Hi just to to start by saying hello to every one as im new to this forum and a newbie as well:-?, IM just starting out and I love to make things at times I see a table that called a daft punk table looks so cool, the cost for one is toooooooooo hi for me so to make 1 I will.
Ok the table has 25 squares that have 5 led's in each square,125 led's in all, each squares can be programmed to flash as you want or they can flash to sound/music I think with some sort of mic built in or not ? To the arduino, this it must have, yes IM a total newbie yes IM trying to do what research I can on the net on youtube about this cool arduino microcontroller.
But what IM asking to any top wizards out there can you please please tell me what I have to order to set this up i dont want to order the rong things as i will without help, from bright led's to resistor to power surply mains I think, to the map set up,to the brains of it all what arduino to get, with a mic.
You can see the daft punk table on youtube i can't give a link as my 1st posting sorry.
Thanks to all for looking and a big hug to who can help.
Thanks 
Do yourself a big favor. Start small and build on that. Then you will know you are ordering what you need.
Syncing to music is going to be a pain - especially as it sounds like you don't have a LOT of microcontroller/arduino experience.
Here's a flickr set showing how I made/laid out my LED matrix table
I'd recommend starting out just making the table with some built in patterns. Then when you've got that working, add the sound sensing part. You won't need to change anything on the existing table, it'll just be adding the sound sensing part, and that can be hidden wherever you've hidden the arduino.
Once you do decide to go down the sound path, I'd highly recommend Macetech's ShiftyVU shield - it's a lot more powerful and you will get significantly better results than trying to use a plain microphone + amplifier. Trust me it'll be WAY less frustrating in the end.
PM from Tricky1
Hi just like to say thanks for your reply just like to ask you if ok on a few thing if that's ok with you.
There is 2 arduino I've seen 1 with 14 in/out puts (Arduino Duemilanove w/ Atmega328)
or Arduino MEGA (Digital I/O Pins 53 (of which 14 provide PWM output) )
as you no im trying to do 5 x 5 square =25 each square has 5 led's say 300mcd 5v 30ma ?? But im unshor on the set up what resister to use and wear 1 for 5 led's or will i need another for all Huh
so what im asking can you help me on the set up say with a diagram for me as a reference.
as for the Shifty VU Shield they don't do over here in the uk ill get from else were.
Thanks agene for you reply and help hope you can help me out some more if ok with you.
ps if there is any thing i have to no as well, i appreciate your help, I've ordered a book on Getting Started with Arduino hope this helps me as well.
Thanks Richard
Actually the "standard" arduino's have 19 digital I/Os - you can use the pins marked analog as digital pins 14 thru 19.
ShiftyVU is only (I think) available from Macetech - the designer. He'll ship to the UK.
Can't say I understand exactly what you are saying, BUT, yes you will probably need 1 resistor per cell.
No way will you be able to directly drive those LEDs from the arduino, so you will need to learn about switching high currents.
Also - why 5 LEDs per cell? Mine only used 1. If those spec's are right for the LEDs you are looking at, they are really crap LEDs. You should be getting 30,000mCd from a modern LED at that current rating. Do yourself a favour and find some better ones - then you'll only need one per cell not 5, which will be a LOT simpler.
Sounds like you should build up your knowledge a bit before diving into a matrix - the getting started book is a good idea.
Buy an Arduino and get it to blink. After that you can work your way into a LED matrix setup and play with the music part. Once you get all the electronics working you can build your table.
It sounds like a nice project, i would also make the table play pong.
I'd start with ladyada's arduino starter kit. Or sparkfun's... they both let you "get your feet wet" so you get some basic knowledge of the arduino and assisting components.
Thanks guys :), well the more I research into this little baby the more I want to no, OK so I'm a newbie at this but with the help you guys have given me it's helped a lot, I'm going to order a arduino but what one to order ? A little help on this one please, as trialex gave ma advise on the latter part to get Shifty VU Shield for the led's to beat to sound, do I order a small starter or will a large starter kit help me latter for parts something for you guy's to put me straight on as you will no best only as you guys started out.
Thanks Rob311 will do that what you said get to blink 1st and move on from there, I will keep a log do some pictures for you guys keep you updated if that OK with you all, and IM bound to bug you all with things IM stuck on that are twisting my brain but simple to you brainiacs 8-)'
My book on its way Getting Started with Arduino just have to order the smart arduino now what 1 :-/
Thanks to all you guys, please all the advise and info you give me will help me not to make mistakes.
Thanks Tricky
Hi all again OK IM thinking :-? I have 25 squares if lets say I buy the arduino mega when I get to set this up with 25 separate leads, can the set up be easier then getting Arduino Duemilanove, can I run say 25 separate run offs from the mega, the mega not a lot more and if I don't get for some reason to finish the project I can use the mega for other protects, the led's as for the brightness I don't no what mcd brightness to get, the red led will have to show good threw the black glass day and night so if someone can give me a link for the led what they think will be ok say on eBay, or a supplier with paypal as IM in the UK and payment is easier,going to be a bit cheeky here if you give me the like resister and anything else I will have to get with the led mcd ill order, I've ordered the Shifty VU Shield that's one thing out of the way for later.
All help as I say is appreciated from all, dare I say thanks to me team, ha ha :)Tricky
Using a mega would be a little easier, but because you want high brightness LEDs you won't be able to run them directly from the arduino pins anway - you will need to use transistors.
Slow down though! Buy some basic LEDs and resistors, and go through the getting started book. THEN buy the parts you need for the final project. I bet you goals and what parts you want to acheive them change in the meantime.
Hi thanks for the advise yes will do that, but a little help in finding the right red led 30,000cmd with the matchin resistors will help me a lot just to get in frunt for latter, and any thing else i might need to get as well :-/
Thanks to all Tricky
Show us where you have tried searching first, then we can help you if you can't find anything yourself.
Hint: There are a lot of LEDs sold on ebay - usually they are sent from hong kong, but shipping is cheap...
What starter to get, or do I just get parts separately will any of these starter kits help me with the build of my daft punk table, please have a look tell me what you think guys, :-?
1st ebay itam number 230387575122 :-?
2nd http://www.skpang.co.uk/catalog/index.php?cPath=140_143
Thanks Tricky
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Get an arduino
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Get some of these http://cgi.ebay.com/10pcs-8x8-Dot-Matrix-3mm-dia-Bicolor-LED-Display_W0QQitemZ350265442211QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item518d727fa3
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Once you learn how to drive item 2 with item 1 just scale it up
Alternatively you could get the 1st item you linked, but that's more expensive 