Dan's Scoreboard Project

[Dan]

Hi guys,

Well I have my frames made (light timber frame with uv/outdoor rated material on outside) see pic below



Overall dimensions are approx 1200mm x 1000mm x 70mm

I have my 550mm tall seven segment digits and led matrix arrays from scrolling text also (pics to come)

Probably using an ATMEL AVR microcontroller for this project, and due to having a bucket load of spare io, I will probably drive the transistors directly for each segment and multiplexed digit control lines.

Segments have around a 23.5V drop so I am using a 24V power supply for them and I will probably let each segment have approx 100mA, more testing required there though.

More to come!

Dan

[Dan]

I fired up a segment to test it out. They are common anode, which is perfect for how my driver circuitry works.

The segment in the below (crap quality) image is being driven at half the supply voltage and current I intend to use, so should be quite bright and nice when driven correctly.

The GPO's in the background should give you a fair indication of the size of the segment

[Fred]

I think it must be broken; I can only count 6.

[Dan]

Led matrix panels finally arrived!



I have also completed my ATMEL AVR based controller PCB



More to come in the next few days!

[Dan]

Link - http://au.element14.com/lprs/cor-rx3-aa ... =lookahead

Preliminary mock-up of digit's, antenna's and associated components prior to the painting of the frames.



EDIT: links to radio gear removed, as the initial gear I intended to use was crap and I have migrated to newer, better and more reliable equipment

[Dan]

Tonight's mounting progress!

EDIT: excuse the crap quality image

[Dan]

The scoreboards are being setup at the local soccer club this coming weekend!

One unit is completed! See below crap quality image. This photo was taken before I had neatened up the wiring as I was testing out the firmware (the scrolling text motion makes the pixels look funny, but trust me, they aren't)



I ended up using these excellent 151Mhz radio modules manufactured by Elsema (you need to click on the 151Mhz tab to see the ones I am using)

--> http://www.elsema.com/prod-datamodules.htm

I also designed another board for the remote control unit (note: these photo's were taken before flux was removed)





and I used this enclosure from Hammond Mfg for the remote control unit

--> http://www.hammondmfg.com/1553T.htm

I initially had issues with how I packetised my data (ie, lack of adequate error rejection/detection), but I implemented a HLDC protocol for packetising my payload and it now works very nicely!

More pics to come once they are installed at the club!

Happy days!

Dan

[Dan]

Big developments here. Reminder for me to put new pics up.

Done a few and also a large led video screen also.