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How To: Make LED-based “Neon” Signs

By Gareth Branwyn

Gareth Branwyn

Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. And he has a new best-of writing collection and “lazy man’s memoir,” called Borg Like Me.

View more articles by Gareth Branwyn
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It’s always great to discover another John Edgar Park tutorial on the Adafruit Learning System. In his latest tute, John shows how he used Adafruit’s Flexible Silicone Neon-Like LED Strips and a Circuit Python-powered microcontroller (the Metro MO Express) to create very convincing-looking LED “neon” signs.

Here’s a brief video of the signage in action:

Conventional high-voltage, glass-tube neon offers a wonderful result, but it is a skill set and art form that few have access to. These neon-like LED strips offer similar-looking results for far less investment of time, money, and learning curve. And they’re programmable!

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By Gareth Branwyn

Gareth Branwyn

Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. And he has a new best-of writing collection and “lazy man’s memoir,” called Borg Like Me.

View more articles by Gareth Branwyn