Flashing and programming an LED display
Project Blinking Lights

© Lead Image © greenflame, 123RF.com
Mike Schilli recently ordered a low-budget LED display and is all set to customize the firmware and add some homemade scripts.
External displays that continuously show data without a real screen, even when the computer is taking a nap, are a genuine upgrade to any office. Of course, they can be used to display the time or weather, but they can also perform unusual tasks tailored to your needs. The reasonably priced Ulanzi TC001 [1] ended up on my doorstep within a week for around $60, after traveling all the way from China to the USA. My original idea was to use it to build a "Wealth Clock" that shows the current gold level in all my money stores so that I know how wealthy I am at any given time.
Flashing Custom Firmware
The LED display has a retro feel. Of course, there are higher-resolution displays available today, but the LED display is definitely suitable for displaying short character strings and gives you a sort of cozy Tetris feeling at the same time. The included firmware can only do mundane tasks such as displaying the time, the date, and the battery level, but the Awtrix [2] project offers open source firmware including a browser-based instant flashing tool that turns the device into a Jack of all trades in next to no time. Figure 1 shows how the new firmware boots up.
The device does not offer much RAM, and the processor is a modest ESP32. Although this microcontroller can handle WiFi and Bluetooth, its performance cannot be compared to that of a modern CPU. This is why more demanding applications aren't running directly on the Ulanzi. Instead, they are chugging along on an external computer with more power, which then uses an API command to periodically tell Awtrix what to display. After completing the boot process, the firmware rotates through all of its configured standard apps: time/date, temperature, humidity provided by its internal sensors, and current battery strength. But that's not the objective here. Instead, we will be disabling the standard apps one by one in order to upload our own custom apps in this issue.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.