At first look everything is awesome ... except we're looking at examples that aren't coded for real end-usability. EX: - The # of clicks to activate each LED step is inconsistent - The click function on the encoder doesn't toggle the LED on/off

If we're looking to use this for real feedback: - 1-encoder-rotate-click >> 1 LED increase / decrease - encoder-rotate-click >> at least increments LEDs at consistent click-intervals - encoder-press >> toggles an on off

NickVD,
Awesome videos/examples on the Rotary Encoder LED Ring Breakout Board. I just ordered one and I'm excited about its arrival. I would really appreciate it if you could send me a link for the rotary switch you used in your "Ring used a encoder feedback indictor". It looks like it's a nice, clicky, 15 position rotary switch with a push button, which I'm having trouble finding.
--Robert

On our encoders, it looks like you could bend the legs 180 degrees and mount it from the back, but personally I'd be wary of this since you could easily snap a leg off. The safest thing might be to not bend the legs, and solder some bare wire (think clipped resistor leads) from the header holes down to the legs.

Don't worry Midknight5000, you didn't waste your money! I'll explain how the example code works a little and then explain how you can output to the LEDs anything you would like.

In the example there is an array of 16 bit values that represent the on/off state of 16 LEDs (0x0 means all LEDs off, 0x2 means just the second LED on...). The rotary encoder counter indexes this array of 16 bit values. So looking at the first array, if the encoder has been rotated 3 counts, the LED output would be 0x4 (only the 3rd LED would be on). There is a scaling that happens to show how you can make the output change every 10 turns instead of 1, for example. This is not really needed for functionality.

Now the output actually occurs (and this is where you are most interested) in these lines: shiftOut(SDI,CLK,MSBFIRST,(sequence[sequenceNumber][scaledCounter] >> 8)); shiftOut(SDI,CLK,MSBFIRST,sequence[sequenceNumber][scaledCounter]);

Since there are 16 LEDs, we have to send two 8 bit sequences. We bit shift the high 8 bits and send them, then we send the lower 8 bits next. I think we need an an example:

Suppose you want every 3rd LED on. This is 0b1001001001001001 (binary) = 0x9249 (hex) as seen in OSX or Windows programming calculator. 0x9249 >> 8 (shift the bits right 8 times) gives us the upper 8 LED on/off states, ie : 0b10010010 = 0x92. This is sent to the LED Ring. Then, the remaining 8 LED states are sent. We use a 16 bit value, but since the Arduino is 8 bit, the upper 8 bits (which we already sent) are disregarded. 0b01001001=0x49 is sent.

So here is the easiest way to send anything you'd like: unsigned int myLED = 0xDB6D; //1101101101101101, 1 means LED on, 0 means LED off digitalWrite(LE,LOW); //let the LED Ring know you are talking to it shiftOut(SDI,CLK,MSBFIRST,(myLED >> 8)); shiftOut(SDI,CLK,MSBFIRST,myLED); digitalWrite(LE,HIGH); //let the LED Ring know you are done

There is another approach that includes bitwise OR'ing that has the benefit of being able to turn on/off any single LED, regardless of the state of other LEDs. It might be better for applications that don't output a set sequence. I can show if anyone is interested.

sybednar,

I think this may have to do with the version of Arduino software. The path Nick gives may be the old library path. The current software looks for libraries inside your sketchbook folder and you add a library within a drop down menu. See if either of these pages set you up:

http://arduino.cc/it/Reference/Libraries

http://arduino.cc/en/Guide/Environment

If not, you may need to look at your settings file (use caution if you do): http://arduino.cc/hu/Hacking/Preferences

I can think of two things to check. First, check the pin names you are using in your code. The same pins may have different names on the Mega than on the Duemilanova. Second, the code that reads the rotary encoder needs to know what port the encoder is on:
#define ENC_PORT PINB
The port names may be different on the Mega than the Duemilanova.

Short answer: No.

How do you propose to make the lights correspond to the encoder output without the microcontroller? If you want this as just a visual device, just just the default firmware and don't connect the microcontroller up to anything else.