Colorduino Problem

Other Hardware LEDs and Multiplexing
1

Bought an Arduino Mega 2560 and two Colorduinos for a project.
I connected
Arduino -> Colorduino
SCL >> SCL
SDA >> SDA
GND >> GND
5V >> VDD
RESET >> DTR

I connect the USB and the Colorduino runs its DEMO.
I tried the ColourduinoPlasma program. I compiles (once the right libraries are there) and uploads without error but the Colorduino (after a reset) just continues its DEMO. Same with both Colorduinos.

I tried the IC2 Scanner. It says "No IC2 devices found". Same with both Colorduinos.

I figured it was unlikely that both Colorduinos are faulty so I bought another Arduino Mega 2560. Exactly the same.

So I am doing something wrong.
Can anyone help?

Steve

2

I figured there must be a problem with the Colorduinos, they were both from the same supplier and called "Funduino V1.A".
So I ordered two more from another supplier.
They arrived to day and are marked "Colorduino v1.3".

They run a different onboard DEMO but, again, will not respond to any of the Colorduino examples I have found; LED_Arduino_V1_0, ColorduinoPlasma, ColorshieldDemo, ColorduinoExample.

I am using the Arduino 1.0.5-r2 IDE.

Please can someone help.

Steve

3

Oh No!!
I just bought a Colorduino and RGB matrix from eBay.
Wondering if I'll have the same issues...

4

Why have you connected the Colorduino to another Arduino? The colorduino has its own ATmega micro controller. You just have to upload the sketch to the colorduino not to the other Arduino...
You can connect several colorduinos together over I2C. But you don't need another Arduino for that.

5

Hi Bajdi,
I want use an Arduino to control multiple Colorduinos using I2C.
I assumed one can just talk to the Colorduinos from the Arduino and tell them what to do.
I have now figured out that the firmware that the Colorduinos come with has the I2C interface disabled. So I have to change the firmware. And to do that I need a FTDI USB to serial module. Then I can use the Arduino IDE to change the Colorduino firmware, enable the I2C interface and give each an I2C address.
I have an FTDI module on order and I am impatiently waiting for it to arrive.

Foxfur, Hope this helps you.

Steve

6

My FTDI card arrived!
I am using the "colorduino 12c demo" from code.google.com but I was getting errors with the "colorduino_firmware_v1.1.pde" file. I found in Nick's blog "Colorduino | Nick's LED Projects" some corrections (by Jarda) that are needed. Once corrected I uploaded the data to my Colorduinos and they now respond their I2C addresses!
Phew!
Now I can have fun with my own pictures and effects.

Steve

7

Hi SteveLoir,
how do I assign 12c address to colorduino?
thanks in advance.

8

Have you downloaded the Colorduino I2C demo? Google Code Archive - Long-term storage for Google Code Project Hosting.

Line 22 shows you how to set the I2C address: #define I2C_DEVICE_ADDRESS 0x05 //I2C address for this device

9

Thank you, kd7eir.
I did download the Colorduino I2c and made corrections as stated above in reply #5.
I'll give it a try soon as I get the chance. Thanks all for help and comments.

10

Hi SteveLoir,

I am trying to do what you have done, can I please confirm my understanding, while I too wait for FTDI module...

  1. you load each Colorduinio with "colorduino_firmware_v1.1.pde" individually but with different addresses

#define I2C_DEVICE_ADDRESS 0x05 //I2C address for this device
#define I2C_DEVICE_ADDRESS 0x06 //I2C address for this device as example

  1. Then control them from your Mega, with "arduino_demo_v1-0" are you able to share any basic code and did you have to modify any lines for a Mega?? I cannot do step 1 as yet and getting lots of errors on this step - mainly changes in wire.h not compatible with demo code.

Thanks

11

Greetings cblx5!
Did you get anything? I am also in this dilemma; I want to do text scrolling with two Colorduino; If you could, tell me, please?

Thank you