Stellar Unicorn offers 16x16 bright RGB LEDs driven by Pico W's PIO in addition to a 1W amplifier + speaker, a collection of system and user buttons, and two Qw/ST connectors for adding external sensors and devices. Woha!
- :link: [Stellar Unicorn store page](https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/stellar-unicorn)
Stellar Unicorn ships with MicroPython firmware pre-loaded, but you can download the most recent version at the link below (you'll want the `stellar-unicorn` image).
The easiest way to start displaying cool stuff on Stellar Unicorn is using our Stellar Unicorn module (which contains a bunch of helpful functions for interacting with the buttons, adjusting brightness and suchlike) and our PicoGraphics library, which is chock full of useful functions for drawing on the LED matrix.
- [Stellar Unicorn function reference](../../modules/stellar_unicorn/README.md)
- [PicoGraphics function reference](../../modules/picographics/README.md)
## Examples
### Clock
[clock.py](clock.py)
Clock example with (optional) NTP synchronization. You can adjust the brightness with LUX + and -, and resync the time by pressing A.
Random LEDs blink on and off mimicking the look of a movie super computer doing its work in the eighties. You can adjust the brightness with LUX + and -.
Displays some text, gradients and colours and demonstrates button use. Also demonstrates some of the audio / synth features.
- Button A plays a synth tune
- Button B plays a solo channel of the synth tune
- Button C plays a sinewave (it's frequency can be adjusted with VOL + and -)
- Button D plays a second sinewave (it's frequency can be adjusted with LUX + and -)
- Sleep button stops the sounds
### Fire Effect
[fire_effect.py](fire_effect.py)
A pretty, procedural fire effect. Switch between landscape fire and vertical fire using the A and B buttons! You can adjust the brightness with LUX + and -.
### Lava Lamp
[lava_lamp.py](lava_lamp.py)
A 70s-tastic, procedural rainbow lava lamp. You can adjust the brightness with LUX + and -.
### Nostalgia Prompt
[nostalgia_prompt.py](nostalgia_prompt.py)
A collection of copies of classic terminal styles including C64, MS-DOS, Spectrum, and more. Images and text are drawn pixel by pixel from a pattern of Os and Xs. You can adjust the brightness with LUX + and -.
### Rainbow
[rainbow.py](rainbow.py)
Some good old fashioned rainbows! You can adjust the cycling speed with A and B, stripe width with C and D, hue with VOL + and -, and the brightness with LUX + and -. The sleep button stops the animation (can be started again with A or B).
### Scrolling Text
[scrolling_text.py](scrolling_text.py)
Display scrolling wisdom, quotes or greetz. You can adjust the brightness with LUX + and -.
### Today
[today.py](today.py)
Calendar example with (optional) NTP synchronization. You can adjust the brightness with LUX + and -, and resync the date by pressing C.
## Wireless Examples
These examples need `WIFI_CONFIG.py` and `network_manager.py` (from the `common` directory) to be saved to your Pico W. Open up `WIFI_CONFIG.py` in Thonny to add your wifi details (and save it when you're done).
Updates one pixel every two minutes to display the most recent #Cheerlights colour. Discover the most popular colours over time, or use it as an avant garde (but colourful) 16 hour clock! Find out more about the Cheerlights API at https://cheerlights.com/
You can adjust the brightness with LUX + and -.
### Stellar Paint
[stellar_paint](stellar_paint)
Draw on your Stellar Unicorn from another device in real time, over wifi!
This example needs the `micropython-phew` and `microdot` libraries (you can install these using Thonny's 'Tools > Manage Packages').
### Exchange Ticker
[exchange_ticker.py](exchange_ticker.py)
This example uses the Coinbase open API to collect the current exchange rates of various cryptocurrencies.
Press A to change to a different base exchange currency.
### HTTP Text
[http_text](http_text)
Display scrolling wisdom, quotes or greetz... from another computer or device!
You can adjust the brightness with LUX + and -.
Requires `logging.mpy` and `tinyweb` from [micropython/examples/common](../../examples/common) - copy these into the `lib` folder on your Pico W. You'll also need `index.html` to be saved alongside `html_text.py`.
Add a [SCD41 sensor breakout](https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/scd41-co2-sensor-breakout) to make an carbon dioxide detector. Press A, B and C to switch between modes.
