Four Team Scoreboard

[MEJY1988]

I am trying to build a scoreboard for our Awana Missionaries here in South Carolina. It needs to support 4 teams with 2 digits each. I would like to have a small LED display on the control console for each team as well as a large remote LED display around 12". I need help in the design and programming stages. I would like for it to be as simple as possible, but reliable. I am an electrician by trade, with moderate computer skills. Please see attachments for rough ideals on the control console and main remote display. I am flexible on the switches on the control console and am thinking it may be easier to have two (2) 10 position "BCD" switches in place of the Scoring Buttons, Up, Down, 1, 2, & 4. The "Blank" Switch is to blank the individual team scores on the main remote display. I would like to keep the number of conductors between the control console and the main remote display to as few as possible, and the cable to around 25 or 50 feet. Any help would be greatly appreciated. If you need more information on Awana just Google them.

 

[Brevor]

Hi, That seems like a somewhat complex project. Do the 1,2 & 4 buttons just add that number to the score for that team ?

It looks like your project could be made "modular" since the functions for each team block are identical. That would be 4 identical circuits in the control console, and also 4 circuits in the remote display.
Are you capable of building electronic circuits using something like perfboard or veroboard ?
For the cable between the control console and remote unit you could possibly use CAT-5 cable, It's cheap and easy to get. It has 8 wires (4 twisted pair) that would give you 2 wires for each display.

 

[MEJY1988]

Do the 1,2 & 4 buttons just add that number to the score for that team ?

Yes, the 1, 2, & 4 buttons would either add or delete the points from the team when pushed with the up (add) or down (delete) buttons.

Are you capable of building electronic circuits using something like perfboard or veroboard ?
For the cable between the control console and remote unit you could possibly use CAT-5 cable, It's cheap and easy to get. It has 8 wires (4 twisted pair) that would give you 2 wires for each display.

I was thinking of using Perfboard, as I do not have the capability of making a PC board at this time. The Cat5 cable sounds like a great ideal. And I am familiar witth this type of cable.

 

[Brevor]

I have sent you a private message.

 

[ronv]

Does the large scoreboard have access to line voltage?

 

[MEJY1988]

Does the large scoreboard have access to line voltage?

Yes. I am trying to make this portable, and was thinking of using a power supply from a computer.

 

[ronv]

That would work. I have a picture of incandescent lights (Easy to mount and good viewing angle). Is that in line with your thoughts? Could either use a pc supply and FET switches or a 12v lawn light transformer and solid state relays.

 

[MEJY1988]

That would work. I have a picture of incandescent lights (Easy to mount and good viewing angle). Is that in line with your thoughts? Could either use a pc supply and FET switches or a 12v lawn light transformer and solid state relays.

Incandescent or LED lights would be good. I am trying to keep the budget low on this project, but at the same time make it reliable and easy to maintain. But the pc supply and FET switches or a 12v lawn light transformer and solid state relays sounds good, if I can control them remotely without a large cable, as this is my main concern. I do not want anyone to trip over the cable running between the Main Display and the control center. This would be setup in a gym to be used for a one day event and then stored away until needed again. It would probably be used three or four times a year, maybe more, for about four to six hours an event.