Very cool, thanks Simon!

Hi all, a couple of these have just arrived http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAX7219-Dot-matrix-module-MCU-control-Display-module-DIY-kit-for-Arduino-/281037575018

What is the best way to start with it? is there a simple library? I can't see much from searching around?

Thanks!

I read somewhere that the USB units use a PIC and a FTDI chip or similar, so surely I could just buy pass the FTDI chip and connect the PIC serial to arduinio?

Hi, looks great! would you mind sharing the code?

Hi good idea, but I'm not sure about using bluetooth in the long run, I was kind of thinking that I could make something very cheaply using a ODB to USB adapter connected directly to a 328p?

Have ordered from OSH park instead, looks and sounds promising I have noticed an error by me already, there appears to be silk screen on the resistor pads whoops. I uploaded the .brd file instead of messing around with the gerbers - I wonder if that is why it happened?

Nope, it was on your screen as well.  Cause it was on mine.  You can email him at pcb@laen.org and let him know that you have to make changes.  email the new .brd file and he will change it for you.  He's a good guy.

Wow, that was quick my board was added to a panel and its gone already, never mind hopefully they can still make them and I will just scrape off the silk screen when they arrive

elecrow looks good also, but since I've never had boards made before I think I will stick with OSH for my first few.

Thanks guys, I have given up with batchPCB after what I have read on their forum also. Can't believe they are so slow to fix their processing issues.

Have ordered from OSH park instead, looks and sounds promising I have noticed an error by me already, there appears to be silk screen on the resistor pads whoops. I uploaded the .brd file instead of messing around with the gerbers - I wonder if that is why it happened?

Hi all. I'd like to get some PCB's made up as I have never done it before.

I decided to start with something simple, and proven, so I decided to try the Sparkfun WS2801 breakout board from here https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10504

I downloaded the EAGLE files, made a few small changes to the silkscreen and then started to follow the Sparkfun tutorial https://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/109. I used the job cam file that they link to also http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorial/BeginningEmbedded/9-EaglePCBs/sfe-gerb274x.cam

I exported the files, zipped up the 7 and uploaded to batch PCB. But I get a failed DRC check it mentions traces to small on top copper I think, so I went back to the layout and increased all trace sizes to 0.016 and tried again, but I got the same result?

I thought maybe I had messed something up, so I opened the standard Eagle files from Sparkfun and tried again without making any changes but it still failed the DRC check once I uploaded it?

I'm really stuck now  

Hi all. I have recently started playing with a ODB2 bluetooth adapter and android mobile. It works well but obviously I would like to be able to connect a arduino somehow

I have found a few results around the net, but can't find much on the hardware side of things?

What is the easiest way to start, hacking a can to bluetooth adapter maybe?

very cool Nick, nice write up too. Thanks for sharing

I'll look into those a bit more, thanks! And say I were to only hook up two LEDS? Could the Uno supply enough power for that? Thanks!

No problem. providing the LED's you are using are 20mA per colour, the uno should just handle it (40mA per pin) but it is borderline.

If you want all LED's to do the same thing, you could just connect their legs together.

But of course the Uno will not supply enough current for 4 LED's so you will have to use some transistors. I use something like BC337's for tasks like this.

Other than that you could use some shift registers and the ShiftPWM library, or some TLC5940 PWM drivers to free up arduino pins and have all the LED's addressable.

 

very nice project! Looks like you power if from mains and have a transformer inside. have you measured power consumption at idle and with heat on?

You might want to check out the tlc5947.  More channels, easier to use.  Only hurdle is mounting it b/c it only comes in surface mount packages.

Wow just checked it out, 24 channels on one chip is pretty epic! SMD is not a problem for me to solder but I'm not sure if I could etch some PCB's with that pitch hmmm.

Do you think the standard TLC5940 library would need much tweeking?

I would also be interested in how you mounted the LED's? Did you just use 1 RGB LED per step or more than one? I see that the TLC5940 can sink plenty of current so I'm considering using 2 or 3 per step.

Thanks!