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General Category => Amstrad CPC hardware => Topic started by: LambdaMikel on 08:11, 25 April 17

Title: CPC 464 Breadboarding - 7-Segment LED Display for CPC
Post by: LambdaMikel on 08:11, 25 April 17
Hi board,

as a demo / illustration for my DIY CPC 464 breadboard coupler / adapter, I would like to share a little CPC 464 hardware extension on a prototyping breadboard with you - a 7segment display for the CPC 464. It shows address decoding using 2 Atmel G16V8B PLD's, latching a nibble from the databus, IORQ* and RD* chip select, and features a CD4543BE 7segment driver for the 7segment display:

https://youtu.be/Lyb3IRQwyl4 (https://youtu.be/Lyb3IRQwyl4)

The idea behind the breadboard adapter was to facilitate CPC 464 hardware tinkering by making the expansion port more accessible - similar to these GPIO Breakout Board / Cobbler for the Raspberry PI. Why always use the Raspberry PI, if the CPC can also do it? Moreover,  CPC is "instant on", no boot process  :)

If you would like to purchase one of these expansion port breadboard adapter, please check my Ebay page.

http://www.ebay.com/usr/wesse5161.qolzl (http://www.ebay.com/usr/wesse5161.qolzl)

I believe it is mostly for educational & recreational purposes, but I also believe that it makes CPC 464 hardware prototyping much easier. I admit that address decoding makes it more difficult than using GPIO on the Raspberry PI, but it is definitely fun as well :)

Cheers,
Michael
Title: Re: CPC 464 Breadboarding - 7-Segment LED Display for CPC
Post by: Bryce on 08:30, 25 April 17
Nice idea. Btw, you shouldn't put a single current limiting resistor on the common cathode. Use a seperate resistor for each segment on the anode, otherwise the LEDs brightness depends on how many segments are turned on.

Bryce.
Title: Re: CPC 464 Breadboarding - 7-Segment LED Display for CPC
Post by: LambdaMikel on 14:54, 25 April 17
Thanks Bryce!
That's a typical rookie mistake I suppose (besides not having enough resistors...) ;)
Just starting with hardware tinkering - will be fixed.

Cheers,
Michael
Title: Re: CPC 464 Breadboarding - 7-Segment LED Display for CPC
Post by: Bryce on 15:22, 25 April 17
No probs. Always good to see new people getting involved in electronics.

Bryce.
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