Presenting a Raspberry-Pi based Wordclock

[@robertpilon7374]

Hi Bernd, wonderful project! Your instructions and code were an excellent help making my own version, resulting in a very nice birthday gift. After a lot of experimenting, I now use a smartphone app to control the clock functions, like brightness, color, and temperature display. It uses the OSC protocol (pyOSC on the Raspberry, TouchOSC on the phone), which integrates nicely with the clock code. The acrylic face plate was the most expensive part. I had it printed at an online photo print shop. But considering the price of the other components and the clock's capabilities, it's still a bargain. So thank you!

[@wiki2006]

+Robert Pilon Hi Robert, that's great news! Good to hear, that you like it! The additional features like brighness control and temperature display are really interestering!! Updates are always welcome! So: If you find the time to share your code on the github website, feel free to do so! ;) Regards!

[@demoneye999]

Hi - have you got some details of the front skeleton setup? I need to know the spacing and size of the holes drilled for the LED holes? Can't find anything in the documentation?

[@tommittelbach]

Hi, that is also my question. Do you have an technical drawing?

[@blackpanther-ge7ll]

Hi. Your Software works fine! But I have printed another layout in German, starting with ESKISTLETWA and so on. Can I replace the Letters in the config and how can I set the bitmask to the ne words? There are 11x11 letters without the 4, but I can also add the four. Thank you.

[@LediesR]

Einen 700MHz starken Prozessor für eine Uhr?! ;-) Geht auch mit einem Arduino nano. Günstiger in der Anschaffung + geringerer Stromverbrauch. Die arduclock kommt je nach Farbe weit unter 2 Watt im Betrieb. Trotzdem finde ich eure Idee cool auch weil Animationen damit darstellbar sind?! Bin gespannt was noch so kommt! Daumen hoch !

[@Lukas-xn3ug]

Hi. Congrats to this great project. Really great job. I have a question: is there a source code without any of the addons/plugins? Just the pure wordclock function? Cheers Lukas

[@steffenkuhn280]

Hi Bernd, great project. I really like it since I'm also not coming from electronics but already having a solderiggn version done this is a really exciting and easy to extend version. I already added a Dallas 1820 for giving the temperatrue as plugin. Actually I'm just struggling with how to wire the switches for debouncing (I get "pressed 17" all time). All what I read from adafruit and generally about debouncing didn't help. Could you share how you exactly wired the three switches in your basic non-capcativ version? Thanks Steffen

[@wiki2006]

Hi Steffen, good to know, that you like the project!! :) The wiring I did, is like this: www.cl.cam.ac.uk/projects/raspberrypi/tutorials/robot/images/EGHS-PullUpDownSwitchProtected.jpg (upper version) Note, that the compatibility with the capacitive board, a button is registered to be pressed, if the GPIO pin is set to low/0. Not pressed corresponds to high/1. Hope I could help! Regards, Bernd

[@b3jojo]

Wow super nice work. Received a couple of those LED strips and didn't know what to do with them. This got me inspired. Thanks for your upload to github and your explanations. Was really thinking it was impossible to use these kind of addressable strips directly with the Pi. Finally ran in to your great video! Would it be a problem to use the Pi model 2?

[@wiki2006]

That's good to know, that you like the project! I'd except it to work fine with the PI 2.

[@Horatio12453]

Hi, thank you for making this project available. i'm working on one right now and have a question in regards to the wiring. Do you start the wiring at the raspberry pi and then work towards the end or do you work from the end towards the raspberry pi? thanks!

[@wiki2006]

Hi +Horatio12453, there are little arrows on the LED-strip indicating the direction of data transfer. This data is transfered from the Pi towards the end of the strip. All arrows should therefore point towards the end. Regards, Bernd

[@YMMP]

Sehr coole Uhr Ich denke ich werde sie auch bauen. Aber drei fragen hab ich noch. 1. Gibt es eine Liste der verwendeten Komponenten? 2. Gibt es irgendwo eine Anleitung auf deutsch? bzw. gibt es einen schaltplan der verkabelung 2. Kann mann inzwischen die Temperatur anzeigen lassen über einen Temperatursensor oder über Internet ? MfG Philipp

[@wiki2006]

