Hypnosquare LED Array, retail $49.99 (www.thinkgeek.com...)
Manufactured by HypnoCube (www.hypnocube.com)
Last updated 08-01-14





The Hypnosquare LED Array is a very mesmerizing product; it uses an 8x8 matrix of RGB (Red/Green/Blue) LEDs to create many, many moving patterns -- it's actually somewhat hypnotic to stare at...I guess that's why they call it the Hypnosquare LED Array!

It comes in a plastic body with a devilishly handsome black lacquered wood frame.


 Size of product w/hand to show scale SIZE



The Hypnosquare LED Array is ready to use as soon as you tear open the box (and in this case, you'll want to tear it out of the box pronto -- yes, it's really that good!). Plug the AC adapter into any convenient 100 volts to 240 volts AC 50 to 60Hz household receptacle (users outside the United States and Canada may need to procure an adapter to change the style of AC prongs; the AC adapter itself requires no voltage conversion), and plug the small plug on the end of its cord into the receptacle for it on the back of the lamp.

There were no instructional materials of any type furnished (which I believe to be an unfortunate fluke), so I'm kinda flying by the seat of my pants here.

There are three buttons on the back of the unit, as the following photo shows:


Here are the buttons on the back of the unit.

The one on the left is simply the on & off switch.

The button on the right skips the current visualisation and starts the next.

The button in the center skips the current visualisation and goes back to the previous visualisation (actually, it reverses the program itself, so you don't see the next visualisation at all).



This product is line-powered, so I don't have to tell you which part to remove, huck down the basement stairs so that it lands near the washing machine who's base is crawling with thousands of hungry termites with full pissinary bladders, and then rather emphatically tell you not to.

Just plug the AC adapter into any convenient 100 volts to 240 volts AC household receptacle, and plug the small plug on the end of its cord into the receptacle for it on the back of the lamp.



This is a household lamp, not a flashlight meant to be bashed, thrashed, trashed, and abused. So I won't try to drown it in the toliet tank, bash it against a steel rod or against the concrete floor of a carport in effort to try and expose the bare Metalmarineangemon - er - the bare Metaltrailmon - um that's not it either...the bare Metalsusanoomon...er...uh...wait a sec here...THE BARE METAL (guess I've been watching too much Digimon again! - now I'm just making {vulgar term for feces} up!!!), let my mother's big dog's ghost, her kitties, my kitty or my sister's kitty cat piddle (uranate) on it, hose it down with my mother's gun, run over it with a 450lb Quickie Pulse 6 motorised wheelchair, stomp on it, use a medium ball peen hammer in order to bash it open to check it for candiosity, fire it from the cannoñata, drop it down the top of Mt. Erupto (now I guess I've been watching the TV program "Viva Piñata" too much again - candiosity is usually checked with a laser-type device on a platform with a large readout (located at Piñata Central {aka. "Party Central"}), with a handheld wand that Langston Lickatoad uses, or with a pack-of-cards-sized device that Fergy Fudgehog uses; the cannoñata (also located at Piñata Central) is only used to shoot piñatas to piñata parties away from picturesque Piñata Island, and Mt. Erupto is an active volcano on Piñata Island), send it to the Daystrom Institute for additional analyses, or perform other indecencies on it that a flashlight might have to have performed on it. Therefore, this section of the 's web page will seem a bit more bare than this section of the web page on a page about a flashlight.

I'd venture to guess that this neat LED visualiser uses more lines of code (or, "chode" as some college professors pronounce it) than pretty much all of your normal desk toys. Not your computer, obviously, that would be crazy. But this 8x8 LED matrix uses over 20,000 lines of C to dynamically create and generate thousands and thousands of unique lighting combinations with several visualisation shapes and transitions. The lights refresh 6,500 times per second, making it possible for colors to modulate into over 4,000 shades.

