MobiFlight Community Support

hello sir,
i made VHF NAV ATC panel.
but sometimes do not well.
so i choose RUN-STOP. how can i fix this problem?
help me.
look at this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRrJF37qA7o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRrJF37qA7o

Hi gksrbckd,

welcome to MobiFlight!

To help you, we need a bit more Information.
Did you work with the last update of MobiFlight?
How did you connect the Displays, single oder via DaisyChain?
Did you connect every MAX7219 board with power via the DaisyChain oder did you connect them separately to the power?
You did not use the standard displays delivered with the MAX7219 board. Did you develope your own boards or did you use the originals with other displays?

The RUN-STOP is not the solution. After installing a new device the MEGA should be resetted manually. If that does not help the MEGA should be disconnected from the power.

What's about a test of every display via testmode (wizard - not main-screen). Only if the Test-mode is ok you should try the run-mode.

Be so kind to answer the obove questions. So we have a common base to start help.

I play this video now 4 times and was verry confused.....
I "never" see that !
If there is a electrical problem some displays should plank permanently..... If there is a Softwareproblem the Displays should flickering "fast".
But a Blinking with that 1 Second periodes is basicly NOT possible.

THEN i activate my speackers and the sound and i hear in backround that you "click" all the time ! So i think YOU use Run/Stop not only ONE Time.... YOU use it every 1 second so this "rhythm" of blinking is made by youreself...... Thats was verry confusing my friend and mask the real problem finaly !

Solution:
Pretty shure a electrical hardware problem..... Please awnser the questions of stephan so we can see the reason of problem !

thank you for ur reply.
i use arduino mega's 5V and GND

look like this method.

1. 5V GND : MAX7219 board for 8digits - MAX7219 board for 8digits (daisychain) - VHF
2. 5V GND : MAX7219 board for 8digits - MAX7219 board for 8digits (daisychain) - NAV
3. 5V GND : MAX7219 board for 8digits (ATC)

look at this my youtube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRrJF37qA7o

i use 12V input. but it has also problem.
i guess that my parts use a lot of voltage, isn't it?
how can i solve this problem? thank you for reading.

Hi again

Your Video is not verry proftitable to see the issue cause you start/stop verry fast..... Aditional we not see what happend for example if you run and then change a value.Ffor example the Right COM Display is blank at all trys.... Is this a problem of Hardware, or is simply your config wrong here ??
Same with the NAV Displays.... A Start/Stop in this sequence can occure in own problems.... Mobiflight is not designed to start/Stop it every second !
More interesting would be how the Display looks if you run it ( for some minutes and change the Values in Sim !


But Finaly....
I again think you got a electrical problem .... and/or broke Pins on the Max7219.

Without exact information about your system i can´t tell you whats wrong..
If you use Premade Max7219 tubes you should check the solder Pins.... Maby 10-20% of chineese Modules are broke when you buy it.
If you build your Displays youreself then you must know youreself if everything is designed correct. here i can´t see what you du finaly!

Basicly a Daisy Chain with TWO Displays (Premade China tubes) is working ok..... Only a Row of 3 Displays or more is not possible..... Only with a new direct. Power Line.
So "normaly" this should be no problem here..... BUT it looks exactly like this situation !

I Recommend.....
Check your Pins on the Displays..... And Use 5v direct from Arduino to every Displaytube.... You can Daisy Chain Your Displays.... But only use the 3 Data Lines and GRD from Display to Display..... the 5V should be wire DIRECT from Arduino to every Board..... NOT use 5v from Display 1 Output to Display 2 Input !!

Oh. I see.
arduino has 3 5v pin , and you recommends one by one to 5v supply.

So... are u recommend 3 display for 1 arduino? Right?

Thank you. I will buy some new arduino or making 5v supply line by usb cable... haha

Hi,

if you do not operate 3 stepper motors on an Arduino, you do not need an external power supply. For a MEGA basically the voltage (5V) and the current (max 500mA) that a USB port provides via a hub are sufficient.

If you currently operate your MEGAs externally with 12V, the small voltage regulator on the MEGA 7V must be destroyed. At full capacity, these are 7V x 0.5A = 3.5W. Will the voltage regulator on the Arduino not get hot?

You should try your MEGA only with USB-Power and check the things of pizman and me. Then we'll see.

Yes ... voltage regulator is hot..
Did i destroyed my arduino? Oh...

If you only take the 5V from the USB bus, what is with the temperature of the voltage regulator?

The Arduino should not be destroyed, but please cut the 12V supply away and try only the 5V from the USB bus.
If he works normal with the 5V then you can be lucky
Please note: normaly you did not need separate power for the Mega.

Be so kind and report us about the temperature and the behavior of the Mega.

arduino has 3 5v pin , and you recommends one by one to 5v supply.
So... are u recommend 3 display for 1 arduino? Right?

NO !
You missunderstand me !

The Problem in the tubes is, that there is a resistor on it that reduce power by maby 0,7v ..... if you use the Power Output of Display A and Chain it to Display B then there are not 5v
( like you need) .... there are only ~4,3v ( Cause the first Display reduce it already) ..... On a 3. display in Chain there is only 3,6v and so on.
If you wire the 5v direct from Arduino to every Display "seperate" then you have 5v on every Display !

BUT:
I not mean you should use a different 5v Pin on the Mega..... You can use for your 5 Displays the SAME 5v Pin.
There are always 5v on it whatever 1 ,2 or 10 Displays are set on the Pin.
Only have a look about the maximum limit of the Pin..... For example 200 Displays are pretty shure too much. :-)

****
Finaly about the external Power i agree with Stephan..... NOT use it. USB is ok for Displays and so on.....
If you realy need more power ( Motors etc) then i recommend to use USB Hubs with a external Power suply....
Like this.... https://www.amazon.de/CSL-Slimline-Datenhub-Ultrabooks-kompatiblen/dp/B01DAEH0VE/ref=sr_1_4?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1511601118&sr=1-4&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin%3A2276479031