6649 A place to share, learn, and grow... en-US Fri, 22 Jan 2016 00:19:10 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q http://forums.leaflabs.com/search.php http://forums.leaflabs.com/topic.php?id=10186&page=2#post-22383 Fri, 15 Feb 2013 01:24:23 +0000 crenn 22383@http://forums.leaflabs.com/ <p>Sweet! Good to know it works! Pity I don't drink beer, ginger beer though... maybe! </p> http://forums.leaflabs.com/topic.php?id=10186&page=2#post-22382 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 23:18:38 +0000 LostLess 22382@http://forums.leaflabs.com/ <p>Alright, I downloaded the library and wrote a quick program based on one of the examples to test. It works great! I had built a sample program that works with the bluetooth, and that one works fine as well.</p> <p>crenn, I certainly owe you a beer! Thanks! </p> http://forums.leaflabs.com/topic.php?id=10186&page=2#post-22378 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:32:43 +0000 crenn 22378@http://forums.leaflabs.com/ <p>Let me know if the library works, either here or in a new thread! </p> http://forums.leaflabs.com/topic.php?id=10186&page=2#post-22377 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 14:29:01 +0000 LostLess 22377@http://forums.leaflabs.com/ <p>That's very kind of you crenn...thanks again! I will try out the ported library. I think I can take it from here. After trying out the library, I am going to look at re-integrating the serial port code so I can use bluetooth. If there are any problems from here, I will start a new thread, as the problem is no longer identified with hardware. </p> http://forums.leaflabs.com/topic.php?id=10186&page=2#post-22373 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 06:19:50 +0000 crenn 22373@http://forums.leaflabs.com/ <p>Just finished porting the library, since I don't have the hardware to test, I can only confirm that the code compiles. Let me know if you have any problems with the library.</p> <p><a href="http://github.com/crenn/LPD8806" rel="nofollow">http://github.com/crenn/LPD8806</a> </p> http://forums.leaflabs.com/topic.php?id=10186&page=2#post-22372 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 02:33:25 +0000 crenn 22372@http://forums.leaflabs.com/ <p>The best solution I feel would be to port the library to allow easier coding for you. I'm not promising anything, but I'll take a look into it.</p> <p>The problems I feel your code was having is it wasn't doing the right number of latches, and all colours need to be ORed with 0x80 to ensure the LEDs received the appropriate data. </p> http://forums.leaflabs.com/topic.php?id=10186&page=2#post-22370 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 02:11:42 +0000 LostLess 22370@http://forums.leaflabs.com/ <p>crenn, your code works! It even works with my 4.8V battery! I don't even need the logic level converter...it works fine without it!</p> <p>So, it looks like the hardware situation is fine now. What I don't understand is why the code involving the opening of the serial port @ 115200 bps for the bluetooth modem causes a problem (by the way, the modem is still plugged in, so its power draw can't be an issue as far as I can see).</p> <p>What I am going to do now is try to add in the serial port code into yours to make a modified version and see what happens from there. </p> http://forums.leaflabs.com/topic.php?id=10186&page=2#post-22358 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 07:31:41 +0000 gbulmer 22358@http://forums.leaflabs.com/ <p>LostLess - The datasheet I eventually found (from Greeled Electronics) says the maximum speed for the LPD8806 clock/data signals is 20 MHz, but recommends 0~2 MHz, so speed might matter.</p> <p>Also if it works with one power supply, yet not another, it might be close to an edge of some sort, so it is worth backing-off.</p> <p><em>"... I have verified that Vcc out is working (it is outputting around 3.6V, but that's ok...I don't expect it to be exact)."</em><br /> I wouldn't expect Vcc to be exactly 3.3V, but 3.6V is high for Vcc (the STM32F maximum operating voltage range is 2V to 3.6V). Also AFAIK the voltage regulators are usually within 100mV (or better) when operating within their spec, so 3.6V seems odd. Can you disconnect everything from the Maple Mini and check the voltage on Vcc again? </p> http://forums.leaflabs.com/topic.php?id=10186&page=2#post-22356 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 02:05:35 +0000 crenn 22356@http://forums.leaflabs.com/ <p>The code I linked to doesn't actually bit bang.</p> <p>EDIT: So the code you're using when connected to the computer, actually works completely? Is the ground of the external power supply connected to the gnd of the Maple Mini? </p> http://forums.leaflabs.com/topic.php?id=10186&page=2#post-22354 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 01:07:14 +0000 LostLess 22354@http://forums.leaflabs.com/ <blockquote><p>Have you got a multimeter or something to double-check the voltage? You could wire an LED and current-limiting resistor across Vcc to ensure it's easy to see that something is happening. </p></blockquote> <p>Yes, I have a multimeter and I have verified that Vcc out is working (it is outputting around 3.6V, but that's ok...I don't expect it to be exact).