CharlieBoard
An open-source LED display of the MBTA on custom PCBs.
The Hardware
This project uses WS2812B-2020 LEDs for their compact format, addressability, and full RGB color support.
A Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W controls the LEDs, acting as a cheap and versatile brain for the project. Microcontrollers could be used but would limit project features and flexibility.
The PCBs for this project were designed in KiCad and are custom-manufactured. The project website has more details on the hardware.
The Software
This project consists of three main software components: the data stream, the display logic, and the web interface.
The data stream connects to the MBTA’s streaming API and parses the data into a format the display logic can use.
The display logic takes this data and the current settings and illuminates the appropriate LEDs.
Finally, the web interface simplifies customization and interaction with the display, making it easy to change the display mode, color scheme, and other settings.
For more details, check out the GitHub repository.
