Flip Dot Clock is a Clock using Flip Dot Display. It’s a matrix of colorful dots flipped by electromagnet, not LED.

Flip Dot Display is interesting display device. Most of display(LED, LCD) use light. But Flip Dot Display use any light. It’s use electromagnet and colorful dots to display something.

The main Panel is Alpha Zeta’s Flip-Dot Boards XY5 . This board is easy to use with Arduino. Panel include controller and it’s can talk with Arduino using RS485. So, I also use RS485 module.

This Clock include RTC module, because Arduino dose not have RTC. I useSainSmart’s RTC module. It can use with DS1307RTC library.

Parts list

• Flip-Dot Boards XY5 (7×28 dots)

• Arduino Pro mini 5V

• 9V 3-Terminal regulator

• 10uF capacitor x2

• SainSmart’s RTC module(DS1307)

• RS485 module

• some wire

• 24V AC adapter

Connection list