Scrolling text on a pixel display becomes unreadable when any one of four things is wrong: the font is too thin for the LED grid, the scroll speed is too fast for the eye to track, the background color does not contrast enough with the text, or the message is too long and loops before you can finish reading it. Fixing these four variables takes about five minutes in the Divoom app, and the result is a text message you can actually read at a glance from across the desk.
This guide covers the specific settings that make scrolling text readable on a Pixoo-64, a Times Gate, or a Ditoo-Pro. The Divoom app gives you control over font style, animation speed, and background color — the question is which combination works for your specific device and viewing distance.
The video above walks through the Divoom app's main features, including the text tool. If you have already set up scrolling text and it looks blurry or moves too fast to read, the four adjustments below will fix it.
Why Scrolling Text Looks Bad on Pixel Displays
Pixel displays are not phone screens. A Pixoo-64 has 64x64 individual LEDs, a Times Gate has a wider multi-panel layout, and a Ditoo-Pro has a 16x16 panel. Each LED is either on or off (or a specific color) — there are no subpixels to smooth out thin font strokes. This means that fonts designed for high-resolution screens will look broken, jagged, or illegible when rendered on a pixel grid.
The four variables that determine readability are:
- Font style — bold, blocky fonts survive pixel rendering better than thin, decorative ones
- Scroll speed — slower is always more readable on LED grids
- Background contrast — dark text on a bright background, or bright text on a dark background, with no mid-tones
- Text length — shorter messages loop faster and are easier to catch on a second pass
Variable 1: Font Choice
The Divoom app offers a selection of built-in fonts for text messages. For scrolling text, the rule is simple: choose the boldest, widest font available.
Why this matters: On a 64x64 or 16x16 LED grid, thin font strokes disappear entirely between LED pixels. A font that is 2-3 pixels wide at its thinnest point on a phone screen may render as a 1-pixel line on a pixel display — and 1-pixel lines are invisible from more than arm's length away.
What to do: In the Divoom app text tool, look for font options labeled "Bold", "Block", or "Pixel". Avoid decorative, script, or thin sans-serif fonts. If the app only offers one font, increase the text size setting to make each character occupy more LED pixels.
If you are designing text in an external tool like Aseprite and importing it as a custom image, use a pixel font like "04b03" or "Press Start 2P" — both are designed specifically for low-resolution grids and render cleanly on Divoom displays.
Variable 2: Scroll Speed
This is the single most impactful setting for readability. The Divoom app typically lets you set scroll speed on a scale or with preset options.
The problem: The default scroll speed is often too fast for pixel displays. On an LCD screen, fast scrolling still looks smooth because the screen refreshes at 60Hz or higher. On an LED panel, fast scrolling means characters jump across the display in visible steps, making them impossible to track with your eyes.
What to do: Set the scroll speed to the slowest or second-slowest option. The text should move at a pace where you can read each word without moving your head. If the app offers a "pause" or "delay" setting between scroll loops, enable it — this gives your eyes a moment to reset before the message starts again.
Speed recommendations by device:
| Device | Screen Size | Recommended Speed | Max Readable Characters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pixoo-64 | 64 x 64 LED | Slow / Low | ~20-30 characters per line |
| Times Gate | Multi-panel wide | Medium / Low | ~40-60 characters per line |
| Ditoo-Pro | 16 x 16 LED | Slowest | ~6-10 characters per line |
Variable 3: Background Contrast
LED displays have no anti-aliasing. Every pixel is either fully lit or fully dark. This makes contrast the single most important visual factor after font choice.
The rule: Use maximum contrast. White text on a black background, or black text on a white background. Avoid mid-tone backgrounds (gray, dark blue, dark green) because the LED brightness variation between the text and background pixels becomes too small to distinguish at a glance.
What to avoid:
- Red text on a blue background — both colors have similar perceived brightness on LED panels, making the text blend into the background.
- Gradient backgrounds — the text will be readable in some areas and invisible in others.
- Animated backgrounds behind scrolling text — the eye cannot track two moving elements simultaneously on a low-resolution grid.
What works best: Solid black background with white or bright yellow text. This is the highest-contrast combination on any LED display and remains readable from the farthest viewing distance.
Variable 4: Text Length
Long scrolling messages create a different readability problem: by the time the end of the message scrolls into view, you have forgotten the beginning. On a pixel display, where the text is already harder to read than on a phone screen, this effect is worse.
Guidelines by device:
- Pixoo-64 (64x64): Keep messages under 30 characters per line, or 2-3 lines of static text. For scrolling, aim for 15-20 words maximum.
