Kilopixel
Creative
interactive art display
SHOW HN2025
How HN took it
38 positive, 54 neutral or asking, 2 mixed, 6 critical, out of 100 comments about the project. Thread score +0.37.
Idea: 11 for, 3 againstDesign: 4 for, 1 againstPerformance: 4 for, 0 againstExecution: 1 for, 1 againstPricing: 1 for, 0 against
The thread, comment by comment
Each row is a top-level comment and its replies, in HN's order. Select a cell to open that comment on HN.
positive neutral or mixed critical about another commenter or something else the maker
What HN said
What people liked
Impressive, fun, and absurd in a good way
From 4 comments
This has to be the the most expensive cost per pixel display I've ever seen. And I've never loved a display more. This is absurd in the best possible way
aarondf on HNThis is awesome! Just so you know, you are legally obligated to do Bad Apple when interest dies down.
explodingwaffle on HNWhen you commit, you really commit. What an incredibly cool project. I need to go find some corgi art to upload next!
alexandersix_ on HNThis is fantastic, great job! I loved reading about the process, and it's the sort of pointless thing I really enjoy seeing done to perfection.
stavros on HN
Inspiring labor of love
From 2 comments
It’s great to see someone doing something just for the love of doing it. We so often get wrapped up in reaching a goal we forget the journey is what matters most. The curiosity…
bubblebeard on HNSuper cool and congrats for getting it done. You should be proud, even just for persisting all these years. Also, I'm surprised "All your base are belong to us!" hasn't been…
rudasn on HN
Objections
Very slow and impractical; a flap design would be cheaper and faster
From 2 comments
I have to confess I only skimmed it, but it seems that if the choice is to rotate an object, then using a simple flap on an axis would be both cheaper and likely faster (less…
pstuart on HNThis is pretty cool as-is, but I can't help but try to think up ways to increase the speed. (Not the point, I know.) I feel like it should be able to do a whole column pretty…
joemi on HN
Pen blocks the view of the display
From 1 comment
Why is the pen in front and not behind the display? It would allow for a clear view; now it is obstructed.
dandaka on HN
Requests
Draw Bad Apple
From 3 comments
This is awesome! Just so you know, you are legally obligated to do Bad Apple when interest dies down.
explodingwaffle on HNit's mandatory to play bad apple on it.
mrheosuper on HNOpening the site and immediately seeing it drawing a frame from Bad Apple was amusing, I suspect someone will attempt to automate submissions of frames from that video at some…
mister_mort on HN
Add a history gallery and attribution for in-progress art
From 1 comment
Really cool! I just watched it finish "cat saying 'hi'". It doesn't look like any new posts have shown up on @kilopx.com on Bluesky for the last 9 days though. A few suggestions…
re on HN
Four colours or greyscale
From 2 comments
Amazing. Could turn this into a 4 color display at the cost of drawing speed?
eclipticplane on HNYou have four sides to each pixel cube, have you considered black, white and two grey levels?
crimony on HN
Questions
How loud is it while running?
From 1 comment
This is so great How is it volume wise while it's working? Manageable or painful?
ashleyhindle on HN
Could it run Conway's Game of Life or Doom?
From 2 comments
I'd love to see Conway's Game of Life on this thing.
paulmooreparks on HNBut can it run doom?
0x696C6961 on HN
Alternatives named
Vestaboard
From 1 comment
A more practical project that has been commercialized: https://www.vestaboard.com/
fuzzieozzie on HN
Daniel Rozin's Wooden Mirror
From 2 comments
See also Daniel Rozin’s Wooden Mirror [1999] https://digitalartarchive.siggraph.org/artwork/daniel-rozin-wooden-mirror/
paulgerhardt on HNI came to post about Rosin's work as well. I personally love that he uses clever lighting and angles to create the shading for his pixels instead of just painting one side. It…
sleepybrett on HN
Split-flap displays
From 1 comment
This is very cool. I might have the skills to replicate this but would never be able to accomplish it. My brain is warped .. to get motivated, I need the end result to be of some…
CommenterPerson on HN