Project: Blitter Bike

[Theres Always One]

Congratulations! I can tell by your chuckle that you are pleased with it. You must be feeling so good right now. Your project is fantastic.

Not to derail your thread but I wanted to share a similar success story and that I finally got over the hurdle of learning to control LEDs with shift registers and an arduino.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28FbfbIsnNk

I know the feeling when you are making progress and can see tangible results of your work. Keep up the great work!

[percussivepaul]

There's Always One, that looks almost exactly like the setup I currently have on my desk -- precursor to a larger project -- congrats on the progress! But you should look up the TLC5940 16 Channel LED Driver IC. It will change your life!

[Theres Always One]

No I know! The TLC5940 is a sexy sexy component. I actually had ordered these parallel in/parallel out shift registers before I knew what I was doing and now I'm stuck with them so once I get through these and make up some PCBs I can move on to the TLC5940. I actually ordered 5 free samples of the 5940 from Texas Instruments earlier this week and then they replied back that they would be sending me 10 instead of 5. Hahaha. OKAY! But, yeah I can't wait to get them.


So this blitter bike looks pretty big. Is it really going to be a moving object?

[waxpraxis]

Yep - it's a 1m x 1m screen that will be secured to a bike trailer.

[waxpraxis]

Just got the timing and transparency code working correctly tonight, along with a simple network interface that will eventually be controlled by the Arduino + WiFly-based joystick I'm building.

[Theres Always One]

HOT!

Look at that code! So sexy. hahahaha

[insomnivore]

reminds me of a concert I just went to where they used a large (10'x15') dot matrix as the backdrop, thought it was one of the coolest things I've seen yet. This, by extension and application, is equally as cool. I'll definitely be looking for this out there!

[percussivepaul]

Wow. This project is blowing my mind. I'd wondered idly to myself how many pixels you'd need to make recognizable video and here is the proof that 32x32 is plenty. I was thinking it might be cool to stitch a grid into the back of a vest and be a walking movie screen. Maybe next year

Hmm... what happens if you try it on 16x16, or 8x8? I would guess 8x8 will be just a blur of colours but 16x16 might be vaguely recognizable. I don't suppose you could hook that up for me to show me how it looks? Can you still make out Michael Scott in 16x16?

[waxpraxis]

The best way to tell, honestly, would be to just find animated GIFs at that size. That's what I'm using for assets for the BlitterBike for right now.

[waxpraxis]

Got the joystick fitted last night - now to wire up the sucker (already have the Arduino + wifi shield from another project).

[PhilipS]

Totally cool!

[Theres Always One]

Do you need gifs? Because I have lots.

And if so, are you looking for ones to work with the motion of the screen across the playa (as you mentioned in your original post) or are you looking for anything at all?

Also, and what's the estimated max current load for this thing? Or the average? What kind of power supply are you using?

[waxpraxis]

If you (or anyone!) have 32x32 pixel GIFs, I'd love to check 'em out, thanks!

Anything is welcome, but yeah, some ones that involve characters running would be particularly good.

The current it draws is highly dependent on the color and brightness of the screen. When it's on white, full blast, all pixels, it pulls close to 18 amps(!!). I'm using a 110 amp hour AGM battery hooked into a group of 12v-5v converters.

Oh - and here's an update!

[MyDearFriend]

Oh man that looks FANTASTIC !!!!

[waxpraxis]

Thank you! It's finally really coming together, which is a real relief and scary as shit at the same time.

Tonight I got the bike trailer assembled. Now I need to start planning out the superstructure that will hold everything onto the trailer.

[junglesmacks]

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't give thanks for you, brutha. Bring it.. bring MORE.. MORE lights to our world..



The universe is a funny, funny thing.

[BBadger]

Oh... it's... beautiful.

Please include a spinning Sonic the Hedgehog sprite.

[MyDearFriend]

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't give thanks for you, brutha. Bring it.. bring MORE.. MORE lights to our world..



