Trying to work a set of 4 16x16 dot matrix LED displays

Sugiman · Joined: 12 Jan 2005 Posts: 15

Hi there,

I stumbled into this site while searching the web =)

I'm pretty much a beginner with PIC-C programming so take it easy on me please hehe. Before I forget, I'd also appreciate any links or sites I could go to for more information as well.

Here's what I've been asked to do. First, take a board (which has already been made - using PIC16F876) and set up a key matrix on it (4x4). With the help of a co-worker, I was able to hijack the dipswitch I/O's and use that for the keypad.

The next step is to use the same board to work the above mentioned LED matrix display. They are all set up in serial (it's a spare part from something that looked quite old.)

My basic question is how exactly does the data get to the display? I've heard about an intermediary chip that is involved. Did I mention that I work in Japan and none of the programmers speak English well enough to explain these things? Shocked

Also, how many ports would probably be needed for the display?

Lastly, (or maybe not, there will be more later on I bet) could I get a kickstart in the right direction for coding?

Thanks!

I'm not sure if I gave enough info, if not, please let me know what you need to know. It's been kinda frustrating trying to wrap my head around both circuitry and PIC-C

Mark · Joined: 07 Sep 2003 Posts: 2838 Location: Atlanta, GA

Sugiman · Joined: 12 Jan 2005 Posts: 15

Thanks for the response. =)

I'll try to get a schematic and some more info about the dot matrix LED's.

Please let me know any other information you might need.

Mark · Joined: 07 Sep 2003 Posts: 2838 Location: Atlanta, GA

What do you want to do with it?

Sugiman · Joined: 12 Jan 2005 Posts: 15

Using the keypad, make a scorer for Table Tennis. 2 of the 16x16 LED's for each player. The buttons would raise or lower the score with a reset button that clears the scores if depressed for more than 1 second.

The LED's would have to be the main loop I'm guessing, in order to constantly show the score, with interrupts to scan the keys. Not entirely sure though.

Sugiman · Joined: 12 Jan 2005 Posts: 15

I've uploaded a copy of the schematic to my msn homepage. It's under the Jan 16 photo album

Still working on finding info about the LED matrix

edit: forgot to put the url =P

http://spaces.msn.com/members/sugi1701

Mark · Joined: 07 Sep 2003 Posts: 2838 Location: Atlanta, GA

Well I couldn't read it (too small) so I saved it to my computer and it was still to fuzzy to read.

Sugiman · Joined: 12 Jan 2005 Posts: 15

OK sorry about that. I won't shrink it much this time and post it again when I get home.

Sorry for all the trouble Sad

Guest · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 6:17 am

Well apparently the spaces homepage thing resizes the pictures to around 25KB automatically.

Here's a pdf file that has the general schematic of the board.

http://www.daisendenshi.com/Receiver/R02R04manual.pdf

Sugiman · Joined: 12 Jan 2005 Posts: 15

oops, forgot to sign in before posting the previous post about the schematic, so "Guest" is me

Embarassed

Mark · Joined: 07 Sep 2003 Posts: 2838 Location: Atlanta, GA

And the PDF contains 8 blank pages.

Sugiman · Joined: 12 Jan 2005 Posts: 15

*sigh* I'm really sorry for all the trouble with this.

Must be because the PDF is in Japanese.

Well, not sure what to do now with this. Do you know a place I can post that picture at it's normal size?

Sugiman · Joined: 12 Jan 2005 Posts: 15

OK, I think I have the basic schematic here now. http://spaces.msn.com/members/sugi1701

And it's pretty basic. Working on a more detailed list of what each port on the CPU goes to

edit: ok got a pic of the CPU as well. I don't have the board with me at home so I'm not sure what the ports do that I didn't mark. On the main Schematic is seems that they're connected to something, but I can't figure out what they are

Sugiman · Joined: 12 Jan 2005 Posts: 15

Did the new pictures help at all?

rwyoung · Joined: 12 Nov 2003 Posts: 563 Location: Lawrence, KS USA