Binary clock problems

[LED Maestro]

Hi. A while ago i sucessfully built a binary clock using the DS1307 RTC and a pic 28X2. One problem I had whilst compiling the code to run the display is that the seconds, hours and minutes would come on at the same time. I managed to solve this and got the clock working. Now, about 4 months later, I am having the same problem. the seconds work on their own but as soon as i introduce the minutes and hours, it goes to pot. I have included the code and a video to help explain.

#Picaxe 28x2

symbol secs	= b0
symbol mins	= b1
symbol hour	= b2
symbol control = b7

let dirsb = %01111111

	i2cslave %11010000, i2cslow,i2cbyte	
	
	let secs = bcdtobin secs
	let mins = bcdtobin mins
	let hour = bcdtobin hour				
	
main:
	
	readi2c 0, (secs,mins,hour)
	
	seconds:
      high c.0
	let pinsb = secs
	;switch on secs
	low c.0
	let pinsb = control

	goto main

      minutes:
	high c.1
	let pinsb = mins
	;switch off secs, switch on mins
	low c.1
	let pinsb = control

	

	hours:
	high c.2
	let pinsb = hour
	;switch off mins, switch on hour
	low c.2
	let pinsb = control
	
	goto main

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2q0kriN2fo

 

[rossko57]

Areas you might think about;
What is the state of the C.x pins at start up?
The Seconds: routine returns to main: - can the code ever get to minutes: or hours:?
The seconds:-to-main: loop is quite tight, C.0 will be toggling on and off very fast - is that a problem for anything to keep up with?

 

[LED Maestro]

Whoops, sorry i left the goto main bit after the seconds after testing. that is not part of my main code. I will have a look into the state of the pins. thanks

 

[StigOfTheDump]

Would the

let secs = bcdtobin secs
let mins = bcdtobin mins
let hour = bcdtobin hour

not need to be in the main section after read i2c?

I used serout to an OLED in the simulator and was getting #secs and #mins values larger than 59.

 

[hippy]

high c.0
let pinsb = secs
low c.0
let pinsb = control

Is it simply that this is 'poor quality' multiplexing, everything changing so fast that it all becomes a blur ?

Perhaps try adding some "Pause" after the "Let pinsB=" commands.

It's hard to tell what the code should be doing without a hardware description, impossible to guess what "Let pinsB=control" is meant to achieve.

 

[techElder]

OT: Sorry

Isn't a binary clock (other than the technical aspects of education, etc.) kind of like a skydiver jumping out of a perfectly working airplane? Why?

 

[LED Maestro]

You see, I thought the bcdtobin had to be in the main code too but it worked fine outside of it. Nevertheless I have fiddled about with the multiplex and added some pauses which seems to have done the trick, thanks hippy. As for what the control does, I honestly don't know, I just took the sample code from the picaxe website and expounded on that.

 

[LED Maestro]

Haha!! Brilliantly off topic indeed mr Texas!!

 

[LED Maestro]

As a side note, and forgive me if this needs to be in a new thread. I'm eventually wanting to connect my 28x2 to 3 max7221 IC's. I understand the max has 3 I/P, mosi, CS and CLK. My question is are there dedicated O/P pins on the picaxe or can I just designate pins in the code, for example

Symbol mosi = B0
Symbol CS = B1
Symbol CLK = B2

Etc.

 

[Paix]

As a side note, my question is, can we have a data sheet for the MAX7221 to save half a dozen guys having to go look for one?

Without knowing quite what a MAX7221 is at this point in time, a few words about it and your goal would help jog memories for those that might have done something similar and inspire those that haven't.

Not sure what mosi is?

 

[Buzby]

... Not sure what mosi is?

MOSI = 'Master Out Slave In', which is what some circuit boards have written on, supposedly to make joining the ins and outs between Slave and Master easier to connect.

 

[eclectic]

snip
. I'm eventually wanting to connect my 28x2 to 3 max7221 IC's.

Etc.

Try a quick search using the term

max7221

17 hits

e

 

[Paix]

Thanks Busby. The MAX7221 datasheet referred to mosi just once on a diagram. I will have to start putting it on my boards to make life easier for me . . .
Google was dead helpful, with more than a slack handful of varied suggestions.
MAX7221 is MAX7219 using SPI instead of serial comms. MOSI MISO, ah, that would be TX(out) and RX(in) then.

 

[LED Maestro]

Thanks e. However, having just spent the past hour and a half looking through those results, I honestly haven't gained much insight into comms between 28x2 and the max. My apologies to all for not being clear in my intentions. I am building an LED clock, using 132 LED's (12 for the hours and 60 each for the minutes and seconds). I don't have a problem setting up the O/P's from the max's to all the LED's. I am using a DS1307 RTC module to provide the time data via SDA and SCL to the 28x2 which is working. What I am having trouble with is how to setup comms between the pic and the max. Am I right in thinking I can use any pin as the mosi, clock and load data lines?
My thanks for all your help so far