SparkFun Forums

[daok]

For a closer look the the matrix (and the size) here is a picture of 2 Matrix side-by-side.

(Image Link deleted)

Please limit your embedded graphics to 640 pixels
width or less. Large images distort the entire thread.

You can right click on your desktop, choose property and change your resolution to something over 800x600 and you will be fine. But to make you smile in your life, here is the picture smaller...

Question for you, any advice about the stuff we wrote since few weeks here?

[bigglez]

You can right click on your desktop, choose property and change your resolution to something over 800x600 and you will be fine.

I can also pass on those posts that don't fit the way
I have set up my personal computer. I don't ask you
to translate my posts from arabic or hebrew (for example).

And what do you suggest when I read this forum on an iTouch?

But to make you smile in your life, here is the picture smaller...

Thanks for your understanding and cooperation in this matter.

Question for you, any advice about the stuff we wrote since few weeks here?

Remind me. I don't see any unanswered PMs from you.

[daok]

Ok the resistance that I have order is 1/4 watts with 1% tolerance. I have order some 270 ohm, 300 ohm (this is what we calculated), 390 ohm. I have also some lower and higher resistance just in case.

I will tell you when everything arrive. Now, about Arduino board, I think I will start with the link to the tutorial with 7 Segments and Shift Register and also the Blog link you posted in the first page.

[FartingMonkey92]

The Arduino tutorial should be easy, remember to look at your datasheets tho.
Wiring for the displays may be a little different, along with orientation.

[queuetue]

I'm not the original poster, but I built this circuit last night (adjusted for the matrix I had), and it works pretty well. Here's a picture of the current software turning bits on and off randomly:



Full image at http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg19 ... CT0046.jpg

I plan on building more software for it later today - starting with a clock and a stopwatch. I'm especially proud of my "prototype" heatsink on that 7805.

[FartingMonkey92]

Haha, great vreg heatsink!
I gather they are common-cathode displays?
Same schematic layout as we're working on?
Did you learn anything from this thread?

Dot matrix displays are funky...
Especially when they are as big as doak will be building.

[queuetue]

Anode common, I think. I'm not really sure, I couldn't find a pinout (or a spec sheet, the matrices are unlabeled) , so I just reverse-engineered a map and worked with that.

I'm going to move the circuit to some 4cm x 6cm 5x8 matrix displays I have kicking around, but I need to build some backpacks for them, and it's easier to work in proto with something small like these.

I learned quite a bit from the thread - I've never used shift registers before, so having some part numbers to start with was handy, and the current circuit in progress essentially worked perfectly.

[FartingMonkey92]

If you wanna start a thread to show the progress of your setup, i would watch it...

Any news for us, daok? (sorry for getting ya name wrong earlier and the other day...)

[daok]

I am still alive, I got so much work this week that I will have to start this project next weeks grrr. I am glad to see that someone else have done something similar very cool. I had some time to learn more about electronic, I just need to go buy some resistance and I will be able to start. Next week should be the good one

[FartingMonkey92]

Haha, okay.

[daok]

I'm not the original poster, but I built this circuit last night (adjusted for the matrix I had), and it works pretty well. Here's a picture of the current software turning bits on and off randomly:



Full image at http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg19 ... CT0046.jpg

I plan on building more software for it later today - starting with a clock and a stopwatch. I'm especially proud of my "prototype" heatsink on that 7805.

DO you have an other source of power? I see wire at your right that connect to the board? An other question, I see that you have a lot of wire, have you wire the thing the way in this thread show. If not, I would be curious to see how you have done.

[queuetue]

DO you have an other source of power? I see wire at your right that connect to the board? An other question, I see that you have a lot of wire, have you wire the thing the way in this thread show. If not, I would be curious to see how you have done.

That's a 3.3a/12v source coming in on the right, feeding the LM305, which regulates it down to 5v.

The circuit is wired pretty close to how you have drawn it - those yellow lines are from the 595's to the resistors, the orange from the resistors to the matrices, the red ties the ULN's inputs together, the yellow ties the ULN to the matrices.

The circuit has changed a bit (see other thread) so instead of driving the ULN from the arduino's pins, I'm controlling it from an additional shift register daisychained on, but this one is wired the way you laid it out.

[daok]

Just to let you know that I am not dead. I have order about 12 days ago some resistances package. Haven't got them yet.

[FartingMonkey92]

Yeah, thats fine. I've been a bit busy lately...
So apologies in advance...

[daok]

Just to let you know that I have start. Of course, I am not fast as queuetue. Instead of using the LedMatrix, I have start with simple LED, and it works with the Shift Register.



For the moment I have use the code found at Arduino Tutorial and I still need to understand it more before keeping continuing.

My next steps are:
1- Understand more the code (this won't be a problem...)
2- Use the sink driver
3- Use the led matrix
4- Use more than 1 led matrix
5- Write something like number/letter in the led matrix

Question, the Led Matrix is huge and I won't be able to put 2 of them on the breadboard, what do you suggest?[/list]