (I think ) then that would
> give the people something to think about. I did find 4" 7 segment displays
> for about 25 bucks each this is all from memory and there is not much of
> that left.
>
> > You can see this same idea in some of the "price labels" at some chain
> > stores. They have 88.88 printed on them and the stocker whites out the part
> > of the price that doesn't apply. This makes the number look printed instead
> > of hand written, yet it only takes a pen (albeit, a white pen).
> >
> > If you are using a serial LCD now, you won't have an easy replacement. You
> > are going to have to drive the LEDs, lightbulbs, or solenoids.
> >
> > It would be a big project, but I've always thought a laser system would be
> > nice for this. Put a white board on a stand and paint your message on it
> > with a laser and a scanning mirror. This is probably outside the realm of
> > the Stamp though. That mirror has to spin fast and you have to know right
> > where it is at all times. Note: I'm not seriously suggesting this -- this
> > would be a big project all by itself. But neat to contemplate. Not sure how
> > well it would do in the bright sun either.
> >
> > Instead of a large display, how about a smaller remote display either wired
> > or wireless?
> >
> > Al Williams
> > AWC
> > * NEW: Floating point A/D: http://www.al-williams.com/awce/pak9.htm
> >
> > >
Original Message
> > > From: arc@i... [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=mVj0VR5G_8y1EIVRiLNTAeVjxRlzb8ouHyuZcaOIDFkFUPxai0pX9L6tyZSZ9MhfvgGCIS61zRghKEk]arc@i...[/url
> > > Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2001 8:13 AM
> > > To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
> > > Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: Large LED display source?
> > >
> > >
> > > --- In basicstamps@y..., Rodent <daweasel@s...> wrote:
> > > > Buy a cheap LED 7-segment display and take it apart to figure out
> > > how it
> > > > works. Then make a large one out of plywood with automotive bulbs.
> > > >
> > > > What city are you in?
> > >
> > > I'm not sure that would be a very easy translation - size, amount of
> > > wattage for so many bulbs - There would need to be a controller
> > > between the stamp's serial out currently going to a 2-line LCD and
> > > all of the light bulbs?
> > >
> > > thanks. Near Austin,TX
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Why can't they say you fire one coil to display a segment and another to
blank it. Saves all of that bipolar rambling.
Why not just steal one of thos portable roadside signs from the highway
department? Isn't there a DPS yard on 52nd Street?
What I was talking about was like the old flip clocks. You have stack of
thin boards with numbers painted on them, and the control circuitry lets
them flip face down as needed. It would have to be reset manually, but you
could do a countdown.
You could always use a traffic light, and incorporate a blinking mode to
signal the last 5 seconds or so.
Original Message
> The first address is the Mechanical type that Al was talking about the
> second address has 7 seg Led 4" tall
>
>
> http://www.ckplus.com.au/sound/electrodis-1.html
>
> http://www.fairchildsemi.com/products/opto/displays/d0132.html
of wood, cut them out with a saber saw, then you can paint and place regular
small wattage light bulbs in them, if you like. I made a project like this
when i taught high school some years back and it was very well receivewd. We
used it for a large digital clock. Contact me off list, if you are
interessted.
Kind regards,
Leroy Hall
*******************************************************
* LeRoy Hall, Senior N8VRC, CET *
* Phase converters 2hp to 25hp for sale guaranteed *
* to run your motor. $250 for small 2 hp unit. *
* Micro one PLCS for Sale. 8 DC inputs six relay *
* outputs $49.95 Software included... *
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*******************************************************
* Phone: (513) 697-7539 *
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* Resume URL: http://home.fuse.net/leroy/resume.htm *
*******************************************************
* Leroy Hall *
* 317 Cherokee Drive *
* Loveland, Ohio - USA 45140-2404 *
*******************************************************
Mike Hardwick wrote:
> If you can drive small 7-segment LED numeric displays by any convenient
> means, then simply replace them with optoisolator inputs (which are LEDs).
