Bitcoin Ticker Raspberry Pi Zero and Max 7219 LED Matrix
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- čas přidán 13. 05. 2021
- I posted a Bitcoin ticker build over 2 years ago and a lot of people have successfully followed the detailed instructions but of late some have been unsuccessful due to Pi OS updates etc. I have been told that a version of Pi Os dated 2012-01-11 (Buster) still works though, although I’ve not tried it.
I think the simplest thing to do to get people up and running is to post an original image of my working Bitcoin ticker. I would have done this to start with but was a little concerned about the size of the download required but now a lot of people seem to have quicker broadband than before so this shouldn’t be an issue.
Follow the link to my Googledrive for the updated instructions and the image file:
drive.google.com/drive/folder...
**Original instructions for the project below**
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BITCOIN TICKER using a Raspberry Pi Zero W and a MAX7219 LED MATRIX 4 IN 1
I’ve been interested in cryptocurrency for a while and wanted an easy way to check on the price of Bitcoin. After a bit of a search, I picked up on a few ideas from other people and come up with my own take on producing a Bitcoin ticker. The project is based on a Raspberry Pi Zero W; a single board £10 computer and a Max7219 4in1 (8x8led, 4off module) display which is used to display the Bitcoin information of your choosing from here: bitcoinblockhalf.com
Basically, what you will be creating is a Raspberry Pi "looking" at a web site that contains just about everything you need to know about Bitcoin apart from if its going to crash or when it will break the $100,000 barrier! This information will be displayed on the Max7219 LED Matrix in a scrolling manner.
You will need to follow the writeup on my Google drive as I’m only allowed 5000 characters on CZcams and I’ve gone over that! Sorry..
Follow my tutorial on my Google drive linked here:
drive.google.com/drive/folder...
All this information is based on a Windows 10 machine and I have used Note++ throughout. Using anything else, I have found, can alter the formatting of the document and cause issues.
I have assumed you are familiar with Windows and "Pi". I was not and it was a steep learning curve! But I worked it out. So can you.
Please have a go yourself as I have spent many, many hours getting to where I am now with this setup, and it works!
Links to my Google drive and other resources that helped me with this project:
My Google drive link for this project:
drive.google.com/drive/folder...
Bitcoin information gathered from here bitcoinblockhalf.com
Useful Max 7219 information luma-led-matrix.readthedocs.i...
Bitcoin bar on GitHub github.com/jonathanrjpereira/...
Raspberry Pi software www.raspberrypi.org/software/...
Raspberry Pi imager www.raspberrypi.org/software/
Banggood for Max 7219 www.banggood.com/custlink/GKK...
The PiHut for Pi Zero W thepihut.com/collections/rasp...
eBay for printed case www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274670747024
Banggood plastic bolts etc www.banggood.com/custlink/GvG...
Banggood cables www.banggood.com/custlink/Gvm... - Věda a technologie
Absolutely brilliant Mike!!! 🤘🏻😎🤘🏻
Thank you 👍🏽
Awesome Class - thank you for taking the time - how about a longer display can I join 2 together or 3 ? - how do you dim the LED down - thanks in Advance
Hi Robert, thanks for the feedback, it's much appreciated. Yes, you can run 2 sets of 4, I've done it but have gone back to just the one. From memory you need to change the code from 4 to 8 so cascaded=8 serial = spi(port=0, device=0, gpio=noop()) device = max7219(serial, cascaded=4 , block_orientation=-90, rotate=2)
To alter the brightness, this is something I’ve not done but take a look at the links in the Google drive tutorial (At the bottom) as there is useful info there to the Max chip set, also look at:
luma-led-matrix.readthedocs.io/en/latest/_downloads/ad0e20792457cd4408c52a6f3176c775/MAX7219.pdf
If you went down the hardware route you would need (I believe!) to change the value of all the resistors going to pin 18 of the Max7219 chips. So it's not just one resistor change! But please check!!!
This explains in more detail how in both hardware and software ways of altering the brightness. If you do extend the display to 8 say, then expect the brightness to be dimmer anyway. Do look at the data sheets as they will help. It’s unlikely I’ll update the software to allow brightness changes but would be pleased to hear from you if you do manage to do it. Good luck and thanks for watching 👍🏽
So happy to find this, and much easier to follow for a noob than others. Great work, Mike. Quick question, If you added two matrix's together to make 8 would it need any adjustment's Mike?
