LVL1

Fun with the LOLShield

brian — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:41:43 +0000

We had a fantastic weekend at LVL1. Not only was LVL1 at an awesome Actors Theater event, we also had some important visitors at the space on Saturday! On Saturday, Mitch Altman (of TV-B-Gone fame) and Jimmy Rodgers (of LOLshield fame) presented a soldering workshop. There must have been 50 people around! Also Matt Mets and Dale Dougherty were here from Make Magazine. Big thanks to Mitch, Jimmy, Matt and Dale for being part of the LVL1 experience. Our doors are always open to you!

During the soldering workshop, I built at LOLShield. Nice kit – lots of LEDs to solder. Jimmy was really good at making his LEDs come out in neat little rows – mine, not so much. Here is my video

I came upon this post and decided to make an animated LOLShield LVL1 logo. I had to download python 2.6 and the PIL library and the script ran perfectly. I created an animated gif using Gimp. Set up an image to be 9X14 in grayscale. Then draw your picture (zoomed in) and animate it using multiple layers. When you save as a gif, Gimp will make the layers into a animated gif. It is not hard. Here is my gif…

It is tiny! Next run the script in the command line and then cut and paste the code. Here is the Arduino program I am using.

/* Basic LoL Shield Test


 Writen for the LoL Shield, designed by Jimmie Rodgers:
http://jimmieprodgers.com/kits/lolshield/
 This needs the Charliplexing library, which you can get at the

 LoL Shield project page: http://code.google.com/p/lolshield/
 Created by Jimmie Rodgers on 12/30/2009.

 Adapted from: http://www.arduino.cc/playground/Code/BitMath
 History:

  	December 30, 2009 - V1.0 first version written at 26C3/Berlin
  This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or

  modify it under the terms of the GNU Version 3 General Public

  License as published by the Free Software Foundation;

  or (at your option) any later version.
  This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,

  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of

  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU

  Lesser General Public License for more details.
  You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public

  License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software

  Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA

*/
#include   //AVR library for writing to ROM

#include  //Imports the library, which needs to be

                           //Initialized in setup.
int blinkdelay = 100;      //Sets the time each frame is shown
/*

The BitMap array is what contains the frame data. Each line is one full frame.

Since each number is 16 bits, we can easily fit all 14 LEDs per row into it.

The number is calculated by adding up all the bits, starting with lowest on

the left of each row. 18000 was chosen as the kill number, so make sure that

is at the end of the matrix, or the program will continue to read into memory.
Here PROGMEM is called, which stores the array into ROM, which leaves us

with our RAM. You cannot change the array during run-time, only when you

upload to the Arduino. You will need to pull it out of ROM, which is covered

below. If you want it to stay in RAM, just delete PROGMEM

*/
uint16_t BitMap[][9] PROGMEM = {

 { 16382 , 8193 , 10501 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11053 , 8193 , 8191 , },

 { 16381 , 8193 , 10501 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11053 , 8193 , 12287 , },

 { 16379 , 8193 , 10501 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11053 , 8193 , 14335 , },

 { 16379 , 8193 , 10501 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11053 , 8193 , 15359 , },

 { 16375 , 8193 , 10501 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11053 , 8193 , 15359 , },

 { 16367 , 8193 , 10501 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11053 , 8193 , 15871 , },

 { 16351 , 8193 , 10501 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11053 , 8193 , 16127 , },

 { 16319 , 8193 , 10501 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11053 , 8193 , 16255 , },

 { 16255 , 8193 , 10501 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11053 , 8193 , 16319 , },

 { 16127 , 8193 , 10501 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11053 , 8193 , 16351 , },

 { 15871 , 8193 , 10501 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11053 , 8193 , 16367 , },

 { 15359 , 8193 , 10501 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11053 , 8193 , 16375 , },

 { 14335 , 8193 , 10501 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11053 , 8193 , 16379 , },

 { 12287 , 8193 , 10501 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11053 , 8193 , 16381 , },

 { 8191 , 8193 , 10501 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11053 , 8193 , 16382 , },

