MobiFlight Community Support

I know that there have been some requests for display drivers other than MAX7219. Is there any chance at all that we could get some flexibility to use different driver chips, like TM1637? I have found a SUPER inexpensive 6-digit board with TM1637 driver chip on it. it's the perfect board for radios, etc. And since it's TM1637, only 2 lines (DIO and CLK) to drive it! Please consider letting us drive this board.

Thanks,
Buddym

P.S. I have tried a bribe with 30 euro donation!!

Buddy,

This can be done, there is an Arduino library for the TM1637 that supports up 99 displays on 2 pins!

The difficult issue is the GUI changes. The Display Module could have a Pins pull down for 2 or 3 pins. That would have to ripple throughout the program. 2 pins could be the trigger for the TM1637 instead of the MAX chip.

But, are there other 7 segment modules that are popular? We need to consider them in the design. If you find any please share the info.

Also can you add links to the 6 digit modules please? White is the latest Boeing colour I think, amber before that.

cheers
Paul

Hi Paul,

I have the lib and have code running on them, but just using my own code and Link2FS. I love Mobiflight and would love to use these modules with it for several reasons:

1. The digits are .36" so they are the correct size for most cockpit applications.
2. The boards are already assembled, and available with 3,4,5, or 6 digits.
3. The boards are available in different color digits, amber, white, blue.
4. The boards are VERY inexpensive compared to building your own 7219 driver boards and assembling digits on Opencockpits displays PCBs.
5. The PCBs are very high quality and work very well.



Link to the blue displays PCB are below, this same seller has white and amber as well.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/6-Digit-LED-0-36-Display-Tube-decimal-7-segments-BLUE-TM1637-disp-size-46x14mm/32797225659.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.5Y0QCj

Hi Paul,
I'm interested in this as well!
I can use Link2FS but rather use MobiFlight as Buddy mentions.
So just wanted you to know that there are more of us out there wanting support for TM1637.
I have a few displays purchased from AliExpress and I gladly donate some of them to you (free shipping from Norway) if that would help(!)

Best regards
Jarle
Norway

Hallo Stephan,

Ich habe bei mir die roten Displays auch rausgeworfen und mir Display mit 5 Digits in weiß zugelegt und angeschlossen.

Könntest Du bitte mir sagen, wie Du die Digits angeschlossen hast?
Ein 7219-Module hat 2 x 12 Anschlüsse. Soweit ich weiß, hat ein 5-Bits-Display 13 Anschlüsse!
Schaltplan?

Danke im Voraus.

Dula

Hi

Bitte keine Uralt Topics aus der Leichenhalle holen. ... Besonders wenn der Thread rein gar nix mit deiner Frage zu tun hat

Für genaue Schaltpläne kann dir Stephan bestimmt seinen Guide (Deutsch) per Email zusenden.
Du solltest ihm deine Adresse übermitteln.... Gerne hier im Forum wenn du willst.... Ich kann sie wieder Raus löschen wenn ihr Kontakt aufgebaut habt !

Vorweg eine kurze Schnellhilfe:

Die Max Module sind relativ logisch aufgebaut....

Hier ein Bild..... https://www.mobiflight.com/forum/message/10260.html Sollte bei fast allen Tubes so stimmen.

jede Max7219 Seite hat 12 Pins ( Da es ja 4 Diggit Blöcke sind) Dein 5er hat 13 Pins ( weil 1 Diggit mehr drauf ist)

Folge:
Du brauchst für das Display 7x Segmentpins 1x Decimalpoint und 5x Cathode ( Eins je diggit)
Auf dem Max nimmst du von der Linken Seite alle 12 Pins ( 7x Seg 1x DP und 4x Cathode ) Und von der Rechten seite nimmst du nur einen Pin... Den für das 1. Diggit dieses Blocks..... und das muss logischerweise auf das 5. Diggit deines Displays verkabelt werden.

Wichtig zu wissen.... Die Segmentpins und der Decimalpoint sind auf dem MAX Tube "geteilt".... Sprich auf den Linken und Rechten Pinblock sind die gleichen Anschlüsse. Somit kannst du auch alle diggits auf der einen Seite anschließen ( Außer den Cathodes natürlich)

Hi Dula,

da hast du völlig Recht.

Die 12 Anschlüsse bei einem 4er Digit setzen sich zusammen aus 7 x Segmente (A-G) + Dezimalstellet=8 + 4 x gemeinsame Kathode jedes Digits = 12.

Wenn du nun ein 5. Digit anschließt, sind ja die 7 Segmente des 5. Digits ebenfalls parallel zu den anderen angeschlossen, die Dezimalstelle auch. Das sind dann immer noch 12 Anschlüsse. Neu hinzu kommt lediglich die gemeinsame Kathode des 5. Digits. Dann sind es 13.
Das 5. Digit wäre dann das erste Digit vom 2. 4er-Block.

Wenn du das auch umbauen möchtest, schreib mich per mail an: stephanho ( a t ) t-online.de.
Ich schicke dir dann meine Unterlagen zu.

Vielen Dank für Eure Hilfe.

Hi...the TMS1651 has only 7 segment driver pins and 4 digit driver pins (unlike tms1637 which has 8 segment and 6 digit pins). So to enable them to drive the colon, alarm and pm indicators, the manufacturers connected them instead of 3 of digit 1's segments. In this case the manufacturer has fixed standard of PCB Assembly to keep the baord as large selling product and provide less trouble to customers. After all, if you only need to display the time in 12-hour format, you only need to drive segments a and c on digit 1, so that you can either display the number "1" or leave it blank.

I would also love to see support for the 1637 driver board, would make life better..

Please not reopen old "death" Topics !

About question....
NO.
We not plan for other Displays at the moment.
Aft many years our users confirm by there cockpits..... Every Display we need in Homecockpits can be done in a easy way with Max7219.
There is no need to impelement a 4 Diggit Premade Block...... Cause 90% of Users already build there Displays fully by hand and the raw chip and no longer work with those "tubes".
And the other 10% mostly use the Tubes and simply build a 8 Diggit Display whatever they only need 5 or 6 Diggits..... SImply cause they are to lazy to build/wire custom Diggits.

So for my opinion..... The User group who expect a alternate to Max7219 is verry small. So this in no benefit for the Software..... Just for some single guys.

Sorry for that. May it comes in the far future. But for now this is totaly no point of interest !

Hi Guys,

Over at LoungePilot.com we will shortly be releasing a very inexpensive solution that simply converts one of the "green" MAX7219 tubes into a 3,4,5 or 6 digit display that can be remotely mounted in your build. You simply remove the displays from the tube and replace with a MaxXtender adapter then connect a 14 pin FFC cable from the adapter to the remote display. One adapter can drive a 3 + 5 display from a single tube, one adapter can drive a 4 + 4 display and one adapter can drive a single 6 digit display so three tubes drive 5 separate displays with all the variations available to you. We will have more info on the website shortly.