Hey folks, I am a software guy new to the hardware side of things and trying to learn my way around combining the two. Any help would be much appreciated.
I am working on a project to drive some LEDs under my cabinets with Photon. I can write the code logic no problem once I understand the addressing of how to get the logic to the pins/memory. I am using this device - PCA-9532 and a photon power shield. I am ultimately wanting to send PWM to the 9532. Here is the 9532 datasheet.
Below is a a sample code set. I understand the begin and end parts but the comments combined with the write functions are confusing the heck out of me. Could someone help walk me through what is doing what here and how I could have derived it from the data sheet? I know this is asking quite a bit but kind of lost here and if I can figure out one of these I figure I can get the rest too.
Basically what are each of the writes doing and how should I have figured it out from the datasheet? Are they sending a value or am I supposed to put a value in there and the current hex is an address?
What does a frequency prescaler of (0x01) mean/do?
How does Wire.write(0x4B) mean blink for .5 secs?
etc…?
Thanks a million. Sorry for the oh-so-beginner questions.
@ScruffR, not in a ton of detail but they seemed like they were more for complex/artsy type of work and didn’t put off nearly as much light in the color (cool white) that I wanted. Plus this is an awesome way for me to get more familiar with this stuff because I really do want to get good at this. I love it and I can do the code just gotta figure out how to merge the code and the hardware.
Adafruit carries Neopixels with true Cool White LED’s in them along with the RGB leds. The good news is that there is a library ready to go with the Photon and Electrons which makes things much easier.
Perfect! I’m almost following the walkthrough on page 13.
Questions are still:
What are the symbols in I2C-bus column? Such as C0h for address with A0 to A2 = LOW?
I can’t use the symbols like “BLINK” and “PWM0” or anything, right? I have to select the address and then send the bits, right?
Below is my attempt at the example on pg. 13 with comments in case someone else finds it useful someday.
#define Addr 0x60
Wire.begin();
delay(300);
Wire.beginTransmission(Addr);
//Select Prescaler 0 Register
Wire.write(0x01);
//Write 151 to signify period to 1 second) 0x97 = 151
Wire.write(0x97);
Wire.endTransmission();
/*...begin
Select binary 010 using hex 0x02*/
Wire.write(0x02);
//Set PWM0 Duty Cycle value = 25% of total = 256/4 = 64 = 0x40
Wire.write(0x40);
/*...end*/
/*...begin*/
/*Select LED0 to LED3 to ON. not including all begin/ends anymore*/
/* Select LED0 Register */
Wire.write(0x05);
/*Write ON (01) for each bit of each LED in this register to send ON to LED*/
/* write 01010101 (0x55) to send ON to each LED in LS0*/
Wire.write(0x55);
/*...end*/
/* Write PWM0 values (10) for LED 4-5 and
PWM1 (11) Values for LED 6-7 (10101111) = (0xAF) */
/* begin/ends assumed */
/* select LS1 */
Wire.write(0x06);
/* write PWM0 for 4-5 and PWM1 for 6-7 */
Wire.write(0xAA);
C0h is the code (in hex, that's what the h is) that you need to send to address a particular slave, in this case, one whose address is 0 (A0, A1, and A2 all zero). If you look at 6.1 Device Address in the data sheet, you will see that the register has a fixed part, the 7th and 8th bits, that are set to 1; that would equal 192 or C0 in hex.
I can't use the symbols like "BLINK" and "PWM0" or anything, right? I have to select the address and then send the bits, right?
Thanks guys. Makes sense. I’m used to JAVA and Scala where we never look at bits (almost never). takes some getting used to.
Below is a simplified program that looks like it’s working.
LED Register 0 - On
LED Register 1 - On via PWM at 25%
Obviously I can set case statements and what not from here to change actions based on some variable.
Thanks so much for your help.
void loop()
{
//BLINK LEDS
//Set 1 second period for prescaler0
writePreScaler("0x01", "0x97");
//Turn all LEDs on for LED Register 0
writeValsToLED("0x05", "0x55");
//PWM LEDs
//Set max blink rate for prescaler1
writePreScaler("0x02", "0x00")
//Set Duty Cycle to PWM1 Register to 25%
writePWM("0x04", "0x40")
//Send PWM val to all LEDs on LED Register 1
writeValsToLED("0x06", "0xFF")
delay(500);
}
void writePreScaler(String preScaleReg, String blinkHex) {
Wire.beginTransmission(Addr);
Wire.write(preScaleReg);
Wire.write(blinkHex);
Wire.endTransmission();
}
void writeValsToLED(String ledReg, String ledVal) {
Wire.beginTransmission(Addr);
Wire.write(ledreg);
Wire.write(ledVal);
Wire.endTransmission();
}
Should I be able to see the ON from LED Register 0 via a voltmeter from those out (1 to ground 1 to, say PIN0)?
On the PWM, should I be getting an average reading in Vs of approx 25% of output voltage? or does it work like that with volt meters? Trying to test outputs before I stick LEDs on there.
On/Off you should be able to measure with a V-meter, but PWM is a bit more tricky - depending on the quality of your meter and the PWM periode you may be able to get a “stable” reading or not.
PWM is best measured with an oscillograph.
I also came to realize that I don’t actually need that board at all. I wound up just plugging my photon directly into the PWM LED Amp’s PWM input control and viola.
I couldn’t make the data get to the LED Amp through the board, either I’m not pulling something up or down correctly or I am not communicating/addressing the boards correctly.