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missamo80
Posts: 32
Well this is a weird one. I got my PCBs at long last. They consist of eight 5 character LED displays driven by eight MAX7219 chips. The entire thing is powered by the +5V coming off the Arduino.

Ever since I've had Mobiflight installed I've had logging turned on to the "debug" level so I could make sure my encoders and whatnot were working. As mentioned elsewhere in this forum, that makes the encoders very slow. So I turned off logging and now... my LED displays don't work!? Only the top four light up. The fifth display shows the first and last digit, and the other three displays show nothing.

If I turn logging back on to the debug level all the displays work again. If I use any of the other logging levels the displays stop working.

Anyone have any ideas what this could be?
2020-10-09 05:07
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missamo80
Posts: 32
Logging enabled with "debug" level:



Logging disabled:

2020-10-09 05:09
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missamo80
Posts: 32
I played around with this a bit more and got all the displays to light up with logging off... but I had to take some physical action on each of the lower displays: rotate the knob to change a value, or hit the XFR buttons to swap frequencies. Then they lit up.

Weird. Why don't they light up when I hit "start" with logging off?
2020-10-09 06:26
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pizman82
Moderator
From: ETSI, Germany
Posts: 6010
Supporter
Under Investigation.

Thanks for reporting !
Good Luck !
2020-10-10 15:33
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missamo80
Posts: 32
I played with this some more and commented in the Discord: it appears to be a timing issue. If I introduce a very slight delay, Sleep(1), after each call to set a display then everything works fine.
2020-10-14 17:17
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pizman82
Moderator
From: ETSI, Germany
Posts: 6010
Supporter
Good Luck !
2020-10-14 19:26
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parvazi
Posts: 12
Hi Gents,

I am still having a lot of issues with the 7-seg displays, even after installing the version 8.0.1
the issue is very inconsistent. sometime it just turn on one of the Max modules, next time 2 modules, sometimes work well with 3 modules in the row, as soon as I add the com/nav 2 , it doesn't work at all, some times it works without logging enabled, sometime with logging enable.

I have tested the modules with Non-mobiflight Arduino boards and the modules worked fine. checked the wiring several times. I was tested each radio stack unit separately prior to installation, with older versions, but now, I had to pull every thing apart and start testing an troubleshooting again...

I am so frustrated that I am going to put aside all my 1.5 years efforts building a steam gauge cockpit and migrate to G1000 glass cockpit.... :(

I am using the Max green modules.
2021-02-16 14:34
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pizman82
Moderator
From: ETSI, Germany
Posts: 6010
Supporter
Hi Parvazi....
This is a older topic and thematic. As i know this is solved. If not also "missamo80" please reply with current situation report. Then i reopen this issue again.

******+
So question to Paravazi.... Is your problem 100% Simmular to this. If i rememeber right a indice for that problem was that the displays work fine again if user make a Input... Means if Data from Offset change then the Displays work again ( maybe not long but they do)

So the big question for your situation.... Is this a real Software Problem or is it a electrical Problem ( fully indipened of MF) .
Its good you confirm the Displays work when you test them on a other spot with a ardunio sketch.... So we know the solderwork ( On the Tubes) is fine.
BUT
This not means there is a issue in MF.... For example if your testing Board only inlclude the Display ( Sketch test) but on the Mobiflight Mega you also use LED´s or Motors... So maybe a Power issue finaly.
Also the testing is only realistic if you make the sketch test on the same Mega with the same Pins in use. Hardly said.... if the GRD Pin of the Mobiflight Board is broke.... then sure your displays will not work correctly..... Whatever they would do in the test on the other Board.

I´m sorry.... But to help you must figure out the reason. Means some testings with different Mega Boards. Clear Testing grounds by disconnect all other devices.... Flash Firmware and only create one Display or so. Testing with different USB Cables and a external Power suply.
From my eperience i would say this is a electrical Problem..... But i can not confirm without see the system and test it also myself.
Good Luck !
2021-02-17 03:18
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parvazi
Posts: 12
Thanks Pizman for your reply.

Here is my setup:

I am driving the cockpit's 5 and 12 volts off a PC power supply.
each tube powered up individually from the PSU 5V source.
I have made 5-volt power jacks for Arduino Mega boards off the same PSU (* sometimes the tubes working fine when the mega board is connected to the power, and sometimes when I am disconnecting it from the power!)
I have pulled a ground wire out of my PC which is running the sim and made common ground with the external PSU, to make sure if the Arduino boards are powered off the USB port, I would not have the ground mismatch.
I read about the green tube pin header issues in another post and re-soldered the pin headers.


Tonight, I am going to grab a different Mega and start testing again with a simple code and then I will add things in one thing at a time.

Thanks,
Ali
2021-02-17 14:41
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pizman82
Moderator
From: ETSI, Germany
Posts: 6010
Supporter
Hi Ali.

Nice Awnser ! :thumbup:
In theory it sounds good BUT i remember to a older Posting years ago......

There a User had two Megas. On one he set some Pins for devices ( a 7Seg or a Motor if i remember right) ..... But he set the GRD lines to a Ground Pin of the other Mega.
Then he got big problems.
After he set for testing the GRD Lines to the same MEGA OR if he combine a GRD Pin from MEGA1 with a single wire to a GRD Pin of MEGA2 then the Problems was gone!
BUT
In Theroy this is not possible/logical..... Cause Both Megas was connected and directly powerd by USB. Both USB was connected to the same computer and this computer have only one PSU.
So logical there is no need to make a common GRD here.... But the test confirmed it is.... Means the USB Ports looks like to had a different GRD potential whatever both are combined at the ending in SAME PSU.

****************
You say you create the "shared GRD" from your Power Suply by connect it to a free GRD wire of the internal PSU.
Maybe this is the key and occure in the Problem.

Just for testing..... Can you temporary connect the GRD from the external Power suply to a free GRD Pin of the Mega where you set the DisplayPins. ( Whatever additional or instead of the PSU Ground System)

I know !! Electrical this should be the same and not result in a different state.... But in the past this was the reason. Maybe also in your situation !

Please report experience again !
Good Luck !
2021-02-17 20:32
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