Pixel clocks and displays
Perchi Matrix vs Tidbyt: the display you can reserve today, and one you can keep
Tidbyt Gen 2 ($189, 64x32) was the category favourite until Tidbyt joined Modal in November 2024 and stopped making devices; every SKU shows sold out (tidbyt.com, 2026-09-18), apps render in Tidbyt's cloud and the community built Tronbyt to keep units alive. Perchi Matrix (₹4,499) has fewer pixels (192 at 24x8) but is reserving now and renders on the device.
Perchi Matrix vs Tidbyt at a glance
Prices are the vendor's or the listing's figures on the date shown, in the currency they were shown in. Our own price, warranty and returns come from the same configuration as the pricing page.
| Feature | Perchi Matrix MyPerchi | Tidbyt Gen 2 Tidbyt, now part of Modal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ₹4,499 incl. GST (MRP ₹4,999), sold direct in India with a GST invoice | $189 ($179 open box) listed at tidbyt.com (2026-09-18); used units reported at $250 to $500 (Hackaday comments) |
| Availability | Reserving now in batches; no payment until your unit is bench-tested | Sold out on every SKU: Gen 2, Gen 1, stand, mount and refurbished (tidbyt.com/collections/frontpage, 2026-09-18) |
| Pixels | 24x8 (192 LEDs) at launch; 32x8, 64x16 and 64x32 are built on the same firmware and open later on the waitlist | 64x32 = 2,048 RGB LEDs |
| Rendering | On the device; apps push values and the display draws them | In Tidbyt's cloud; the device shows what was last pushed |
| Offline | Clock, date, text, countdown and cached apps keep working; a live value keeps its last reading until the server is back | None: the device shows the last cloud push |
| Local API | Authenticated AWTRIX-3-compatible local API (bearer, Basic or HMAC-signed), off by default, plus MQTT | None; the cloud API only |
| Home Assistant | MQTT with Home Assistant discovery out of the box (bearer mode): a light, a text entity, an app selector and sensors | Through the cloud API |
| Works without the maker's servers | The local API and MQTT keep working on your LAN without our servers; firmware updates are signed, with automatic rollback | Only by flashing Tronbyt, the community firmware and server (Apache-2.0, 216 GitHub stars) |
| Subscription | None | None required; an optional Tidbyt Club is reported by third parties |
| Company status | MyPerchi, India; reservations open, hardware bench pass pending | Joined Modal on 2024-11-07 and paused manufacturing; the service is kept running (tidbyt.com blog; status page green on 2026-09-17) |
| India | Sold direct with a GST invoice and a warranty serviced in India | Never sold in India |
Who should buy which?
Choose Perchi Matrix if
- You want a display you can actually order, with a warranty and a company answering email
- You want rendering on the device, with the clock, timers and cached apps working offline
- You want a local API and MQTT that keep working on your LAN without any cloud
- You want Home Assistant discovery, webhooks and an MCP server out of the box
Choose Tidbyt Gen 2 if
- You already own a Tidbyt: keep it, and run Tronbyt when you need to
- You want 64x32 pixels and the Pixlet app catalogue, and can find a unit second-hand
What Tidbyt was, and what happened
Tidbyt Gen 2 is a 64x32 LED matrix at $189, with touch controls and audio notifications, and hundreds of community apps written in Pixlet (Starlark) that render on Tidbyt's servers. It was the category favourite, and its app catalogue is still the deepest in the category. On 2024-11-07 Tidbyt announced it was joining Modal and taking a break from manufacturing new devices, promising that existing units would continue to operate as usual; on 2026-09-18 every SKU on tidbyt.com showed sold out while the Gen 2 page still carried stale pre-order text, and the status page reported no incidents.
The forum thread titled RIP Tidbyt captures the owner experience: people felt blindsided, community app pull requests went untouched for weeks, and the fear was of devices becoming paperweights. The community answer is Tronbyt, a Go server and replacement firmware that runs Tidbyt apps locally without Tidbyt's backend, which Hackaday called the only thing keeping some of these devices running once the service is switched off.
What Perchi Matrix is
Perchi Matrix (₹4,499 including GST) is a connected LED desk display with 24x8 full-colour pixels at launch, driven by an ESP32-S3 running Perchi OS, with 70+ apps for creator counts, sales, deploys, calendars, weather and Home Assistant. It pairs from a browser, renders on the device, and has an authenticated AWTRIX-3-compatible local API with MQTT and Home Assistant discovery, a REST API, webhooks, an MCP server and an SDK and CLI; see Developers. The 32x8, 64x16 and 64x32 sizes run the same firmware and open later on the waitlist; see sizes.
