In SX Microcontrollers, SX/B Compiler and SX-Key Tool, ckraft wrote: I appreciate everyone's input. I especially like the variety of ideas. Gives me plenty to think about. On using the SX48 to get the extra I/O. I considered that but I am not comfortable doing the SMT stuff. I am not setup to do that yet and haven't had a chance to practice doing that type of soldering. I wish I had some broken components to practice on. I know I will have to learn it sooner or later. Using the dev board is a great idea but for that price I would consider using the propeller which has 32 I/O on it. On the suggestion to use Maxim chips. They do have some great stuff. I have a few LED display drivers here that I am using for another project. The problem I have with their stuff is its hard to find distributers sometimes, plus some of those chips end up being more expensive than I was hoping to spend. I really want to see if I can do this for a really economical price. I really should have given more details on what I was trying to do. I will try to explain it now: What I am building is a clock. It uses LEDs to show the time. The number of LEDs that are lit equal the current time. The LEDs are setup like this: X XXX XX XXX X XXX XX XXX X XXX XX XXX So if the time is 9:59 the display would be (in binary): 0 111 11 111 0 111 11 111 0 111 10 111 The LEDs that are lit change every second. This is a bad example of that because the two 9's require all the LEDs to be lit, but for the 5 the unlit LED would change every few seconds. Its a pretty cool clock. I could just buy a second one but I really see potential to have some fun with this thing. I figure if I have complete control over the LEDs that are lit I could do transitions between changes or all kinds of interesting things. I am not locked into the layout above I just wanted you to understand what my inspiration is. If it worked out better to change the layout I am comfortable with that. I just want to see if I can do this without it ending up being more than $50 or so for the parts. I already have several hundred LEDs left over from another project and I also have SX28's, some Propellers and even a SX48 which I am saving until I can learn to solder the SMT stuff. As far as skill level goes, I am much more comfortable on the coding side than I am on the hardware side. I have done some design work but I always did better at the coding. In my own designs I usually try to keep the electronics as simple as possible and push the work onto the code because I am much stronger in that field. That is why I came here and asked the questions in the first place I knew that there would be plenty of folks who would have good input on the design side. Right now I am leaning towards using the 595's but I am reviewing what Peter, Guenther and PJ added recently. Again I appreciate all the input. Please keep it coming. I have an open mind on this and I am willing to try anything once. Chris ---------- End of Message ---------- You can view the post on-line at: http://forums.parallax.com/forums/default.aspx?f=7&p=1&m=162118#m162225 Need assistance? Send an email to the Forum Administrator at forumadmin@parallax.com The Parallax Forums are powered by dotNetBB Forums, copyright 2002-2006 (http://www.dotNetBB.com)