DNIN8 Instructions

Using the Board on your Layout

The DNIN8 is a chainable, digital input board for use with an Arduino microcontroller. Each board provides 8 ports for attaching any kind of button, switch or digital (HIGH/LOW) sensor device. Multiple boards can be chained together allowing dozens of inputs to be monitored simultaneously using just 3 pins on the microcontroller.

Power

Each DNIN8 input duinoNode requires two power connections:

  • VCC, +5v device power
  • GND

Data Connections

DATA OUT: Each duinoNode requires three outbound connections for upstream (to the microcontroller) data transmission: Clock, Latch & Data Out.

DATA IN: Each duinoNode offers three inbound data connections for receiving data from downstream input duinoNodes: Clock, Latch & Data In.

DNIN8 Data Connections. Multiple boards can be chained together by connecting Data Out of a node to Data In of the next upstream (to microcontroller) node.

This version of the board accepts data connections at three port terminal blocks. Board-to-board data connections can be made with standard, 3-wire servo extension cable.

Stacking

In addition to chaining board by wire, you can also stack up to 6 DNIN8 boards together to share the power and logic connections, and concentrate ports in one location. Stacking is enabled by soldering in 6-pin headers (included with the board) and soldering jumpers on each board in the stack.

Close up view of the stacking jumpers, used to select input and output pins on stacked boards.

Successful stacking depends on setting the correct jumpers for each board to so that each board has uniquely assigned input and output pins.

On the board that will be on the bottom of the stack, solder just one jumper to read input from a pin: we strongly recommend you select pins in numeric order, so solder the data in jumper at header pin 1.

On subsequent boards solder two jumpers: on the data out side, set the jumper for the pin corresponding to data in from below, then select the next pin on the data in side for reading from the next board.

Following this pattern, you can mount up to 6 boards in a single stack. The top board of the stack does not need to select a data in pin, but can still connect to more upstream boards via wire connections at J2.

Additional Notes about Stacking

  • Connect power to the bottom board only.
  • The order of boards and ports is bottom to top, the same as if the boards were connected by wire instead of stacked.
  • To connect to another downstream board or stack by wire, use the DATA IN terminals (J2) on the TOP board of the stack.

Device Connections

The DNIN8 can be connected to standard buttons, switches and any +5v digital sensor device that produces a digital (HIGH or LOW) signal.

Connection points for buttons, switches and digital sensors. All devices share the common anode power source but use individual Ground ports.

There are 8 device ground connections plus 4 shared VCC anode terminals to supply power to all attached devices. Simply connect a wire from VCC to the “hot” side of each button, switch or sensor, then the ground side from each device to individual ground ports. Pull-down resistors are already present on the board.

Using the Board

DNIN8 is an 8-bit parallel in, serial out shift register device. However, the Arduino shiftin() library function is not compatible with shift register used by this board.

The duinoNodes Arduino Library is free to purchaser of any duinoNode product. It will be added to your cart automatically and you will receive a download link when your purchase is complete. The library is delivered as a zip file; unzip it into your libraries directory, usually C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\Arduino\libraries. You will find example sketches in ..\Arduino\Libraries\duinoNodes\examples.

For detailed information, see Arduino Library for Input duinoNodes.

UPDATED: 8/26/21