The universe is a funny, funny thing.

Yes, yes indeed.

I want to say, that as amazing and wonderful as it is to be blown away on the playa by shit I never dreamed of

it is somehow even MORE wonderful to randomly find stuff out there in the dark and recognize it as the work of someone I have been rooting for!

And at my age, I can't convey to you how refreshing it is to meet folks who not only have dreams but

MAKE THEM COME TRUE.

*happy dance*

[waxpraxis]

junglesmacks - thank you man! Folks like you have been a real inspiration for me to let my BLINKY flag fly! (Oh, and I'm going to have something VERY fun for you on Monday! )

BBadger - There will ABSOLUTELY be Sonic and a bunch of other video games sprites as well. I'm currently working on the code to read a magnetic sensor that will let me figure out the speed of the bike and change the animation running based on that. So when the bike is still, Sonic will tap his foot. When the bike is moving slowly, he'll jog/run. Once the bike gets up to speed - spin dash!

MyDearFriend - thank you! I actually brought my two sons (3 and 6yo) down into the basement last night to show them the project. They've been helping out in bits as pieces as they can, but hadn't seen it working. They both really loved it and danced around it for a while, which was awesome! When they go to bed at night my wife or I sit down next to them and talk for a little bit and last night I talked to them that the important thing I wanted them to learn from the project was that if you can dream it, you can do it. If it's a dream of any value it will take some hard work, and there will be lots of set backs, but if you keep at it one day you will be able to show the world something that was once confined to your imagination. There's something deeply magical about that!

[junglesmacks]

When they go to bed at night my wife or I sit down next to them and talk for a little bit and last night I talked to them that the important thing I wanted them to learn from the project was that if you can dream it, you can do it. If it's a dream of any value it will take some hard work, and there will be lots of set backs, but if you keep at it one day you will be able to show the world something that was once confined to your imagination. There's something deeply magical about that!

AMEN!!

[Theres Always One]

Here are some gifs for you. I just uploaded the ones I thought were cool/you might like/might look cool on your rig. I'll leave you to decide if any of them are usable or not.

[Theres Always One]

Can you play/use flash files too?

[catinthefunnyhat]

Waxpraxis: This is amazing. I hadn't been following this thread, but tonight decided to pop in and see what it's all about, and.... WOW. Thanks for showing us the process, as well as the progress. Both are amazing to see.

[waxpraxis]

Theres Always One: Thanks for the contribution! I'm going to see if I can resize any of those, because unfortunately they are all too big (dimension wise) for me to playback. To keep my playback code simple it only supports 32px x 32px animated GIFs. It does not support any other formats at this time (that MAY change before the big burn, but it's making it's debut in four weeks at Playa Del Fuego). I'm also looking at possibly adding a second joystick so I can make a few simple games for it.

catinthefunnyhat - Thanks for dropping a note! It's been a long, frustrating, and fun process. This is my first "art project" ever and the support and interest of the community has been a real driving factor for me! My first exposure to Burning Man and it's culture was last june at the Lakes of Fire regional!

[waxpraxis]

Finally working on the super structure! I now have all of the electronics (except for the speed sensor) mounted and ready to go. Looks like I will be doing full systems tests within the week!

[waxpraxis]

Super structure assembled and first dry fit of all of the pieces:

[waxpraxis]

It's all painted and mostly assembled, yay!

Now I'm working on a quick release cable for all of the cables so that if need be I can take the screen down in less than 10 seconds (in case the wind whips up). I'm just waiting on the last set of parts for the joystick...

OH! And I got another small art grant this weekend as well!

Now I'm off to write some code for this thing, woohoo!

[Elorrum]

Waxpraxis. thanks so much in advance!!! Great lesson of dreaming and doing. and so cool too!!!

[waxpraxis]

IT'S ALIVE!

[MyDearFriend]

Oh wow, I "kinda can't believe it" too!!!

Huge kudos to you. Can't wait to chase you across the playa!!!