Hi Brett, thanks for the feed back, it's much appreciated. Yes you can run 2 sets of 4, I've done it but have gone back to just the one. From memory you need to change the code from 4 to 8 so cascaded=8
serial = spi(port=0, device=0, gpio=noop())
device = max7219(serial, cascaded=4 , block_orientation=-90, rotate=2)
This is from memory but I think I'm correct. Let me know if it works ok. You will need to connect the 2 displays together before you power up though. Thanks for watching 👍🏽
Thank you for the video. Do you think is possible to make a speed display to measure drives in front of the house?
Not as it stands but the Pi is be very adaptable so if someone could add a sensor and adapt the software anything’s possible.
Thanks Mike
No problem Tone, hope you found it useful. Thanks for watching 👍🏽
Hi, the video is great, any advice on how to use the matrix as a timer, please. thanks
Hi Marina, I've had a quick scan of the net and have come up with the following below which may help as a guide but there is nothing specifically a timer in there. Hopeful these may help. Thanks for the comment and for watching 👍🏽
www.kurokatta.org/grumble/2020/02/esp8266-max7129-led-clock
czcams.com/video/UhlfuuT2fNk/video.html
czcams.com/video/4_DX7_N_Jx0/video.html
czcams.com/video/jqFt02OKT2g/video.html
www.makerguides.com/max7219-led-dot-matrix-display-arduino-tutorial/
great stuff mate, will buy the equipment today to start building it, i have no experience in building projects but this seems like something i can give a shot at. If i have any questions ill hit you up. I liked and subscribed great stuff.
I wanted to ask: Is the data updated in real time?
Hi Daniel. Glad you liked it. The data is grabbed from a web site displaying Bitcoin information and is as fresh as the site. So far the updates are very close to real time give or take an hour. Thanks for watching and subscribing, it’s very much appreciated 👍🏽
Thumbs up and new sub.
Hi Mark, many thanks 👍🏽
I have this set up and I just cant seem to figure out how to get the text static. I hate the scrolling.
Any ideas? Thank you.
Hi Ryan. Because of the information that needs displaying if it was static, not all of it could be displayed at the same time so it may not make sense. Possibly if the information was displayed a portion at a time it may be ok. There is a reference at Bitcoin bar on GitHub github.com/jonathanrjpereira/Bitcoin-Bar to STATIC text and and further information from Richard Hull luma-led-matrix.readthedocs.io/en/latest/install.html so there is a possibility of a tweak but more likely a more in depth rewrite would be needed. I don't have anything in the pipeline using this display and static text so unfortunately cannot help at the moment. Take a look at the links though as they may be of some help. Thanks for watching 👍🏽
Hey Mike, would this work with a 26 pin header from the original boards? Thanks!
Hi Alexander, it should be fine. I used a Pi 3B when I was setting mine up as its a lot quicker. Just connect pin for pin as per the Zero. Once I was happy with the setup/programming I moved over to a Pi Zero. Thanks for your comments and for watching 👍🏽
@@MikeMakesIt Thanks a bunch! I have my test scrolling text working!
Thanks for this tutorial. Unfortunately I can't set it up even I follow your instructions step by step.
I have a question about two lines of your code:
9) sudo make altinstall -y
Are you 100% sure that '-y' should be there and why? I can go through this line only without "-y"
15) CD
What should this line do? Because it shows me that the command is unknown.
From memory (I could be wrong!) the -y allows the block of code to load without you having to enter y or n at a certain point when prompted. The CD is to change back to the root directory ready for the next line of code to execute . I'm not in front of the machine at the moment to confirm the above but I'm fairly sure I'm correct.
As for the code I am 100% sure its good.
I'm still running mine and I spent days putting the tutorial together and know its good. It is very important that absolutely every line, space and character ( , or . is put in) The case is also super important, upper or lower RR rr etc. Don't allow a spell checker to get involved or it will end badly!!
If its still not working start from scratch again, I did many times 😀. Right from scratch...... And you will find there may be a . or P wrong.
