Arduino, TM1650 7-Segment LED Displays and TM16xx Library – The Details

LED displays are so yesterday, but that’s just part of their charm …
↓↓↓ Complete description, time index and links below ↓↓↓

They still have some advantages over OLEDs (lower prices for larger sizes) and LCDs (no viewing angle, they emit light). If you want large 0.56’’ 7-segment displays you can get really cheap modules from China with TM16xx driver chips.

It’s actually not that hard to control those TM16xx display modules with an MCU, e.g. an Arduino. However, it’s helpful to know a little about them, e.g. TM1650s are not I2C devices. And you will have to cope with the “insane” current they draw.

►Intro
00:00 Intro – I got those display kits and I build five of them
00:24 Content – of this video (a lot of ground to cover)
►Display modules and TM1650 datasheet
02:00 Modules – a TM1650, a 100nF capacitor, two 10k resistors and a diode
03:00 Datasheet – of the TM1650, just some snippets
04:15 Not I2C – the datasheet says it’s not I2C
05:31 Typical application – from the datasheet (we’re missing a decoupling capacitor)
06:35 Power requirement – a whole lot and in some cases too much for a Nano
►Choice of Arduino library
09:01 TM1650 by Anatoli Arkhipenko – uses Wire.h/I2C, supports one display only
10:39 TM16xx by Maxint – bit bangs TM16xx chips and supports multiple displays
►TM16xx Arduino library by Maxint
11:28 Basics – instantiate object, setup display, set segments and clear display
15:35 Numbers – set/clear single digits and display positive numbers with leading zeros
18:47 Texts – display texts (sort of)
20:48 Advanced – e.g. display signed numbers with or without leading zeros
►Multiple displays
24:39 Data/Clock for each – straight forward, but wastes a lot of MCU pins
27:19 Shared data/clock for each – uses less MCU pins
28:43 Decoder/demultiplexer – uses least MCU pins for four or more displays
►Power rail decoupling
31:11 Noise measurements – on the 5V rail of the Arduino Nano
34:41 Decoupling capacitors – trying different combinations of ceramic and electrolytic
36:44 Conclusions – an additional 470uF low ESR capacitor it is
►Wrap-up
37:43 Warp-up – Maxint’s TM16xx library is OK and you’ll need power rail decoupling

Tutorials:    • Tutorials  
Mailbag: ADS1115 16-Bit ADC Modules and 4-Digit 7-Segment TM1650 LED Kits:    • Mailbag: ADS1115 16-Bit ADC Modules and 4-...  
Build and Test of Five 4-Digit 7-Segment TM1650 LED Display Kits:    • Build and Test of Five 4-Digit 7-Segment T...  
TM16xx Ardunio library by Maxint: github.com/maxint-rd/TM16xx
TM1650 Arduino library by Anatoli Arkhipenko (uses Wire/I2C): github.com/arkhipenko/TM1650
My code (4 display version) drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dl8eRnPBf6EBYaqYbD…

#robertssmorgasbord #tutorials #tutorial #how-to #Arduino #library #led #leddisplay #leddisplayboard