Send A Message To An LED Sign

An anonymous reader submits "I just got a Pro Lite LED sign today. After a few minutes splicing and wiring up a DB9 to RJ11 connection, and a little fun with python, I've got a script that lets me take input from the web and display it on the sign. Eventually it will have other, more useful, purposes, but I figured I'd let you guys play with it as it is. There's also a log of past messages."

Comments

Re:Just one thing..

[Anonymous Coward]

What connection is that one on? DSL?

24.x.x.x = cable

This specific block is owned by
Cablelynx NETIP-WEHCO-BLK-2 (NET-24-204-80-0-1)
24.204.80.0 - 24.204.99.255

Many cable users can actually define their own IP address.

Here's the site

[NemesisStar]

Well seeings how I think I was one of the only people to be able to load it up before it went down, here is what was on the site. This is pretty much it (very simple interface), the only thing you can't see here are "Send Now" and "blank sign" buttons and a dark blue background.

Leave a Scrolling Message for Mark
You can leave a message on the scrolling message board for Mark, or see the log of messages already left.

This will replace the existing message of:

[Tue 02:55 24.5.54.115]
It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.

Below are some simple commands you can use. Insert the command text where you want the command result to be. Hey folks, this isn't XHTML. If you want to use a tag, please make sure it's in all caps or it doesn't work.

Graphic Blocks
There are 26 reprogramable graphic blocks.
<BA> Telephone <BB> Glasses <BC> Tap <BD> Rocket <BE> Monster
<BF> Key <BG> Shirt <BH> Helicopter <BI> Car <BJ> Tank
<BK> House <BL> Teapot <BM> Knife & Fork <BN> Duck <BO> Motorcycle
<BP> Bicycle <BQ> Crown <BR> Sweet Heart <BS> Arrow Right <BT> Arrow Left
<BU> Arrow Down-Left <BV> Arrow Up-Left <BW> Mug of Beer <BX> Chair <BY> High-heeled Shoes

Colors
There are 26 color modes.
<CA> Dim Red <CB> Red <CC> Bright Red
<CD> Orange <CE> Bright Orange <CF> Light Yellow
<CG> Yellow <CH> Bright Yellow <CI> Lime
<CJ> Dim Lime <CK> Bright Lime <CL> Bright Green
<CM> Green <CN> Dim Green <CO> Yellow/Green/Red
<CP> Rainbow (Default) <CQ> Red/Green 3D <CR> Red/Yellow 3D
<CS> Green/Red 3D <CT> Green/Yellow 3D <CU> Green on Red
<CV> Red on Green <CW> Orange on Green 3D <CX> Lime on Red 3D
<CY> Green on Red 3D <CZ> Red on Green 3D

Note:
Some of these color combinations look so bad that they should require a permit.

Character Sizes
<SA> Normal (Default) <SE> Flashing Normal
<SB> Bold (Wide) <SF> Flashing Bold (Wide)
<SC> Italic <SG> Flashing Italic
<SD> Bold Italic (Wide) <SH> Flashing Bold Italic (Wide)

Display Functions
<FA> AUTO
Random color & presentation <FB> OPEN
<-- Open from Center --> <FC> COVER
<-- Covers Text --> <FD> APPEAR
Instantly replaces text <FE> CYCLING
Rolling Colors
<FF> CLOSE <--
Blank screen right to left <FG> CLOSE -->
Blank screen left to right <FH> CLOSE --><--
Blank screen outter to center <FI> SCROLL UP
Scroll up from bottom <FJ> SCROLL DOWN
Scroll down from top
<FK> OVERLAP
Two layers slide together to form text <FL> STACKING
Falling dots form text <FM> COMIC 1
PacMan <FN> COMIC 2
Random creature walking
<FP> PAUSE
Short delay of motion <FQ> SLEEP
Blank screen until the next timer activates <FR> RANDOM
Random dots appear forming text <FS> SHIFT <--
Roll message right to left (Default) <FT> TIME/DATE
Show time and date, no choice of formatting
<FU> MAGIC
Change text color each time <FV> THANK YOU
Cursive "Thank you" <FW> WELCOME
Cursive "Welcome" <FX> SPEED 1 <FY> SPEED 2
Jittery

Re:connection speed..?

[Anonymous Coward]

Otherwise use a smart serial-to-ethernet converter like the one at:

http://www.multenet.com/demo/webcam.html
http:/ /www.sanpeople.com/webcam/camframe.html

"Using an EtherPAD, SAN People have connected a LCD Electronic display to the Internet. The EtherPAD is connected to the serial port of the LCD display and, via an ISP, to the Internet. Using the SAN People scripting language, SANscript, a web page was written allowing full control of this display. This web page was then loaded onto the EtherPAD allowing messages to be set from anywhere in the world.
Monitoring the LCD display is a web-cam. Users can thus verify that their message sent via the EtherPAD to the Display unit actually appears."

Re:Could be worse

[wo1verin3]

Here. Read.

Re:Chance?

[marklyon]

I'm the guy running the sign. I didn't intend for it to be posted here, but I'll be happy to point you in the right direction if you want to set up your own sign. Just don't let Clint on ArsTechnica know your IP address. He'll post it on /.

For the sign, I'm using a Pro Lite PL-M2014R. It's connected with an RJ11 cable that I spliced a DB9 connector on. I'm running a bit of Python which opens the port and writes the information to the sign. All the information you need is available at: http://wls.wwco.com/ledsigns/prolite/

MOD PARENT UP!

[ArmpitMan]

From the webpage itself, now that it's back up: "Someone thought it'd be cute to link to me, which isn't a good idea with the 10 user version of IIS. Sorry for the 403.9's." Want to DDOS someone? Just pretend to be them and submit their webpage to Slashdot!

You're a friggin idiot.

[Anonymous Coward]

Dumbass. "LDS" was a nod to Star Trek: The voyage home. "2600" is the name of a magazine, or the frequency of the Captain Crunch whistle. "2800" is the actual baud rate the great-grandparent was failing to remember.

Re:Where to get a LED sign?

[marklyon]

I bought the one that's being pounded on through Ebay. I'd recommend NOT buying the Beta Brite. Get the Pro Lite instead.

The Pro Lite has many advanced features and an open protocol that you won't get if use buy a Beta Brite.

The sign runs off of 9v, so it could easily be wired to work in your car. A little bit of work on a controller and you could probably create a simple pre-programmed series of messages accessible by button press in the front.

Want to see it in action? Pics!

[marklyon]

You can go here to see some shots of the sign in action.