NEW SX-28 larger array feature! to expand RobOlympic Badge to 8x40 BiColored LE
T&E Engineer
Posts: 1,396
SX-28 new feature to have larger arrays - currently in Beta test.
As an SX Beta Tester, one of the cool things is to try out new features of SX/B. One of which is a new feature to allow SX-28 arrays to be larger than 16 bytes. This brought up a great idea to take the RobOylmpic design and modify it somewhat to work with a larger array like 40!
Jonny Mac (Jon Williams) wrote wonderful code to demonstrate the new RobOlympic badges (Badge.sxb) found on the Parallax website. However,·my design allows for his program to run (modified) for a large 8x40 LED display made up of (5) 8x8 LED Matrix modules for a 40 column display.
This code will go even further {in future releases} to also display the scrolling text and graphics in 3 colors (Green, Red and Yellow).
This is unfinished code - but along with the 3 pages of 11x17 schematics, it offers great possibilities in the near future.
PS: I got permission from Ken for this·feature SX information release.
See the attached code for·single colored LED Matrix at·40 columns as well as the·3 pages of schematics in my design.·As you can see the code has very little change to JonnyMac's original code - so far (modified currently to run under cascaded 4017 decade counters ICs instead of 4028 ICs).
The 8x8 BiColored LED Matrix's I used I bought on Ebay (They are always·listed - Sure Electronics I believe - China?) - Cheap for < $20 for 10 including shipping!!
More updates to come soon!!
POSTED WRONG CODE - NEW CODE IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR FULL 40 COLUMN DISPLAY
Post Edited (T&E Engineer) : 8/30/2007 1:57:52 PM GMT
As an SX Beta Tester, one of the cool things is to try out new features of SX/B. One of which is a new feature to allow SX-28 arrays to be larger than 16 bytes. This brought up a great idea to take the RobOylmpic design and modify it somewhat to work with a larger array like 40!
Jonny Mac (Jon Williams) wrote wonderful code to demonstrate the new RobOlympic badges (Badge.sxb) found on the Parallax website. However,·my design allows for his program to run (modified) for a large 8x40 LED display made up of (5) 8x8 LED Matrix modules for a 40 column display.
This code will go even further {in future releases} to also display the scrolling text and graphics in 3 colors (Green, Red and Yellow).
This is unfinished code - but along with the 3 pages of 11x17 schematics, it offers great possibilities in the near future.
PS: I got permission from Ken for this·feature SX information release.
See the attached code for·single colored LED Matrix at·40 columns as well as the·3 pages of schematics in my design.·As you can see the code has very little change to JonnyMac's original code - so far (modified currently to run under cascaded 4017 decade counters ICs instead of 4028 ICs).
The 8x8 BiColored LED Matrix's I used I bought on Ebay (They are always·listed - Sure Electronics I believe - China?) - Cheap for < $20 for 10 including shipping!!
More updates to come soon!!
POSTED WRONG CODE - NEW CODE IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR FULL 40 COLUMN DISPLAY
Post Edited (T&E Engineer) : 8/30/2007 1:57:52 PM GMT
Comments
Tonight I will wire it up for the full 40 column display and post more information.
Stay tuned....
SEE ATTACHED BiColored 8x8 LED Matrix Spec sheet I got from China (Ebay).
Post Edited (T&E Engineer) : 9/5/2007 1:45:52 AM GMT
It seems I'm always building things that I need (like): Multi-line displays to be read from across the room. I'll build four or five when I settle a design. 4 to 6 characters. Big enough to be read from across the room. I would like full color. Then........, I would also like 3-D and stereo.
Chris
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
I'm not scared of your robot. I'm covered by Old Glory (youtube)
I am currently using 2 different types of solderless breadboards. 3-4 are the smaller standard large size and the other 2 I got from Jameco. Yes you will need some solderless breadboards. I found that Futurlec has the best prices that no one can really beat - problem is that they are in Thailand but I paid a bit more for faster shipping to be here in 2-3 days (arrive tomorrow from my order last Friday). I beleive the ones from Futurlec will be like the ones I got from Jameco. They perfectly hold 5 8x8 LED matrix modules IF you use small 30 guage wire (Radio Shack) and carefully run the wires under the modules. The Radio Shack solderless breadboards are too small and only hold 3 with a bit of extra space left.
As you can see by the schematics you will need about 23 chips and an SX-28. I am currently using ULN2003's because I have a few but Futurlec sells them for 30 cents but ULN2803's are 65 cents each. Either one will work but the ULN2003's only have 7 IN/OUT while the ULN2803's have 8 IN/OUT connections (1 more ULN2003 will be needed but half the cost is good at Futurtec). I ordered 10 ULN2003 and 10 4028 (but my design uses 4017 decade counters·now with 4081 quad AND gates). Luckily I had quite a few 4017's available but Futurlec also sells them for 30 cents each and 4081s for 30 cents. Hard to beat that! http://www.futurlec.com/Specials.shtml·(great specials too).
I am also using my professional development board (for the moment) for the SX-28 portion (and LS1).
I will post some pics tonight of my 5-6 massive solderless breadboard arrangement when I have everything connected.
Post Edited (T&E Engineer) : 8/28/2007 1:48:00 PM GMT
I was able to get the first stage of this project going meaning I got it to work with a single color (green) so far... More to come using more colors soon.
I have updated the SX/B code in the original post to work with 40 columns. Not overly bright but not too shabby either for a standard PDB 5vdc source. The current is minimal at under ~300 mA. I will look at using more voltage / current in the future but for now it is not bad at all.
I also found out that the new RobOymplic schematic that I used to draw my SX-28 connections were way off. I used the Professional Development board schematic to update Page 2 of 3 of the BMP. Now available for download as well.
Parallax should look at their RobOlympic schematic·and fix it at some point.
I did notice that JonnyMac's Badge code that I modified ran out of memory so I had to comment out the dancing robot's for now. I understand that there is alot going on and I will need to work with what I have. No fault to JonnyMac on this ... simply an addressing issue for the SX-28 I beleive.
I will post a YouTube Video next so watch for it !!!
Post Edited (T&E Engineer) : 8/29/2007 3:03:59 AM GMT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLYlF22fIVE
I have also modified the original RoboGames code for the 8x40 display (attached in 1st post).
Post Edited (T&E Engineer) : 8/29/2007 11:26:15 PM GMT
Take a look at this link at how they are using LDO Linear Regulators to control the matrix of leds, this should help for your brightness problems. I would like to see you make that project RGB, I was actually going to work on a project like this once I got some other stuff done but it's great that other people have similar interests.
I take it by looking at the schematics you have that the display will only be on or off and·no pwm for dimming correct?
http://datasheets.maxim-ic.com/en/ds/MAX6974EVKIT.pdf
Kevin
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Post Edited (DigitalDj) : 9/5/2007 1:35:55 AM GMT
to generate a moving display on 25· 5x7 led modules.
·
I would suggest you try this site for PIC related questions: http://www.electro-tech-online.com/micro-controllers/
Good luck!