Flip Dot Clock

Our Project

Flip Dot Clock is a clock using a Flip Dot Display. It's a matrix of colorful dots flipped by electromagnet, not LED.

Flip Dot Display is an interesting display device. Most displays (LED, LCD) use light. But Flip Dot Display does not use any light. It uses electromagnets and colorful dots to display something.

The main Panel is Alpha Zeta's Flip-Dot Boards XY5. This board is easy to use with Arduino. The panel includes a controller and it can talk with Arduino using RS485. So, I also use RS485 module.

This Clock includes an RTC module, because Arduino dose not have RTC. I use SainSmart's RTC module. It can be used with the DS1307RTC library.

Parts list

• Flip-Dot Boards XY5 (7x28 dots)

• Arduino Pro mini 5V

• 9V 3-Terminal regulator

• 10uF capacitor x2

• SainSmart's RTC module(DS1307)

• RS485 module

• some wire

• 24V AC adapter

Connection list