Hi Philipp, Zunächst zu 2.: translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=de&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Frpi-wordclock.readthedocs.org%2Fen%2Flatest%2Findex.html&edit-text=&act=url Darauf basierend zu 1.: translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=de&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Frpi-wordclock.readthedocs.org%2Fen%2Flatest%2Findex.html&edit-text=&act=url Und schließlich zu 3.: Die Temperaturanzeige läuft aktuell via Internet. Steffen Kuhn hat hier jedoch vor 4 Tagen angekündigt, dass er ein Plugin für die direkte Temperaturmessung implementiert hat... Ich hoffe das hilft dir weiter... :) Beste Grüße, Bernd

[@TiNV82]

Great job. I'm interested in starting this project myself. Do you have some detailed closeup pictures of the wiring and raspberry pi + sensor? Thanks, Christophe

[@wiki2006]

Hi Christophe, thanks for your interest in this work! I'll try to provide some documentation latestly by end of April... Ok? ;) Bernd

[@TiNV82]

Hi! Sure, no problem! I'm currently discovering the Raspberry Pi and ordering other stuff. I was wondering as well if you drilled the holes straight through? I have seen other examples online where they drill kind of conical holes. If one led is on, you don't have light in the holes next to it? Thanks in advance! Christophe

[@wiki2006]

Christophe Hanssens Hi Christophe, here some images. rpi-wordclock.readthedocs.org/en/latest/doc_hardware_setup.html#assembling-steps If you can produce conical holes, might this improve the illumination. Otherwise, you can also cover the assembled LED-array with a black cloth. Regards, Bernd

[@TiNV82]

Thanks a lot! Looks like a version 2.0 :-)

[@TiNV82]

Bernd Krolla Hi, I'm checking the software more in detail, and more specif, the support for Dutch language. I'm making a Dutch version, so I'm glad to see the options for Dutch :) But the mapping is not corresponding to your wiring layout? Also I don't see any Dutch layout files?

[@tetr1kus]

Hi Bernd. Nice and inspiring work! I'd like to ask some questions, since I want to build a similar clock. I've ordered the mentioned led strips, but I can't see what the exact distance between the LEDs is. Do you maybe know that? Or do you know, which distance you had between the holes for the letters? And how big is the clock in general? Something about 50cm? And additionally to that: I like, how the front looks, but I can't find any information on the docs how you did this. Is it a foil on a glass plate? And how did you mount the glass at the end? I see 4 mounting screws, but I can't imagine how it looks on the other side. :)

[@wiki2006]

+Markus Strässle Hi Markus, I'd recommend to first get the front plate and afterwards buy a LED-strip with according spacing. In my case, the clock has a size of 45x45cm. The front is readily available here: Layout: www.mikrocontroller.net/wikifiles/3/37/Wordclock-0.13.zip Projekt: www.mikrocontroller.net/articles/Word_Clock_Variante_1 I attached it with four screws, which I glued onto the frontplate. (I'll try to find the time to provide images, which explain this a bit more in detail... :) Hope this helps, Bernd

[@tetr1kus]

+Bernd Krolla Thanks for your reply. Meanwhile (actually today) I've built my own front in 50x50cm. The LED strips should arrive tomorrow. Since I painted the glass front by myself, I'm not sure, wether it will work to glue anything on it or not. We'll see. :)

[@janschleicher9221]

Hi Bernd...! Ich habe die Uhr erfolgreich gebaut und sie funktioniert wunderbar. Jedoch habe ich die Uhr 50cm x 50cm groß gebaut, und habe ein anderes Folienlayout. Nun meine Frage...: Wie kann ich die Ansteuerung der Led´s (Wörter) auf meine aktuelle Folie anpassen? Wie bearbeite ich die "xxx.py" Datei? ...und welche? Grüße, Jan

[@wiki2006]

