Little Bird
scroll:bit
scroll:bit is a little display with a lot of pixels! Its 119 bright white LEDs are perfect for scrolling messages with your micro:bit, or for animations, ...
scroll:bit is a little display with a lot of pixels! Its 119 bright white LEDs are perfect for scrolling messages with your micro:bit, or for animations, graphs, and more!
Just slot in your micro:bit, then code scroll:bit with the block-based Microsoft MakeCode editor, or with MicroPython in the Mu code editor. It works in a very similar way to the built-in red LED matrix on your micro:bit, so if you've used that then you'll know exactly what to do.
Features
- Comes fully-assembled and ready to use
- 17x7 matrix of bright white pixels (119 total)
- Individual PWM brightness control of each pixel
- Uses the IS31FL3731 LED matrix driver chip
- Compatible with micro:bit
- Microsoft MakeCode and MicroPython support
- No soldering required!
Software
You can code scroll:bit with the block-based Microsoft MakeCode editor, that'll get you started with the concepts of how to code a matrix of LEDs or, if you want to delve deeper, then you can use MicroPython in the Mu code editor.
To add the scroll:bit library in MakeCode, click on the cog at the top right hand corner, then "Add Package", then search for "scrollbit". You can find full instructions at the GitHub repository for the library.
Our Getting Started with scroll:bit tutorial has a bunch of useful information and even embedded code examples (including how to make a spirit level) that are easy to download straight to your micro:bit. You'll be up-and-running in a jiffy!
Our MicroPython library for scroll:bit is also available at GitHub, again with full instructions on how to get going with it.
Worksheets
Our Tanya has put together some lovely worksheets for scroll:bit, showing you how to get started, and build some simple projects with MakeCode blocks.
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- LED
- A light-emitting diode is a small electronic component that lights up when current flows through it in the correct direction. In this kit, LEDs create the flashing effect, so polarity and correct soldering matter for the project to work.
- MicroPython
- A version of the Python programming language made to run on microcontrollers. It matters because it lets beginners write readable code to control LEDs, sensors, motors and displays without needing to start with lower-level languages.
- PWM
- Pulse Width Modulation is a way for a digital pin to simulate variable output power by switching on and off very quickly. It matters for controlling things like LED brightness, motor speed, or servo-style signals from a microcontroller pin.
Find this product in
Displays & Screens
micro:bit
Related Tutorials
Free guides on learn.littlebird.com.au
