Places to buy b1248 and b1236 LED badges

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Given my recent experience buying a b1248 on eBay and actually receiving a gd1144 (incorrectly or deceptively labelled as a b1248), I thought I'd share the more promising prospects for online purchasing of b1248 and b1236 badges.

I hope that the wares sold by the following vendors will prove to be compatible with the Firmware @Effix has skillfully designed for this project. Here goes:

• Shenzhen Delong Technology - offers a wide range of LED badge products, including b1248s and b1236s. They also offer b1144s and b1133s, which are a bit cheaper and ship with better bundled software. http://www.delongtech.cn

• Hangel Technology - offers b1248s in six colours. I've had the resolution confirmed via follow-up contact. http://www.hangeltech.com/12x48-Dots-LED-Name-Badge-Programmable-Message-Badge-Name-Card-pd743293.html

• Hangel Technology - also offers b1236s in six colours. http://www.hangeltech.com/12x36-Pixels-Programmable-LED-Name-Tag-Badge-Display-pd133293.html

• HUIJIE - sells b1248, b1236 and b729 LED Badges (with images that match those specifications). White b1248s are listed with 11*44 resolution while others are consistent with labelling: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/LED-NAME-CARD-DISPALY/718814_100133041.html

• colortop9 (eBay seller) - sells red b1248s (with one program/brightness button and ARM controller) https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Programmable-LED-Digital-Scrolling-Message-Name-Tag-Id-Badge-12x48-Pixels-E8O6/302751067892

• JD LED - offers red b1248s (with accurate images and specs): https://www.aliexpress.com/item/led-name-card-led-mini-sign-Led-name-badge-LN-1248R/725506574.html

• Slw6668888 - offers six colours of b1236s (with images showing correct number of LEDs): https://www.dhgate.com/product/high-quality-12-36-dots-led-name-badge-red/269871612.html?recinfo=17,null,1#svh-1-5|null:null:r0537435988

• Shop-fun.com - offers b1236, available colours unclear. Images show unusual layout of pixels, with each column offset half-a-pixel from the next: http://www.shop-fun.com/index.php?route=product/product&keyword=led+badge&category_id=0&product_id=55924

Notes: Only products shown in boldface have been purchased and verified. The accuracy of these listings is largely untested, so buyer beware!

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A note for people reading this thread in isolation from other discussion:

Not all 1248 pixel or 1236 pixel badges will be compatible with this replacement firmware and software.

It appears that somewhere between 2015 and 2018, PCBs for 1248s and 1236s were redesigned to use ARM controllers instead of AVRs. I've asked around, and the consensus is that the newer PCB design (which has far fewer complex components) likely reduced the manufacturing cost per unit, but also had the side-effect of making it much harder to flash new firmware onto.

To "unlock" the full potential of the device using @Effix firmware, you will need an older configuration of the device which uses AVRs.