VB control of Olsen 595 with Examples & Countdown clock

[stripey_horse]

UPDATE
example is attached. it will let you test the first 8 outputs on chip 1
also it will let you test 128 channels and turn on all 128 channels
i got the source code on computerchristmas but the LATCHHI was wrong , it should have been 1.

Anyone got a example of controlling a olsen with Visual Basic (v6 or .net)

ive got a countdown program working that will use 57 channels and now i just need to interface it to the 595.

as a added bonus the countdown program i have also gets the current temp from a website and then displays it every minute for 5 seconds

8 letters , DD - HH - MM - SS . 7 segements x 8 letters + the ":"s

i would also be interested if i could leave the first 57 channels blank in vixen and then use a plugin etc to turn them on each update (it only updates each second)

i know i left it late.. the clock is built already. using styrofoam and wide angle high brightness 4.8mm leds. Numbers are around 1.5 feet high based on the sparkfun countdown clock.

ill post the code if anyone is interested.

EDITED. well ive done all that atm..

i would be interested in someone having a vixen plugin example.. OR. i tried NT , not good.. i will need to use 2 par ports.. and no. all the pcs in the house are pci only... :-) atm. the clock gets its own computer and olsen.. (8 x 7 + 2) = 58
and the leds for the clock will come off the pc supply thats running that program (eg. shitty clock pc) it will be running from 10am till 11pm everyday..

[stripey_horse]

and about the program.

its in vb .net 2005
it updates once a second (on the tick) and builds the whole clock front at once

in my setup i use 64channels for 8 letters x 7 per letter + 2 for the second blinks

DD - HH : MM : SS
in countdown format

HH : MM : SS
in normal time view (after countdown , or not currently counting down but manual start)

-- -- 10 oC
(temp output)

i have a version with gfx output that looks really good , but it leaked memory.. so i cut it back to bare minimum...

also note. for testing the actual output code is commented.. i wasnt near the 595 while i did this.

feel free to play with it , but if you make changes , can u send me a copy...

[stripey_horse]

and just some technical details about the clock..

2 x 4.8 wide angle leds , 3.4v 20ma per bar

draws 40ma per bar atm.. might increase it soon , but they are coming direct off the 2803 of the olsen..

i would like them to run at 100ma per bar. but 7 x 100ma is over the 2803 500ma limit max..

and i dont have time to buy optos or transistors now.. maybe next year ill run it brighter..

ill have a movie on sunday of the rgb light bars mounted on the roof,,,
5 light bars over 15 metres... each with around 19 lRGB leds...
and , maybe even a movie of the clock.

This display will be in Rosetta , Tasmania

[stripey_horse]

here is the countdown clock with a few new features im testing and it works great atm.

pics & vid to come Monday

[AI]

here is the countdown clock with a few new features im testing and it works great atm.

pics & vid to come Monday

stripey_horse; Did you ever get pics or vid of the clock or roof? AI

[stripey_horse]

i ran out of time it would seem..

seems i had problems after putting the back on , in that i use solid core cat5 for all the wiring and it started to break cores..

im not wasting time , it will get finished soon.. Im now thinking if i can get the olsen595 to switch fast enought , i can get away with 16 i/o lines

i could use 8 but i would have to use a picaxe chip and the code boogles me.

[AI]

in that i use solid core cat5 for all the wiring and it started to break cores
Boomer; Sorry to here that. Please keep us posted as you move along. AI