5x7 LED Matrix Scrolling Display

[roycarlson]

First - I am new to PBP and Pic Chips and only have little experience using the Basic Stamp from Parallax. It was suggested to me to switch to PBP and Pics if I truly wanted to learn how to use the chips in various applications.

Now - I have purchase PB Professional and upgraded to 2.50, purchased the Pickit2 from MicroChip along with getting several Pic Chips from 8 to 40 pins to play/program with.

I was starting to learn to program the Parallax SX using SX Basic so I switched and sold all my Parallax items to focus and learn Pic Chips using PBP.

I have always wanted to develop a 5x7 LED scrolling display and have purchased and built a kit that include 4ea 5x7 LED modules, a socket for a 40 Pin Pic and two 74HC425 chips for shifting the row data. As this was purchased on ebay, I now come to learn there wasn't any sample software or preprogrammed Pic Chip to experiment with.

My questions is this:

I would like to have help or sample basic program to experiment with this board using either a 16F877 or 16F887 chip. The board is complete and has 4 5x7 RG LED modules in place along with 2 switches (power/red or green selector) and 3 additional switches that can be used within the program to select subroutines or text to display.

If you go to this website you can find the schematic of the board: www.rafatronics.com

[skimask]

I have always wanted to develop a 5x7 LED scrolling display and have purchased and built a kit that include 4ea 5x7 LED modules, a socket for a 40 Pin Pic and two 74HC425 chips for shifting the row data. As this was purchased on ebay, I now come to learn there wasn't any sample software or preprogrammed Pic Chip to experiment with.

That's what you get with flea-bay...

I would like to have help or sample basic program to experiment with this board using either a 16F877 or 16F887 chip. The board is complete and has 4 5x7 RG LED modules in place along with 2 switches (power/red or green selector) and 3 additional switches that can be used within the program to select subroutines or text to display.

You'd learn a heck-of-a-lot more by writing code that doesn't work, posting that non-working code, and asking for assistance in figuring out why it doesn't work, than you would if you were to just cut-and-paste somebody else's working code...unless all you really want is instant gratification...
A lot of people here know a lot of things about a lot of stuff. And I will suggest, heavily suggest, starting off simple and slow, blink one led, blink 3 leds, blink 3 leds and control them with a couple of switches, and so on and so on.

www.rafatronics.com

Ya, that doesn't work so well..

[Patrick Pending]

I agree with Skimask.

Start at the beginning and work forwards, it is essential to understand the basics before you try to grapple with anything more complex.

Good luck

[roycarlson]

Sorry Guys,

Please forgive me for stepping on your skills and asking for direction to some sample code to use as a backdrop to getting a 5x7 Matrix Display working.

I know I should learn from scratch all over again as I spent last year working through several of Parallax's beginner courses to get the basics. I am neither a software or microchop professional - only a hobbyist looking to learn to build things and have fun.

It is probably me that is in error - but your replys seemed to condem me for not starting with the basic lesson (which I did by buying two books and the PicKit2 along with the 44 Pin demo board.

Moving over from Parallax Basic to PicBasicPro is very different in that a lot more pre conditioning has to take place for the software to work with the many different chips that are out there to use.

I have also gone through lessons using PicAxe chips and was directed to PBasic & Pics by Reynold's Electronics as a means to save money - not true.

All I wanted to know is if anyone has developed software to run 4 - 5x7 LED Matrix Displays and what 40 Pin PIC would work best to program. I stated that the board I purchased and built uses 2 74HC425 chips to control the rows and 20 3904 transistors to control the columns.

The website listed for the part I built was working when posted.

IN CLOSING - HOW DO I REMOVE MY POST OR EDIT?

[Archangel]

Sorry Guys,

Please forgive me for stepping on your skills and asking for direction to some sample code to use as a backdrop to getting a 5x7 Matrix Display working.

I know I should learn from scratch all over again as I spent last year working through several of Parallax's beginner courses to get the basics. I am neither a software or microchop professional - only a hobbyist looking to learn to build things and have fun.

It is probably me that is in error - but your replys seemed to condem me for not starting with the basic lesson (which I did by buying two books and the PicKit2 along with the 44 Pin demo board.

Moving over from Parallax Basic to PicBasicPro is very different in that a lot more pre conditioning has to take place for the software to work with the many different chips that are out there to use.

I have also gone through lessons using PicAxe chips and was directed to PBasic & Pics by Reynold's Electronics as a means to save money - not true.

All I wanted to know is if anyone has developed software to run 4 - 5x7 LED Matrix Displays and what 40 Pin PIC would work best to program. I stated that the board I purchased and built uses 2 74HC425 chips to control the rows and 20 3904 transistors to control the columns.

The website listed for the part I built was working when posted.

IN CLOSING - HOW DO I REMOVE MY POST OR EDIT?

