Tlc5940 multiplexing code

Should I still use 15k resistors?

Where?

The TLC5940 does not required LEDs to have current limiting resistors as there is a current limiting circuit in the chip. Just one resistor is needed to set the current for all the LEDs.

Grumpy_Mike:

Should I still use 15k resistors?

Where?

If I'm reading it correctly, your schematic shows 15k resistors connected to each diode. If I'm not using the diodes, I can eliminate the resistors as well then?

Yes those are pull down resistors for reading the switches. That circuit uses the same matrix scanning that lights the LEDs to scan for key depressions at the same time.

Grumpy_Mike:
Yes those are pull down resistors for reading the switches. That circuit uses the same matrix scanning that lights the LEDs to scan for key depressions at the same time.

Ah I see. And will a 60v 27a FET work okay in lieu of the one you suggest in your schematic?

Thanks for all the help!

That is one heck of an over specification but as long as it turns on fully with 5V (that is a logic level one) it will work.

I've got everything hooked up, but was hoping someone could double-check my work before I blow something up.

In particular I'm worried about a few things:

  1. I'm not sure I wired the decoupling capacitors correctly
  2. Im not sure I wired the FETs correctly
  3. I connected the 5940's together as per the playground article* which seems to differ slightly from Grumpy Mike's schematic †.
  4. I used open digital pins to add in the extra rows of LEDs/fets. The pins in Grumpy Mikes schematic seemed pretty particular and some out of order so I'm worried I'm missing something here.
  5. The Arduinome_4X4_RGB.pde fails to compile (error: 'PD6' was not declared in this scope)

Note: Ignore the IR LEDs and photoresistors since I don't have those hooked up yet. Also ignore the scribbles on the breadboard. They were there when I bought it from a scrap house and won't come off. :slight_smile:

EDIT: Also, I know the LED's aren't connected to the 5940's yet, but will connect up by color (RGB) to the three chips.





*http://students.washington.edu/acleone/codes/tlc5940arduino/img/breadboard-arduino-tlc5940.png
http://www.thebox.myzen.co.uk/Hardware/Mini_Monome_files/4%20X%204%20RGB%20LED%20Matrix.pdf

The Arduinome_4X4_RGB.pde fails to compile (error: 'PD6' was not declared in this scope)

Looks like there has been a change in the latest Arduino distribution that makes this not compile. Take the TLC5940Multiplex_defines.h file and add the following to the end:-

#define PORTB   _SFR_IO8 (0x05)
/* PORTB */
#define PB7     7
#define PB6     6
#define PB5     5
#define PB4     4
#define PB3     3
#define PB2     2
#define PB1     1
#define PB0     0


#define PORTD   _SFR_IO8 (0x0B)
/* PORTD */
#define PD7     7
#define PD6     6
#define PD5     5
#define PD4     4
#define PD3     3
#define PD2     2
#define PD1     1
#define PD0     0

I have now amended this file on my site.

I connected the 5940's together as per the playground article* which seems to differ slightly from Grumpy Mike's schematic

My schematic uses a modified early version of the TLC5940 library which is what I based my code on. The "official" library changed some of the pins, there pins have fixed hardware functions so it is not a simple matter to change them. So you must use my wiring with my code or the other wiring with the other code, you can't mix them.

I'm getting very close! The code complied and some of the LED's are firing, but are very weak. I think it's because there's not enough power. The schematic calls for +5v on pin 19, pin 21 and the FETs. I noticed the schematic says "+5v DC Prog" on pin 19. Does that mean I should be using a separate power supply there?

No, that is the pin you put an extra high voltage on if you want to programme the grey scale correction rom.

Grumpy_Mike:
No, that is the pin you put an extra high voltage on if you want to programme the grey scale correction rom.

It turns out I had read 4K7 as "47k". I replaced all the FET resistors with 4.7k and now the brightness is good.

When I power it up or run any of the Processing examples individual rows are different colors, but not individual LED's. To reduce complexity I removed the other two 5940's and reduced the matrix to 4x4, figuring I'll scale it once I get the basics working. Any ideas?

Overall board: http://i.imgur.com/YwVGY.jpg
Closeup of FETs: http://i.imgur.com/cnJ6Q.jpg
Closeup of 5940: http://i.imgur.com/H6hmn.jpg
5940/Arduino: http://i.imgur.com/2XZMT.jpg

Video of the issue: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6253968/rows.mov

You need to post a schematic not a photo of a jumble of wires.

Grumpy_Mike:
You need to post a schematic not a photo of a jumble of wires.

Sorry, I'm trying to follow your schematic exactly, but was only able to get whole rows to light up. I'm really new to reading schematics and think I might have messed something up which is why I posted the pics. I've been tying to get it going all day, but I must be missing something.

Is there anything else I can do to make troubleshooting any easier?

