Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: pitts8rh on October 06, 2018, 01:08:40 PM
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I thought it would be a simple task to use the 8x8 matrix LED function in the Mach3 PoKeys plugin (with the required hardware de-serialization board) to power a bunch of control panel LEDs - too many to use up discrete PoKeys pins for. Not so simple for me, as it turns out...
I cannot get Mach3 to light any of the matrix leds, whereas the PoKeys standalone app (using the Live Test Display function) does illuminate every matrix cell correctly. In Mach3 I have several cells of the matrix LED1 (the corners of the 8x8, such as row1 column1, row1 column8, and so on) assigned to something simple like LED801 Inch LED, with Inch units selected in the software. The de-serializer is correctly connected to pins 9,10, and 11 for Matrix LED1 (although I have tried the other one as well), but nothing lights up, ever, under Mach3. Again, the PoKeys app does light the LEDs, so my board and wiring are correct.
To further confirm what I am seeing, I used a logic analyzer to look at the serial data being sent from pin 9 of the Pokeys board. Under control of the PoKeys standalone app, the serial data shows the correct stream of column and row pulses corresponding to cells that are set to light in the Live Test Display. Under Mach3 control however, the column pulses are missing; nevertheless the row pulses are present.
I have to believe that I am missing something in the PoKeys settings in Mach3. Under PoKeys Mapping in the configuration settings I am scrolling down to Matrix LED1, picking a row and column of the matrix, and then assigning some source under the LED column (such as Inch/mm, reset, or any easy to access LED tied to a screen button). I'm not doing anything else at this point except closing the configuration window and expecting it to work, which it doesn't.
On the other hand, the matrix keyboard function that I am using to handle a large number of button inputs does work with simple assignments like this.
What am I missing? Is anyone using the PoKeys57U Matrix led function for either 8x8 led displays or individual panel LEDs like I am trying to do?