Build guide

Assembly guide

Everything plugs together. No soldering. Set aside about half an hour and a couple of screwdrivers. When you’re done, head to Flash & Set Up to bring it to life.

You’ll need
  • A #2 Phillips screwdriver
  • A 2.5 mm hex key (for the M3 cap-head screws)
  • Optional: a soldering iron, only if you’re using M3 heat-set inserts
At a glance
  • Time: ~30 minutes
  • Soldering: none
  • Difficulty: beginner-friendly

1

Gather your parts

Lay everything out: the Matrix Portal S3, the 64×32 LED panel, the HUB75 ribbon cable and red/black power leads (these usually come with the panel), the two 3D-printed case pieces, and your screws.

All parts laid out on a workbench: case body, LED panel, cables, and the Matrix Portal S3
2

Fit the HUB75 connector to the board

Seat the HUB75 ribbon-cable header firmly onto the Matrix Portal’s pins. It only goes on one way. The connector is keyed, so you can’t reverse it.

Attaching the HUB75 connector to the Matrix Portal S3 board
3

Mount the board in the case

Drop the Matrix Portal into the printed body so its mounting holes line up with the four standoffs, then drive the four #3 × ⅜″ screws with a Phillips screwdriver. Snug, not gorilla-tight.

Screwing the board onto the case standoffs
The #3 3/8-inch screws used to mount the board
#3 × ⅜″ screws
4

Connect the ribbon and power at the board

Plug the HUB75 ribbon into the board’s connector and attach the red/black 5 V leads. Route the cables toward the opening so they can reach the panel.

Ribbon cable and red/black power leads connected to the mounted board
5

Wire up the LED panel

On the back of the panel (marked P3-6432, the 3 mm-pitch 64×32 module), plug the ribbon into the HUB75 input and press the red/black leads onto the panel’s power connector, matching VCC and GND.

The back of the LED panel with the ribbon and power connectors attached
6

Seat the panel in the bezel

Settle the panel into the printed front bezel so the LEDs face out through the frame. The bezel’s corner holes line up with the case for the final screws.

The LED panel seated in the printed front bezel
7

Join the two halves

Fold the body and the panel together, tucking the ribbon and power leads inside so nothing is pinched. Everything should sit flush.

The case body and panel bezel connected by the ribbon cable, ready to fold together
8

Fit the branded faceplate

The final step: seat the LED display against the front and drive the four M3 × 6 mm cap-head screws with your hex key to secure it. That’s it. You’ve built a Theme Park Waits sign.

The branded Theme Park Waits faceplate
The M3 6mm cap-head screws that secure the LED display
M3 × 6 mm cap head
✓

Done!

Power it over USB-C and you’re ready to bring it online. Next: flash CircuitPython, load the app, and set up WiFi from your phone.

The finished, assembled Theme Park Waits display

Flash & set up →