• Home
  • Archive
  • Tools
  • Contact Us

The Customize Windows

Technology Journal

  • Cloud Computing
  • Computer
  • Digital Photography
  • Windows 7
  • Archive
  • Cloud Computing
  • Virtualization
  • Computer and Internet
  • Digital Photography
  • Android
  • Sysadmin
  • Electronics
  • Big Data
  • Virtualization
  • Downloads
  • Web Development
  • Apple
  • Android
Advertisement
You are here:Home » 7 Segment LED Display Tutorial For Dummies

By Abhishek Ghosh October 29, 2017 10:42 am Updated on October 29, 2017

7 Segment LED Display Tutorial For Dummies

Advertisement

7 Segment LED displays are cheap and various sizes available. Unlike ready to use TM1637 7 Segment LED display module, these are slightly difficult to get started. But once the basic is mastered, they are highly flexible. Here is step by step 7 Segment LED display tutorial for dummies on how to light up with battery to control with Arduino without library. 7 Segment LED displays are nothing but exactly like bar graph displays – each segment is a LED. Originally these were vacuum fluorescent displays and that VFDs are still used in good quality electronic stuffs. As for many LEDs together, we can either use a common positive end or a common negative end, there are two types of 7 Segment LED displays –

  1. Common cathode 7 segment LED display
  2. Common anode 7 segment LED display

 

7 Segment LED Display Tutorial For Dummies : By Electrical Connection

 

That electrical way is widely used for static big displays. Electronic control only added when we need to change the digit to be displays. It is very easy to test a 7 Segment LED Display with battery.

  1. In common cathode 7 segment LED displays, the 3rd pin will get connected to GND or (-) pole of battery, the intended segment (s) to be listen up will get connected to POWER or (+) pole of battery
  2. In common anode 7 segment LED displays, the 3rd pin will get connected to POWER or (+) pole of battery, the intended segment (s) to be listen up will get connected to GND or (-) pole of battery

How much power needed (in volts) that depends on the size and specification of the display under question. Usually for displays around 1 inch in size needs 3.3 V as minimum need and 5 V is maximum for them. If you connect them with 9V directly, they will simply die. Obviously you can write 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0 by connecting multiple segments.

Advertisement

---

 

7 Segment LED Display Tutorial For Dummies : By Arduino Electronics Connection

 

There are various electronic ways for controlling these 7 Segment LED Displays. We will programatically control with Arduino. Tis graphics is useful to understand what we told you :

7-Segment-LED-Display-Tutorial-For-Dummies

Can you guess from photograph whether we are using common cathode 7 segment LED display or common anode 7 segment LED display? Anode is the positive pole, or negative pole? Is not oxygen get liberated at anode as gas during chemistry’s hydrolysis? In some guides on this earth you’ll see write to connect with -5 volt. Why these are confusing? Why ground, earth, negative voltage, anode making us confused? That thing is discussed in our article on why minus voltage exits. Again another illustration to check whether you do not get confused after you understood :

7 Segment LED Display Tutorial For Dummies

If you get used with electrical part, wiring and connection will follow the same logic – we can light up multiple LED with Arduino. Obviously common cathode 7 segment LED displays will have difference with common cathode 7 segment LED display in :

  1. Connecting 3,8 pin of the 7 segment LED display
  2. Code will be opposite! Which turns on segment of common cathode 7 segment LED display will turn off that segment of common anode 7 segment LED display

We connected :

Arduino Pin 2 with 7 (A)
Arduino Pin 3 with 6 (B)
Arduino Pin 4 with 4 (C)
Arduino Pin 5 with 2 (D)
Arduino Pin 6 with 1 (E)
Arduino Pin 7 with 9 (F)
Arduino Pin 8 with 10 (G)
Arduino Pin 9 with 5 (DP)

Test with this code :

Vim
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
void setup() {              
  pinMode(2, OUTPUT);  
  pinMode(3, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(4, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(5, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(6, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(7, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(8, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(9, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(9, 1);  // "dot"
}
void loop() {
   // write '2'
digitalWrite(2, 0);
digitalWrite(3, 0);
digitalWrite(4, 1);
digitalWrite(5, 0);
digitalWrite(6, 0);
digitalWrite(7, 0);
digitalWrite(8, 0);
delay(1000);
// write '3'
digitalWrite(2, 0);
digitalWrite(3, 0);
digitalWrite(4, 0);
digitalWrite(5, 0);
digitalWrite(6, 1);
digitalWrite(7, 0);
digitalWrite(8, 0);
delay(1000);
 
