The teensy 4.1 is being powered through USB
-A teensy with digital pins puts out a digital HIGH signal that is only +3.3V
Powering 42 dotstar (apa102) pixels with an external power source that is connected directly to the pixel strip and NOT connected to the Teensy. The dotstars will only be connected to the microcontroller through pins 11 and 13 which support hardware SPI.
ISSUE:
-Dotstars need a 5V high signal for the clock & data lines
-teensy will only put out data and clock signals that are 3.3 volts high
SOLUTION
Use a level shifter to bring the 3.3 volt high data and clock signals to 5 volt high data and clock signals.
CLARIFICATIONS NEEDED
Since the teensy is not powering the strips but only providing data and clock signals data to them will the ground of the teensy need to be connected to the ground wire that grounds the dotstars? Does the teensy need to be grounded at all if it’s being powered through USB and only putting out data and clock signals?
Will the level shifting from 3.3 volts to 5 volts cause an issue if the shared ground of the dotstars is shared with the ground of the teensy?
-A teensy with digital pins puts out a digital HIGH signal that is only +3.3V
Powering 42 dotstar (apa102) pixels with an external power source that is connected directly to the pixel strip and NOT connected to the Teensy. The dotstars will only be connected to the microcontroller through pins 11 and 13 which support hardware SPI.
ISSUE:
-Dotstars need a 5V high signal for the clock & data lines
-teensy will only put out data and clock signals that are 3.3 volts high
SOLUTION
Use a level shifter to bring the 3.3 volt high data and clock signals to 5 volt high data and clock signals.
CLARIFICATIONS NEEDED
Since the teensy is not powering the strips but only providing data and clock signals data to them will the ground of the teensy need to be connected to the ground wire that grounds the dotstars? Does the teensy need to be grounded at all if it’s being powered through USB and only putting out data and clock signals?
Will the level shifting from 3.3 volts to 5 volts cause an issue if the shared ground of the dotstars is shared with the ground of the teensy?