Front panels

[jwsmobile]

On 10/31/2015 1:11 PM, Charles Anthony wrote:
> The front panel I want to build is for my DPS8-M (aka Honeywell 6180)
> emulator.
>
> http://8bitaficionado.com/2010/09/22/multics-honeywell-6180-mainframe-panel-on-ebay/
>
> (Now it's a pretty big panel, so I'm thinking 1/4 scale.)
I have one of those courtesy of Nick Adams.  The system took 8 of these, 
Charles.  Mine are missing the scrolls switches on the panel I have.

These were from a Multics system which resided in Atlanta.

thanks
Jim
> I'm mostly interested in the lights; having functional switches would be
> nice, but not critical.
>
> (My background: good grasp of basic digital electronics; did some wirewrap
> boards back in the early eighties. Poor soldering skills, no workshop. Mad
> software skillz.)
>
> I would like to build it reasonably cheaply.
>
> So I would start with a simple SBC; Beaglebone or the like, that can
> function as a USB device. I can write the S/W to push a bunch of bits down
> to it.
>
> What I don't know how to do is drive 500 or so LEDs.
>
> I am guessing a bunch of shift registers, but I've pretty much reached my
> design limits. I need some guidance on locating and understanding the
> technology to run that many LEDs.
>
>
> TIA,
>
> -- Charles
>
>