P8X32A QuickStart Users - Quick Question?

bmb!

I like the QuickStart's size, price, and stack-able dev boards. Just one question question... I have no need for the touch sensors or lights. Will these affect designs using this board? Can I disconnect these traces easily? Are these i/o pins not usable? Just wondering how people work around (or with) these unwanted extras....

Thanks,

tonyp12

>The LEDs are driven through a buffer, so they do not load the I/O pins
So they blink to any things you use the same pins for, but have no effect on signal state.

>When the buttons are not in use, they will not load the I/O pins.
So you can use it for inputs as long you don't touch the pads, when touched they will add negligible resistive loading
For outputs you can touch and you will not be changing the states.

To turn LED/pads off probably requires some small wires soldered to the right place.

Duane Degn

bmb!,

I use QuickStart boards a lot. What's really nice about the boards is the way the LEDs are buffered so they don't interfere with the IO pins. I find I will use the IO pins that control the LEDs for other things like PWM control of a motor. While the LEDs don't interfere with the motor, I can use the LEDs as a debugging aid by seeing how bright they get.

The touchpads shouldn't interfere with your project either (as long as you don't short them). I could see times when the touchpads and even LEDs might possibly be a problem, but I haven't had any problems myself.

Edit: Tony bet me to it.
Edit again: I tried to group some of the QuickStart projects here. It's very incomplete.

bmb!

Thanks for the help. I also found the schematic online and now see the LED's are buffered. That's a good point about them acting as a troubleshooting tool since they are there anyway.