diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 78fdd79..e9f42c8 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -519,6 +519,54 @@ guidelines: Now welcome your over-engineered power solution :) +If you have an Adafruit HAT +--------------------------- + +Generally, if you want to connect RGB panels via an adapter instead of +hand-wiring, I suggest to build one of the adapters whose open-hardware +files you find in the [adapter/](./adapter) subdirectory. + +However, Adafruit [offers an adapter][adafruit-hat] which is already ready-made, +but it only allows for a single chain. If the +ready-made vs. single-chain tradeoff is worthwhile, then you might go for that +(I am not affiliated with Adafruit). + +### Getting it to work + +Tha Adafruit HAT uses a modified pinout, so they forked this library and +modified the pinout there. However, that fork is _ancient_, so I stronlgy +suggest to use this original library instead. + +In this library here, you have to uncomment the following line in +the [lib/Makefile](./lib/Makefile) + +``` +#DEFINES+=-DADAFRUIT_RGBMATRIX_HAT +``` +Uncommenting means: remove the `#` in front of that line. + +Then re-compile and a display connected to the HAT should work. + +### Improving flicker + +There is another thing you can do to improve the image quality. For that, you +have to do a little hardware modification, but it is very simple: solder a wire +between GPIO 4 and 18 as shown in the following picture (click to enlarge): + + + +Then, uncomment the following line in the Makefile and recompile. + +``` +#DEFINES+=-DADAFRUIT_RGBMATRIX_HAT_PWM +``` + +Reboot the Pi and you now should have less visible flicker. + +(There is potentially another hardware hack needed for 1:32 multiplexing 64x64 +panels that require an E-channel, but that is experimental right now; contact +me directly for instructions). + Technical details ----------------- @@ -604,3 +652,4 @@ things, like this installation by Dirk in Scharbeutz, Germany: [ada]: http://www.adafruit.com/product/1484 [git-submodules]: http://git-scm.com/book/en/Git-Tools-Submodules [rt-paper]: https://www.osadl.org/fileadmin/dam/rtlws/12/Brown.pdf +[adafruit-hat]: https://www.adafruit.com/products/2345 diff --git a/img/adafruit-mod.jpg b/img/adafruit-mod.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6fdc028 Binary files /dev/null and b/img/adafruit-mod.jpg differ