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LED-Matrix With Web Server

In my first Instructable we will build a 16x16 LED matrix. In the end you will have

- obviously a LED matrix with 256 LEDs that are all individually controllable
- a web page hosted on a microcontroller which allows you to
- create pixel art live from the web page on the matrix
- save creations
- display all previous creations in a loop

I started this project in October 2020, I bought all the parts and was looking forward to laser cutting the wood in my local FabLab. Unfortunately there were new lock downs due to the pandemic in my country and later I almost lost sight of the project. But this summer break I finally got started!

For this project I decided to use a WS2815 LED-strip with 60 LEDs/m.

- Each LED has a small IC, so we can control every LED’s color and brightness individually using the data lines and an Arduino library like “FastLED”
- With the LEDs being in a strip we basically don’t have to solder
- They are supplied with 12V DC. This is better than cheaper alternatives like the WS2812B because you need a power supply with less amperage (more in the next step)
- There is a backup data line, if a LED breaks

If you find a suitable power supply (see next step) you could theoretically also use the cheaper WS2812B LED-strip. This has the advantage, that you can power the microcontroller directly and don’t need a buck converter for that, but I would recommend using WS2815 so I based my code and instructions on them.”

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