 { 16383 , 1 , 10501 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11053 , 8192 , 16383 , },

 { 16383 , 8193 , 2309 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11052 , 8193 , 16383 , },

 { 16383 , 8193 , 10501 , 3333 , 10581 , 10580 , 11053 , 8193 , 16383 , },

 { 16383 , 8193 , 10501 , 11525 , 2388 , 10581 , 11053 , 8193 , 16383 , },

 { 16383 , 8193 , 10501 , 11524 , 10581 , 2389 , 11053 , 8193 , 16383 , },

 { 16383 , 8193 , 10500 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 2861 , 8193 , 16383 , },

 { 16383 , 8192 , 10501 , 11525 , 10581 , 10581 , 11053 , 1 , 16383 , },

 {18000}

};
void setup() {

  LedSign::Init();  //Initializes the screen

}

void loop() {

  DisplayBitMap();  //Displays the bitmap
}
void DisplayBitMap()

{

  boolean run=true;    //While this is true, the screen updates

  byte frame = 0;      //Frame counter

  byte line = 0;       //Row counter

  unsigned long data;  //Temporary storage of the row data
  while(run == true) {

    for(line = 0; line < 9; line++) {
      //Here we fetch data from program memory with a pointer.

      data = pgm_read_word_near (&BitMap[frame][line]);
      //Kills the loop if the kill number is found

      if (data==18000){

        frame = 0;

        data = pgm_read_word_near (&BitMap[frame][line]);

        //run=false;

      }
      //This is where the bit-shifting happens to pull out

      //each LED from a row. If the bit is 1, then the LED

      //is turned on, otherwise it is turned off.

      else for (byte led=0; led<14; ++led) {

        if (data & (1<
          LedSign::Set(led, line, 1);

        }

        else {

          LedSign::Set(led, line, 0);

        }
      }
    }

//Delays the next update delay(blinkdelay); frame++; } }

I had to adjust the code to keep it from blinking at the end of the animation.

LVL1 Events this Weekend

Christopher — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:37:39 +0000

This weekend is filled with awesome events LVL1 is a part of.

Friday is Actor’s Theatre of Louisville rooftop concert. We are labeled as AWESOMENESS on the flyer. Several members of LVL1 will be showing off projects at the event. There will be bands, art, music and a cash bar on the roof of the Actor’s Theatre parking garage.

Saturday afternoon between 1pm and 5pm we will be hosting Mitch Altman and Jimmie Rodgers for their traveling electronics workshop. Mitch and Jimmie are currently touring Midwest hackerspaces, teaching electronics and soldering to anyone interested *for free*. Mitch is the inventor of the TV-B-Gone, Trip Glasses, a founder of Noisebridge in San Francisco, widely regarded as a pioneer of Virtual Reality and all around cool guy. Jimmie Rodgers is a full time hacker, maker and circuit bender. He sells kits for Open Heart v2.0, Atari Punk Console and LoL shield. Instruction is free and they are selling kits for attendees to build *at cost of materials* in the $10-$30 range. LVL1 is excited to have them!

And this Sunday night at the Rudyard Kipling I will be performing my homemade synthesizers in my band Nzambi.

And Yet Another Workshop

drphonon — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 18:56:29 +0000

Learn to Solder with Mitch Altman and Jimmie Rodgers

August 14, 1PM-5PM
Mitch Altman, founder of the hackerspace NoiseBridge in San Franciso, and Jimmie Rodgers, creator of the LOL Shield, will be holding a learn to solder class at LVL1! Come by to learn a useful and fun skill. Several kits will be available in the $15-$30 range for your building pleasure. This class is appropriate for all ages. Bring your kids with you and introduce them to the wonderful world of electronics.

Another Upcoming Workshop

brad — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 14:54:18 +0000

We’ve got another workshop planned for August. On Saturday, the 21st. LVL1 will be hosting the “Beyond Arduino” workshops, extending your knowledge of microcontrollers and physical computing.

Info and Registration

At least some knowledge of Arduino and/or C programming and elementary electronics is highly recommended as a prerequisite for this course.

