clock_in_class_no.mp4

Ultimate_Clock_for_Classroom(The_Classinator)

Features:

-Time | Countdown Time | Temperature --on Dot Matrix Display(MAX7219)

-Countdown Timer for when class will end

-Buzzer to buzz 5min before Class ends

-Subject displays for few seconds when that class starts

Demo Video:

Ultimate_Clock_Video.mp4

Original Hardware:

-Arduino Nano -MAX7219 Dot Matrix -DS3231 RTC Module -Buzzer

Feel Free to update code and change class times and Sujects to your desire.

WokWi Simulation: https://wokwi.com/projects/402586282048113665

Instructables : https://www.instructables.com/The-Classinator-Ultimate-Clock-for-Classroom/

Libraries to install:

-MD_Parola by MajicDesigns — scrolling text on MAX7219 panels

-MD_MAX72xx by MajicDesigns — low-level MAX7219 driver (dependency of Parola)

-RTClib by Adafruit — DS3231 real-time clock interface

How I made this Project✨

In my class (grade 8 'Uranus') we desperately needed a clock for our classroom to denote time and how much time is left for the class, and my classmates came up to me asking me to build a clock, but I wanted to step up the game abit and make 'The Ultimate Clock' customed designed to our class schedule for optimal time keeping. I wanted to have firstly regular clock, then also have a countdown timer to when the class will end, also a buzzer to ring 5 minute before the class will end so that teachers could wrap up the class and be students be done with their presentations (we had a presentation on a topic every class according to our roll no.), and also a temperature display because why not? (i thought of this later when I found out DS3231 RTC module has a temperature sensor)

Building code

At the time, I was completely new to Arduino programming.

I couldn't find a Arduino course that covered coding, so I started experimenting with ChatGPT (and later Claude), But My god did i Get so many errorsss! (This was long before AI became particularly good at coding, and the generated code was full of bugs.)

I spent countless hours:

• Reading documentation
• Asking Help in countless Discord channels
• Debugging compiler errors
• Asking questions in Discord communities
• Testing ideas in Wokwi

Eventually, after many late nights of troubleshooting, I got a fully working simulation. Although it was frustrating at times, I learned more from fixing those errors than I would have from simply following a tutorial. Building projects remains the fastest way I learn new things.

Hardware

I wanted the clock to be visible far from the class, so small lcd display and 0.96 inch oled display rulled out. I initially tried to build this clock with P10 Display but trying the hardware and using scrolling text example code, the Display got fired and messed up 2 leds in the middle that made everything not work, I tried reparing it but it had this layer of apoxy and things that made it impossible, i gave to techincian and he told me the IC got fried and he couldn't fix it.

Ultimately I went with MAX7219 Dot matrix Display and I think that was the best decision, But that was the best decision (then I started Building code) and figured everything out as i had a successful wokwi simulation, but as I upladed the code with wiring of respected components. It displayed:

After debugging i found that changing "PAROLA_HW" TO "FC16_HW" fixed the error.

But then after sometime it stopped working and I spend DAYS trying to figure it out but by replacing the jumper wires it worked, so I guess it was fault of poor quality copper, DAMN you Ea Nasir!

But then guess what My arduino UNO died on me:

After chaniging to Arduino Nano It finally worked!!!! Clock in class room:

class_video_no.mp4

clock_in_class_no.mp4