MCP23017 to control servos

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Hardware Interfacing
1

Hi,
i want to drive as many servos as i can and i have a MCP23017, do you think it can control servos as is or should i buffer the outputs to have more current on every pin? maybe with an uln23xx..

2

so, i can't drive 16 servos with arduino and the mcp2317 even if i use the software servo lib?

3

I run 18 servos from my Mega.

4

so, if i don't misunderstood, the best solution for you is to use something like a pic16f84 to have at least 8 pwm ports and then dasychain them?
we managed to drive servos with tlc5940 and i tought was more or less the same soup with the mcp23017...

5

for the 5940, there is a library in the playground for servo driving :slight_smile:
http://code.google.com/p/tlc5940arduino/downloads/detail?name=Tlc5940_r014.zip&can=2&q=
what would you use to drive 16 servos?
i'm looking for a cheap solution, possibly using i2c.

6

good point!
i new that bitbang is the hard way, but i wanted to avoid other programmable logics, like pic etc..
i was looking for something simpler.. i don't want to learn pics too..
any other idea? :slight_smile:

7

do you mean a bare bone arduino board with the bootloader etc.. or an atmega 168 programmed to do only that kind of job?

8

tank you for your answer, but i like diy :slight_smile:
i think i'll build it on my own. ::slight_smile: