LED Matrix Monitor 2

A customizable LED matrix display project using ESP32 and MAX7219 LED matrix modules. This project creates a "Matrix"-style rain effect combined with a functional digital clock that synchronizes time via WiFi/NTP.

Features

• Matrix-style falling characters rain effect
• WiFi connectivity for automatic time synchronization with NTP servers
• Digital clock display with seconds progress bar
• Customizable text display (scrolling and centered)
• Configurable LED brightness
• Modular code architecture for easy expansion

Hardware Requirements

• ESP-WROOM-32 development board
• MAX7219 LED matrix modules (4 units in cascade, 8x8 each)
• Power supply for the ESP32 and LED matrices
• Connecting wires

Wiring

ESP32 Pin	MAX7219 Pin
5	CS
23	DIN
18	CLK
GND	GND
5V	VCC

Software Dependencies

• Arduino framework for ESP32
• MD_MAX72XX library for controlling MAX7219 LED matrices
• WiFi library for connectivity
• Time library for handling time functions

Installation

1. Clone this repository or download the source code
2. Open the project in PlatformIO IDE
3. Create a credentials.h file in the /src directory with your WiFi credentials:

#ifndef CREDENTIALS_H
#define CREDENTIALS_H

#define WIFI_SSID "your_wifi_ssid"
#define WIFI_PASSWORD "your_wifi_password"
#define NTP_SERVER "pool.ntp.org"
#define GMT_OFFSET_SEC 3600  // Change based on your timezone (3600 = +1 GMT)
#define DAYLIGHT_OFFSET_SEC 3600  // Change if daylight saving time is in effect

#endif

4. Build and upload the project to your ESP32

Usage

Once powered up, the device will:

1. Connect to WiFi and sync time with NTP servers
2. Display a "MATRIX" welcome message
3. Show the matrix rain effect
4. Periodically display the current time with a seconds progress bar on the bottom row

Configuration Options

Customize the project by adjusting these parameters in main.cpp:

• MAX_DEVICES: Number of connected 8x8 LED matrices (default: 4)
• MAX_BRIGHTNESS: Maximum LED brightness level (0-15)
• Pins for connecting MAX7219 modules to the ESP32:
  • CS_PIN: 5
  • DIN_PIN: 23
  • CLK_PIN: 18

Code Organization

The code is organized into modules to improve maintainability:

• /src/main.cpp: Main program entry point
• /src/effects/matrix_rain.*: Matrix rain effect implementation
• /src/display/text_display.*: Text display functions
• /src/utils/wifi_manager.*: WiFi and NTP connectivity
• /src/utils/time_utils.*: Time formatting and utilities
• /src/fonts/font5x7.h: Font definition for the display

License

This project is provided as an open-source example for educational purposes.

Acknowledgments

• Inspired by the digital rain effect from "The Matrix" movie
• Built with PlatformIO IDE for seamless development