1031 User Guide

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Getting Started

Checking the Contents

You should have received: A PhidgetLED-64 Advanced board A 12VDC 2 Amps power supply 16 4-wire cables (for LEDs) A Mini-USB Cable		In order to test your new Phidget you will also need: Some LEDs

Connecting the Pieces

Connect the power supply to the PhidgetLED using the barrel connector. Cut one of the 4-wire cables to an appropriate length. Strip the wire ends and solder 2 LEDs to each cable. The longer lead of the LED (the anode) is connected to the red wire, and the shorter lead of the LED (the cathode, also marked with a notch in the base of the plastic case) is connected to the black wire. Insert the end of the 4-wire LED cable into the board connector. Connect the PhidgetLED to your computer using the MiniUSB cable.

Testing Using Windows 2000 / XP / Vista / 7

Make sure you have the current version of the Phidget library installed on your PC. If you don't, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Quick Downloads section on the Windows page
2. Download and run the Phidget21 Installer (32-bit, or 64-bit, depending on your system)
3. You should see the icon on the right hand corner of the Task Bar.

Running Phidgets Sample Program

Double clicking on the icon loads the Phidget Control Panel; we will use this program to ensure that your new Phidget works properly.

The source code for the LED-full sample program can be found in the quick downloads section on the C# Language Page. If you'd like to see examples in other languages, you can visit our Languages page.

Updating Device Firmware

If an entry in this list is red, it means the firmware for that device is out of date. Double click on the entry to be given the option of updating the firmware. If you choose not to update the firmware, you can still run the example for that device after refusing.

Double Click on the icon to activate the Phidget Control Panel and make sure that the Phidget LED 64 Advanced is properly attached to your PC.
Double Click on Phidget LED 64 Advanced in the Phidget Control Panel to bring up LED-full and check that the box labelled Attached contains the word True. Select the LED Index. If you connected your LEDs at the same position as the ones in the picture on the previous page, select 18, 19, 22 or 23. Use the LED Brightness slider to increase or decrease the LED brightness. Select from the drop-down menu an appropriate anode voltage: 1.7V, 2.75V, 3.9V, or 5V. Select from the drop-down menu an appropriate current limit: 20mA, 40mA, 60mA, or 80mA.

Testing Using Mac OS X

1. Go to the Quick Downloads section on the Mac OS X page
2. Download and run the Phidget OS X Installer
3. Click on System Preferences >> Phidgets (under Other) to activate the Preference Pane
4. Make sure that the Phidget LED 64 Advanced is properly attached.
5. Double Click on Phidget LED 64 Advanced in the Phidget Preference Pane to bring up the LED-full Sample program. This program will function in a similar way as the Windows version.

Using Linux

For a step-by-step guide on getting Phidgets running on Linux, check the Linux page.

Technical Details

The 1031 uses four controller chips that allow you to vary the current and voltage supplied to each channel. It does not use pulse-width modulation, another common control method for LEDs.

Multiple LEDs on a Single Channel

You can have multiple LEDs hooked up to a single channel on the 1031, (for example, a short string of LEDs) to reduce the amount of wiring, although keep in mind that you'll lose control of the individual lights, and can only toggle or dim the entire string. When using multiple LEDs on a single channel, you'll need to increase the voltage limit for that channel. If the LEDs are too dim at the maximum voltage, you should spread them out to other channels.

High-Current Considerations

If you're using high-current LEDs, you should spread your load evenly across the board to avoid having one of the controller chips overheat. There are four controller chips, each controlling the channels on a quarter of the board.

Controller 1: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

Controller 2: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23

Controller 3: 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63

Controller 4: 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55

Board Connector Diagram

The connector used on the 1031 LED board is a Molex 70543-0003. The mating connector used on our LED cables is the Molex 50-57-9404.

Further Reading

For more information, take a look at the LED Primer.