PIC16F819 and MAX7219 example

In this example we connect a MAx7219 8×8 LED matrix to our PIC 16F819 development board

Here is a picture of the module, these are very common and available from many sites

max7219

The connections are as follows

Code

The following code was written using the MikroC pro for PIC compiler

[codesyntax lang=”cpp”]

#define CS_Pin PORTA.F2
#define DIN_Pin PORTA.F1
#define CLK_Pin PORTA.F0

unsigned const short Alphabet[156]={
0x7f, 0x88, 0x88, 0x88, 0x88, 0x7f, // A
0x6e, 0x91, 0x91, 0x91, 0x91, 0xff, // B
0x42, 0x81, 0x81, 0x81, 0x81, 0x7E, // C
0x7e, 0x81, 0x81, 0x81, 0x81, 0xff, // D
0x91, 0x91, 0x91, 0x91, 0xff, 0x81, // E
0x80, 0x90, 0x90, 0x91, 0xff, 0x81, // F
0x4e, 0x89, 0x89, 0x81, 0x81, 0x7e, // G
0xff, 0x10, 0x10, 0x10, 0x10, 0xff, // H
0x00, 0x81, 0xff, 0xff, 0x81, 0x00, // I
0x00, 0x80, 0xfe, 0x81, 0x01, 0x06, // J
0x81, 0xc3, 0x24, 0x99, 0xff, 0x81, // K
0x03, 0x01, 0x01, 0x81, 0xff, 0x81, // L
0xff, 0x60, 0x18, 0x18, 0x60, 0xff, // M
0xff, 0x06, 0x08, 0x10, 0x60, 0xff, // N
0x7e, 0x81, 0x81, 0x81, 0x81, 0x7e, // O
0x70, 0x88, 0x88, 0x89, 0xff, 0x81, // P
0x7e, 0x87, 0x89, 0x85, 0x81, 0x7e, // Q
0x61, 0x93, 0x94, 0x98, 0x98, 0xff, // R
0x4e, 0x91, 0x91, 0x91, 0x91, 0x62, // S
0xc0, 0x81, 0xff, 0xff, 0x81, 0xc0, // T
0xfe, 0x01, 0x01, 0x01, 0x01, 0xfe, // U
0xfc, 0x02, 0x01, 0x01, 0x02, 0xfc, // V
0xff, 0x02, 0x04, 0x04, 0x02, 0xff, // W
0xc3, 0x24, 0x18, 0x18, 0x24, 0xc3, // X
0xc0, 0x20, 0x1f, 0x1f, 0x20, 0xc0, // Y
0xc3, 0xa1, 0x91, 0x89, 0x85, 0xc3, // Z
};

void SPI_Write_Byte(unsigned short num)
{
unsigned short t, Mask, Flag;
CLK_Pin = 0;
Mask = 128;
for (t=0; t<8; t++) { Flag = num & Mask; if(Flag == 0) { DIN_Pin = 0; } else { DIN_Pin = 1; } CLK_Pin = 1; CLK_Pin = 0; Mask = Mask >> 1;
}
}

void MAX7219_INIT() {

// Set BCD decode mode
CS_Pin = 0; // CS pin is pulled LOW
SPI_Write_Byte(0x09); // Select Decode Mode register
SPI_Write_Byte(0x00); // Select BCD mode for digits DIG0-DIG7
CS_Pin = 1; // CS pin is pulled HIGH

// Set display brighness
CS_Pin = 0; // CS pin is pulled LOW
SPI_Write_Byte(0x0A); // Select Intensity register
SPI_Write_Byte(0x05); // Set brightness
CS_Pin = 1; // CS pin is pulled HIGH

// Set display refresh
CS_Pin = 0; // CS pin is pulled LOW
SPI_Write_Byte(0x0B); // Select Scan-Limit register
SPI_Write_Byte(0x07); // Select digits DIG0-DIG3
CS_Pin = 1; // CS pin is pulled HIGH

// Turn on the display
CS_Pin = 0; // CS pin is pulled LOW
SPI_Write_Byte(0x0C);
SPI_Write_Byte(0x01);
CS_Pin = 1; // CS pin is pulled HIGH

// Disable Display-Test
CS_Pin = 0; // CS pin is pulled LOW
SPI_Write_Byte(0x0F); // Select Display-Test register
SPI_Write_Byte(0x00); // Disable Display-Test
CS_Pin = 1; // CS pin is pulled HIGH

}

void Write_Byte(unsigned short myColumn, unsigned short myValue)
{
CS_Pin = 0; // select max7219.
SPI_Write_Byte(myColumn); // send myColumn value to max7219 (digit place).
SPI_Write_Byte(myValue); // send myValue value to max7219 (digit place).
CS_Pin = 1; // deselect max7219.
}

// This is clear matrix function.
void Clear_Matrix(void)
{
unsigned short x;

for(x=1;x<9;x++)
{
Write_Byte(x,0x00);
}
}

void Write_Char(char myChar)
{
unsigned short Column, Start_Byte;

// Clear the display first.
Clear_Matrix();
// The next line defines our byte, from which to start the array.
Start_Byte = (myChar - 65) * 6; // 65 represents the letter "A" in ASCII code.
// We are using only columns from 2 through 7 for displaying the character.
for(Column=2;Column<8;Column++)
{
Write_Byte(Column, Alphabet[Start_Byte++]);
}
}

void main()
{
unsigned int x;
PORTA=0;
TRISA=0;

MAX7219_INIT(); // initialize max7219
do{
for(x=65;x<=90;x++) // Increment with 1, from 65 until 90.
{
Write_Char(x);
Delay_ms(1000); // This is our delay, between two consecutive character.
}
}while(1);
}

[/codesyntax]

Links

A nice low cost part for you collection, you can pick up the modules for under $2
MAX7219 dot matrix module