I've created a Fritzing file which mirrors my breadboard setup at the moment. I've left out the RGB cathode wires for better readability. I hope this helps. I really appreciate all of your help getting me this far!

http://fritzing.org/projects/4x4-arduino-rgb-led-multiplex/

I haven't got fritzing and due to my limited internet connection at the weekends it will have to be tomorrow before I can look at it.
However in the mean time you can do some tests.
First off do you get the default rows with no other input?
Next change the numbers that initialises the ledBuffer, are these change reflected in what you see on the LEDs?
Now change the wiring so that only one cathode is connected into the TLC5940, that is only have one LED per column on one of the rows. Can you change those numbers in that one row and see the effect?

I looks like you have not wired up something correctly, what type of FET have you used, it should be logic level P-type, and check that you have identified the drain and source correctly.

It could be that all the rows are being powered at the same time if the above is not right.

Grumpy_Mike:
First off do you get the default rows with no other input?
Next change the numbers that initialises the ledBuffer, are these change reflected in what you see on the LEDs?

Yes and yes. When I first turn it on I get a row of red, blue, green and a kind of light pink. When I change the values in the sketch and re-upload the changes are reflected on their respective rows.

Grumpy_Mike:
Now change the wiring so that only one cathode is connected into the TLC5940, that is only have one LED per column on one of the rows. Can you change those numbers in that one row and see the effect?

I'm not sure if I totally follow this one. I removed three of the LEDs from the first column and the color of the remaining LED changes just as the whole row did prior to removing the other LEDs.

Grumpy_Mike:
I looks like you have not wired up something correctly, what type of FET have you used, it should be logic level P-type, and check that you have identified the drain and source correctly.

I'm using a p-channel FET from sparkfun. Datasheet: http://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Components/General/FQP27P06.pdf
I think I've got it hooked up according to your schematic but it's entirely possible I misunderstood something.

I've hooked up like so:

  • 1 wire going from D to a row of the LEDs' common anode.
  • A 4.7k resistor going from S to G
  • 1 wire going from S to 5v (after the resistor)
  • 1 wire going from G to Pin XX on Arduino (after the resistor)

Here's a screen shot from Fritzing:

Those FETs require 10V to switch on the gates. Don't be fooled by the gate threshold voltage that is just where it starts to cinduct. I am not sure if that would cause your reported problem because it seems they are on all the time rather than not on.

Grumpy_Mike:
Those FETs require 10V to switch on the gates. Don't be fooled by the gate threshold voltage that is just where it starts to cinduct. I am not sure if that would cause your reported problem because it seems they are on all the time rather than not on.

I'm glad you mentioned that as the data sheet did confuse me quite a bit. The gate threshold voltage shows a min-max of -2.0 to -4V and the following was in the comments on the product page:

The product description also says:
The FQP27P06 is a very common MOSFET with very low on-resistance and a control voltage (aka gate voltage) that is compatible with most 5V microcontroller or mechanical switches. This allows you to control high-power devices with very low-power control mechanisms.

But again, I'm so ignorant with this stuff. Earlier you indicated that this looks like it would work, but was just over spec. But is it now looking like it won't work at all without 10v and the product page just has some mis-information?

I had a very hard experience with 5940mux library, for this reason I tried to
improve the basic TLC5940 library.

My goal is drive a lot of rgb led using tlc5940 and plex all with UDN2981.

Initially, using the basic tlc5940 library, trying a multiplex, the problems were the interferences between leds.

I solved perfectly the problem using

while (tlc_needXLAT);

after the call of

Tlc.update();

This permit to wait the completing of PWM cicle, in this way I solved the problem!

This is the engine of my multiplex code:

void ligthLedMux() {    
  for (byte j=0; j<digMax; j++) {
    for (byte k=0; k <= nLedMax; k++) {
      if (ListaTransistor[k] == dig[j]) {
        ligthLed(k,ValoriRGB[k][0],ValoriRGB[k][1],ValoriRGB[k][2]);
      }
    }
    
    Tlc.update();
    while (tlc_needXLAT);  //wait for PWM cicle

    for (byte l=0; l<digMax; l++) {      // change multiplex channel
      digitalWrite(dig[l],HIGH);
    }
    digitalWrite(dig[j],LOW);
  }

}

GianfrancoPa:
I had a very hard experience with 5940mux library, for this reason I tried to
improve the basic TLC5940 library.

I greatly appreciate the reply, but if I understand correctly, the library and setup from Grumpy Mike which I'm trying to get working is different from the Tlc5940Mux library and setup from Alex Leone. It seems like I'm really close to getting this working so I'd rather try to figure this out before trying a whole different setup. Besides, his setup seems less documented so I think my chances of getting it working would be smaller.

As for additional troubleshooting:

I tried looking at the serial monitor to see if there was any obvious problems there, but nothing displayed. I did set the speed to 57600.

I've checked the hardware over and over, but can't figure out what/if I screwed up. I still just get solid rows of unique colors, but not individual LEDs. I'm still hunting for FETs more like what Grumpy Mike used, but am still unclear if the FETs I'm using now are definitely a problem.

I figured it out!!

Of course it was something really dumb on my part. I had wired up the cathodes incorrectly. Now I'm going to try to scale this puppy up and wire in some photoresistors to make it interactive!

Here's what I had before:

Here's the correct hookup:

Bigger versions: