I'm using that module, though I got it on eBay for < $10 each. If I
recall it was closer to $7 or $8.
That's nicer by a lot. I'm finding pretty bright 5mm RBG
LEDs, as individuals, for about 14 cents on ebay (in 100's.)
They are roughly 8000 mcd (I'm sure that's the MOST I can
expect at 20mA.) Since I have a makerbot that makes wonderful
plastic grids with holds nicely spaced and able to tightly
grip each LED (before using superglue to bind them
permanently), I can actually fabricate nice modules of my
own. But if I can get 64 such nicely done up already at $7-8,
then that's cheaper (if similarly bright.)
The OSRAM units I have are mounted onto a steel panel with
holes in it, backed by a think aluminum heat sink and
designed for exterior display panels. Very professional level
units. But I can't buy them, anymore. (Well, I couldn't
before either -- OSRAM gave them to me for testing as
samples, so I have a bag full of them is all.)
This was all just for fun. I'm more of a software guy than hardware, and
I wanted to have a display to show off my pretty graphics algorithms
;-). As cheaply as possible.
I'm more software, as well. Electronics is a hobby and given
enough time you pick up a few things. Plus, it helps when you
can read and understand most of the schematics you see when
doing embedded software.
Originally, I bought thousands of individual LEDs on eBay, but then
quickly realized that I'm not (yet) equipped to put together a display
myself. Someday I might attempt that, but not today.
With the 3d printer, this opens up a lot on this score. You
can build your own precision modules, test them out, and redo
them until they are perfection. Very nice.
I'm running the display off of battery power. It isn't intended to be an
out door or ultra-bright display. Just a neat little gadget I can put in
my back-pack and show off at parties.
Ah.
Anyway, it looks like Adafruit is selling a 16x32 RGB for $45. Not sure
how it compares to your OSRAM. I haven't looked at the details, just
thought I'd throw that out there. It really depends on what your
intended use is.
My wife can't see an LCD display. Her vision is getting
pretty bad, actually. So a nice big LED display helps a lot.
This is for a 220VAC, 50A stove switch which uses ultrasonic
distance measuring to ensure someone is moving about near the
stove. If they leave, the stove turns off after a short
pause. There are other checks and balances in it (it requires
a code to enable the stove.) The display is for reporting.
When I looked at large LED modules available, they were large
7-seg like displays with lots of leds per segment and cost
way too much and came without any casing. I need about 2.5"
high display, minimum., so that she can read it from anywhere
nearby. And it has to be LED. And I figured I may as well
make it a 5x7 so that I can display other characters and
symbols with some decent rendition. Haven't decided how wide
the display needs to be, yet. That will fall out of the rest
of the application design, which isn't done yet.
Still working on the accoustic distance units, as well. The
display work goes in parallel with that.
Our daughter is profoundly autistic (and adult) and we've had
the main stove out of use for years, out of safety concerns.
If this "system" works out well, we know people in the
construction business specializing in similar adaptations
(and there are those with elder care going on in the house
who may also benefit.) It could become a product, if it works
out well and others decide it is appropriate for them. But
then comes productizing, UL approvals and so on. So I will be
needing help for that. But as a prototype for working out the
details of use, this is fine and good.
Jon