Nova

Nova is a super tiny RP2040 board featuring an integrated 7x10 addressable LED matrix. This project aims to provide an easy-to-use platform for creating interactive and visually engaging projects.

Table of Contents

• Features
• Getting Started
• Arduino IDE Installation
• Pinouts

Features

• Compact size: Easy to integrate into various projects
• RP2040 microcontroller: Powerful and efficient
• Integrated 7x10 addressable LED matrix (WS2812-1010)

Getting Started

To get started with Nova, you'll need the following:

• Nova Board
• Arduino IDE
• Compatible power source (USB Type-C, battery, etc.)

Pinouts

Arduino IDE Installation

Adding Nova Board to Arduino IDE

1. Open Arduino IDE: Launch the Arduino IDE on your computer.

2. Open Preferences:

   • Go to File -> Preferences (or Arduino IDE -> Preferences on macOS).

3. Add Board URL:

   • In the Preferences window, find the Additional Boards Manager URLs field.
   • Add the following URL to the field:

     https://github.com/earlephilhower/arduino-pico/releases/download/global/package_rp2040_index.json
     

   • If there are already other URLs, separate them with commas.

4. Open Boards Manager:

   • Go to Tools -> Board -> Boards Manager.

5. Install RP2040 Core:

   • In the Boards Manager window, type RP2040 in the search box.
   • Look for Raspberry Pi Pico/RP2040 by Earle Philhower and click the Install button.

6. Select the Nova Board:

   • Once the installation is complete, go to Tools -> Board and select Raspberry Pi Pico.

7. Install Required Libraries

• It is recommended to use the FastLED library for controlling the LED matrix.

Installing FastLED Library

1. Open Library Manager:

   • Go to Sketch -> Include Library -> Manage Libraries....

2. Search for FastLED:

   • In the Library Manager window, type FastLED in the search bar.

3. Install FastLED:

   • Find the FastLED library (Repo) and click the Install button.

Using FastLED with Nova

Here’s a basic example of how to use the FastLED library to control a single LED on your Nova board:

#include <FastLED.h>

#define LED_PIN     22    // Data pin connected to LED0 (GP22)
#define NUM_LEDS    1      // Total number of LEDs (only LED0)

CRGB leds[NUM_LEDS];

void setup() {
    FastLED.addLeds<WS2812, LED_PIN, GRB>(leds, NUM_LEDS);
    FastLED.setBrightness(10); // Set brightness to 10 out of 255
}

void loop() {
    // Example: Set LED0 to red color
    leds[0] = CRGB::Red;
    FastLED.show();
    delay(1000);
    
    // Example: Turn off LED0
    leds[0] = CRGB::Black;
    FastLED.show();
    delay(1000);
}