Blinking LEDs

Umbran · Oct 20, 2009

Not rightfully a straight computer topic, but let's try asking this in here.

I'm making some props for a game. I would like LEDs that blink in a programmable way - "I am a dork" in Morse Code, or somesuch.

Anyone got an idea?

Dinkeldog · Oct 21, 2009

Umbran said:
Not rightfully a straight computer topic, but let's try asking this in here.

I'm making some props for a game. I would like LEDs that blink in a programmable way - "I am a dork" in Morse Code, or somesuch.

Anyone got an idea?

We did this for a junior-year computer engineering class. We had programmable chips, then produced the logic for the morse code, then burned the chips, then we could put the chip on a breadboard and send an input signal with the letters and have the morse code flash on an LED attached to an output signal. It was a lot of fun, but 15 years ago--couldn't begin to remember all the programs we needed to get it done.

Nylanfs · Oct 21, 2009

FRYS.com | Velleman

Super LED Flasher Kit-The Electronic Goldmine

tdewitt274 · Oct 22, 2009

Instructables.com may be able to help.

How to Make led blink - Instructables search Instructables

Redrobes · Oct 22, 2009

Its pretty easy with a PIC microcontroller. You can get them that are reprogrammable in case you make a mistake. You need put 5 volts on the supply lines so might need a regulator from a 9V battery and will need a resistor per LED and the chip of course but thats it. You could flash up to 4 or 12 at once depending on the chip.

Stuff like this:
5 x Microchip PIC 12F629 8-pin Flash Microcontrollers on eBay (end time 09-Nov-09 12:33:28 GMT)

the 'Flash' is the built in memory type (as in USB Flash drive) not flashing LEDs but it has high powered outputs to drive LEDs directly. You should use the 2 milliamp LEDs anyway.

You will need a PIC programmer and some free software to make one tho. The whole circuit would be about 8 bucks.

Link to S/W to program it.
http://www.microchip.com/stellent/i...E&nodeId=1406&dDocName=en019469&part=SW007002

Hand of Evil · Oct 23, 2009

Man, how this takes me back to those Radio Shack kits!

Psionicist · Oct 24, 2009

Umbran said:
Not rightfully a straight computer topic, but let's try asking this in here.

I'm making some props for a game. I would like LEDs that blink in a programmable way - "I am a dork" in Morse Code, or somesuch.

Anyone got an idea?

If you run some Unix flavor or an old version of Windows (98 or something) it's very easy to program the parallel port. Then you just need some LED's, some resistors, and some wire. Googling "parallel port led" will give plenty of material on the subject.

This might be a bit unwieldy though.