CaptainMurdoch
Apprentice elf
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2013
- Messages
- 60
Are the GPIO inputs CN2/CN3/CN4 on the rPi-MFC wired through a voltage shifter or are they directly wired to the GPIO pins?
We had someone ask about using DPIPixels with the rPi-MFC so that they could have onboard audio back. The main issue there is that the rPi-MFC has an onboard EEPROM which may or may not be programmed in some cases. Using DPIPixels would require a new config added to the onboard EEPROM if it was programmed.
While I was looking at creating a string config for DPIPixels for the rPi-MFC, I noticed that the cape has 3 sets of headers (CN2/CN3/CN4) which are described as being for GPIO inputs. These pins map to 3 of the 24 available DPI pins which means that they could actually also be used for WS281x pixel data if they are hooked up directly.
Theoretically, you could also make a powered or non-powered daughterboard which would plug into the LED Panel connector on the cape and provide WS281x data for 10 more pixel strings using the data and control lines normally used for the LED panels. If the daughterboard was non-powered, you would have to inject power separately, but the voltage shifter is already there for the data and a DPIPixels config could be made which would allow pixel data on those pins.
Alan, if you or anyone wants to discuss options and possible string config files for this cape, I am willing to help get configs generated depending on what makes sense for users.
We had someone ask about using DPIPixels with the rPi-MFC so that they could have onboard audio back. The main issue there is that the rPi-MFC has an onboard EEPROM which may or may not be programmed in some cases. Using DPIPixels would require a new config added to the onboard EEPROM if it was programmed.
While I was looking at creating a string config for DPIPixels for the rPi-MFC, I noticed that the cape has 3 sets of headers (CN2/CN3/CN4) which are described as being for GPIO inputs. These pins map to 3 of the 24 available DPI pins which means that they could actually also be used for WS281x pixel data if they are hooked up directly.
Theoretically, you could also make a powered or non-powered daughterboard which would plug into the LED Panel connector on the cape and provide WS281x data for 10 more pixel strings using the data and control lines normally used for the LED panels. If the daughterboard was non-powered, you would have to inject power separately, but the voltage shifter is already there for the data and a DPIPixels config could be made which would allow pixel data on those pins.
Alan, if you or anyone wants to discuss options and possible string config files for this cape, I am willing to help get configs generated depending on what makes sense for users.