}

There are zillions of guides on this earth but, in future guides we will add multiple segments – which is called multiplexing using a common IC which Arduino has libraries. So, basically we do not need more than correctly understanding the basic electrical and basic electronics part. Exactly like TM1637 we can make funny animations like scrolling text. That basic when becomes with multi colour tiny LEDs become your computer, mobile phone’s display. Understood?

Tagged With 1 2 inch 7 Segment Red LED Display Common Cathode , how to do 3 2 1 in a 7 segment display with circuit wizard , https://thecustomizewindows com/2017/10/7-segment-led-display-tutorial-dummies/ , led display evb5 tutorial , loops and segments for dummies
Facebook Twitter Pinterest

Abhishek Ghosh

About Abhishek Ghosh

Abhishek Ghosh is a Businessman, Surgeon, Author and Blogger. You can keep touch with him on Twitter - @AbhishekCTRL.

Here’s what we’ve got for you which might like :

Articles Related to 7 Segment LED Display Tutorial For Dummies

  • Arduino and LED Bar Display : Circuit Diagram, Code

    Here is a Guide Explaining the Basics, Circuit Diagram, Code on Arduino and LED Bar Display. LED Bar Display is Actually Like Multiple LED.

  • Mini Christmas Light With Arduino (Very Easy)

    Here is a Mini Christmas Light With Arduino as Project Which Needs 3 Resisters and 3 LEDs, No External Power Supply. It Has 2 Blink Effects.

  • Arduino 14 Segment LED Display : Driver IC & Library

    Here is Information About Arduino 14 Segment LED Display Driver IC & Library. As it is less used component for higher price, possibly you have build module yourself.

  • Arduino Simple Music Analyzer VU Meter From Stereo Input

    In our old guide we made VU Meter using microphone and LEDs, also our Arduino door bell project have kind of VU meter with 3 LEDs. Now, our one reader asked how to create good looking but easy Music Analyzer or VU Meter using Audio input from devices like microphone out or smartphone’s USB out. […]

performing a search on this website can help you. Also, we have YouTube Videos.

Take The Conversation Further ...

We'd love to know your thoughts on this article.
Meet the Author over on Twitter to join the conversation right now!

If you want to Advertise on our Article or want a Sponsored Article, you are invited to Contact us.

Contact Us

Subscribe To Our Free Newsletter

Get new posts by email:

Please Confirm the Subscription When Approval Email Will Arrive in Your Email Inbox as Second Step.

Search this website…

 

Popular Articles

Our Homepage is best place to find popular articles!

Here Are Some Good to Read Articles :

  • Cloud Computing Service Models
  • What is Cloud Computing?
  • Cloud Computing and Social Networks in Mobile Space
  • ARM Processor Architecture
  • What Camera Mode to Choose
  • Indispensable MySQL queries for custom fields in WordPress
  • Windows 7 Speech Recognition Scripting Related Tutorials

Social Networks

  • Pinterest (24.3K Followers)
  • Twitter (5.8k Followers)
  • Facebook (5.7k Followers)
  • LinkedIn (3.7k Followers)
  • YouTube (1.3k Followers)
  • GitHub (Repository)
  • GitHub (Gists)
Looking to publish sponsored article on our website?

Contact us

Recent Posts

  • PowerAmp Settings for Higher Sound QualityOctober 4, 2023
  • Affordable Earphone/IEM for Audiophiles: HiFiMan RE-400 WaterlineOctober 2, 2023
  • What is Hardware Security Module (HSM)September 30, 2023
  • Transducer Technologies of HeadphonesSeptember 28, 2023
  • What is Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC)September 27, 2023
PC users can consult Corrine Chorney for Security.

Want to know more about us?

Read Notability and Mentions & Our Setup.

Copyright © 2023 - The Customize Windows | dESIGNed by The Customize Windows

Copyright  · Privacy Policy  · Advertising Policy  · Terms of Service  · Refund Policy