8 replies to this topic

[aylek]

Hey fellas, I'm interested in getting an LoL shield (along with a Memsic accelerometer) working with a netduino. I know, physically, the two are compatible, but are they electrically? Can the netduino drive that many LEDs *and* a Memsic accelerometer? EDIT: sorry forget to include a link to the LoL shield, http://jimmieprodger...kits/lolshield/

[Chris Walker]

I met Jimmie at MakerFaire Rhode Island and we're trying to find a way to make it work. Some of those shields require a lot of power from the digital pins directly--which the low-power ARM processor on the Netduino doesn't have. In the near future, both Jimmie and us will be playing with a Netduino/LoL shield combo to see what we can make work... It would certainly be cool! Chris

[aylek]

I met Jimmie at MakerFaire Rhode Island and we're trying to find a way to make it work. Some of those shields require a lot of power from the digital pins directly--which the low-power ARM processor on the Netduino doesn't have.

In the near future, both Jimmie and us will be playing with a Netduino/LoL shield combo to see what we can make work... It would certainly be cool!

Chris

Chris, so its possible to drive the LoL shield using an external driver? Hmm.. if thats the case, and since I'm a sw engineer trying on a hw eng's hat, can you recommend a driver I can use?

[Chris Walker]

Chris, so its possible to drive the LoL shield using an external driver? Hmm.. if thats the case, and since I'm a sw engineer trying on a hw eng's hat, can you recommend a driver I can use?

Not sure. I think you'd need to wire in external power and a large set of resistors. I'll know more as we play with it--but right now I just don't have any good info on the LoL shield.

I do have a pretty blue and white one here though. After World MakerFaire NY, perhaps I can break it out

Chris

[aylek]

Not sure. I think you'd need to wire in external power and a large set of resistors. I'll know more as we play with it--but right now I just don't have any good info on the LoL shield.

I do have a pretty blue and white one here though. After World MakerFaire NY, perhaps I can break it out

Chris

I back it!

[aylek]

Chris, on this note, is the netduino able to drive a smaller set of LEDs, without using external drivers? Maybe 11-12 LEDs?

[Chris Walker]

aylek, you can drive up to 160mA total from the Netduino's pins (see tech specs for details). 11-12 LEDs at 8mA each is no trouble.

[Kevin Hazzard]

aylek, you can drive up to 160mA total from the Netduino's pins (see tech specs for details). 11-12 LEDs at 8mA each is no trouble.

Hey Chris, any word on this? I have been trying to port the LoLShield Code to C#. The LoLShield on my N+ lights dozens of the LEDs when I permute enabling the analog and digital ports but I'm not sure it can drive enough to support an entire font, for example. I'm struggling with this code though from the Arduino:

    if (i < 6) {
        DDRD  = _BV(i+2) | displayBuffer[i*2];
        PORTD =            displayBuffer[i*2];

        DDRB  =            displayBuffer[i*2+1];
        PORTB =            displayBuffer[i*2+1];
    } else {
        DDRD =             displayBuffer[i*2];
        PORTD =            displayBuffer[i*2];

        DDRB  = _BV(i-6) | displayBuffer[i*2+1];
        PORTB =            displayBuffer[i*2+1];      
    } 

Is there any way set the Direction Direction Register from *safe* .NET code?

Thanks, Kevin

[Chris Walker]

Hey Chris, any word on this? I have been trying to port the LoLShield Code to C#. The LoLShield on my N+ lights dozens of the LEDs when I permute enabling the analog and digital ports but I'm not sure it can drive enough to support an entire font, for example. I'm struggling with this code though from the Arduino:

    if (i < 6) {
        DDRD  = _BV(i+2) | displayBuffer[i*2];
        PORTD =            displayBuffer[i*2];

        DDRB  =            displayBuffer[i*2+1];
        PORTB =            displayBuffer[i*2+1];
    } else {
        DDRD =             displayBuffer[i*2];
        PORTD =            displayBuffer[i*2];

        DDRB  = _BV(i-6) | displayBuffer[i*2+1];
        PORTB =            displayBuffer[i*2+1];      
    } 

Is there any way set the Direction Direction Register from *safe* .NET code?

Thanks, Kevin

Kevin,

No need to write low-level C memory access code. You can use the Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.TristatePort class to switch between Input and Output on the fly. If you don't need to switch back and forth, OutputPort is "direction out" and InputPort is "direction in".

Chris