Hello,

I have a working 60s counter circuit that I built on a MAX II CPLD (this is the board I'm using: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Altera-MAX-II-EPM240-CPLD-development-board-learning-board-breadboard/310704544415?hash=item48576f1a9f:g:5HwAAOSwhzhcDjRn). I have a 1Hz clock signal being generated a 32.768Khz crystal driven by a CD4060, whose divide-by-14 output is fed into a CD4027 to divide-by-2 to generate a 1Hz signal. The 1Hz signal is put through three Schmitt trigger inverters in a 74LS14 to clean the signal up, and then fed into my CPLD. The counter is programmed into the MAX II with six synchronous J-K flip flops whose outputs are also fed to 6 output pins on the CPLD board that drive 6 LEDs.

This 60s binary counter works well but I want to display the count on a 2-digit, common cathode 7 segment display (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BHTI4E6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). I don't have the datasheet because I couldn't find it online, but I figured out the pinouts are 1-d, 2-dp, 3-e, 4-c, 5-GND, 6-b, 7-a, 8-f, 9-g, 10-GND. I found this thread yesterday (https://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/threads/how-does-this-circuit-work.102239/) and tried to program that circuit on my CPLD.



I have a 1kHz clock (also generated by the 32.768 kHz crystal) feeding the A1 input on the 74139 and strobing the ENABLE pin (GN on my schematic) on the 74157. The SELECT pin on the MUX is being switched by the output of a J-K flip flop that divides the 1kHz clock frequency in half. The 7449 outputs are connected to 7 pins on my CPLD board that connect to the anodes of the display through 510 Ohm resistors. I've inverted the active-low outputs on the 74139 to drive 2 2N2222 transistors that act as switches for the cathode pins on my display. The base of the transistors are tied to the 74139 outputs through 15k resistors, the emitters are tied to ground, and the collectors are tied to the 7 segment cathodes through 510 Ohm resistors. The transistor switch circuits work, I've tested them with the display separately. I've attached a pdf of what I've programmed to the CPLD. The program compiles just fine and it has been uploaded to the MAX II.

However, the multiplexer circuit doesn't work. When I power on the board (connected via a 5V barrel plug from USB) and connect the pins to their appropriate inputs and outputs on my breadboard (which is powered by a 5V DC supply) only the 60s binary counter works. I think part of the problem is that the multiplexing circuit is supposed to be fed a BCD input, but my counter is binary. However, I don't know how I would convert binary to BCD. Even so, the 7 segment display is not conducting at all, which means something else is the problem. I know the MAX II probably can't supply enough current to drive the display, but the LEDs should at least flash on or something if the multiplexing circuit is wired correctly. So I'm not sure what the problem is. Any help would be appreciated.

-D

 

What happens if you check the input to B1 with a DVM? What is the expected voltage to ground?

Try manually strobing A1. Isolate it from your clock and jump it to ground and 5V. Does it operate the way you expect?

If it does, try jumping it to a lower clock speed. Maybe even the 2Hz output.

What I’m suggesting are simple checks to verify operation and subsequently working your way back in the circuit.

 

Hi djsfantasi, thanks for your help. I took your advice and got the circuit to work (with some redesigns). It turns out programming the 74139 was unecessary because I could just invert the 1kHz clock signal and feed the inverted and non-inverted signals to the bases of 2N2222 switches. So I did that.

Then I replaced the 7449 with a 7447 in my CPLD, and inverted the active-low outputs to pins on the board. I connected those pins to the anodes of my display with 520 Ohm series resistors. I also programmed a 74185 binary-BCD encoder and put that between the 6-bit binary signal and the 74157 multiplexer. It turns out strobing the MUX was unnecessary (I guess because the data inputs are coming it at such a low frequency). So I connected the MUX's GN (enable) to a pin on my CPLD board and tied that to ground. The clock signal is fed to the MUX's select input, like in the previous schematic.

The thing works! But the MAX II isn't meant to source/sync more than 20/25 mA per pin, so hopefully I didn't damage it. I ordered some high-side drivers (UDN2981) to put between the I/O pins on my CPLD and the 7 segment display. But while those get delivered I may just wire up 7 PNP emitter followers as current sources for the anodes.

Anyway, here's a picture of what I programmed to my CPLD. Hopefully this can help other people who may want to multiplex a seven segment display but don''t necessarily want to use a microcontroller.