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[on:]

Hi all,

I build a 4x4x4 cube and it worked
For a 4x4x4 cube you dont need shifters. So the code is quite easy.

To make a certain shape i just added the following.
B0001,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,10,

Where each led is represented by a 0 or 1 and the last number is the time this shape stays on.

Now I want to build a bigger 8x8x8 cube.
For this i will need shifters and more. On this part I dont need help cause I found enough information online.

But the code is an other part.
I want the same simple way of writing shapes. Now before i found a thread once on someone doing this. But I searched and searched but cant seem to find it anymore.

Can someone show me this thread or maybe they have code to do this ?

Thanks all

[Reply #1 on:]

http://www.instructables.com/id/4x4x4-LED-cube-upgrade-with-Shift-Registers-74hc5/

You should probably start by upgrading your 4x4x4 cube to use shift registers, by the time you have done that, 8x8x8 will be easy.

The way I did my cube isnt quite proper, I should have transistors for the planes.

Shift registers are one way to extend your I/O ports (pins), but not the only way, so you may want to investigate other methods, unless you specifically want to use shift registers.

You should probably use something more stout than 595s, technically, they only support 70ma per chip, so they arent really suitable for driving 160ma (8x20mA).

The code in my instructable, was originally for 4x4x4 cube that ran off of 20 control pins, then it was converted to 16 bit shift register code.

[Reply #2 on:]

thank you,

But I think someone wrote a code ready for a 8x8x8.

The cube is only turning on one layer at the time right? so it the 595 should be ok.

[Reply #3 on:]

You would have to post a schematic or something for anyone to understand how you are planning on doing it.
If you are planning on doing 8 layers of 64 LEDs at a time, and you plan on feeding them 20ma each, then they will need that layer over an amp. If you are running 8 8bit shift registers for each plane, then each chip is expected to run 160ma (8x20).

Doing a plane at a time is the most common way to run a cube, but its not the only way.