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2014

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Tutorial:108LEDMatrix+Arduino
BysohilpatelinArduino,Tutorial

October12,2011

18Comments

In this tutorial I will show you how to build a quite fancy 8 by 10 L.E.D matrix(with scrolling text and
animations)usingtheArduinoand4017decadecounter.Thistypeofmatrixiseasytomakeandprogramand
itisagoodwaylearnaboutmultiplexing.

Components:
1.80L.E.D.s
2.8resistors(ThevalueisdetermentbythetypeofL.E.D.s)
3.4017decadecounter
4.101KOhmresistors
5.102N3904transistors
6.Somesinglecorewire
7.GCB
8.Arduino

Step1:HowtochooseLEDs
Thisisoneofthemostimportantpartofthisproject,becauseitbasedonLEDsitsverycriticaltochoosethe
rightones.Irecommendusing5mmdiffusedLEDsbecausetheygiveagoodamountoflightandmakeaclear
image.
Step2:SolderingtheMatrix
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SolderingtheLEDmatrixisaverytrickything,therearealotofwaystodoitandIwillgiveyoumine.

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YouneedtoconnectallthepositiveleadsoftheLEDsincolumnsandthenegativeleadinrows.
NowyoudothisbytakingthepositiveleadofthefirstLEDandbenditdowntotheotherLEDs,solderthe
pinswhichtoucheachother,fromheretakethelastleadthat
yousolderedandbenditagaindownandrepeattillyouhaveallthepositiveleadsconnectedinthecolumn.
sniptheleadsthatyoudidntuse.
Nowthetrickypartisconnectingthenegativepinsinarowbecauseyoucantbendthemandsolderlikeyou
didwiththepositiveleads.Mymethodsaveslotsoftimeandisalotsimpler.Thetrickistoputsometapeor
simpleadhesivetapeonthecolumnsconnectionstoisolatethemfromthenegativepinsandifyoudothatyou
canbendthenegativeleadstooandconnectthemlikeyoudidwiththepositiveones.
Circuit:

Connections:
Viaaresistoryouconnecteachcolumntothearduino(pins07).
Theresetpinofthe4017goestopin8onthearduinoandtheclockpingoestopin9onthearduino.
Step3:Multiplexing?
Sowhatismultiplexing:
Itisbasicallyawaytosplitinformationintolittlepeacesandsenditonebyone.
thiswayyoucansavealotofpinsontheArduinoandkeepyourprogramquitesimple.
Inourcasewesplittheimagethatwewanttodisplayto10peaces(10rows),Wewanttoscantherowsofthe
matrix(lightuponerowatatime)andsendinfofromthe
Arduinotothecolumns.
AllthecolumnsarepositivesoftheLEDsandtherowsarenegativessoifthefirstrowisconnectedtoground
andwesendinformationtothecolumnswewillonlylight
thefirstrow.
Togetagooddisplayweneedtoscantherowsveryfast,sofastthethehumaneyethinksthatalloftherows
areconnectedatthesametime.
WhyIC4017:
ForthisLEDmatrixIwantedtousethisusefulIC.
HeresagoodsitetolearnthebasicsofthisIC:http://www.doctronics.co.uk/4017.htm
The4017decadecounterisusedtoallowmultiplexing.

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ThisICbasicallyscanstherowsofthematrix(lightsuponerowatatime).
Inourcasewewanttoconnecttherowstogroundbutthe4017doesntbuildtosinkcurrent,sotosolvethis
littleproblemweneedtouseatransistorwitharesistor.
The 4017 has 10 output pins so we need 10 resistors and 10 transistors, we connect the 1K resistors to the
outputsofthe4017andthebaseofthetransistortotheother
endoftheresistor.
Thenweconnectthecollectorsofthetransistortotherowsandtheemittertotheground.
(YoucanalsouseBC547npntransistor)

Step4:Programming>
havewrittenalittleprogramtomakescrollingtextandaddedallthelettersandnumber
(lotsofwork),Iusedportsformyprogrambecauseitsavesspaceandeasiertohandle.
IfyoudontknowhowtoworkwithportsonthearduinoIrecommendtogoonthearduiowebsitealearn
beforeyoustart.
herealink:http://arduino.cc/en/Reference/PortManipulation
If you want to make your own images I have made a little excel tool that will make writing images a lot
easier.whichyoucanfindinthezipfolderwhichIattachedattheend.
Andthelastthingsistonotforgettounplugpins0and1whenyouuploadyourprogrambecausethispins
alsousedascommunicationpinsandmaycausesomeerrorswiththeprogram.

TheBisforArduino
Language,sodontworry
aboutit.
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DownloadProjectfilesfromHere
Yupiii!!!Itsdone.
Iwillhappyifyoumakethisanddontforgettopostyourvideohere.
Youcancheckmyvideo.

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