LED Cube 4x4x4

Amazing 3 dimensional LED display.

64 LEDs makes up this 4 by 4 by 4 cube, controlled by an Atmel Atmega16 microcontroller.
Each LED can be addressed individually in software, enabling it to display amazing 3d animations!

8x8x8 LED cube now available, by popular demand:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Led-Cube-8x8x8/

Step 1 What you need

First of all, you need quite a bit of time to solder together 64 leds ;)

Knowledge list:

• Basic electronics and soldering skills
• Know how to program an AVR microcontroller - I will not cover that in this instructable.

Component list:

• Protoboard. The type with copper circles.
• Atmel AVR Atmega16 microcontroller
• Programmer to program the Atmega16
• 64 Leds
• 2 status leds. I used red and green. (optional)
• Max232 rs-232 chip, or equivalent.
• 16 resistors for leds. (100-400ohms) will get back to this.
• 2x resistor 470 ohm. for status leds
• 1x resistor 10k
• 4x resistor 2.2k
• 4x NPN transistor BC338 (or other transistor capable of switching 250-ish mA)
• 1x 10uF capacitor
• 1x 1000uF capacitor
• 6x 0.1uF ceramic capacitor
• 2x 22pF ceramic capacitor
• 1x crystal 14.7456 MHz
• 2x tactile button
• optional pwr switch
• connector for 12v power
• optional connector for 5v power

Comments

[junaid amin]

any one plz give me the code

[aakbar]

Awesome dude, it works perfectly. i have a question though, what if i wanted to build a 5x5x5 LED Cube, is there anyway to do it?

[junaid amin]

any plzz give me the code

[junaid amin]

hi guyss will u plzz any one give mee the code of 4*4*4 led cube .... i chose this project in my final exam and unable to code it

[Mashab]

hello my cube is working but very slowly, is there something can i do to speed it up???

[dfiala]

Here is my finished cube. The tutorial was great, thank you very much! Now I want to fiddle a bit more with the code, to make it into non disturbing desk decoration. I already managed to customize the 8x8x8 code for this one and I added my own 4x4 font. Will see what I do next! The 8x8x8 is definitely a go for me, although I want it to be controlled by an iPhone instead of the RS232. Imagine an iPhone playing to AirPlay speakers and at the same time visualizing the music onto the cube.. :)

[castatrooy]

hi i really appreciate that you accomplished this.i am to build a module like this and would appreciate if u could send me the program code.thank you for your anticipated response. ps: e-mail: [e-mail]

[BBM2]

Very Nice Work!

[abkarch]

How long will that battery power the LEDs for?

[dfiala]

Sorry, I haven't made the proper tests yet. But so far, it was running on the batteries for about 3h and everything seems ok.
Although when you connect the AC power supply, you can clearly see the brightness difference (The AC/DC outputs 5.5V).

[djedje571]

HELLO,

What's the JP2 on the scheme please, i can't see on the picture?

Thanks

[ajithmony]

hi. i hav made a 4*4*4 cube and controller. am using serial port for programming the atmega16. but the chip is not detected by my pc...am using ponyprog and a inbuilt rs232 port of the pc...no usb to serial cables...please help me folks...

[avion-lou]

plz can anyone give me the Schematic , i can't see anything from this one

[capanuwa]

i ,ve made the cube.it's grate.
friend can you give us 8x8x8 led cube schematic and the code?
please
please please?
you are a grate man
thanks for the 4x4x4 cube

[naylson]

ei grande me ensina a fazer um 4x4x4por favor

[Prajith]

hey guys wat is this JP2.... i dont understand its given in the schematic but nothngs mentioned about it else where....pls any1 help me....i am in the middle of this.....

[mortaldoom780]

Very nice instructable! I decided to make one of these, and it turned out pretty nice! The software you've written is pretty neat; hopefully I can start developing my own patterns for it soon once I begin to understand your code! Here's a picture of the finished product:

[ajithmony]

dude plz help me with the ckt diagram of the project u done in the photographs.....!!!!

