new to arduino and confused with a sensor shield

hi i am hoping some one can help just got a arduino mega sensor shield but can find no information on it. It was brought for me as a present from eBay. i did not realize there were so many variations.
i have attached a photo of one the same i am hoping someone is using one the same and can show me what all the conections are.
thank you
Al

This are just convenient breakouts of the IO pins each together with a ground an Vcc (5V) pin. These are used to connect sensors because most of them need one pin and a power source as well as a ground.

hi i had worked that bit out just wondering what the pin numbers are to read the inputs or operate the out puts so i can uses them in a program
Al

On the picture they are at the right side of the 3 pins. Does your board have no printed numbers on it?

yes i can work out the the input and out puts that are just 3 pins but i want to know what the 5 4 pin black sockets are for
Al

I guess they are the analog ports but that's just a guess. Without having a type or manufacturer of the shield I cannot tell.

the manufacture is www.flamingoeda.com but all the info is in Chinese so i am still not sure but its the fact they have 4 pins that confuses me the only thing i can think of is maybe digital servos but never used one so i don't know?
Al

Can you make a photo from the lower side? From the PCB connection I might give you hints what the connectors are for.

Otherwise you have to take your multimeter and test for the connections of the pins.

might have it figured out after a lot of looking found this bit about 4 pin sockets on sensor shields
"This connector can go to external Bricks or other devices that have more complex Communications Protocols to work with Arduino. Examples are GPS receivers, Ethernet interfaces, and other complex devices. These are 4-pin connectors."
Al

http://arduino-info.wikispaces.com/SensorShield

bigal999:
might have it figured out after a lot of looking found this bit about 4 pin sockets on sensor shields
"This connector can go to external Bricks or other devices that have more complex Communications Protocols to work with Arduino. Examples are GPS receivers, Ethernet interfaces, and other complex devices. These are 4-pin connectors."
Al

There's no logic on these types of boards, they do nothing more than re-arrange the pins (and provide a lot of ground and power connections). Just use a multimeter and test continuity with each pin. I'm sure after you map out one or two, you'll see the pattern and know what the rest of them do.

Tim