Rendering on the device against rendering in the cloud
Tidbyt's design put all rendering in the cloud: the server drew every frame and the device displayed it. That made a huge app catalogue easy and made the device useless without the server, which is the whole Tidbyt lesson. Perchi Matrix renders on the device. Apps push values, freshness and effects; the display draws them with its own fonts, icons and transitions, so the clock, timers, text and cached apps keep working when the internet drops and a live value keeps its last reading with a freshness badge instead of going dark.
If you own a Tidbyt
Keep it. It still works today, and if the service ever ends, Tronbyt runs your Pixlet apps from a Docker Compose stack on your own machine. Perchi Matrix does not run Pixlet apps and does not pretend to be a Tidbyt; it is a different display with its own app library. A Tidbyt and a Perchi Matrix side by side is a perfectly sensible desk, with the Tidbyt alternatives guide covering the other options.
What we promise about longevity
Two things, both true today. The core loop works offline: clock, timers, text, countdown and cached apps run on the device. And the authenticated local API and MQTT keep working on your LAN without our servers, so a Home Assistant automation that pushes a notification to your display does not depend on us. Firmware updates are signed and roll back automatically if a new build fails to boot. Security explains the update chain.
When Perchi Matrix is not the right fit
If you want 64x32 pixels today, Perchi Matrix launches at 24x8 and the larger sizes open later. If you want the Pixlet catalogue, only a Tidbyt (with Tronbyt) or Tronbyt-supported hardware runs it. If you want a wall display, both are desk devices, and the wall tickers are compared on Perchi Matrix vs TickrCast.
Questions about Perchi Matrix vs Tidbyt
Can Perchi Matrix run Tidbyt apps?
No. Tidbyt's Pixlet apps are rendered in Tidbyt's cloud (or by Tronbyt) and pushed as frames; Perchi Matrix renders its own apps on the device from values, icons and effects. The two app formats are not interchangeable.
Which has more pixels, Tidbyt or Perchi Matrix?
Tidbyt: 64x32, or 2,048 pixels. Perchi Matrix is 24x8 (192 pixels) at launch; the 32x8, 64x16 and 64x32 sizes are built on the same firmware and open later on the waitlist.
Does Perchi Matrix render on the device or in the cloud?
On the device. Apps push values and effects; the ESP32-S3 draws the frame with its own fonts and icons. Cached values stay on screen with a freshness badge when the internet drops, and the clock, timers and text never needed the server in the first place.
Did Tidbyt Gen 2 need a subscription?
No. Tidbyt was a one-time purchase with free apps; third parties report an optional Tidbyt Club membership. Perchi Matrix has no subscription either; the dashboard, apps, updates and local API are included.
Can I run a Tidbyt and a Perchi Matrix side by side?
Yes. They do not interact, but nothing stops you: Tronbyt or Tidbyt's cloud drives the Tidbyt, the MyPerchi dashboard drives Perchi Matrix, and Home Assistant can talk to both.
Which is cheaper, Tidbyt or Perchi Matrix?
Perchi Matrix in India, at ₹4,499 including GST. Tidbyt is not sold new: every SKU showed sold out on 2026-09-18, and used units have been reported at $250 to $500.
More questions, answered on the page that owns them
Related comparisons
- Perchi Matrix vs TickrCast
TickrCast is a modular HUB75 wall ticker on Kickstarter with cloud rendering and deliveries from February 2027. Perchi Matrix is a desk-scale display that renders on the device and is reserving now.
- Perchi Matrix vs LaMetric TIME
LaMetric TIME is the benchmark with speakers, radio and a deep app market. Perchi Matrix is silent, about six times cheaper in India, built in four sizes and documents its API.
- Perchi Matrix vs Divoom Pixoo-64
The Pixoo-64 is the pixel-art king: 64x64, dual-band Wi-Fi, a huge gallery, and an app you must use. Perchi Matrix has a fraction of the pixels and an official API, webhooks, MQTT and celebrations for real events.
- Perchi Matrix vs AWTRIX
AWTRIX 3 is archived and AWTRIX NG rewrote the API under a noncommercial licence. Perchi Matrix keeps an authenticated AWTRIX 3 subset alive, with signed updates and a company behind it.
Ranked options for this search: the alternatives guide. Every comparison we publish is listed on Compare; the ranked guides live under Alternatives.
Sources and last check
Competitor facts, prices and review counts were read from the pages below on the dates shown in the table; this page was last checked on and is re-checked quarterly. Our own figures come from Pricing.
Batch 2 - estimated 2 to 3 weeks, no payment today
Reserve your Perchi Matrix
Perchi Matrix is ₹4,499 incl. GST (MRP ₹4,999). No subscription needed.
No payment today. We email a checkout link when your unit is bench-tested; current estimated wait 2 to 3 weeks from the day you reserve. Cancel any time before then.