In case you missed it

brian — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:22:04 +0000

LVL1 Made the Sunday paper. Read all about it!

2 Upcoming LVL1 Workshops

Christopher — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 20:45:49 +0000

We have two new workshops scheduled for August.

Saturday August 7th we’re doing another soldering your own Freeduino workshop.

Info and registration

And then…

Saturday August 28th we’re doing another TV-B-Gone soldering workshop.

Info and registration

Distortion Pedal for Guitar

strothman — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:00:57 +0000

I just finished building the “Brown Sound In A Box 2″ distortion pedal. I’m not a professional by any means but it was a fun project.

TOP

GUTS

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leIS6up0dtQ

[Les Paul Studio / Marshall 2x12 Combo amp]

PODxt Amp Modeler

strothman — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:13:45 +0000

My PODxt kept slipping in and out of tuner mode, making it pretty much useless. Cleaned up some excess flux and now the little jerk is functioning properly. New firmware updates and everything. An Amp modeler that I haven’t used for years, and now I’m using it as often as possible. Thanks Chris for the help.

Repost: Thanks are in order!

Christopher — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 20:31:46 +0000

By request, this is the thank you email posted to the list:

Hello all,

Last night’s Open Haus was such an overwhelming success that I didn’t
have a chance to thank everyone properly.

Thank you to Kwau-La-Waul Properties and the Zink family for leasing
us such a fantastic space. Steve Jr. did a great job doing the build
out for us. They put in the new walls, plumbing, A/C, electric and
replacement doors windows.

Thank you to bluegrass.net for providing the internet connection and IPs gratis.

Thank you to Matt Frassica at the Courier-Journal for coming out to
check out what we’re doing.

Thank you to the Collexion members who came up to help us celebrate.

Thank you to everyone who brought projects to show off!

Most importantly, thank you to all the founding members who’ve
contributed their knowledge, time and finances to make LVL1 a reality.
The contributions are too many to mention, so I won’t even bother. It
takes a leap of faith to try and bootstrap a community like ours
without any guarantee of success. You are heroes, every last one of
you.

9 short months ago, Brian and Mark put out a post to see who else in
Louisville was interested in starting a hackerspace like the other
spaces popping up all over the US. People showed up. And they kept
showing up. We self-organized and came up with a plan to bootstrap
this thing. The plan worked! 9 short months from nothing but an idea
to an awesome real physical space.

The first question I always get when I talk about what LVL1 is
doing… What exactly is a hackerspace? It’s a surprisingly difficult
question to answer. I think it has something to do with computers and
electronics… These spaces are so conceptually new, that there isn’t
a lot of history to help define them. The best I can think of is to
offer analogies. Musicians need venues to perform at. Basketball
players need courts to play on. Painters need galleries to show off
their work. Skateboarders need skateparks to show off their tricks.
Poets need open mic nights to read their work. etc. etc. Tinkerers,
makers, hackers, programmers and engineers need hackerspaces to work,
learn, share and socialize. Computers and electronics alone touch
almost every facet of our modern lives, so the breadth of possible
projects is incredibly large. And a hackerspace can be much more than
just computers and electronics. I think that was demonstrated by the
wide variety of projects on display last night!

Now that we have our space, let’s move boldly forward. Our success as
a hackerspace should be measured by the good times we have, the
friends we make and the great projects we create. Remember all the
things that have helped us build a great community and keep doing
them. Go out of your way to be open and welcoming to new members.
Share what you know. If you want something to happen, take the lead to
make it happen. Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. Figure
out where to start, be prepared to fail, readjust and try again. All
of the democracy and voting in the world is no substitute for a
healthy culture of learning and doing.

Thanks again. I looking foward to this time next year, when we can
look back and again be pleasantly surprised by what has been
accomplished.

I will now officially exercise the sole privilege of my office and
redesignate my LVL1 title from “Chief Tyrant of the Collective Will”
to “Micro Colonel”.

High 5s all around!

/Chris
Micro Colonel LVL1

That’ll do vac.. that’ll do.

Christopher — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:53:17 +0000