Let's keep it stupid-simple with the big ole trusty Arduino Uno for the PoC / breadboarding, especially since these RGB arrays want 5V. I will port this prototype to an RP2040-based design with a boost converter on the custom-printed PCB for the con, as time / blockers allow.

I broke apart and soldered some headers on the RGB LED arrays, so they'd fit in the breadboard. I arranged to represent the Cassette Tape Spools in the same way the PCB will have them reverse-mounted against the prepreg diffuser. 

The pinouts on these WS2812B modules fit exactly across the breadboard gap. There is an extra middle pin for ground, but I don't think I need it.

Adding this log on the GPD Win Max 2 (2024) and messing with my RP2040-based Thumby. Also, to the left we can see the RP2040-One connected to an RP2040-Matrix, which are my other silly SAO prototypes, which I'd like to use as placeholder SAOs to demo on the Jacana FUFF Mux (https://hackaday.io/project/198240-fuff-mux-sao).