Introduction

The Tiny Star PCB is a small and fun DIY electronics project that is perfect for hobbyists, makers, and anyone who enjoys working with LEDs and microcontrollers. This project is designed mainly for decoration and to add a bit of sparkle to your workspace, room, or even as a cute holiday ornament.

What is the Tiny Star PCB?

The Tiny Star PCB is a star-shaped printed circuit board (PCB) that lights up with multiple LEDs arranged all around its edges. It is powered by an ATtiny microcontroller, which is a small and efficient chip commonly used in simple electronics projects. To help control all the LEDs, the design also includes a shift register, which allows you to drive many LEDs using fewer microcontroller pins.

PCB Manufacturer

PCBWAY is a highly skilled company specializing in PCB manufacturing. They offer their services at incredibly low prices, such as providing 10 PCBs for only $5. Additionally, new members receive a $5 bonus. The website allows customers to upload their Gerber Files and place orders.

ORDER LINK

PCBWAY is known for producing PCBs of exceptional quality and maintaining high standards, which is why many people trust them for their PCB and PCBA needs.

Below are some of my PCB’S manufactured by PCBWAY and I am fully satisfied by their Quality of service they provide.

Working Principle

The ATtiny microcontroller runs a simple program that controls the LEDs, making them blink or create different light patterns. The shift register is used to expand the number of LEDs that can be controlled, since the ATtiny has limited pins.

You can program the ATtiny with different patterns if you like, but the basic code will already make the star shine beautifully. The PCB is designed to be easy to assemble, even for beginners

Circuit Diagram

This circuit diagram shows an LED control system using an ATtiny85 microcontroller (U1) and a 74HC595 shift register (U2). The ATtiny85 receives programming signals through a 6-pin ISP header (H2) connected to its MOSI, MISO, SCK, and RESET pins. It controls the 74HC595 via SPI to expand the number of digital outputs, allowing it to control multiple LEDs. The shift register outputs are labeled (e.g., TOP, BACKTOP, LEFT, etc.) and each output drives a pair of LEDs through 220-ohm current-limiting resistors. The VCC and GND lines power the circuit, and a decoupling capacitor (C1, 100nF) stabilizes the power supply for the microcontroller. The setup is likely designed for an orientation-based LED display, where each label corresponds to a direction on a physical object or model.

Applications

Christmas or festive decorations

Night lights for children

Educational tool for learning embedded systems

Eye-catching badge or wearable tech (if made compact)

Conclusion

In conclusion, this circuit effectively utilizes the ATtiny85 microcontroller and a 74HC595 shift register to control multiple directional LED indicators with minimal I/O pins. By using SPI communication and external components like current-limiting resistors and a decoupling capacitor, the design ensures efficient and stable LED operation, making it ideal for compact applications such as directional displays or indicator systems in embedded projects.