Colorduino (Funduino v1.A) - Compatability to Colorduino_GFX, Adafruit_GFX

Other Hardware LEDs and Multiplexing
1

Hello,

I recently purchased a Fundiono v1.A RGB LED Matrix Driver from eBay along with an RGB Led Matrix.
I'll refer to it as a Colorduino as the eBay advert states that it is a Colorduino V2 compatible Driver. This seems a bit strange as iteadstudio describes a version 1.3 (discontinued), 1.4 and then seems to jump to version 3.0. Colorduino - ITEAD Wiki
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/311402333195?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I plugged it in and it had a program already installed which ran through a half dozen different colour screens.

I then downloaded a Colorduino library from github and a few programs. https://github.com/lincomatic/Colorduino/archive/master.zip. One of them is called ColorduinoPlasma, another ColorduinoDemo. It was a subset of the ColorDuinoDemo program that came with the Colorduino. I uploaded these programs to the Colorduino and everything ran fine. The only issue in one case was I needed to rename WPlayer.h to Arduino.h. ALso in another case I needed to precede PROGMEM commands with the const declaration. So these programs have been around for a while. All of these programs include Colorduino.h.

I also downloaded the Adafruit_GFX and Colorduino_GFX libraries ( GitHub - DinoTools/Colorduino_GFX ) and a few programs that use them. I managed to successfully upload these programs to the Colorduino. However, either nothing happened or there was the bottom row and top row LEDs lit up in a red hue. But that was it. There was no change in the LEDs displayed.

I'm wondering if these libraries and programs require a later version of the Colorduino to the one that I have? Would that be the case?

The Colorduino library seems to be limited in the commands available to you. I think there is a set pixel and a get pixel and not a great deal more. Defining and displaying fonts and doing colour fills seem to have to be done in the program as the library doesn't have functions to do these things.

The Colorduino_GFX library appears to have a lot more commands at your disposal in that you can draw lines and circles. So, I would like to be able to use these libraries if they are compatible with my device.

Additionally, I'm wondering if these Colorduinos are meant to be used as standalone projects that just display pre-programmed images. What I mean is that if I have a project where I want this Colorduino to display output in response to user input, how do I incorporate this into this Colorduino. I don't see it having any Digital or Analogue input pins and as far as I can see, it isn't designed to be controlled by an Arduino. I've had to take out the chip on my Arduino in order to be able to upload my programs so I'm guessing you're not supposed to be able to have a program running on the Arduino that controls the display on the Colorduino. So I'm wondering how I can achieve this.

Also whether Rainbowduino and Colorduino code is interchangeable and will work on the other device.

I got the Fundiono 1.A as I'm on a budget and I'm wondering if I'm missing out on the benefits of the Adafruit_GFX and Colorduino_GFX library because I didn't get the latest version of Colorduino.

Also wondering if I should bite the bullet and fork out for a Rainbowduino V3 and take advantage of its library functions.

So any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Tony

2

You'd make it easier on people who want to help if you would post clickable links.

3

Okay. Thanks for the advice. In my defence, I actually didn't realse that the links wouldn't be clickable. I'll see if I can change my original entry to include clickable links.

4

The seller has their own library. Did you try it?

5

Yes. The library provided by the seller is the same as the original Colorduino library I referred to in my post which ran the ColorDuinoDemo and ColorDuinoPlasma programs ( https://github.com/lincomatic/Colorduino/archive/master.zip#sthash.6E7hGf8C.dpuf ) .

That one works fine but is very limited in the functionality that the library provides.

I'm interested in knowing whether I can get the Colorduino_GFX library to work with my Colorduino.

6

Hi tdos67,

I bought one of these on eBay quite awhile ago (about a year and a half ago) and I could find any definitive answers on programming it. I was not willing to try for fear of bricking it.

Sounds like you got much farther that I did. I saw your post and dug the thing out of my box of "get to it later" projects.

I am going to give it a try myself. The pre-programmed demo is kind of boring so I will give an update to what I did and try to help you out.

EDIT:
How did you program your board? I see there is an ISP connector on the Fundunio and I already have my UNO set up as a ISP programmer but Googling programming always returns FTDI programming or pulling the ATMega chip out of the UNO and connecting. I figured since I already have an UNO dedicated to programming I can use it. I am afraid to just guess and toast something (either 'duinos)!

Thanks!

:slight_smile:

7

Hi dmilton2004,

I'm quite new to electronics. My background is software development for business systems.

However, I'm happy to help if it can get you to get your Colorduino happening.

There were two websites that got me going:
http://katalytischerkonverter.com/2014/10/04/colorduino-tutorial/

I downloaded the Colorduino ibrary as well as the ColorduinoPlasma example from

I downloaded another example from:
http://www.geeetech.com/wiki/index.php/Arduino_RGB_Matrix_LED_Driver_shield

That's as far as I've got.

I've found a couple of programs that use these more extensive libraries (Colorduino_GFX) I want to use.

https://github.com/Electromondo-Coding/ColorduinoScrollerLibrary

The Colorduino_GFX library is :

It in turn uses the Adafruit_GFX library.Interestingly, the author of this library states "This library depends on a slightly modified version of the Adafruit GFX library and provides advanced drawing functions(lines, circles, text, ...) for the Colorduino or the Colors Shield.".

The Adafruit Library is:

The modified Adafruit Library is:

The thing is. The modified Adafruit library is 3 years old whereas the current Adafruit library is a month old. As such, I don't know if the Colorduino_GFX no longer works.

Cheers

Tony

8

Thanks Tony,

I am also a software designer/programmer. Not new to electronics, though. My question for you is, how did you program your Funduino? I have downloaded the libraries. I do not have an FTDI programmer. And the only other method I see all over is remove the chip from the UNO.

Thanks :slight_smile:

9

FTDI is not a Programmer, it is a USB/Serial interface that lets one download code into a bootloaded microcontroller.
They are quite handy, pick one here for <$7 www.tinyosshop.com
A Programmer will connect to the ICSP header (SPI pins plus Reset, Power, Gnd) and is used to load the bootloader, or to load code directly into memory (usually with no bootloader support).

10

CrossRoads:
FTDI is not a Programmer, it is a USB/Serial interface that lets one download code into a bootloaded microcontroller.

Thanks! I guess I misunderstood by what I was reading.

A question, and sorry if it is not part of this topic, but if there is an ISP header on the board, can't I use that to program it as well using the "Arduino as ISP"? That is what I have been trying to figure out.

Thanks in advance! :slight_smile: