ESP8266 RGB Wordclock
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 12:35 pmHi All,
Fist off, thank you to each and everyone of the community that has put some much work into this little board.
I thought i would show off one of my projects that i have actually finished. (I apologize for the poor images )
It is an RGB word clock powered by an ESP8266 running LUA. The ESP8266 is running 64 ws2812B leds.
The colours looks a lot sharper in real life.
It Features
- Sets itself up as an AP if it can't connect to the last known wireless network so you can select wireless network.
- Then calls a server to get the current time.
- It has 4 levels of brightness
- Dims the brightness at night and returns to the saved setting in the morning.
- 7 different colour pattens, 5 solid colours and 3 different colour changing patterns.
- Re syncs the time every hour via the internet.
- Saves settings to be used on reboot.
- On boot-up it displays different status's via changing colours of the word "Its"
Reaction to the finished clock took me by surprise, that i have a mini production line going as i currently have 6 people wanting one.
The home etched pcbs, very simple but works well. I should have cleaned the flux off before taking this shot.
A few of the display boards containing the 64 WS2812b's each. The ESP8266 is fixed to the back of this board.
"weeding" one of the vinyl screens once applied to the glass , i found this strangely therapeutic
The hardest part of the hole project has been building the light baffles that go between the leds and the screen to stop the light bleeding between the words. I have tried several different things but they do not give the desired results. If i had access to a laser cutter or 3D printer the baffles could be made alot more reliably.
I hope you enjoy looking at the clock, its not ground breaking but its the sort of thing i enjoy reading about so thought i'd share.
I do plan to write up more on the build and the processes i used and also the pitfalls but thought i'd share this will you all.
Thank you
Simon
Fist off, thank you to each and everyone of the community that has put some much work into this little board.
I thought i would show off one of my projects that i have actually finished. (I apologize for the poor images )
It is an RGB word clock powered by an ESP8266 running LUA. The ESP8266 is running 64 ws2812B leds.
The colours looks a lot sharper in real life.
It Features
- Sets itself up as an AP if it can't connect to the last known wireless network so you can select wireless network.
- Then calls a server to get the current time.
- It has 4 levels of brightness
- Dims the brightness at night and returns to the saved setting in the morning.
- 7 different colour pattens, 5 solid colours and 3 different colour changing patterns.
- Re syncs the time every hour via the internet.
- Saves settings to be used on reboot.
- On boot-up it displays different status's via changing colours of the word "Its"
Reaction to the finished clock took me by surprise, that i have a mini production line going as i currently have 6 people wanting one.
The home etched pcbs, very simple but works well. I should have cleaned the flux off before taking this shot.
A few of the display boards containing the 64 WS2812b's each. The ESP8266 is fixed to the back of this board.
"weeding" one of the vinyl screens once applied to the glass , i found this strangely therapeutic
The hardest part of the hole project has been building the light baffles that go between the leds and the screen to stop the light bleeding between the words. I have tried several different things but they do not give the desired results. If i had access to a laser cutter or 3D printer the baffles could be made alot more reliably.
I hope you enjoy looking at the clock, its not ground breaking but its the sort of thing i enjoy reading about so thought i'd share.
I do plan to write up more on the build and the processes i used and also the pitfalls but thought i'd share this will you all.
Thank you
Simon
