DUAL Channel SERIAL POV Display

This a 2 channel Spinning POV display device. One display (the rear) one has 8 white leds and 1 amber, the other display has 8 blue leds and 1 green.

Serial data is sent to each display via slip ring, then timing/ display logic is controlled by 2 individual At mega Arduino's.

1 Arduino for Blue and 2nd Arduino for White displays

This is not so much and Instructable on how to build this POV but rather how I built the POV.

For my other NVictria projects see Youtube, Daniel Ross, NVictria, TTY, Cosmac 1802, Cosmac VIP-Elf, Steampunk typewriter.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=NVICTRIA

Making the LED displays

Solder 9 LEDS , 8 for data display, 1 for reference.

I then added them to a wooden dowel, and inserted into a small glass test tube cut to size.

to cut the test tube, first wrap in tape to mark cut line, with Dremel and carbide bit Score the glass all the way around until it "breaks" in two.

Do this twice, one for each display. ( a blue LED one, and a white LED one)

Make the Circuit board

I Use a drawing program thats FREE, called TINY CAD,

made a graphic and printed in colour on laser printer.

Sprayed glue to a fiberglass board, then drilled with a dremel.

Added sockets and parts to my "cheapy" pcb

Made a few types for experimentation..

Wiring is point to point soldering with wirewrap type wire.

Making the Base and slip ring unit.

Main bearing support was from donor VHS spinning head VCR, after removing the recording/ playback pickup, adding a piece of 1" water pipe, a gear to the shaft.

I then used OLD D cell nicads battery and "sliced" off 4 rings from the cells casing.

With a square chisel , slid the rings onto the pipe, solder very small FINE wires to all 4 rings.

4 rings, (1) +5volt, (2)(serial in) RX for U1, (3) RX for U2, and (4) Ground.

Next to make the Contacts, is used a 4 pole relay, took it apart and mounted them to a plastic support.

I used... you guessed it an aluminum frying pan as my base..

Removed inner and outer finish by sanding on a lathe, then a bit of polish .

Drilled holes for slip ring bearing mount and motor

** Code for the arduinos are specific to each, U1 is for the BLUE leds aka Font display.

U2 is for the WHITE leds aka Rear display.

reason is one scans from left to right, the other right to left.

Please note I'm not a programmer, I cobbled this together from all over the place.

If you find a better way please let me know.

FYI, I use a baud rate of 300 N1 because my TTY portion of this project "talks" to a Cosmac VIP 1802 CPU, it has a max baud of 300..

You would have to adjust the baud to your needs, (9600)?

ARDUINO CODE BELOW

** U1 POV V3.8.3 code for BLUE display / with SERIAL

** U2 POV V3.7.7 code for WHITE display / with SERIAL

** POV brown fox V9 U2 White code for displaying " The Quick Brown Fox" on White display.

** Time Clock POV code will display HH: MM: SS on POV display

** HAPPY NEW YEAR U2 code will display "Happy New Year ", (static)

Not mentioned is the motor, as my motor was salvaged from an old cassette deck, any motor/ drive belt setup will work.

A PWM speed controller is handy for better results.

What Ive shown here is my "Prototype" , the final version will be incorporated into my SteamPunk project, including the 3 digit NIXIE multi meter / speed controller unit, thats another video...TBD

Finally a few videos of the POV in action

Keep in mind the camera has a SYNC issue, this causes the blank spaces in the video recording, this is not seen with the naked eye

** POV BLUE shows the numbers 1 to 9 on Blue display ( static), via serial

** POV HELLO WORLD shows in Blue "Hello World" as I type from laptop1 serial port to POV unit, listen carefully and you will hear my Speech talker unit say HELLO WORLD, the rear White display is also displaying a 2nd serial mesage from another laptop.

** POV HOME SW video of POV unit IR sensor ( Photo switch ), labled PT1 in schematic