MobiFlight Community Support

Hi friends, I wanted to ask you a question, how many pins do I use maximally on Arduino Mega? Can I use all 54 pin out?
Best regards
Stefano

Hi Stefano,

you can use all digital Pins, not the analog ones. That are round about 50 per Mega.
This restriction is from the MobiFlight Firmware. If you use the MEGA without MF, you can use all Pins.

Thanks x the answer my friend but since I'm building a 737 overhead with 6/7 arduino mega.i don't understand why I can't use more than 40/43 pin every mega card.
If you want can i send you my configuration every Arduino.

Best regards

Stefano

Hi Stefano,

you can see at every board, how many pins you can use.
Do as follows:

- Open MobiFlight
- goto Extras and then to Settings
- klick left on MobiFlight Modules
- Got to a module of your choice
- if the Module has (no) devices, create a device as switch
- if you click on the right side on the arrow under Pin Settings you can see all the pins that are possible. If you just has defined some devices, you see the ones, which are free to be configurated

If you are not able to configure more than 43 pins, check your MF Version. With V7.4.0.0 the limit is set to 50 Pins, which they are, you can see above.
If you have an older Version it is possible that you have one where the limit is 40 pins.
Note: If you define i.e. an encoder, you need 2 pins for each, for a rotary switch it maybe up to 7 or 8 pins, for a stepper you need 4 pins and so on.

Possible are more than 50 pins:
Pin 22 - 53 = 32
Pin 2 - 13 = 13
Pin 14 - 21 = 8

So I count 53 possible and the maximum is 50.
If you use the II2-Bus, you have 2 Pins less, 48, because then pin 20 and 21 are the IIC-Bus.
Why you do have only 40-43 pins, I don't know.

Thanks stephanho for the answer, but let me explain.
The pins on mobyflight are programmed all 50 but just don't work to run for example the pins from 40 to 50 I need to cancel my other 10 pins ( for example 20-30).
I do not know how to solve this problem.
Anyway I have the latest version of Mobyflight 7.4.0.

Best regards

Stefano

ah, ok,
I think this is a thing for our problem solver pizman. With my knowledge i'm swimming on the surface, but he is a deep-diver
He is very busy every weekend, but he will read about your problems and will submit a statement.

What about the TEST-Function in MF. For every config you have TEST-button in the config-Wizard. Did you test this function for every output-function and did they work well?
Did you receive an error-message or does MF work but did not work off your 10 missing configs?
You're absolutely right, this behavior is not ok.
What kind of MEGA did you use? Are they all MEGA 2560 R3 as Arduino brand or are they a chinese clone?
Is this behavior on every Mega or only on some? Did you i.e. use a MEGA with more than 1 Stepper or other current intensive devices?

Did you activate the logging and did you find there suspicious messages? Did MF work clean despite the missing configs?

You see these are already a lot of questions, to narrow your problem.

I think your problem is not solvable with one sentense.

Thanks stephanho, Mf function well and does not give me any error, the problem I have it on 3 different arduino mega.
I have 3 arduino mega Chinese and no originals.

good night friend.

Stefano

Oh, three different china clones shouldn't be a problem!
You need not the originals. I also have the chinese ones and no problems.
Do not despair, you will be helped

Thank's Friend i wait.

Hi Guys.

That sounds strange!

I not understand completly the situation.... Please confirm.....

The pins on mobyflight are programmed all 50 but just don't work to run for example the pins from 40 to 50 I need to cancel my other 10 pins ( for example 20-30).

1. The Not working range ( For example Pin 40-50 ) is not completly broke.... If you for example not use Pin 20-30 THEN Pin 40-50 is working fine... Correct ?

2. You Wrote you have to "cancel" this range... WHAT Do you mean.... Do you "Delete" the Entrys in Settings/ Devices/ Mobiflightboard OR do you mean you disable the Configs that use this devices ??

At last please confirm you NOT use more then 40 LED Outputs finaly..... The Limit increase to 50 some versions ago was only for INPUT SWITCHES/BUTTONS .... If i´m right, then Limit for LED Outputs is already 40 on 1 Board ! .... THATS important to not overdrive the Power limits.

Maby this is the solution.... If not give me the requested information.... Then we plan next steps !

Hello friend, below the configuration inputs outputs of 3 Pcb Arduino Mega:

Arduino n*1

31 buttons
20 led
1 servo

Pins that do not configure
14-44-45-46-47-48-49-50 ( total 8 pins)

Arduino n*2

4 display
17 buttons
3 led

Pins that do not configure

34-35-36-37-38-39-40-41-42-43-44-45-46-47-48-49-50-51-52-53 ( total 20 pins)

Arduino n* 3

32 buttons
12 led
2 servo

Pins that do not configure

40-41-42-43-44-51 (total 6 pins)

Best regards

Stefano

Sorry errata corrige for Arduino 1


Arduino n*1

23 buttons
20 led
1 servo
Pins that do not configure
14-44-45-46-47-48-49-50 ( total 8 pins)

Best regards

Stefano

Sorry my friend..... i not understand what you like to tell me.....

For Example.....

Arduino n*1

23 buttons
20 led
1 servo
Pins that do not configure
14-44-45-46-47-48-49-50 ( total 8 pins)

Thats absolutly correct.... 23 Buttons = 23 Pins .... 20 LED = 20 Pins .... 1 Servo = 1 Pin ..... 23+20+1= 44 You USE 44 Pins !
There are 52 Posible Pins on Mega ( Its recomend to not use pin 0 and 1..... 54 Pins exist ..... Without Pin 0 and 1 you got 52. )
52-44=8 so 8 Pins remain empty !

*****
So you awnser my question about the "more then 40 LED" ..... But you not awnser the other 2 questions.
I See your Pin Logic looks good..... But WHAT is the Problem now ?

Hi Pizman,
The problem is if I schedule the other empty pin with other pushbuttons or LEDs do not work anymore the other programmed before.
It would seem that he doesn't have enough memory.

Best regards

Stefano

Thats not correct...... Normaly this must work fine.

So please confirm again my question...

1. The Pins you report above ( For Example Arduino No#1 14-44-45-46-47-48-49-50 ) Are NOT Borke completly....
If you for example Delete the Devices from Pin 20-27 and set this things to the reportet Pins 14 and 44-50 THEN This Elements work fine on that pins but THEN Pins 20-27 can not be used.... RIGHT ???

2. Do you not be able to SET something on that Pins in the Settings Device Tab ( Maby That Pins are then not shown ???) Or can you already set devices but they don´t work finaly..... I Must Know if there is a Problem in the Software here or if its located in the hardware !

The memory of the Mega normaly not should be a Problem..... That issue was never reported before i think.

Please if possible tell me WHAT Arduino you use exactly..... Is it correct you use multiple arduinos but ALL are from same manifactur ?
Chineese Clones normaly work fine.... But maby you got a special kind, that is problematic ??? So tell me WHAT Mega you got please.

@ SEBASTIAN .... Please Have a look at this !