your work, install the integrated circuits. Press each chip into the socket
making sure that they are oriented correctly.
nected the terminal. Use a multi-meter to measure the voltage on the pins
you intend to connect to the board and ensure that 5 volts is where you
expect it. If you connect the power supply backward, you will probably
destroy all of the chips you just wired.
you will need to enclose the circuit board in a plastic or metal box. If done
properly, this enclosure will keep the electronics away from the elements
and allow it to be placed outside next to the LED frame. A number of elec-
tronics distributors, such as DigiKey and Mouser, sell various plastic enclo-
sures. Check their catalogs for models that will fit your circuit board.
need to cut holes in the box to allow access to the power cable, the printer
cable, and the LED connections. If you plan to place the box outdoors, seal
the holes after all of the cables have been installed with RTV silicon seal-
ant.
to decide how far apart to place the LED "pixels." If you want the biggest
possible display, simply take the height of the available area measured in
Step 1 and divide it by 8 to get the vertical resolution. Take the width and
divide it by 18 to get the horizontal resolution. These two numbers will be
the vertical and horizontal spacing for the LEDs, respectively.
(you can use CAT5 wire), a crimping tool, and 144 open metal crimps. All
of these items, with the exception of the LEDs, can be found at your local
hardware store. The LEDs can be purchased at DigiKey. Any LED will
work, but I suggest that you use a super-bright LED. This particular LED
is red. White LEDs are available at substantially higher cost: $0.37 each for
the red LEDs and $2.49 each for the white LEDs.