[mortaldoom780]

It looks like I just fried the 2N4401 transistors I was using though...not sure how...?

[naylson]

ei grande tem como voce me ensinar ou vender um?

[Prajith]

hey is it possible to use an Atmega8 chip instead of atmega16.....

[ajithmony]

no dude...atmega16 got 20 pins and total of 40, and atmega8 got only 14 pins and total of 28..... u must get one atmega16..

[Prajith]

So is there any way to get this program for PIC (16f877a) ........???

[ajithmony]

hey....wer is the 5v regulator in the part list????? and the 10 pin avr connector???? and the dp-9 connector????

[ajithmony]

please post the wiring diagram..the schematic is so confusing...!!!!

[crth]

im confused can someone please tell me what jp1 and jp3 are. does every point labled gnd link back to the ground and the same with +5v link back to the 5v power? if so whats the point in the capacitor in the bottom right corner please help me!!!

[chuckeaton]

Does anyone know what the purpose of switch # 2 (S2) ? I have everything breadboarded and the cube is functional, but S2 doesn't seem to do anything.

Also I have omitted the circuitry for IC2 & IC3 as they were not necessary.

If anyone can help, I'd appreciate it greatly.

Also...check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ35wkChIos

[Hardwyre]

I can not find any 22pf capacitors, but I do have 33pf caps.. can I use those in place of the 22's?

Also, if anyone wants the schematics, I created some.

Schematic:
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0BzXyjatQnrrLNDlmZmNlYmMtY2MyNy00OWQ4LWIyNTItNzliYTJlMDFmYTMw&sort=name&layout=list&num=50

Board:
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0BzXyjatQnrrLYTJmZjVkZmUtOTg1Yy00NjkwLTliMTYtMTVjNTBmODFmMTQy&sort=name&layout=list&num=50

You'll also need the "con-dinkle" library for one of the connectors I used for the main power terminal.
A large zip file of libraries can be downloaded here (the con-dinkle library is under the 'connectors' sub folder):
https://github.com/niccodes/Eagle-Libraries

[Hardwyre]

Okay folks, for people having problems with the links, try these. They're TinyURL urls that should make it easier to copy and paste. As far as I can tell, the files are still alive on google docs and available to everyone.

Board: http://tinyurl.com/3gge58s
Schematic: http://tinyurl.com/3hs9vdl

And don't forget you'll also need the "con-dinkle" library for one of the connectors I used for the main power terminal.
A large zip file of libraries can be downloaded here (the con-dinkle library is under the 'connectors' sub folder): https://github.com/niccodes/Eagle-Libraries

Please remember that this is not my schematic and all commercial rights still belong to chr as far as I know. I don't believe he's have a problem with people selling one-offs, but I imagine production line copies are prohibited.

[ajithmony]

dude both pages dnt exist....!!!!

[randyray]

HI,
I can't seem to get to the schematic and board (assume it's Eagle).
Can you email me the files?
Thanks,
Randy Ray
[e-mail]

[ajithmony]

u have given a regulator in the image and its not there in the part list.....????

[imer]

schematic ???

thanks !

[ajithmony]

plz anyone post the pcb layout...........so i can etch one like that....

[zlatan910]

Excellent Instructable. Very well documented. I finished the project just 4x4x4 LED CUBE. I wanted to show off photos and videos. I invite you to our Polish forum where I also described the entire project. http://www.elektroda.pl/rtvforum/viewtopic.php?p=10362419 # 10362419 They are currently preparing for the 8x8x8. Thanks chr!

FILM - > http://youtu.be/UlwYMZzmPik

 

[brujita038]

What is JP1, JP2, S1 and S2 ? I'm confused with the diagram and the photo of the circuit

[BBM2]

Excellent Instructable. Very well documented.
Here is our first try. We made our own PCB rather than using perf-board.
We are now building an 8x8x8 cube with home made PCB's as well.
Thanks chr!

[brujita038]

What kind of Leds did you use ?

[BBM2]

Here are the LED's we use:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/270844900187?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

-BB

[brujita038]

Thanks :]