Use rpi-rgb-led-matrix to scroll current week's NFL scores on rpi and led matrix using ESPN's hidden API endpoints
This project is inspired and assited by many, to include
https://github.com/hzeller/rpi-rgb-led-matrix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSwoM3M24W8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omMVAtGGr_0&t=906s
https://gist.github.com/akeaswaran/b48b02f1c94f873c6655e7129910fc3b
Raspberry Pi 4B
Adafruit RGB Matrix + RTC HAT (Soldering required!) (After the fact, I discovered Adafruit RGB Matrix Bonnet, no soldering required)
64x32 LED Matrix (HUB75 )
USB power supply for RPI
5VDC power supply for HAT
The RGB LED matrix panels can be scored at [Sparkfun][sparkfun], [AdaFruit][ada] or eBay and Aliexpress. If you are in China, I'd try to get them directly from some manufacturer, Taobao or Alibaba.
The RGBMatrix class provided in include/led-matrix.h does what is needed
to control these. You can use this as a library in your own projects or just
use the demo binary provided here which provides some useful examples.
Check out utils/ directory for some ready-made tools to get started using the library, or the examples-api-use/ directory if you want to get started programming your own utils.
This supports the old Raspberry Pi's Version 1 with 26 pin header and also the B+ models, the Pi Zero, Raspberry Pi 2 and 3 with 40 pins, as well as the Compute Modules which have 44 GPIOs. The 26 pin models can drive one chain of RGB panels, the 40 pin models up to three chains in parallel (each chain 12 or more panels long). The Compute Module can drive up to 6 chains in parallel. The Raspberry Pi 2 and 3 are faster and generally perferred to the older models (and the Pi Zero). With the faster models, the panels sometimes can't keep up with the speed; check out this troubleshooting section what to do.
A lightweight, non-GUI, distribution such as [DietPi] is recommended. [Raspbian Lite][raspbian-lite] is a bit easier to get started with and is a good second choice.
Follow your favorite guide for connecting the hardware.
Install Raspberry Pi OS (Legacy) LITE
They have a new image downloader and SD Card creation tool at https://www.raspberrypi.com/software/operating-systems/
After creating the SD Card, and connecting all of the hardware, insert SD Card and power on the devices.
This can take some time so be patient
Log into your Pi
I took bits and pieces from all sources and smashed them together to make this work!
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSwoM3M24W8 at 8:15
git clone https://github.com/hzeller/rpi-rgb-led-matrix.git
Follow the guide on Github for Authentication Processes!
cd rpi-rgb-led-matrix
make build-pythong PYTHON=$(Which python 3)
sudo make install-python
cd bindings/python/smaples
Any dependencies not installed above can be installed using pip
pip install (missing dependency)
Create nflscores.py
sudo nano nflscores.py
#!/usr/bin/env python
# Display live NFL scores for the current week using the ESPN API.
from samplebase import SampleBase
from rgbmatrix import graphics
from rgbmatrix import RGBMatrixOptions
import requests
import time
from datetime import date, timedelta
class RunESPNAPI(SampleBase):
def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
super(RunESPNAPI, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
def fetch_scores(self):
today = date.today()
current_year = today.year
# Find the start of the current week (Sunday)
current_date = today
while current_date.weekday() != 6: # 6 corresponds to Sunday
current_date -= timedelta(days=1)
start_date = current_date.strftime("%Y%m%d")
# Find the end of the current week (Saturday)
end_date = (current_date + timedelta(days=6)).strftime("%Y%m%d")
api_url = f"http://site.api.espn.com/apis/site/v2/sports/football/nfl/scoreboard?limit=1000&dates={start_date}-{end_date}"
response = requests.get(api_url)
data = response.json()
return data
def run(self):
offscreen_canvas = self.matrix.CreateFrameCanvas()
font = graphics.Font()
font.LoadFont("../../../fonts/7x13.bdf")
textColor = graphics.Color(255, 0, 0)
while True:
offscreen_canvas.Clear()
nfl_scores = self.fetch_scores()
# Extract and format the NFL scores
nfl_scores_text = "NFL Scores: "
for event in nfl_scores.get("events", []):
competition = event.get("competitions", [])[0]
home_team = competition["competitors"][0]["team"]["abbreviation"]
away_team = competition["competitors"][1]["team"]["abbreviation"]
home_score = competition["competitors"][0]["score"]
away_score = competition["competitors"][1]["score"]
nfl_scores_text += f"{home_team} {home_score} - {away_team} {away_score} | "
len = graphics.DrawText(offscreen_canvas, font, offscreen_canvas.width, 10, textColor, nfl_scores_text)
offscreen_canvas = self.matrix.SwapOnVSync(offscreen_canvas)
for i in range(offscreen_canvas.width, -len, -1):
offscreen_canvas.Clear()
x = i
graphics.DrawText(offscreen_canvas, font, x, 20, textColor, nfl_scores_text)
offscreen_canvas = self.matrix.SwapOnVSync(offscreen_canvas)
time.sleep(0.05)
if __name__ == "__main__":
options = RGBMatrixOptions()
options.rows = 32
options.cols = 64
options.chain_length = 1
options.parallel = 1
options.hardware_mapping = "adafruit-hat"
run_espn_api = RunESPNAPI(options=options)
if not run_espn_api.process():
run_espn_api.print_help()
CTRL-X
Y
ENTER
sudo python3 nflscores.py --led-cols=64 --led-rows=32 --led-slowdown-gpio=4 --led-no-hardware-pulse=1 --led-gpio-mapping=adafruit-hat
See https://github.com/hzeller/rpi-rgb-led-matrix#controlling-rgb-led-display-with-raspberry-pi-gpio for flag descriptions
Add as a service
Add to startup
Could use guidance on how to repackage all of this and install it in home/ instead of buried in directories
Want to add a second matrix for larger display, easier to read all the text
Want to add rankings
Want to add team logos
Would like to also probably make a new project to display NFL games like https://github.com/MLB-LED-Scoreboard/mlb-led-scoreboard The NFL flavor of this project is not working. PIL v10 and the rpi-rgb-led-matrix don't get along yet!