YouTuber EastMakes set out to build something, a true RGB 14-segment display module. Wanting a retro alphanumeric display style for a large LED message board project, he designed his own module using ultra-tiny SK6805 addressable LEDs measuring just 1.5 mm square. Since datasheets lacked precise placement references, he scanned a physical display and calibrated the image in CAD software to extract exact LED coordinates, then used PCB layout automation tools to place more than 70 LEDs.
After generating BOM and placement files, he ordered multiple test boards with varying PCB thicknesses to study how FR4 affected light diffusion. The results showed that thinner boards produced more balanced illumination. Once the boards arrived, he drove them using an ESP32 and began experimenting with optical diffusion using 3D-printed faceplates.
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