How To RGB 8x8x8 LED CUBE - THEORY

Link to Arduino Pin Mapping:

Parts List-Schematic-EagleFile-ArduinoCode:
Code Link:
Demo Video:
Theory Video:
Schematic Video:
The Build/Construction Video:
The Code Video:


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[leonardocastello]

Hey man, I know it's a very old video but I just wanted to thank you for this great video lesson. I've been looking up for informations about these led cubes for a few hours without finding much and finally with this video I understood basically all the main concepts of it. Great work and great explanations!

[Kevindarrah]

oh and that is a good question about the shift register selection. The TLC5940 is too restricted. I needed more control over my PWM

[Enigma]

35:45 Hmm... I'm not sure the 100 ohm resistor is doing anything other than drawing additional current. If you want a P channel mosfet to switch faster, then you need a pullup at the gate to quickly re-charge the gate capacitance, which you already have with the 1K pullup on the gate. Shutting off the mosfet quickly that way should be all that you need and I don't think there is any significant capacitance in the LED part of the circuit when it's switched off for the 100 ohm resistor to matter. Feel free to correct me if you think I'm missing something.

[Kevindarrah]

I wanted to have more control over the modulation. with the TLC, you have to wait 4096 counts, and I think it may get a little tricky to control RGBs. I don't know, maybe they could work? I would like to see a concept

[Kevindarrah]

yep, saw that. Haven't had a chance to watch it yet. I'm thinking about making an epic shift register tutorial without using a micro. it would just be buttons controlling the signals. I think then the concept would make sense

[Kevindarrah]

yes, I'm sort of working on a schematic now. There really wasn't too much calculation involved. I originally breadboarded the circuit up by only controlling a single LED. That was how I tested everything

[Kevindarrah]

the two pins that you choose to be HIGH and LOW, must be an x y coordinate of the LED, and ofcourse the anode cathode must be right as well

[Kevindarrah]

awesome!! I hope you got a good deal on the LEDs, I bought 600 for 75 bucks.. and the distance is 1 inch

[molomono]

Ah thanks, i came across your videos looking into multiplexing and i'm kind of jumping around your videos at random trying to pickup interesting information. Honestly love your videos keep it up man.

[HansUhlig]

Hi Kevin, You mentioned in one of the video's that this could easily be expanded to any size. How would you handle the reduced duty cycle for a 16x16x16 or a 32x32x32?

[Kevindarrah]

192 jumps from the shift registers to the transistors, another 192 jumps to the LEDs, the shift registers each have about 4 jumps from each to the next one in the line, and a few other things

[ernandofranco]

ate hoje em 2023 não achei nenhum vídeo tão detalhado de construção de um cubo de leds RGB de 8x8x8!!! Parabens seu tutorial e atemporal!!!

[Kevindarrah]

yes, it is a balance act between flicker and brightness. I think I touched on that lightly in this video

[Kevindarrah]

I think I made a video on shift registers a while back? it's probably terrible, but it may clear things up?

[RemiGourdon]

Just saw you're shift register tutorial which led me to this awesome video ! Your explanations are really clear for a frenchy like me and I thank you for that too. On my way to watch all your videos about this project and probably all your past and future posts ! Really interesting, thanks.

[SebastijanPlacento]

I have seen cubes on youtube and started to google around just to see how it works...
now I'm actually thinking of making one (smaller model and work my way up)...
Regardless on my building one or not;
just wanted to thank you for nice video and sharing your knowledge.

[helgirudd]

Really enjoyed watching this, I haven't touched digital circuitry since university... what a great project covering so many different aspects. You have a knack for explaining things :) Inspiring.

[lightweavr]

When you say you needed more control, more control to do what exactly? Aside from the price and the necessary high clock speed of the input, the TLC5940 looks pretty ideal as an LED controller.

[Kevindarrah]

OMG, thank you so much! This is the nicest comment I've ever gotten! You just made my day!!!

[elwoodhopkins]

When you were talking about protecting LEDs from higher than expected duty cycles during code hangups by using complex "watchdogs" or separate microcontrollers, could you perhaps feed all power through a capacitor to the LEDs that could saturate in the event of long DC?