Particle Photon and Adafruit 32x64 RGB LED Matrix

Firmware Libraries
1

So Adafruit just recently came out with a 32x64 RGB LED matrix. I got one of these and bought my Photon. I have everything hooked into the Photon, and when supplied power, I can light different colors from the Tinker app, but I can’t seem to find a library to help controller the matrix more easily.

Maybe there is a library, and I’m just not using it correctly, this is my first time with a Photon and I have a project I’d like to work on to display at my University’s Open House.

Does anybody have an idea of where I should start? I’d rather not write a new library if I didn’t need to, but I’m about to graduate with my Software Engineering degree, so that’s not entirely out of the question.

Thanks,
Alex

1 Like
2

@neises can you possibly provide a link to the product you are referring to?

3

@peekay123

Yup, sorry about that.

Here it is.

4

@neises, NICE!!! Oddly enough, if you check out the RGBPongClock topic, I’ve developed a shield for driving such display (shameless plug, sorry). I am in the process of updating the RGBMatrixPanel library for the Photon which uses the SparkIntervalTimer library, also recently updated. :smile:

2 Likes
5

@peekay123

I’m doing everything on a breadboard right now, I’ll probably design a shield for what I plan on doing with it. I just need to be able to control the matrix!

The libraries I’ve seen are only for the 16x16 and 16x32 boards, so this is new territory. I don’t think the Photon will have trouble controlling the board, it has enough RAM to handle it. I just need to find a way to talk to it.

6

I’ve been controling two 32x32 panels side by side (32x64) successfully with that very library on a Core, so the lib and the Photon are definetly up to the task.

And @peekay123 is the best you can get hold of (in this and many other fields :wink: )

7

So I’m assuming the Photon just came out? It seems like a lot of the libraries haven’t been updated to work flawlessly on the Photon? Is that correct or am I just needing to research things a bit more?

8

@neises, that is correct. Which libraries are you referring to specifically?

9

@peekay123

Specifically the ones used to control various LEDs on the RGB Matrix.

10

@neises, I have an RGBMatrixPanel library that is available for the Core and now running on the Photon but not yet up on my repo. Is that what you mean?

11

@peekay123
Yup!

12

Can the elites and developers confirm support for the Matrix Panels listed here?

OLIMEX 8X8 RGB LED Matrix:-
http://www.mouser.in/ProductDetail/Olimex-Ltd/MOD-LED8X8RGB/?qs=%2Fha2pyFadujLLxcflAKdMB3SEtqscMCFfpajQlIqBRDL%2bcCDJWVaHihJcIiXxg50

Adafruit Accessories NeoPixel Shield for Arduino - 40 RGB LED:-
http://www.mouser.in/ProductDetail/Adafruit/1430/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMu%2bmKbOcEVhFQfi8wYXkauJ80MjjZf9EA2%2FWrumTsI%2FMg%3D%3D

Adafruit Accessories NeoPixel NeoMatrix 8x8 64 RGB LED:-
http://www.mouser.in/ProductDetail/Adafruit/1487/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMu%2bmKbOcEVhFQfi8wYXkauJdPkJg%2Fbcz7085BCA3Tr6EA%3D%3D

Adafruit 8X8 LED Matrix:-
http://www.mouser.in/ProductDetail/Adafruit/1857/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMsMyYRRhGMFNnv0RuuglL6glJOxMqgpZmw%3D

13

Particle

12 / 12

neises
Sep '15
@peekay123

Yup, sorry about that.

Here it is.44

peekay123
Elite
Sep '15
@neises, NICE!!! Oddly enough, if you check out the RGBPongClock topic, I’ve developed a shield for driving such display (shameless plug, sorry). I am in the process of updating the RGBMatrixPanel library for the Photon which uses the SparkIntervalTimer library, also recently updated. smile

2 Likes

neises
Sep '15
@peekay123

I’m doing everything on a breadboard right now, I’ll probably design a shield for what I plan on doing with it. I just need to be able to control the matrix!

