Hi I recently purchased some serial in parallel out 3 stage shift registers (part num 74HC595). I have gotten interesting random results with some simple programing of my arduino (my microcontroller) but the actual function of the three pins data, SH, and ST still elude me.
I have researched the web including this site.
Do I have it right:
Data Pin (pin14): This pin decides the state of each register/bit (high or low)
SH_Clock(pin12): This is the clock that simply reads the data pin state every pulse
ST_Clock(pin11): Called latch pin, when this goes high all the bits collected and pushed out, creating the parallel effect. This pin is what collects the byte and moves it.

Is this basically correct?

Thanks again,
Max
PS these chips are being used as demultiplexers

 

Max,
Take a look at Texas Instruments' datasheet for the SN74HC595:
http://focus.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/sn74hc595.pdf

There's a function table on page 2, logic diagram on page 3, and timing diagram on page 4.

Pin 14 is the serial data input.
Pin 12 latches the data in the shift register to the output when it transitions from low to high.
Pin 11, when transitioned from low to high, shifts everything one bit to the right and copies the data present at the serial data input into the 1st shift register.