8x32 Sure Electronics Dot Matrix Display causes the Arduino to lose power?!

Using Arduino LEDs and Multiplexing
#1

Hi there,
I just wanted to play around with a dot matrix display with a HT1632C Chip. Cabeling shoud be pretty easy .. I connected everything like here--> http://scuola.arduino.cc/lesson/d37dc9b/Interfacing_Arduino_UNO_with_SURE_electronics_LED_Dot_Matrix
The thing that I did differently though is that I connected the display directly to the arduino. From what I read that should be working too. I saw some setups on youtube where there was no external power supply either.

BUT:
The problem is that when I connect the dot matrix board to GND and 5V of the arduino, the arduino poweres off until I remove either GND or 5V. I tried it with 2 different Arduinos so the board doesn't seem to be the issue here.
When that didn't work I also tried a 9V/5A power supply that I connected to the Arduino to supply more current...no effect.

Does anybody have an Idea what the problem could be?

Here are some pictures of my hardware/setup:



thanks in advance

#2

It's hard to see how you connected boards, but it still might be a power issue.
The voltage regulator on an arduino can't handle much current. If your led-module asks too much, there will be a voltage drop, which shuts down your arduino.

You could solve that connecting grounds of both arduino and led module and using a separate 5 volt supply (1 amp or preferably more) for your Led-matrix.

There's no voltage regulator on my 16x32 sure display, so be sure not to feed it more as 5v.

#3

Thanks very much for your answer!!

I think I found out what went wrong here...and it kinda embarasses me a little :wink:

The 16pin cable seems to be mirrored in some way, a signal giong in at the upper left corner will be comin out at the down left side. Is that a normal behaviour of that kind of cable?? I'm glad that I didn't destroy anything.

#4