The libraries I’ve seen are only for the 16x16 and 16x32 boards, so this is new territory. I don’t think the Photon will have trouble controlling the board, it has enough RAM to handle it. I just need to find a way to talk to it.

ScruffR
Elite
Sep '15
I’ve been controling two 32x32 panels side by side (32x64) successfully with that very library on a Core, so the lib and the Photon are definetly up to the task.

And @peekay123 is the best you can get hold of (in this and many other fields wink )

neises
Sep '15
So I’m assuming the Photon just came out? It seems like a lot of the libraries haven’t been updated to work flawlessly on the Photon? Is that correct or am I just needing to research things a bit more?

peekay123
Elite
Sep '15
@neises, that is correct. Which libraries are you referring to specifically?

neises
Sep '15
@peekay123

Specifically the ones used to control various LEDs on the RGB Matrix.

peekay123
Elite
Sep '15
@neises, I have an RGBMatrixPanel library that is available for the Core and now running on the Photon but not yet up on my repo. Is that what you mean?

neises
Sep '15
@peekay123
Yup!

8 MONTHS LATER

ilak2k
5h
Can the elites and developers confirm support for the Matrix Panels listed here?

OLIMEX 8X8 RGB LED Matrix:-
http://www.mouser.in/ProductDetail/Olimex-Ltd/MOD-LED8X8RGB/?qs=%2Fha2pyFadujLLxcflAKdMB3SEtqscMCFfpajQlIqBRDL%2bcCDJWVaHihJcIiXxg50

Adafruit Accessories NeoPixel Shield for Arduino - 40 RGB LED:-
http://www.mouser.in/ProductDetail/Adafruit/1430/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMu%2bmKbOcEVhFQfi8wYXkauJ80MjjZf9EA2%2FWrumTsI%2FMg%3D%3D1

Adafruit Accessories NeoPixel NeoMatrix 8x8 64 RGB LED:-
http://www.mouser.in/ProductDetail/Adafruit/1487/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMu%2bmKbOcEVhFQfi8wYXkauJdPkJg%2Fbcz7085BCA3Tr6EA%3D%3D

Adafruit 8X8 LED Matrix:-
http://www.mouser.in/ProductDetail/Adafruit/1857/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMsMyYRRhGMFNnv0RuuglL6glJOxMqgpZmw%3D

14

Hi @ilak2k

You posted this under a new topic but it is the same post you put here, so I moved it. I am sure @peekay123 will answer but he is traveling so it may take a day or so.

I do not understand the parts above your actual question. Can you edit your post to say what you mean please?

15

@ilak2k, the Olimex unit you refer to is designed for the TI MPS430 so there is no Particle library for it that I am aware of.

The Neopixel shields can be used with tHe web IDE Neopixel and Neopixel Matrix libraries.

I believe there may be a driver for the Adafruit 1857 unit.

None of these units is compatible with the RGB Matrix Panel shield or library.

1 Like
16

Hello all

I am trying to get my Adafruit LED Matrix to work with my Photon.
This Matrix: https://www.adafruit.com/product/1484

Now i have noticed that @peekay123 mentioned a shield he designed, but i cant seem to find it.
Can you help me with that?

Thanks in advance

17

@faziban, I have no boards left for sale. However, I intend to post the PCB on OSHPark soon along with a Bill of Materials so you can assemble your own.

1 Like
18

That would be awesome! The main purpose of that shield is it to convert the 3.3V outputs of the particle photon to the 5V Outputs the matrix needs, right?

19

@faziban, nope. I haven’t found a panel that doesn’t work with the 3.3v GPIO yet! The shield simplifies the wiring between a Photon and a panel.

1 Like
20

@peekay123 oh wow okay… so i seem to be doing something else wrong aswell…
Im useing the example code of the RGBMatrixPanel Library… To be spesific, the “testshapes32x32” file. And there is clearly stated the wiring of the Photon. I have tried the old and the new version, and neither of them seem to be working. Also the other needed connections are made, like r2, b2, g2, and so on.
Any idea what i could be doing wrong? Btw thank you already for that quick reply! i didnt expect that! youre saving my behind haha