Lifted directly off the product's web page on the ThinkGeek website:
  • 8x8 LED visualiser with randomly generated visualisations
  • No programming or soldering required!
  • Great as a desk toy, a home decoration or a conversation starter
  • Materials: 64 Diffuse common cathode RGB LEDs x64 running off a PIC18F4620 microcontroller in a black, lacquered wood frame
  • Includes: fully-assembled HypnoSquare, AC adapter
When the product is energized, you'll see it lighting up all white, cycling through red, blue, and green colors, and then showing a white dot moving from the lower right to the upper left. I believe that this is the microcontroller's resident diagnostic program executing a self-test before the actual program is executed.



Photograph of the product displaying but a tiny snippet of one of its patterns.



Spectrographic analysis
Spectrographic analysis of the LEDs in this product.

The peak wavelengths for each die are as follows:

627.680nm (red)
516.840nm (green)
465.610nm (blue)

The raw spectrometer data (tab-delimited that can be loaded into Excel) is at http://ledmuseum.candlepower.us/45/hypnosqr.txt

USB2000 Spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.




Video on YourTube showing the Hypnosquare LED Array running through some of its patterns.

That music that you hear is a demo song created by Synth Werk software titled, "Musique Elektronique". The Hypnosquare LED Array isn't audio (sound)-sensitive; the zax may safely be ignored or even muted if it torques you off.

O BOY!
BLINKING & PULSATING LIGHTS!!
So thrilling!!
So pulse-racing!!!
Actually, it kinda "maiks" "ewe" "wontt" "tu" "kik" "ovorr" "won" "uv" "thoz" "Penile-Whear®" "liggecher-rezistent" "prizen" "commbies" "ahnd" "thenn" "pruhseed" "tu" "bete" "thuh" "livengg" "tweadle" "owt" "uv" "itt" "withh" "uhn "olde" "orr" "uzed" "toylit" "plunjor" doesn't it?

This video is 54.1843467368 megabytes (54,600,649 bytes) in length; dial-up users please be aware.
It will take no less than two hundred seventy minutes to load at 48.0Kbps.
This video is ***NOT*** dial-up friendly!!!




Video (the second one) showing but a smattering of the patterns created by the Hypnosquare LED Array.

That music that you hear is a pair of demo songs created by Synth Werk software titled (in order of their appearance), "Musique Internacionale" and, "Musique Elektronique". The Hypnosquare LED Array isn't audio (sound)-sensitive; the zax may safely be ignored or even muted if it pisses you off.

O BOY! A lamp changing colors & patterns!
So thrilling!!
So heart-racing!!!
Actually, it kinda makes you want to "kik" "wun" "uv" "thoz" "waul-mowntid" "porselin" "uranatorz" "oph" "thuh" "waul" "ahnd" "thenn" "prosede" "tu" "bete" "thuh" "livengg" "tweadle" "owt" "uv" "itt" "withh" "thuh" "handell" "uv" "uhn" "ohlde" "orr" "uzzed" "shuval" doesn't it?

This video is 83.6873456781 megabytes (84,146,283 bytes) in length; dial-up users please be aware.
It will take no less than four hundred eighteen minutes to load at 48.0Kbps.
This video is ***NOT*** dial-up friendly!!!




Video on YourTube (the third one) showing but a smattering of the patterns created by the Hypnosquare LED Array.

That music that you hear is zax from, the computer demo, "Second Reality" aka., "Unreal II" by the pee-cee demo group, "Future Crew".
The Hypnosquare LED Array isn't audio (sound)-sensitive; the zax may safely be ignored or even muted if it pisses you off.

O BOY! A lamp changing colors & patterns!

So thrilling!!
So heart-stopping!!!
Actually, it kinda makes you want to "kik" "thuh" "spiget" "oph" "thuh" "wal" "uv" "uh" "bathetube" "ahnd" "woch" "thuh" "wattor" "schute" "acros" "thuh" "rume" doesn't it?

This video is 106.8999537672 megabytes (107,299,561 bytes) in length; dial-up users please be aware.
It will take no less than five hundred thirty four minutes to load at 48.0Kbps.
This video is ***NOT*** dial-up friendly!!!




Another amazingly stupid video showing the Hypnosquare LED Array running through some of its patterns.