- Times Gate (wide display): The wider screen can accommodate longer messages — up to 40-60 characters before scrolling becomes necessary.
- Ditoo-Pro (16x16): This is a tiny canvas. Scrolling text on a 16x16 grid is only practical for very short messages — 6-10 characters at a time. Use it for single words, timestamps, or status indicators rather than sentences.
If your message is longer than what fits comfortably, consider splitting it into multiple shorter messages that loop, or switching to a static text display with periodic content rotation instead of continuous scrolling.
Step-by-Step: Setting Up Readable Scrolling Text in the Divoom App
With the four variables in mind, here is the exact setup sequence:
- Open the Divoom app and select your connected device.
- Navigate to the text tool or marquee/text animation section.
- Type your message. Keep it short — check the character guidelines above.
- Select the boldest available font.
- Set the background to solid black (or the text color to bright white/yellow on a dark background).
- Set the scroll speed to the slowest option, or one step above slowest.
- Enable loop delay if the app offers it — a 2-3 second pause between loops helps readability.
- Preview the animation in the app before sending it to the device.
- If it looks readable in the preview, tap "Send to device" and check it on the actual display.
Always preview on the physical device, not just in the app. The app preview renders text at full resolution, which looks much smoother than the actual LED output. What looks fine in the app may be illegible on the display.
Viewing Distance and Device Placement
Readability depends on how far away you sit from the display. The same text settings that are readable from 50cm may be invisible from 2 meters.
Desk setup (30-60cm): All three devices — Pixoo-64, Times Gate, and Ditoo-Pro — can display readable scrolling text at typical desk viewing distance. Use the settings above as a starting point.
Room display (1-2 meters): At this distance, only the Pixoo-64 and Times Gate have enough LED pixels for text to be visible. Increase the font size to the maximum and slow the scroll speed further. The Ditoo-Pro's 16x16 grid is not practical for text at room distance.
Wall-mounted (2+ meters): Only the Pixoo-64 at maximum font size works here. Scrolling text is not recommended for wall-mounted Ditoo-Pro or any device at this distance — switch to static text or icons instead.
Common Readability Problems and Fixes
Problem: "The text moves too fast to read"
This is the most common complaint. The default scroll speed in the Divoom app is calibrated for visual effect, not readability.
Fix: Reduce the scroll speed to the lowest setting. If the app does not offer granular speed control, shorten the message so each loop is faster to complete and easier to catch on the second pass.
Problem: "The text looks blurry or has ghost pixels"
This happens when the font rendering creates sub-pixel artifacts that the LED panel cannot display cleanly. It is more common with thin fonts or text that is not aligned to the pixel grid.
Fix: Switch to a bolder, wider font. If you are importing custom text as an image, make sure each character aligns to whole pixels (no anti-aliasing or sub-pixel rendering in your source image).
Problem: "I can read it on my phone but not on the device"
The app preview shows text at full screen resolution, which is much higher than the LED panel. What looks crisp in the preview may be unreadable on the actual display.
Fix: This is expected. Always judge readability on the physical device, not in the app preview. Use the device-specific character limits in the table above as a guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use custom fonts for scrolling text on Divoom?
The Divoom app provides built-in fonts for the text tool. You cannot upload custom font files, but you can design text in an external pixel art tool and import it as a custom image. Use pixel fonts like "04b03" or "Press Start 2P" for the best results on LED grids.
What is the best background color for scrolling text?
Solid black with white or bright yellow text provides the highest contrast on any LED display. Avoid gradients, mid-tone backgrounds, or animated backgrounds behind scrolling text.
How long can a scrolling text message be on a Pixoo-64?
Keep scrolling messages to 15-20 words maximum on a Pixoo-64 for comfortable reading. Longer messages become hard to follow because the beginning is forgotten before the end scrolls into view. For longer content, split into multiple shorter messages that loop.
Is scrolling text practical on a Ditoo-Pro's 16x16 screen?
Only for very short messages — 6 to 10 characters at a time. The 16x16 grid does not have enough pixels for full words to scroll smoothly. Use it for single words, timestamps, or status indicators rather than sentences. For longer scrolling text, a Pixoo-64 or Times Gate is more practical.
Where can I find the official Divoom product manual?
The official Divoom product manual is available at divoom.com/pages/product-manual. It covers device-specific features including text display settings.
Once your scrolling text is set up and readable, explore other ways to customize your display with widgets, clocks, and pixel art in the clock and weather widget setup guide. If you are looking to upgrade to a display with more screen space for text, browse the pixel display collection or the smart display collection.