+Jan Schleicher Hi Jan, da musst du an verschiedenen Stellen schrauben... Das wiring-layout (der Verlauf der LEDs hinter der Platte) entspricht bspw. dieser Grafik? github.com/bk1285/rpi_wordclock/blob/master/wordclock_layouts/german_11x10/wiring_front_bernds_wiring.png - Ansonsten musst du hier dein Wiring-Layout anpassen: github.com/bk1285/rpi_wordclock/blob/master/wordclock_tools/wiring.py - Damit wird sichergestellt, dass Bilder und Animationen korrekt dargestellt werden.. Weiterhin musst du dann für die korrekte Darstellung der Uhrzeit die korrekten Worte ansteuern. Dafür kopierst du am besten die Datei "time_german.py" zu "time_german_jan.py" in diesem Ordner github.com/bk1285/rpi_wordclock/tree/master/wordclock_plugins/time_default Danach musst du die verschiedenen LED-nummern anpassen... Um dieses Layout in deiner Uhr zu verwenden, musst du es schließlich in der config-Datei hinterlegen: github.com/bk1285/rpi_wordclock/blob/master/wordclock_config/wordclock_config.example.cfg language=german_jan Hoffe das hilft... :) Beste Grüße, Bernd

[@pinz1]

Hallo Bernd, ich habe das ähnliche Problem wie Jan. Ich habe auf Github mich durch die files durchgesucht, ehe ich über diesen Kommentar hier gestolpert bin. Ich habe deine Verdrahtung genommen. Wie zählst zählst du die LEDs fürs Mapping? Mir scheint es so, also ob die 90 Grad gedreht ist, also den Buchstaben folgend und nicht dem Verlauf der LEDs. Wäre eine große Hilfe, wenn du wieder mal an dem Projekt Änderungen vornimmst hier noch ein wenig Doku im Code hinterlassen würdest. Danke, ingo

Philipp could you please describe how to use feature like " Display of low-resolution png-files (considering the wordclock as a display with a resolution of 11×10 pixel)" Thank you in advance

[@wiki2006]

Hi +Arūnas Žilinskas You can use these functions: github.com/bk1285/rpi_wordclock/blob/master/wordclock_tools/wordclock_display.py#L82 github.com/bk1285/rpi_wordclock/blob/master/wordclock_tools/wordclock_display.py#L89 ... Hope this helps! Regards, Bernd

[@moltras]

Hi awesome project!!! I want to build one to but i'm not realy good at the software part, is there a possibility that you could share your raspberry image?

[@wiki2006]

Hi! Thanks for your interest in the project... :) Unfortuneatly, I'd consider my RPi-image in a "not-sharable" state, beeing polluted with lots of overhead, and testing stuff... :/ Ideally the docs should lead you through the installation process without bigger issues. I'd furthermore expect an image not to be a satisfying solution in general, since the wordclock setup makes it necessary to customize your wiring layout, your stancil language, etc. Instead of an image, I'd tend to setup an interactive installation script (... if I find the time one day... ) If so, I'll let you know! Regards, Bernd

[@Blu3T3xone]

Is it possible to use a ws2801 Strip with this Software?

[@wiki2006]

The library to address the LEDs is this one: github.com/jgarff/rpi_ws281x Double check its specs, but I fear, it won't work out...

[@bluenazgul1982]

Do you have an DIY HowTo for this Project?

[@wiki2006]

Voilà: rpi-wordclock.readthedocs.org/en/latest/index.html ... might be far from perfect, but maybe at least a starting point... :)

[@davidsalb3065]

Hi Bernd, welches Material hast du für den weißen Rahmen verwendet?

[@wiki2006]

Das sind Alu-Profile aus dem Baumarkt: 30x2mm, passend zugeschnitten auf die Größe der Wordclock.

[@AndreasLink]

You could have speed up your words a little bit, but well done :-)!

[@mr-matt2881]

You need to check your white balance on your camera!

[@wiki2006]

+Motion Agreed! Checkout my new video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZSvgnevoLd1mK8 ;)

[@mr-matt2881]

+Bernd Krolla Ahh, much better!

[@Don-h4d]

Beside the slow handicapped English talk, I dislike very much when they act like they invented and created the whole thing from scratch when it's an old and well documented project he just collected from the web and put together.

[@idahomike]

Man, after 800 "Umm"s in the first 90 seconds I had to close this video... I'd suggest working on that.

[@mbjengels]

At least he put content up, it is better then all the FFing USA crap with 30 minutes of random bla to get to the point, we can't all be as perfect as Mister MBA VP, also like your KZbin contributions so far poeh you made the world really a better place..