Hello,
I am starting a new project where I want to create a modern version of the praxinoscope ( like in this music video: Moray McLaren - We Got Time - YouTube). The praxinoscope has 16 frames on its round surface and each of the frames has a picture on it. When rotating the machine, an animation is created.
I want to have LEDs instead of pictures on the frames. I thought of 16 LEDs per frame which makes a 16x 16 LED matrix. Since I have to arrange the 16 LEDs on each frame at the same location, I cannot make use of a readymade matrix. I will have to solder my own 256 LED disc.
My question now is what would you suggest? Is there any good help/tutorial which fits to my project? Or has anyone of you done any related project like that? I would be very thankful for any help.
Is each frame a 4 by 4 matrix or are you just going to have 16 LEDs in a row. Also will the LEDs be spinning? If so you will probably have to make the whole thing battery powered and spin the power and controller as well. The other alternative is using slip rings.
However your main problem as I see it is that normally to illuminate an LED matrix you multiplex them, that means flashing them on and off so fast they look like they are on all the time. BUT you have them effectively moving at the same time so any multiplexing is going to get undone my the rotation unless the multiplexing is very fast compare to the rotation speed. This will have the effect of making your images look like rows of dashes rather than continuous lines or points.
This I think is your main problem.
For driving an LED matrix that size you can look at the monome projects.
Wow. I haven't seen one of those in almost 50 years: when I was a kid, we had a set of records with animated pictures like those. Mostly cartoon animals, with repetitive songs about how the duck swims, the frog jumps, etc.
Depending on how big you want to make this, you might find bargraph modules suitable.
The various POV projects that are all over the web will give you ideas for driving the LEDs.