My install stopped here too, it works just fine without the -y
CD is a typo for cd
Mike i need some help i am stuck after the code sudo make -j4 does this this part take long? it looks like the pi freezes?
If you are using a pi zero I’m told it can take 30 mins!
Great ! but sudo make -j4 takes like 45 minutes on my pi zero...
Hi Suriprofz thanks for the feedback. Indeed it does take a while, quicker on a Raspberry Pi 3B, not much though! luckily it only needs running once. I'm glad you got it running and of course thanks for watching 👍🏽
My pi zero always crashes after ca. 30 minutes
when processing sudo make -j4.... Any ideas what could help?
@@reinhard3209 cool it with a fan
Does anyone have an up to date step by step guide with the Max 7219 LED Matrix ?
Take a look at the updated version of the project and let me know if you have any problems
Very nice can it also display btc and eth?
Hi, how the software is setup it looks at a bitcoin web site and pulls the data from there. I guess if there was a similar site for eth the software could be rewritten to look there and possibly both sites. The hardware can cope it would just need someone to do the writing. Thanks for watching👍🏽
Hello Mike, can you do all the installation without connecting the display? Im asking since i get errors when reaching these lines. Would like to know if its my display that is defect. BTW im using a rp4
16) sudo apt install build-essential python-dev python-pip libfreetype6-dev libjpeg-dev libopenjp2-7 libtiff5
Should be
sudo apt install build-essential python3-dev python3-pip libfreetype6-dev libjpeg-dev libopenjp2-7 libtiff5
17) sudo -H pip3.8 install --upgrade luma.led_matrix
The matrix command just gives errors and don't complete.
Hi Eyez, thanks for the comments. I've not tried setting the software up without the display connected but I don't see a problem. It may error when you run it but probably not. Somewhere along the way when installing the software a step has been missed. Its dead easy to mess it up, I did it loads of times. May I suggest starting right from scratch (right back to the formatting of the SD card and Pi install) and install again? Somewhere alone the way you'll see something you did differently and that'll be the problem. It critical you follow the guide to the letter, a capital letter instead of a lower case and it won't work! Give it a go and you'll get it running, thanks for watching 👍🏽
@@MikeMakesIt hmm, i think i have tried formatting 10 times today. But guess ill give it another go.
@eyez ok. But of course the input of the files are critical
@@MikeMakesIt I found the solution. It has to be the old version of raspberry pi software. Worked like a charm :)
Thats great news, well done, now we both need to earn some money on Bitcoin! Thanks for the feedback 👍🏽
Dear Mike, thank you for this great video. Unfortunately it hasn't worked though I've tried many times. Is it possible that the commands "sudo pip3.8 install ." and "sudo pip3.8 install beautifulsoup4" doesn't work anymore with the current pi software? An updated version of the command-sheet would be hiiiiighly appreciated because the bitcoin bullrun is just warming up ;-) Greets, Daniel.
All right. I have absolutely no idea what I am doing, but I could fix my problem by flashing an older PI desktop OS on my SD card X-) If someone has the same problem like me, you can also try the OS with the date "2021-01-11" from the raspi archives. It worked out great for me. Thank you very much, for that cool project and your great documentation, @MikeMakesIt ! The ticker is really cool.
My install stopped here too, it works just fine with 3, not 3.8
@@richardlostit Thank's mate, I wish I would have known that before messing around with the OS 😅😄
Hi, I’ll take a look but looks as if you have a work-around 👍🏽
Hi Mike!
I actually just ordered the parts i need and maybe this is a bit late to ask, but is it possible to display other cryptocurrencies too?
Thank you in Advance!
Btw really lovely tutorial!
@@timschneider8452 Hi and thanks for the great comments. As the software looks at a dedicated Bit coin web page to pickup the info to be displayed you would need to find somewhere else that would give you the info needed to display the new currency correctly and of course the software would need a going over on the Pi to make that change. So I suppose the answer is yes but not without a lot of work! Thanks for watching 👍
@@MikeMakesIt i will take a look into the software tomorrow after work! Thank you for the blazingly fast answer!
