Expand Output Pins and Power; ICs
bf-scott wrote on 16 Mar 2013 03:59
http://www.thekanes.org/2010/06/09/expanding-the-arduino-cheap-ways-to-add-output-pins-and-power/
A good little article that talks about expanding the number of pins on an Arduino and adding more power to those pins in the process… using single-function and multiple-function ICs.
The M5451 40-pin IC drives 35 constant-current switches that can be controlled by 2 Arduino digital pins (clock and serial data). And if you want to change the current (of all pins) you can use a third pin to connect a "brightness" pin on the 5451 to a PWM on the Arduino.
Could this 5451 IC be a simpler option for driving 3D LED cubes?! Hmmm…
Example use of the M5451 driving 35 LEDs… nice!
http://effluviaofascatteredmind.blogspot.com/2009/02/arduino-and-m5451-control-35-leds.html