That music that you hear is zax from the computer demo, "Hardwired" by the Commodore Amiga demo group, "Crionics and the Silents" from 1991.

The Hypnosquare LED Array isn't audio (sound)-sensitive; the zax may safely be ignored or even muted if it torques you off.

O BOY!
BLINKING & PULSATING LIGHTS!!
So thrilling!!
So pulse-racing!!!
Actually, it kinda makes you want to "kik" "uh" "staneles" "steal" "toliet" "bole" "oph" "thuh" "floar" & "thenn" "proseed" "tu" "bete" "thuh" "livengg" "tweadle" "owt" "uv" "itt" "withh" "yer" "phavouret" "noo" "galph" "klubbz" doesn't it?

This video is 69.8888423451 megabytes (70,129,507 bytes) in length; dial-up users please be aware.
It will take no less than three hundred forty nine minutes to load at 48.0Kbps.
This video is ***NOT*** dial-up friendly!!!




Yet another amazingly stupid video showing the Hypnosquare LED Array running through some of its patterns.

I JUST LOVE THE LIVING WEEDLE OUT OF THIS PRODUCT!!! At least until my Hypnocube Animated LED Cube arrives on 04-23-14. :-O

That part at the beginning of the video that shows the product lighting up all white, cycling through red, blue, and green colors, and then showing a white dot moving from the lower right to the upper left appears to be the microcontroller's resident diagnostic program executing a self-test before the actual program is executed.

That music that you hear are the songs, "Home Computer", "Expo 2000 Kling Klang Mix 2002", and "Robotronik Remix" by




Another video that shows the Hypnosquare LED Array running through some of its visualisations.
Only this time, I have the firmware program in it running backwards -- this is easily accomplished by pressing & then releasing the center button on the back of the product.

That music that you hear are zax from the pee-cee demo, "
Verses" by the PC demo group EMF, zax from the loader for the Commodore 64 computer video game, "Dominator++" (the zax was written by Matt Gray), and zax from the crack, loader, and trainer for the Commodore 64 computer video game, "Wasteland".

The Hypnosquare LED Array isn't audio (sound)-sensitive; the zax may safely be ignored or even muted if it pisses you off.

O BOY!
BLINKING & PULSATING LIGHTS!!
So thrilling!!
So pulse-racing!!!
Actually, it kinda "maiks" "ewe" "wontt" "tu" "kik" "ovorr" "won" "uv" "thoz" "Penile-Whear®" "liggecher-rezistent" "prizen" "commbies" "ahnd" "thenn" "pruhseed" "tu" "bete" "thuh" "livengg" "tweadle" "owt" "uv" "itt" "withh" "uhn "olde" "orr" "uzed" "pusche" "brume" doesn't it?

This video is 133.0047834561 megabytes (133,468,997 bytes) in length; dial-up users please be aware.
It will take no less than six hundred sixty five minutes to load at 48.0Kbps.
This video is ***NOT*** dial-up friendly!!!




Video on YourTube that shows the Hypnocube Animated LED Cube (4Cube) and Hypnosquare LED Array in operation side-by-side.

That music that you hear is computer-generated zax from the following sources:

Zax from the pee-cee demo, "Boost" by the PC demo group, "Doomsday".
Zax from the pee-cee demo, "Caero" by the PC demo group, "EMF" (ElectroMotive Force).
Zax from the crack, trainer, and loader for the Commodore 64 computer video game, "Wasteland".
Zax from the pee-cee demo, "Collapse" by the PC demo group, " The Brain Slayer" (TBS).
Zax from the coin-op arcade video game, "Roadblaster" by Atari.

Neither product is audio (sound)-sensitive; the zax may safely be ignored or even muted if it pisses you off.

O BOY!
BLINKING & PULSATING LIGHTS!!
So exciting!!
So pulse-pounding!!!
Actually, it kinda makes you want to "kik" "thuh" "pee" "trahp" "oph" "uv" "uh" "kichenn" "sinc" "ahnd" "thenn" "wotch" "thuh" "rume" "slowlie" "beecum" "fludded" "wen" "sumbuddy" "uzes" "thaat" "synk" doesn't it?