I tried several times install the OS like 5 times again I don't come further than the J4 command than it freezes after some lik 2 hours or so. When I skip it go further and install requests it doesn't find pip3.8. This was very frustrating and not fun. I quit the project. It toke me 3 days ending without a running matrix. Did anyone got it running? What is going wrong? It seems outdated
Try an older version of the OS as this project was done in 2021. Try and get something that was out at that time. Others have, with success.
@@MikeMakesItWich version did u use? I
I will give it a last try and thanks for helping
@@chuppacabre👍🏽. Let me know if it doesn’t work and I’ll look at the original project and check the version.
I tried the 2021 - 01-12 version that one also freezes after a while. Can u see Wich version of 2021 did you used. It also get stuck after J4 command
hello this still working?
Hi, I updated the project in March 2024 where you are able to download a working image of my original file rather than having to build it yourself. As far as I am aware it is still good and working. If you follow the original project it probably wont work. Use the downloadable 1.8gig image and you should be fine.
@@MikeMakesIt helo can i use other display like the nixon display? czcams.com/video/d8SF6Xy7oLg/video.html
@@MikeMakesIt and after dowlowd its just istaling in card?
@@brunoterrez1757 Take a look at the instructions but basically yes after you have input WiFi details etc.
@@MikeMakesIt ok thx, and i can use other display or will work only in display like this?? i want to put in old display , tube display more exactly
Hello Mike, thanks for this great tutorial. I set up the ticker and it starts to run, but after ca. 2 minutes it completely stops and i get this error message:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "bcbar.py", line 48, in
show_message(device, disp[i], fill="white", font=proportional(LCD_FONT),scroll_delay = 0.04) #Change the value of 'scroll_delay' to change the Scrolling Speed
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/luma/core/legacy/__init__.py", line 81, in show_message
w, h = textsize(msg, font)
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/site-packages/luma/core/legacy/__init__.py", line 29, in textsize
src = [c for ascii_code in txt for c in font[ord(ascii_code)]]
TypeError: 'NoneType' object is not iterable
Anybody any idea what to do?
Hi Reinhard. If data from the web site is missing, ie if a value such as the bitcoin price is missing then the unit will hang if you have set the software up to look for it. The system is reliant on the data you want displayed being available from the site. Try editing the line that looks for data (See description on my Google drive for which line it is.) and set it to look for just a couple of pieces of data that are available. Check the site first to see if it is! Then reboot and see what is displayed. I'm assuming you also have the display connected and running. Hopefully it will now run fine. I only have 3 pieces of info displayed on mine and occasion the unit will go blank. ( Mine is working fine based on the information thats on my drive so nothing has changed). A reboot always fixes it. It is possible there has been a data input issue when you "built" the program but I suspect the web site is dropping data. Try it and let me know, thanks for watching 👍🏽
@@MikeMakesIt Hi Mike, thanks for your quick response. I did some re-work and the display doesn't crash anymore, but the information displayed is now kind of overlaping and hence unreadable. Would it be possible that you send me your bcbar.py-file that i can see what i did wrong (i am not very familiar with coding)? Thanks and have a nice sunday. 🙂
Hi, I have placed the exact copy of my bcbar.py file on my google drive. Its named bcbarreinhard.py Make sure you rename it to bcbar.py its been taken from my working Bitcoin ticker so if it still doesn't work you need to go back to the drawing board as there may be a code input error on your side. I hope this helps, good luck 👍🏽
@@MikeMakesIt Mike, thank you so much - it works perfectly and BTC-price, total blocks and marketcap are just the three items i wanted to be displayed! Can't tell you how glad i am. Thanks a lot again, you're the best!!! 🙏👍😉
Brilliant, well done!! I'm glad you got it going. The software is tricky, everything has to be right for it to work and you've done it 👍🏽👍🏽 Glad I could help
The Banana Pi M2 Zero is an ultra compact single board computer which measures only 65mm*30mm. Its external interfaces are the same as the Raspberry Pi Zero W, aIt uses the quad-core Cortex A7 Allwinner H2+ processor, with 512MB RAM. it supports both Linux and Android operating systems.
wiki.banana-pi.org/Banana_Pi_BPI-M2_ZERO
Chris from ExplainingComputers did a video on this board linked below for anyone interested:
czcams.com/video/51OMXTElStM/video.html