Kitronik ZIP Halo HD for micro:bit

by Kitronik

The Kitronik Halo HD board for the micro:bit incorporates 60 individually addressable full colour ZIP LEDs, a MEMS mic, piezo buzzer, RTC and onboard battery holder!

It also breaks out P1 and P2 to a standard 0.1” footprint, it features a MEMS microphone for detection of sound, and a piezo buzzer to play sound. If that weren't enough, it also features an onboard real time clock (RTC) controlled by I2C lines from the microbit. The board also has two M3 mounting holes. We think you'll agree, the board is loaded with useful features. It doesn't stop there...

Plug n Play: No tools required, not even a screwdriver, plug the micro:bit straight into the onboard edge connector and you are good to go!

Onboard Power: The board has a 3xAA battery holder mounted on the rear, with a power switch on the front of the board. A regulated supply is produced on the board which is fed into the 3V and GND connections to power the connected BBC micro:bit, removing the need to power the BBC micro:bit separately. See the Datasheet for more information.

MakeCode Blocks: Kitronik have created custom blocks for the Halo HD for use with MakeCode. To add these blocks, first go to makecode.microbit.org and start a new project. Under the “Advanced” section click on “Extensions”. In the next window search for “Halo HD”. Then, click on the tile to import it into MakeCode. You will see that the blocks are split across three categories; ZIP LEDs, Microphone and Clock. You can find more information on the MakeCode editor and also on how to write code for it with MicroPython in the Datasheet.

Examples: To get you off to a flying start Kitronik have produced a number of code examples that cover all of the onboard features and that will also serve to inspire your own projects. You will find links to these examples in the resources section below.

Features:

  • The board features 60 individually addressable full colour ZIP LEDs.
  • It breaks out P1 and P2 to a standard 0.1” footprint.
  • It's wired for sound with a MEMS microphone and a piezo buzzer.
  • It has an onboard Real time clock (RTC) controlled by I2C lines.
  • Plug n play with the onboard edge connector, no tools required!.
  • The board has a 3xAA battery holder mounted on the rear.
  • The On/off switch helps you maximise battery life.
  • It can be coded with MakeCode blocks via custom blocks or with MicroPython.
  • 2 x M3 Mounting holes, for secure projects.
  • Compatible with micro:bit v1 and v2!

Contents:

  • 1 x :VIEW ZIP Halo HD Board for micro:bit.

Dimensions:

  • Diameter: 87mm.
  • M3 Mounting Holes Spacing (Center to Center): 68.4mm.

Requires:

Resources:

9 customer reviews

2 years ago
Excellent gizmo. I particularly like that the Real Time Clock is powered even when the Halo is switched off. And that it uses AA batteries rather than AAA, since those beautiful neopixels take a bit of current when they are all on!
by David about Kitronik ZIP Halo HD for micro:bit via REVIEWS.io
4 years ago
Knowing that a robotics project could likely take a lot of time before feeling like I was getting anywhere -- especially being new to Micro:bit -- I grabbed the gorgeous looking Halo HD to have some fun whilst learning the format and boy am I glad I did. The photos haven't been touched up to make it look more appealing, the colours are bright and very pretty. Just getting a spinning marble of doom going was fun to figure out and to watch. Tough thing now is committing to a project to lock it in to.
by Edward about Kitronik ZIP Halo HD for micro:bit via REVIEWS.io
4 years ago
Adds so much fun and deLIGHTful options to working with the BBC microbit. The increased number of LEDs is awesome and being able to just slip in the microbit without screws is GREAT.
by Kimberly about Kitronik ZIP Halo HD for micro:bit via REVIEWS.io
4 years ago
Great improvements over the earlier version- especially the battery holder and the ability to attach the micro:bit via slot instead of screws. Nothing more fun than a slew of LEDs to liven up a project. So easy to code with MakeCode.
by Kimberly about Kitronik ZIP Halo HD for micro:bit via REVIEWS.io
5 years ago
If your kid is thrilled by lights and colours, I recommend this add-on for your micro:bit. Only the imagination is the limit. On the down side, one would need to tinker a little bit, to add other components like sensors or pots, to increase the potential of the kit. Also, it would be nice if it already had a microUSB slot for power, as I had to purchase a separate one and solder it. The batteries last for a full day, with all lights on.
by Catalin about Kitronik ZIP Halo HD for micro:bit via REVIEWS.io
5 years ago
Lovely bright LEDs, easy to control with MakeCode using either blocks or JavaScript. Not tried with Python but it’s compatible with the neopixel library. The Real Time Clock (RTC) module is a welcome addition as alongside the 60 LEDs it enables all sorts of timer / stopwatch / clock projects. Sample projects give a good starting point too.
by Mark about Kitronik ZIP Halo HD for micro:bit via REVIEWS.io