This video is 161.8373457823 megabytes (162,502,611 bytes) in length; dial-up users please be aware.
It will take no less than eight hundred nine minutes to load at 48.0Kbps.
This video is ***NOT*** dial-up friendly!!!




This video shows the Hypnosquare LED Array and the Hypnocube Animated LED Cube (4Cube) playing well together -- set to a number of choons from the Rochester NY. musical act Worm Quartet.

That music that you hear are several choons by the Rochester NY. synth-comedy group, "Worm Quartet".
In order of their appearance, they are:

Violin Solo
Carbonated Hamsters
Coffee
I Can't Get a Job
I Still Know You're a Fish
Spatula
Ice Cream Has No Bones
Call Me Jennifer and Steal My Stapler
Pac Man is Naked and So Should You
Adventures in Creative Nostril Swallowing

Neither product is audio (sound)-sensitive; the zax may safely be ignored or even muted if it pisses you off.

This video is 162.6832378116 megabytes (163,054,591 bytes) in length; dial-up users please be aware.
It will take no less than eight hundred thirteen minutes to load at 48.0Kbps.
This video is ***NOT*** dial-up friendly!!!



TEST NOTES:
Test unit was purchased on the ThinkGeek website on 04-07-14 and was received at 2:14pm PDT on 04-15-14.

The AC adapter has an output of +7.50 volts at 1.0 amps.


UPDATE: 05-19-14
My cat Nikki doesn't appear to like this product, so I need to keep it turned off at night.


UPDATE: 08-01-14
The current display can be shown indefinitely (I happen to particularly like the 'fire' effect!) if, while the desired pattern is being displayed, you simultaneously press & release the center and rightmost buttons.

The following is a brief video that shows this:



Brief video showing that a specific display pattern on the Hypnosquare LED Array can be set to display continuously.

That music that you hear is zax from the coin-op arcade video game, "Afterburner II" aka., "Afterburner Deluxe" made by Sega in 1987. This product is not audio- (sound)-sensitive in any manner; the music may safely be ignored or even muted if it pisses you off.

This video is 12.4672803190 megabytes (12,598,391 bytes) in length; dial-up users please be aware.
It will take no less than sixty two minutes to load at 48.0Kbps.





PROS:
Amazing, mesmerizing light show!
Bright enough to see in high ambient light but dim enough to use as a nightlight
Power consumption is very low (~1 watt)
Many, many non-repeating patterns


NEUTRAL:



CONS:
None that I've yet to discover


    MANUFACTURER: HypnoCube
    PRODUCT TYPE: Decorative household lamp
    LAMP TYPE: 5mm (T1¾) RGB LED
    No. OF LAMPS: 64
    BEAM TYPE: Wide flood
    REFLECTOR TYPE: N/A
    SWITCH TYPE: Pushbuttons for on/off & mode change on back of product
    CASE MATERIAL: Wood & plastic
    BEZEL: Transparent colorless window protects LEDs
    BATTERY: N/A
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unknown/unable to measure
    WATER- AND URANATION-RESISTANT: Light splatter-resistance at maximum
    SUBMERSIBLE: ¡¡¡UN FANTASMA ESPANTOSO GRANDE QUE TOMA UNA MIERDA ENORME EN UNA CESTA DE DESECHO PLÁSTICA ESTO SE DESBORDA YA POR TOALLAS DE PAPEL SUCIAS, NO!!!
    ACCESSORIES: AC adapter
    SIZE: 203mm W x 203mm T x 45mm D
    WEIGHT: 323.40g (11.380 oz.)
    COUNTRY OF MANUFACTURE: China
    WARRANTY: Unknown/not stated

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star RatingStar Rating

    (No, you aren't seeing things. That really is six stars up there!!!
    This is the best product to have landed in my lab in the last 14 years!!!







Hypnosquare LED Array * www.thinkgeek.com...







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