17 June 2012

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We're very excited about the new PLT-1001v4 driver board for LED Matrix Displays (LED panels).

We have had a dream to make LED Matrix Displays easy to use for several years, and now finally with the fourth generation of our driver board, we are able to bring that to a reality.

Yes, not only can you issue simple commands over  TTL serial interface, but thanks to contributions from Embedded Adventurers out there, we even have a number of fonts available, and even scrolling text!

Using the serial commands allows you to draw lines, rectangles, circles, filled circles and individual pixels.

You can change fonts (6 fonts are included) and print static text in available colours anywhere on the display.

You can scroll text in any size width window on the display in any font.

So rather than having to worry about refreshing the display hundreds of times a second, you can worry about what you really want to have on the display.

The board is fully surface mount and only requires you to solder power (terminal blocks are supplied) and connector (a female 0.1" connector is supplied).

The completely redesigned board allows for "backpack" connection to the thinner (8 pixel high) displays such as the LDP-6408 and LDP-8008, with screw holes in the correct location to hold the board firmly in place.

For this configuration, a female 8x2 0.1" connector is supplied, simply solder the connector so it is under the board, as shown here.  For use with larger displays, you can backpack connect like this, or use a male 0.1" connector (soldererd on the top of th eboard) to use the IDC cable the is supplied with our LED Matrix Displays.

Pair the driver board with a USB Development Platform (which comes by default as a USB to TTL serial converter) and you have the perfect combination.

You will need to update the firmware to match the board you are looking to drive.