LED Matrix Super Clock

A DIY desk clock with retro-style dot matrix display

Features

• A retro-style dot matrix display:
  • 17x6 5mm LED matrix
  • Different LED colors for main area, status bar and number separator
  • No flickering, ghosting or uneven brightness
  • High refresh rate of 460Hz
  • 8-bit global brightness and 3-bit per-pixel brightness
  • Global brightness is automatically (and smoothly) adjusted by ambient conditions, just like on your phone!
• Accurate timekeeping:
  • Temperature-compensated crystal clock (DS3231SN chip)
  • Backup power to keep the clock ticking (CR2032 battery)
  • Displays minute, hour, day, weekday, month, year and even ambient temperature
  • Green status bar tracks seconds (incremented every 4s)
  • Five alarms with melody
• Intuitive (kinda) user interface with three buttons
• Cool acrylic glass frame
• Powered by any USB brick through a Type-B cable
  • Finally, a reason to pick up that old printer cable from your drawer!
• Built around ATmega32 microcontroller, with firmware written in C++
  • Uses every I/O pin on ATmega32, no wasted potential!
• No AI and no internet connection! (yup, that's a feature nowadays...)
• Totally open-source!

Documentation

• Hardware docs
  • Includes schematics, design files, parts list and even assembly tips
• Frame docs
  • Describes the acrylic glass frame
• Software docs
  • How to flash firmware or set up development tools if you want to modify it
• LED matrix notes
  • Notes on how the LED matrix works
• User manual
  • What do these buttons do?!

TODO list

• Write this readme
• Make first public release
• Animated minute/hour transitions
• Reorganize font system
• More levels for highest and lowest brightness?
• Use C++ namespaces?
• Abstractions for pins and timers?
• Snake mode? :D