Arduino Seven Segment Display Tutorial

Arduino Seven Segment Display Tutorial - What Is A Seven Segment Display? A seven-segment display (SSD), or seven-segment indicator, is a form of electronic display device for displaying decimal numerals that is an alternative to the more complex dot-matrix displays. Seven-segment displays are widely used in digital clocks, electronic meters, and other electronic devices for displaying numerical information.

At first controlling a 7 segment display seems quite complex but it quickly becomes clear. What follows is a quick guide to control a 7 segment display with a arduino board.

Parts & Tools :
Parts:
~ 2 x Seven Segment Display (Common Cathode)- Red,Blue
~ 1 x 330 ohm resistor 
~ Arduino Uno(Or equivalent) 
~ Breadboard - Sparkfun.com
~ Some jumper wires 
Tools:
~ The arduino programming Environment - Arduino.cc
~ USB Cable A-B 
~ Soldering Iron 
~ Solder Wire 

Circuit :

click the image to enlarge
The circuit is pretty straight forward connect the common cathode’s to gnd with a 330 ohm current limiting resistor. Connect the seven segment displays pin number 7(A) to arduino pin2 , 6(B) to arduino pin3 , 4 (C) to arduino pin 4 , 2 (D) to arduino pin5 , 1 (E) to arduino pin6 , 9 (F) to arduino pin7 , 10 (G) to arduino pin8 , 5 (DP) to arduino pin9.For the 2nd project first make the multiplexing circuit below and then follow these connections pattern.Segment A to pin 7, Segment B to pin 8, Segment C to pin 4, Segment D to pin 3, Segment E to pin 2, Segment F to  pin 6, Segment G to pin 5, Gnd1 via resistor to pin 11, Gnd2 via resistor to pin 9.


I have also included the fritzing digram(The worst you can get as I am not good at making circuit diagrams)  for the multiplexed circuit and the simple circuit and pinout of the seven segment display .

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