Continue to Site

Welcome to EDAboard.com

Welcome to our site! EDAboard.com is an international Electronics Discussion Forum focused on EDA software, circuits, schematics, books, theory, papers, asic, pld, 8051, DSP, Network, RF, Analog Design, PCB, Service Manuals... and a whole lot more! To participate you need to register. Registration is free. Click here to register now.

Seeking advice on an LED sign project

Status
Not open for further replies.

Zero1Niner

Newbie level 2
Newbie level 2
Joined
Mar 8, 2011
Messages
2
Helped
0
Reputation
0
Reaction score
0
Trophy points
1,281
Activity points
1,308
Preface by saying I am a total newb at this, so dumb it down for me as much as you can.

I have a need for a LED sign that will be run using a 12v DC power source (no ac access) displayed outdoors, on a flexible 45' x 9' grid. Looking at doing minimum of a 44 LED's wide x 7 high matrix, but may decide to double that possibly (quite likely actually). Sign will be viewed from approximately 1,000 feet away, only at night, so needs to be a larger and reasonably powerful LED.

Would like to have a tri-color bulb if there are ones bright enough to be clearly viewable from that far distance. Important that the processor driving the sign have the ability to support multiple languages, and support scrolling left to right, top to bottom, bottom to top, flashing, and various transitions.

My original thought was to purchase an existing scrolling LED sign and somehow use that as the processor, then find a method to drive that signal to my grid (can that even be done??).

Would love some thoughts and advice on the possibility of this, and what some options might be on how to accomplish this.

Would like to add messages from a PC, and/or from a built-in keypad or IR remote.

Down the road would love to upgrade with features such as being remotely controlled from a GSM or GPS, and from a website feed of some sort. Would love to build this from the start with the intention of having upgradability in mind for more advanced features.

Some initial questions would be could a 12v power source, with 60amp alternator be reasonable to drive such a system?

Any recommendations on a weatherproof LED setup that would be bright enough to be seen clearly from 1000ft away?

Would love it if someone(s) could give me a high level idea on how to go about putting something like this together. Not too much detail level stuff at this stage, just big-picture planning on what components would be required to put something like this together, and if its even possible.

Thanks in advance!!
 

Ur Aim was very good but for the development many problems are arises such as powr management, Led Selection, Processor selection and coding... If u have enough time for this u can develop it urself otherwise go for a readily available on.. It is cheaper too
 
Has anyone actually taken apart an existing sign and used that output to power a larger matrix? How difficult is this to do?
 

I find it a lot more difficult and time consuming to use an existing part and modify it to work for you, than it is to make your own from scratch.

Time spent figuring out the way someone else's brain worked tends to be longer than the time it would have taken you to use your own brain (which you're familiar with :D ) and do it yourself.
 

It is really an awesome idea using a LED for your project. You can add multiple messages in LED. LED displays require so little power; they actually operate off a USB connection. The energy efficiency ratings are much better and continue to help lower electric bills.
_______________________________________
electronic display board
 

Status
Not open for further replies.

Part and Inventory Search

Welcome to EDABoard.com

Sponsor

Back
Top