Hi Roy,
I would ask that you reconsider, I do not believe anyone is condemming you, So many beginners come with wide eyes and plans for projects beyond their abilities and end up frustrated believing this is impossible, that's all. That said here is a link for starters:
http://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=3739, as I get time I will look for others.
Oh and speaking of Bruce, here is a tidbit ON HIS WEBSITE : http://www.rentron.com/PicBasic/Movi...ge_Display.htm there appears to be more than 1 example here including links to one in C.
http://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=6033
here is something using shift registers: http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-...ift-registers/
using PIC:http://www.instructables.com/id/EI8L4C81FIEV2ZF7JP/

<marquee scrolldelay="125" width="50%"> Nobody leaves here hungry, unless they want to. </marquee>

[Bruce]

Dang Joe, you're getting good at posting here. The scrolling text thing was pretty cool..:}

Roy;

Don't get upset by what people post here in response to something you're looking for that's relatively complex, especially when the link you provide to a schematic isn't available, and no one can download a copy to look at - in an attempt to help you.

Skimask & Patrick Pending both assumed, by your stating

First - I am new to PBP and Pic Chips

that you were a complete newbie, and had no idea how to get started even blinking an LED.

I know this may sound harsh, but it really is excellent advice. Assuming someone's just getting started. Just blinking an LED tells you quite a lot beleive it or not.

1. Your programmer is working as expected.
2. Your config settings are probably OK.
3. Your oscillator is working.
4. The circuit you have assembled is probably OK.
5. Your compiler is working.

And several other things. It's not that anyone here is trying to give you a hard time - they just want to make sure newbies understand a few basic proceedures before they spend a boat-load of time trying to help them figure out something more complex.

If you show some attempt at getting this to work, I.E. you have a simple example of code you have put together that doesn't work, I really think the folks here will jump in head-over-heels to help you get it sorted out.

There's an amazing amount of talent here, and most will do back-flips to help someone out, but they will normally want to see at least a modest effort on the part of the person submitting a request for help first. Not just - here's what I want to do - here's a schematic, give me some code to get started.

I think if you can at least post a schematic, and be specific about what you're looking to do, 'maybe with a note: I have no idea how to get started' - you'll find this forum better than any other you can find.

I have also gone through lessons using PicAxe chips and was directed to PBasic & Pics by Reynold's Electronics as a means to save money - not true.

Which part of this is not true?

A PIC18F2431 costs only $7.68 in qty of 1, and can run rings around the fastest Stamp, and has built in hardware peripherals like timers, counters, hardware PWM, USART, I2C, SPI, motion control module, power control PWM, and a host of other features.

What would it cost to add these peripherals to a $50.00 BASIC Stamp module with zero built-in peripherals? Now figure that times 10 or more projects.

BASIC Stamps are very cool, but a $3.00 PIC can replace one, and it has a ton of built-in hardware peripherals that would cost a lot more to add to any Stamp project. And you're not yanking that $50.00 Stamp module out of every project for the next once since a PIC is much less expensive, and can be left there.

If you're serious about learning this stuff, stick around. There's a lot of talent here just waiting to help....;o}

[roycarlson]

Sorry for the hasty remarks. I will dig more and see what I can find online regarding using 74HC425 chips and Pic Chips to control a string of LEDs.

[skimask]

If you'll re-read my post, you'll find little negativity directed squarely AT you...

That's what you get with flea-bay...

Generic eBay contempt. You get what you pay for. Buyer beware. That sort of thing.

You'd learn a heck-of-a-lot more by writing code that doesn't work, posting that non-working code, and asking for assistance in figuring out why it doesn't work, than you would if you were to just cut-and-paste somebody else's working code...unless all you really want is instant gratification...

Generic 'the way things are these days' statement. If you wanted an pre-built pre-programmed project, I'm sure there's a 100 different places to buy stuff like this. And it'll most likely save your money buying stuff you end up not needing and your time trying to learn.

A lot of people here know a lot of things about a lot of stuff. And I will suggest, heavily suggest, starting off simple and slow, blink one led, blink 3 leds, blink 3 leds and control them with a couple of switches, and so on and so on.

Again, if you want to learn, post some non-working code that you may or may not have written. You'll get hints on how to make it work, heck, maybe even a link to a working solution if your lucky.

Ya, that doesn't work so well..

Just saying that link to that website was dead.

Please forgive me for stepping on your skills

Ain't stepping on anybody here...at least I don't think so...

and asking for direction to some sample code to use as a backdrop to getting a 5x7 Matrix Display working.

Sounded more like asking for working code to a finished project.

I know I should learn from scratch all over again as I spent last year working through several of Parallax's beginner courses to get the basics.

The PIC and PBP are a far cry from the Stamps and the like. With the stamps, you tell the taxi where you want to go. With PBP, you have to give the taxi driver directions.

I am neither a software or microchop professional - only a hobbyist looking to learn to build things and have fun.

That's exactly what the overwhelming majority of us here are...hobbyists. Only a few people around here are in it for the money.

It is probably me that is in error - but your replys seemed to condem me for not starting with the basic lesson (which I did by buying two books and the PicKit2 along with the 44 Pin demo board.

Question is...Did you actually start with the basics or jump into the deep end expecting everything to work the first time around?

All I wanted to know is if anyone has developed software to run 4 - 5x7 LED Matrix Displays and what 40 Pin PIC would work best to program. I stated that the board I purchased and built uses 2 74HC425 chips to control the rows and 20 3904 transistors to control the columns.

Again, sounded like you wanted a finished product.

The website listed for the part I built was working when posted.

Ya, it happens...

IN CLOSING - HOW DO I REMOVE MY POST OR EDIT?

No need for that...