Why Flipbit?

No one can resist the charm of a split-flap display. Split-flap display is old and I was never able to find anything similar yet affordable. If you're lucky, you might be able to find some used old split-flap display and reverse engineer the communication protocol for your use. For example, the solari display on ebay is listed for $2000. Or, you can spend thousands of dollars to custom order a new split-flap display array from manufactures (e.g. Oak foundary and vestaboard). Neither is an option for me.

The project was inspired by Scott, who did an excellent job explaining how split-flap display works https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAQJJAQSg_g&ab_channel=scottbez1. Scott does offer kits to build DIY split-flap displays, but I wanted something more finished and robust. And this is the beginning Flipbit.

My goal is to bring this old analog technology back to life, with affordable cost, IoT compatibility, and easy to use protocol so people like me who want a simple split-flap display can afford it. DIYers/Hackers can buy the specific number of modules they want and build a project around it. Non-DIYers can also order a display with the amount of characters they like, and have it work out of the box. The end-result can be a simple 4-digit clock, or a large 2D-array display. After a year of development, I made 12 Flipbit prototypes and it is up an running on 12/15/2021.

Currently, Flipbit is not an open-sourced project. I build it with the intent of productionize it and making it affordable for all DIYers. However, I will be releasing Wiki/API/tutorial to document the Flipbit. If you're interested, please subscribe to this website and I'll post any updates to this project in the "Updates" section. You can also reach out to me via email.

After all, it's cool! That's all that matters.