</p> <blockquote><p>I notice your pastebin code uses SPI at 18MHz, which is pretty quick.<br /> I would be tempted to use simple bit-banging to drive the LED strip.<br /> Use two ordinary pins and digitalWrite, to drive the clock and data.</p> <p>Have you had the LEDs working at all? </p></blockquote> <p>I can try to slow down the speed, but I am not sure if it will make much difference. The LEDs do work, but only when the Maple Mini is connected to the PC. I don't have an Arduino unfortunately...</p> <p>@crenn:I will try to drop the frequency down to the suggested frequency of SPI_281_250KHZ. I just find it strange that at 18Mhz, when the Maple Mini is connected to the PC, everything works fine. If that does not work, I will try the bit banging code you suggested. </p> http://forums.leaflabs.com/topic.php?id=10186&page=2#post-22352 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 23:34:43 +0000 crenn 22352@http://forums.leaflabs.com/ <p>I'd suggest dropping the SPI speed to SPI_281_250KHZ as you might be able to see if there is any changes!</p> <p>Bit banging is also possible. From what I can see, with a few minor adjustments, you could actually use the library. I'd also try to simplify your code, just attempt to get a single colour written to the strip. Something like this:<br /> <a href="http://www.crennsmind.com/Code/Maple/LEDstriptest.pde" rel="nofollow">http://www.crennsmind.com/Code/Maple/LEDstriptest.pde</a> </p> http://forums.leaflabs.com/topic.php?id=10186&page=2#post-22349 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 14:33:04 +0000 gbulmer 22349@http://forums.leaflabs.com/ <p>LostLess - <em>"Just to make sure, do I have to enable that port in my code, or is Vcc already outputting 3.3V?"</em></p> <p>If the Maple Mini is being powered then Vcc is providing 3.3V.<br /> Vcc isn't connected to a port, but directly to a voltage regulator. Have you got a multimeter or something to double-check the voltage? You could wire an LED and current-limiting resistor across Vcc to ensure it's easy to see that something is happening.</p> <p>I notice your pastebin code uses SPI at 18MHz, which is pretty quick.<br /> I would be tempted to use simple bit-banging to drive the LED strip.<br /> Use two ordinary pins and digitalWrite, to drive the clock and data.</p> <p>Have you had the LEDs working at all?<br /> Have you got an Arduino, so that you could use Adafruits code <a href="https://github.com/adafruit/LPD8806" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/adafruit/LPD8806</a> </p> http://forums.leaflabs.com/topic.php?id=10186&page=2#post-22347 Mon, 11 Feb 2013 23:13:38 +0000 LostLess 22347@http://forums.leaflabs.com/ <p>@gbulmer: I see. Thank you for the clarification.</p> <p>I tried connecting Vcc to the low voltage pin of the logic level converter...still nothing. I suspect something may be wrong with the data (SCLK, MOSI) connections on the LPD8806...I will double check those. Otherwise, everything seems intact. Just to make sure, do I have to enable that port in my code, or is Vcc already outputting 3.3V? </p> http://forums.leaflabs.com/topic.php?id=10186#post-22345 Mon, 11 Feb 2013 21:54:21 +0000 gbulmer 22345@http://forums.leaflabs.com/ <p>LostLess - yes Vcc.</p> <p>The Maple IDE language is close to Arduino IDE language, but it isn't identical. LeafLabs aimed to make some of the extra features of the STM32F available, so it wasn't going to match exactly.</p> <p>Arduino and Maple both use C++ (not a subset). A source of confusion is they use a bit of pre-processing to remove the need to #include a header file, and it auto-magically creates function declarations at the top of the source file (which does make it easier for newbies to get started, and oldies to hack something together quickly). There is a bit of error message processing too. Otherwise, it's C++ </p> http://forums.leaflabs.com/topic.php?id=10186#post-22340 Mon, 11 Feb 2013 14:46:45 +0000 LostLess 22340@http://forums.leaflabs.com/ <blockquote><p>LostLess - could you just use the 3.3V output by the Maple Mini instead of a battery? </p></blockquote> <p>Not long after posting my update, I realized that Vcc could work. Is that what you are referring to? I could use it, and I will try later today.</p> <blockquote><p>Can you use pastebin so we can look at your code? Are you using Adafruit's library? </p></blockquote> <p>Here's the pastebin to my code: <a href="http://pastebin.com/4Xt5gL2W" rel="nofollow">http://pastebin.com/4Xt5gL2W</a>. I'm not using Adafruit's library because it looked like it needed translation (isn't the language used in the Maple IDE a subset of C/C++?); I may reconsider using it at a later date.</p> <p>As for the information about the Rx's, thanks crenn. However, yes, I don't think that this is an issue here as the communication is one way between the Maple Mini and the LPD8806. </p>