292 Bestagon LED matrix driver
292 : Bestagon LED matrix driver
We all know the hexagon is the bestagon. If the cells in your eyes that catch light are hexagonal, it doesn’t make sense that all displays use a square grid. This has to end now. That is why the Bestagon LED matrix driver is born.
How it works
This circuit can drive a charlieplexed hexagonal LED matrix. This matrix has columns with 3-4-5-4-3 pixels.
How to test
- Connect the display shown under “External hardware” (or if you want to see if the circuit is functioning: connect a few LEDs between the display output pins randomly)
- Set the Display Enable pin low.
- The Data pin is now sampled on each rising clock edge. The data shall be entered column wise, bottom to top, right to left (in the schematic below, “1” represents the first bit entered).
The following data may make you smile: 1001010100001010100
- Now set the Display Enable pin high.
- Keep pulsing the clock pin (at least 100Hz is recommended)
External hardware
Charlieplexed hexagonal display:
(Maybe add some resistors depending on what LEDs you chose. I recommend blue LEDs because they look cool.
IO
# |
Input |
Output |
Bidirectional |
0 |
Data |
|
Display pin 0 |
1 |
Display Enable |
|
Display pin 1 |
2 |
|
|
Display pin 2 |
3 |
|
|
Display pin 3 |
4 |
|
|
Display pin 4 |
5 |
|
|
|
6 |
|
|
|
7 |
|
|
|
Chip location