README.org

ArenaController

Library Information

• Name: ArenaController
• Description: Arduino library for communicating with the Reiser Lab Modular LED Display panels.
• Version: 0.2.0
• Panel Version: G4 v1.9
• Release Date: 2023-08-25
• Creation Date: 2023-08-16
• License: GPLv3
• URL: https://github.com/janelia-arduino/ArenaController
• Author: Peter Polidoro
• Email: peter@polidoro.io
• Copyright: 2025 Howard Hughes Medical Institute
• References:
  • https://reiserlab.github.io/Modular-LED-Display/
  • https://github.com/iorodeo/LED-Display_G4_Hardware_Arena
  • https://www.pjrc.com/store/teensy41.html
  • https://www.pjrc.com/store/ethernet_kit.html
  • https://github.com/vjmuzik/NativeEthernet

Modular LED Display

System Components

Quarter Panel

A quarter panel is a set of LED pixels arranged in rows and columns.

Panel

A panel is a set of quarter panels arranged in rows and columns.

Region

A region is a set of panels arranged in rows and columns with a common communication interface.

Display

An display is a set of regions arranged in rows and columns.

Display Messages

Quarter Panel

Pixels

Pixel numbering for each pixel in a quarter panel:

Grayscale

In grayscale mode, each LED can be one of sixteen brightness levels.

Binary

In binary mode, each LED can be one of two brightness levels, on or off.

Panel

Quarter Panels in Panel

Quarter panel numbering for each quarter panel in a panel plus pixel numbering for select pixels in a panel:

Region

Regions in Display

Region numbering for each region in an display:

Panels in Region

Panel numbering for each panel in an region:

Display

Panels in Display

Panel update order for each panel in an display:

Synchronous

Asynchronous

Firmware

Active Object State Machines

Arena

SerialCommandInterface

EthernetCommandInterface

Display

Development

Download this repository

https://github.com/janelia-arduino/ArenaController.git

sudo apt install -y git
mkdir -p ~/tmp && cd ~/tmp && git clone https://github.com/janelia-arduino/ArenaController.git

PlatformIO

Install PlatformIO Core

https://docs.platformio.org/en/latest/core/installation/index.html

Example

python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install platformio
pio --version

99-platformio-udev.rules

Linux users have to install udev rules for PlatformIO supported boards/devices.

Download udev rules file to /etc/udev/rules.d

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/platformio/platformio-core/develop/platformio/assets/system/99-platformio-udev.rules | sudo tee /etc/udev/rules.d/99-platformio-udev.rules

Restart udev management tool

sudo service udev restart

Add user to groups

sudo usermod -a -G dialout $USER
sudo usermod -a -G plugdev $USER

Remove modemmanager

sudo apt-get purge --auto-remove modemmanager

Compile the firmware

make teensy-firmware

Upload the firmware

make teensy-upload

Monitor

make monitor