200 tiny lightbulbs for $5... More ideas...

http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G9306A

These are the ones for "maglite" flashlights, I think... 1.5V, *really* bright... But if I put 'em behind this panel, I think I'd drive 'em pretty dim, get that nice "warm" glow, so the filaments are viewable...

So, what...? Another "matrix" display, probably... I do seem to have a thing for using older technologies for newer things we see every day. But I guess I could be more creative... And it's not like scrolling incandescent text-ridden signs never existed, anyhow.

Incandescents are/were used in old signs, of course. maybe something like a scrolling border... I dunno.

I kinda dig *How* they were driven, they seem to imply a computer of sorts, but sometimes they simply use a spinning drum with a bunch of nibs sticking out that push microswitches, just like a music-box. Kinda cool, since you can *see* the pattern in the "Memory"...

OTOH, again, "maglites" are pretty-durn-bright... and 200 of them would be a lot of light...

I've been thinking, ever since I started messing around with really-simple LCD-driving circuits, that one potential use is as an easily-adjustable filter for e.g. stage-lights.... One of my LCD-driving circuits is nothing more than a shift-register, a crystal, and some DIP switches to select a solid color to fill the screen. (Could probably get rid of the shift-register altogether, if using a Parallel-interfaced display, rather'n an LVDS one).

I don't need a stage-light, per se... but mood lighting might be cool... shine it on a wall... 200 flashlights should be bright enough, eh? And, again, with the "warmth" of incandescents... Hmm...