FlipSuite

KiCad schematics and PCBs for building flip dot and flip segment display drivers.

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK

The designs are not yet finalized or not fully tested.

Status

Flips5, Flips6, Flips7

PCBs of Flips5, Flips6 and Flips7, each in Version V1.0, have been manufactured and equiped.

Flips5, Flips6 and Flips7 can be considered working, at least in single display configurations. Successfully tested:

• Flips5 with standard Brose displays on BROSE60 and BRDIC1, connected to Flips6 on CNY1+CNY2 and CNX1
  • 28x16 (15 mm dots)
  • 28x19 (10 mm dots)
• Flips5 with extended 28x24 (10 mm dots) Brose display on BROSE60+BROSE20 and BRDIC1, connected to Flips6 on CNY1+CNY2 and CNX1
  • This display uses the 24 rows 3-26
• Flips5 with Brose display of 5 digits a 5x7 = 25x7 on BROSE34 and BRDIC1, connected to Flips6 on CNY1 andCNX1
• Flips7 with Transit Media displays, connected to Flips6 CNY1+CNY2 and CNX1
  • 28x13 (15 mm dots)
  • 28x16 (15 mm dots)
  • 14x16 (15 mm dots)
  • 28x16 (10 mm dots)

Tests of multi display configurations with Flips6 are still pending.

Flips8

Flips8 is work-in-progress.

PCBs

View PCBs online.

Known Issues V1.0

Flips5

• R1, R2, R3 and C1, C2, C3 are too close to the DIP40 sockets of IC1, IC2, IC3; When using standard DIP40 sockets with rectangular spring contacts, the socket frame and a pad of each of the mentioned resistors and capacitors will overlap.
  • Already rearranged the resistors and capacitors in the layout (db15812: "Place FP2800As' bypass capacitors and EN-pulldowns to fit in Dip40 socket")
  • Options for manufactured boards
    • Use sockets with slimmer frame (e.g. those with round pins); or pin rows, they are also slimmer than the standard socket frames
    • Use little solder for Rs and Cs, decenter Rs and Cs away from socket frame as much as possible
    • Mill small holes into socket to not collide with housings of Rs and Cs
    • Do not equip the Flips5 PCB with those Rs and Cs
      • The enable signals should have pull down resistors, but they can be provided externally; the Flips6 already provides the enable signals with pull down resistors
      • The bypass capacitor can be omitted while the circuit will still work (but it might create more radio interferences then)
• Cannot use connector socket with locks for CN3 due to conflict with BRDIC1 connector

Flips6

• Legend with pinout table of CN1 has labels for pins 6 and 8 (CLK vs. LAT) swapped
  • Solution: in the layout, already fixed the table (aecff96: "Fix wrong labels of Flips6 uP connector: LAT <--> CLK")

Flips7

• The jumper JP1 allowing to switch between 28 and 14 column display panel is not required. It turned out that both display types do not differ regarding pins of columns 4 (and 27). The 14 column panel can be used like the 28 column panel.
  • The jumper can be set or even soldered for the 28 column configuration.
  • Jumper to be removed in next version.

Description

Here is some technical description.

Flips Systems

• Brose
  • Matrix
    • Minimal: ..-14 Rows (60P-Connector)
    • Typical: 15-20 Rows (60P-Connector; +CNY2)
    • Extra: 21-28 Rows (60P+20P-Connectors; +CNY2)
    • Multi: Multiple Display Panels (+CNX2, ...)
  • Characters
    • 5 Positions a 5x7 Dots (34P-Connector)
• Transit Media
  • Small: Display with ..-14 Rows
  • Typical: Display with 14-16 Rows
  • Multi: Multiple Display Panels