NeoPixel Matrix Shield - No Lights

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electronics_noob
 
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NeoPixel Matrix Shield - No Lights

Post by electronics_noob »

Hello,

I just received my NeoPixel Matrix Shield for the Arduino and I'm not able to get any lights to work. I'm a total noob with electronics so I'm assuming that it is something that I'm doing wrong. Any help would be appreciated. Here is what I've done so far:

1) Broke apart the header so that it would fit on the Arduino (5, 8, 8, and 10 pins).
2) Sat the NeoPixel Shield on top of the header and confirmed that the header came through the shield. However, it wasn't a totally flush fit due to the USB connection on the Arduino.
3) Connected the USB connector to my laptop and the Arduino.
4) Installed the 3 required libraries on my laptop.
5) I tried the example Strandtest program. I uploaded it to the Arduino and could see the lights indicating that the program was received. However, none of the lights on the NeoPixel matrix lit up.
6) I tried the example Goggle program. I uploaded it to the Arduino and could see the lights indicating that the program was received. However, none of the lights on the NeoPixel matrix lit up.
7) I tried the sample program from https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Ne ... ixtest.pde. No lights.

I didn't solder the connection between the Arduino and the NeoPixel Shield Matrix. Is that a problem? Does anything else look wrong? Thanks in advance.

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Re: NeoPixel Matrix Shield - No Lights

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

2) Sat the NeoPixel Shield on top of the header and confirmed that the header came through the shield.
I don't see any mention of solder. You need to solder the headers to the shield.

This is important. Powering the shield without reliably soldered connections can damage the pixels on the shield.

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Re: NeoPixel Matrix Shield - No Lights

Post by electronics_noob »

Thanks, I was able to get someone to help me solder and it worked like a charm. I was hoping to chain another matrix to it. So do I just solder a wire between the DIN connection on this matrix to the DOUT connection? I didn't quite understand what the documentation meant by "connect a ground pin together and power with 5V". Do I just solder an external source to the 2 "Ext 5V" holes? Does it matter which is ground? Thanks.

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Re: NeoPixel Matrix Shield - No Lights

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

So do I just solder a wire between the DIN connection on this matrix to the DOUT connection?
No. Solder a wire between the DOUT on this matrix to the DIN on the next one.
"connect a ground pin together and power with 5V"
You need to connect the ground pin on the shield to the ground pin on the matrix. Any ground pin will do.
Do I just solder an external source to the 2 "Ext 5V" holes?
Then connect an external 5v supply to the second matrix.The Arduino supply will not be able to power both of them.
Does it matter which is ground?
Yes it does. Double check the polarity of the external supply before connecting to the matrix. The negative wire should go to ground and the positive wire to +5v. Connecting it in reverse will damage the matrix.

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Re: NeoPixel Matrix Shield - No Lights

Post by electronics_noob »

Would you happen to have any diagrams or pictures of this configuration that you could provide? Thanks.

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Re: NeoPixel Matrix Shield - No Lights

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

I don't have one ready-made. Is your second matrix going to be another shield? Or one of the 8x8 matrix boards?

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Re: NeoPixel Matrix Shield - No Lights

Post by electronics_noob »

I was going to use another 8x5 shield. Thanks.

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Re: NeoPixel Matrix Shield - No Lights

Post by electronics_noob »

I was hoping you could help with a couple more follow-up questions:

1) If I chain 2 NeoPixel Shields together, does the 2nd shield just receive the same commands as the first shield?
2) For the 2nd shield, do I connect the power and group to the 2 spaces labeled Ext. 5V? Or do I connect them to the separate GRN and 5V spots? Thanks.

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Re: NeoPixel Matrix Shield - No Lights

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

1) If I chain 2 NeoPixel Shields together, does the 2nd shield just receive the same commands as the first shield?
It becomes a 10x8 matrix instead of a 5x8 matrix. You need to declare it and address it that way in your code. https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-neo ... ix-library
2) For the 2nd shield, do I connect the power and group to the 2 spaces labeled Ext. 5V? Or do I connect them to the separate GRN and 5V spots?
Connect your external supply to the "Ext 5v" terminals (Pay attention to the polarity. GND to the '-' and 5v to the '+' terminal)
Then connect a ground wire from '-' terminal on the first board to the '-' terminal (or any GND pin) on the second board.

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Re: NeoPixel Matrix Shield - No Lights

Post by marbaque »

electronics_noob wrote:Hello,

I just received my NeoPixel Matrix Shield for the Arduino and I'm not able to get any lights to work. I'm a total noob with electronics so I'm assuming that it is something that I'm doing wrong. Any help would be appreciated. Here is what I've done so far:
I am having the same issue, I am also kind of a noob with shields. I am using the stacking headers, and it should work, right? But I am getting no lights at all.

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Re: NeoPixel Matrix Shield - No Lights

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

@marbaque - Please post photos showing your soldering on the shield.

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