ok, i am not an electrical engineer.  just an architecture student.  for the life of me, i can't get the matrix to work with the maxim7219.  i've tried it with both the arduino and the wiring board.  i can get it to light up, i can get it to change.  but there does not seem to be any rhyme or reason to any changes that i make.

i have tried the simple matrix and sprite libraries.  they do stuff, but not what i think they are intended to do.  they pretty much freak out and flash(not in a good way) or just blink the entire matrix on or off. 

is it possible that i have fried the maxim chips?  i have been playing around with different power levels from none(just whatever gets there from being plugged into the datain, load, and clock) to 5v in the V+ and 10k RS +5V in the ISET.  it obviously gets brighter when i have it hooked up to the 5V, to the point where is is always on and seems not to change at all.

any help would be greatly appreciated.  i am probably just missing something stupid here.  and i do believe the matrix is built properly.  i can get every individual light to go on on its own without the use of the maxim.

i am just using the simple matrix and sprite code from the built in libraries.  they do different things, for sure.  the delays seem to work(meaning they will blink faster), but i don't seem to have any control over brightness control or changing the srpite in any meaningful way. 

for example, am i wrong in assuming that:
myMatrix.write(1, 5, HIGH);
means that the pixel in the first column and five rows down will be turned on, etc.

also, i don't seem to have the option(or don't know how) to upload pictures at this point, sorry.


Matrix myMatrix = Matrix(0, 2, 1);

void setup()
{
  myMatrix.setBrightness(15);
}

void loop()
{
  myMatrix.clear(); // clear display

  delay(100);

  // turn some pixels on
  myMatrix.write(1, 5, HIGH);
  myMatrix.write(2, 2, HIGH);
  myMatrix.write(2, 6, HIGH);
  myMatrix.write(3, 6, HIGH);
  myMatrix.write(4, 6, HIGH);
  myMatrix.write(5, 2, HIGH);
  myMatrix.write(5, 6, HIGH);
  myMatrix.write(6, 5, HIGH);

  delay(100);
}

ok.  Thanks.  here's the photos of my setup.




i do not have extra 5V going to this setup.  just the ground.  i've tried switching the 1 and 2 pins.  there seems to be some discrepency between the library code and the code in the samples built in to wiring as to whether load or clock is 1 or 2.  bur, regardless, i've tried both ways without consistent results.

is it possible that the chips are shot?  i've tried 2 chips with the same code and i get different results...but still results that don't seem to correspond to changes in the code.

thanks man.  any help here is greatly appreciated.

andy

hey,
this is what i've got going.  i've tried with the additional 5V(and 10k RS) and without.  with the additional it seems to be too much power, i think.  the whole grid lights up bright and does not even go off during a reset.  without the additional power i can get it to blink and such, just not with any reasoning.

thanks for looking into this.  much appreciated.

andy

no problem.  at your leisure.

if it makes a difference in the power consumption, i am using the following LED's

http://www.vishay.com/docs/83028/83028.pdf

thanks.

andy

i built my own.  i am quite sure that it works(famous last words).  i have tested each individual LED per row and column (cross reference without the use of the maxim chip).  just plugged them in as you would any LED. 

looks similar to this...
http://www.alexcicciu.com/blog/lightmatrix3.html
although this is not mine.  just don't have a picture handy right now.

hey Andy, I am very glad things worked out for you, let me know about your project, it would be great to have it on the exhibition section.