> Drive as many 12VDC lamps (or LED arrays) as you need to make a big numeric
> display, using cheap darlington power transistors or MOSFETs to switch the
> load current.
>
> If your numeric display driver is multiplexed, you will get less than 12VDC
> average at the lamps. Lamps with lower voltage ratings should solve this
> problem neatly...
>
> >I'm only finding large LED/LCD displays that cost THOUSANDS of
> >dollars. The Texas State Archery Association ain't that rich!<G>
> >I have a project I did last year
> >(http://arcarmichael.com/BasicStampProject/BSII.htm) that is
> >essentially a countdown timer. I need to put the signal of seconds
> >counting down out to a display of some sort that is visible to archers
> >from say, 100 feet away. I'd prefer to drive them with 12 V car
> >battery and they need to be visible in broad daylight.
> >
> >Can anyone recommend a source or what kind of display I might be able
> >to use?
>
> Mike Hardwick, for Decade Engineering -- <http://www.decadenet.com>
> Manufacturer of the famous BOB-II Serial Video Text Display Module!
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> they setup around here to let you know how fast over the speed limit you
> are going. They have for each segment a piece that is flipped 90 degrees
> and is colored flourescent green against a black background. They are
> visible for a good ways and should not be that hard to make if you have
> someone halfway mechanicaly inclined. All you need is some wood or aluminum
> and some small solenoids or servos to move the segments. I dont know how
> fast you need to change the numbers so speed may be a hinderance.
>
> I'm not sure that would be a very easy translation - size, amount of
> wattage for so many bulbs - There would need to be a controller
> between the stamp's serial out currently going to a 2-line LCD and
> all of the light bulbs?
>
> thanks. Near Austin,TX
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> The first address is the Mechanical type that Al was talking about
the
> second address has 7 seg Led 4" tall
> http://www.ckplus.com.au/sound/electrodis-1.html
> http://www.fairchildsemi.com/products/opto/displays/d0132.html
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
The first is in Australia, and looks very much like the kind of
display I would like to see. The second one, at fairchild, also looks
very possible.
There have been some very interesting ideas in this thread. These
displays would be placed on the ground roughly 50 to 100 feet in front
of the archers and spaced 100 feet apart - I might need as many as
four of these displays, all linked to the basic stamp II timer box.
Knowing that while I recognize some of the terms used in the replies
but have very little formal education in electronics, has anyone used
either of the kind of displays found at the two links with the basic
stamp II? Is there a separate controller that can be used to
translate the SEROUT signal currently going to the small LCD display
so that I could have an array of three of these modules (for 3 number
countdowns such as 240 seconds --> zero, 120 seconds --> zero)?
It looks like there are 10 leads on these devices plus a ground - for
each number that I want it to display, I send power to one of the
leads and use a common ground (anode)?
I've also found the following links:
http://www.electronicdisplays.com/products/dot-matrix/ED400D-117-4D-N1
.html
and
http://www.electronumerics.com/FrameLargeDigitDisplay.htm (this one
looks pretty pricey but is exactly what I think I'm looking for)
offer 3-digit LED Displays of 4" and 5.5" size, both accept rs232
communication so I should be able to connect and control from the
basic stamp.
Question - they have some doubts that I can sent signal over category
5 up to 100 feet away but tell me that rS485 can do it. Is it a
problem from the stamp II to go 100 feet? Also can a stamp II control
BOTH a local small LCD on the controller box as well as send signal to
a timer display 100 feet away? at 9600 I wouldn't expect any
problems but every time I ASSuME something...<G>
Here are the two sites for anyone else who might need this kind of
display:
http://www.microframecorp.com/
and
http://www.digitaldisplay.com/
thanks to all!
arc@a... (anyone know how to change the yahoo-embedded
email address that is showing my old defunct address at the top of
this message? I've changed my "main" and "alternate" email addresses
in my profile but it persists in showing the old deadend address. )