RJ
New member
The LedTriks is a homebuilt large led screen like you see in front of businesses along the hiway. It allows you to display text and animations on it using a computer and Vixen software. It connects to the printer port of your computer using basic computer network cable(cat5 looks like big phone cable). They can be interconnected to make larger displays of up to four units.
It requires a few parts that work together to make it operate. First the computer and then a controller we call the LedTriks controller. You can usally purchase the blank printed circuit board from the user wjohn on the forum here. He has also created a manual to help assemble it which can be found here http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/wiki/index.php?title=LedTriks_Controller_Assembly_Instructions
Do not let the technical information deter you from building a LedTriks. It does not require you to understand it to build it. There is a list of parts needed in the manual. The third and most labor intense part is the display itself. It requires you to snap 768 led's into a pegboard and then solder their legs to each other in a matrix design. There are many different ways of accomplishing this and I will not advocate one over the other as I have done it three different ways in looking for the best. The last board I did I used a tape which is copper on one side and adhesive on the other. I then stuck this to the board in a grid design and soldered the led legs directly to the tape. It work well and is the easiest way I have found. Anyway you do it will be labor intenstive and will take between 10 - 20 hours for the typical person to do. It is a lot of work but it creates a device that is worth it in the end. Once you have it done you will never reget the time spent. The parts to build the controller runs around $30 and the leds run $20 plus shipping ( another $20 ) to order form hong kong. the peg board is around $3 at lowes. Before beginning talk with everyone that has done them and get information. BE SURE YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND WHICH LEG HOOKS WHERE BEFORE YOU START! I do not want anyone else soldering it all backwards and having to start over. If your up to the challenge you will be well rewarded as my LedTriks are one of my most prized show pieces in my display.
It requires a few parts that work together to make it operate. First the computer and then a controller we call the LedTriks controller. You can usally purchase the blank printed circuit board from the user wjohn on the forum here. He has also created a manual to help assemble it which can be found here http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/wiki/index.php?title=LedTriks_Controller_Assembly_Instructions
Do not let the technical information deter you from building a LedTriks. It does not require you to understand it to build it. There is a list of parts needed in the manual. The third and most labor intense part is the display itself. It requires you to snap 768 led's into a pegboard and then solder their legs to each other in a matrix design. There are many different ways of accomplishing this and I will not advocate one over the other as I have done it three different ways in looking for the best. The last board I did I used a tape which is copper on one side and adhesive on the other. I then stuck this to the board in a grid design and soldered the led legs directly to the tape. It work well and is the easiest way I have found. Anyway you do it will be labor intenstive and will take between 10 - 20 hours for the typical person to do. It is a lot of work but it creates a device that is worth it in the end. Once you have it done you will never reget the time spent. The parts to build the controller runs around $30 and the leds run $20 plus shipping ( another $20 ) to order form hong kong. the peg board is around $3 at lowes. Before beginning talk with everyone that has done them and get information. BE SURE YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND WHICH LEG HOOKS WHERE BEFORE YOU START! I do not want anyone else soldering it all backwards and having to start over. If your up to the challenge you will be well rewarded as my LedTriks are one of my most prized show pieces in my display.
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