YOU CAN BUILD AN INSTRUMENT THAT PLAYS LIGHT INSTEAD OF SOUND
An instrument you play with four knobs, and 8,192 pixels answer the moment you turn one.
by engmung
DisplaysAudio
- difficulty
- ●●●○○
- time
- a weekend
- license
- CC-BY-SA-4.0
- repo
- repo ACTIVE256 stars
●●●○○ · a weekend · CC-BY-SA-4.0 · 256 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- 3D printer + filament — printable parts — files are in the repo
- Electronic parts — full list with part numbers in the repo BOM
- Dev board / microcontroller — runs the project firmware
Partner
COMPAREE VERDICT
Patternflow is an LED synthesizer: four rotary encoders control generative light patterns across a 128×64 LED matrix, 8,192 pixels total, with every frame computed live on an ESP32. The repository gives you a complete BOM, printable enclosures for two bed sizes, knobs, firmware and a step-by-step build guide. Two features that now define the instrument — web upload and .pfm pattern modules — were contributed by the community, not the original maker, which is rare honesty in a repository. Builders in six countries have made working units, including a Raspberry Pi port and two in DJ booths. The one thing most likely to go wrong is the LED matrix itself: HUB75 panels are not all equal and cheaper ones flicker or show colour banding under the ESP32's refresh rate, which the repository does not warn about. The build is accessible if you have soldered before, but tuning a pattern to look good is its own skill — expect to spend more time writing or tweaking patterns than assembling the hardware. If you want a screen that responds rather than just plays back, and you are comfortable with the photosensitivity warning the project itself publishes, this is a weekend that will sit on your desk and keep teaching you things.
IN THE REPO
NOT IN THE REPO
- —The repository contains a BOM as CSV, STL files for enclosures in two printer bed sizes, printable knobs, ESP32 firmware, and an illustrated build guide.
- —Code is MIT, hardware is CC BY-SA 4.0 — both permit commercial use with attribution and the hardware licence requires sharing modifications under the same terms.
- —Pattern modules (.pfm files) are documented and the web upload interface is included.
- —The project carries a photosensitivity warning: rapidly changing light patterns can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy.
- —A Crowd Supply campaign exists but is not required — all build files are public.
- —Community contributors built the web upload and pattern module loader; the maker integrated them after hardware proof.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Partner · KickstarterBluHub reads and burns Blu-ray/DVD/CD, adds USB-C, USB-A, SD/TF and 10 Gbps data — plug and play, grand-piano finish.
Gallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the illustrated build guide in the repository (Start here, not with ordering parts — the guide shows which panel types work and which do not.)
- 2.Order the BOM from the CSV in the repo (The LED matrix is the only part where supplier matters. Cheaper panels flicker; the guide does not name good sources.)
- 3.Print the enclosure and knobs while parts arrive (Two bed sizes provided. Large bed version fits the full panel with no trimming.)
- 4.Flash the firmware and test the panel before final assembly (One bad solder joint or a flickering panel is easier to fix before everything is in the case.)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
Partner · KickstarterCORE POWER BANK S: 0.2" thin, 2.8 oz, 5000 mAh with 22.5W fast charging. Semi-solid battery, carbon fiber, IPX7 waterproof.
KNOWN ISSUES
- Not all HUB75 LED panels are equal. Cheaper ones flicker or show colour banding under the ESP32's refresh rate. The repository does not name good suppliers or warn which panels to avoid, so you are ordering blind unless you ask the community first.
- The rotary encoders need to be the right type (mechanical, not optical, with detents). Generic 'rotary encoder' listings on AliExpress often ship the wrong kind, and you will not know until you solder them.
- Pattern files are small and portable, but writing a good one requires reading the firmware to understand the input mapping. The repository does not include a pattern authoring guide, so your first weekend will be copying and tweaking existing ones.
- The photosensitivity warning is real. If anyone with photosensitive epilepsy will be near this, do not build it. Rapidly changing light is the entire point of the device.
- The enclosure STLs assume your printer is dialed in. If your first layer adhesion is poor or your bed is not level, the large enclosure will warp or fail halfway through a 10-hour print.
Can I use a different microcontroller?
A Raspberry Pi port exists in the community, but it is not in the main repository. The ESP32 is the supported board and the firmware is written for it.
Is the LED matrix the same as the ones used for P5 or P10 outdoor signs?
Yes, but not all of them work well. The repository specifies HUB75 interface and 128×64 resolution; beyond that it does not name suppliers or warn which panels flicker.
Can I load new patterns without reflashing firmware?
Yes. The web upload interface and .pfm pattern module loader are both included, and both were contributed by the community.
Is there a library of patterns I can download?
The firmware includes several default patterns. The repository does not link to a community pattern library, so you will need to search or write your own.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
Two of the defining features — web upload and pattern modules — were contributed by the community, not the original maker. What would you build into yours?
engmung
The maker's starting point was Nam June Paik's Participation TV from 1963, an artwork where you speak and the screen moves with your voice. Two months after standing in front of it, they wired an LED matrix to a potentiometer for the first time. When build requests outnumbered buy requests, everything went public.
Keep building — related projects
Same category, picked by how close they are to this build.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM8d ago
Practical notes from our verification: the BOM, enclosures, firmware and illustrated build guide are all in the repository. The one gap is LED panel sourcing — HUB75 is the spec but not all panels work well under the ESP32's refresh, and the guide does not name suppliers or warn which ones flicker. The photosensitivity warning is published by the project itself and we are repeating it exactly: rapidly changing light can trigger seizures, and if anyone with photosensitive epilepsy will be near this, do not build it. A Crowd Supply campaign exists but is not required; all files are public and builders in six countries have made working units from the repository alone.