Note: The "8-bit OLED Thing" is supplied in Kitset form (assembly required). However, I do offer the option of assembling it for you. The base price is for one "8-bit OLED Thing" Kitset. Optionally you can include a ST-LINK V2 Compatible Programmer (if you want to re-program the microcontroller). Also, I provide a 4-up discount, so you can save on a bundle of 4 or more 8-bit OLED Things!

8-bit OLED Thing - This is pretty awesome!

Several years ago, when I was re-discovering my original digital electronics design and breadboard prototyping background, I decided there was a need for a better LED indicator solution.

This resulted in my 8-bit LED Thing, which has proven to be a popular item, and has given me great satisfaction to see others using them also.

So, more recently, I was again working on a digital breadboard project. In this case for my MECB bus based 8-bit retro platform. And, despite having used my 8-bit LED Things regularly, with various projects, for monitoring registers, inputs, and outputs, I had a sudden thought...

Wouldn't it be great, if the LED Thing could also show me the Hexadecimal value of a multi-bit signal, as well as just the existing LED bar graph (which the 8-bit LED Thing currently displays).

If you’re not familiar with my 8-bit LED Thing, then I do recommend first watching its linked video (on the 8-bit LED Thing page), to familiarise yourself with what it’s all about, before continuing.

I’ll still continue to use, and offer, my original 8-bit LED Thing, as it still remains a good option, if you just need a LED Bar Graph, or some simple LED indicators.

But, if you want to take the 8-bit LED Thing up a level, or, perhaps you just want a really convenient and tiny STM8S development board, then I think you’ll really like my new 8-bit OLED Thing!

Also, if you’re already using 8-bit LED Things, then you can simply swap-out for a new 8-bit OLED Thing, to get the new display capabilities, as they both use the same package size, power and 8-bit input pin-out etc.

As most enthusiasts know, it's quite common to hook-up LED's to your digital or microprocessor based creations, to easily see the status at key points within your circuit.

Often, Dual In-Line (DIL) LED Bar Graph displays are used, for displaying the state of parallel data and address Buses, or even individual register contents.

Now, although we love flashing lights and enjoy plenty of digital signal & register content visibility, there are a couple of problems with doing this.

Firstly, it seems quite common to simply hook-up an LED to a signal line (which we wish to monitor), via a current limiting resistor.

This, unfortunately, has the effect of significantly loading the signal that we are monitoring, quite often beyond the datasheets maximum source or sink current specification.

In addition, if you add a number of LEDs to your creation, you can significantly add to your project's overall power consumption, also creating unplanned voltage-drops across your breadboard's power feed wiring.

Secondly, hooking-up multiple LED's and current limiting resistors, onto your circuit, can be quite a tedious process, with all of the resistors and hook-up wires needed, just to monitor a multi-bit bus or register.

This is where the Digicool Things "8-bit LED Thing" came to the rescue. It solved all of these issues, along with adding some cool additional capabilities.

But now we have step up a level, with the new 8-bit OLED Thing…

What Does the "8-bit OLED Thing" Do?

On first look, the "8-bit OLED Thing" is a small, breadboard friendly module, with an OLED display in a wider 16 pin Dual In-Line package.

It is the same length as a Dual In-Line 16 pin IC package (0.1" pitch), and 0.5" wide (instead of 0.3"). So, they're breadboard friendly. You can even place them end-to-end on your breadboard, to make 16-bit, or wider, displays.

Firstly, to use it for displaying the status of up to 8 digital signals, you only need to connect up the two power pins. That is, Ground and your project's 5V or 3.3V power line.

Then, up to 8 digital signals can be monitored just by connecting to any of the 8 pins along one side of the "8-bit OLED Thing".

Now, apart from the ease of connection, and no need for current limiting resistors etc, the magic here is that each input presents as only a 1 micro-Amp (1µA) load to the signal being monitored.

Yes, I said that correctly. Only 1 micro-Amp! Effectively, there is no load impact on the monitored signal!

This is due to the fact that these sensing inputs are actually floating, so there is no pull-up or pull-down resistors adding load, or having any impact on your circuit.

Because of this, do note that if any of the 8 digital level sensing inputs remain unused, then they should be tied to Ground, when in the default level sensing mode (mode 7).

In addition to this ease of use, and virtually no load on the signals being monitored, the Display is also power efficient (when compared to using multiple LEDs for digital signal monitoring).

Now, this is only the start of the 8-bit OLED Thing's capabilities.

Note that you can choose to either just show a bar graph display of the 8 digital input levels, or you can choose to show a Hexadecimal representation of the 8 digital inputs, or, you can choose to display both!

Different Modes of Operation!

On the top side of the Display we have some more pins. You already know about the Ground and Power pins.

In addition, there are also 2 mode control input pins. These mode pins have internal weak pull-ups enabled, so by default (with the pins not connected), we are in the default Hex + Bar graph display mode (with both mode pins pulled high).

By controlling the mode pins, we can switch to either Bar grpah only, or Hex only, or a special mode that even turns the "8-bit OLED Thing" into an electronic Dice!

All the modes are explained on the laminated handout that comes with your "8-bit OLED Thing" order (also see photo).

Why am I Now Offering These?

I've actually been using a number of the original 8-bit LED Things with my own projects, for several years now, and more recently started offering them as a solution for others to use.

A moment of inspiration (to also provide a Hexadecimal display), led to the development of this 8-bit OLED Thing variation, as a worthy follow-up to the 8-bit LED Thing.

As an aside, the original "8-bit LED Thing" and this "8-bit OLED Thing", both also made for fun design projects, as they both represent the physically smallest microcontroller project that I've ever made.

You can also consider the "8-bit OLED Thing" as simply a tiny STM8S microcontroller board, which you could also program for your own projects.

As such, I've decided to offer these in Kitset form, so that you have the choice of using the bare MCU board, for your own use, or you can attach the supplied OLED Display module (either solder-in or just push-fit), and the gold plated round-pin header strips, to complete your own "8-bit OLED Thing".

I've also added an "Assembled" option, where I can assemble them for you, for a small fee.

Re-Programming The Microcontroller

To re-program the microcontroller you can simply use a ST-Link V2 USB Programmer, which is connected to the board with just 4 wires. These are Ground, Power, Reset, and the ST single-pin SWIM interface. SWIM stands for Single Wire Interface Module.

If you don't already have a ST-Link V2 Programmer, and want one to play around with programming the microcontroller yourself, I've offered, as an option, the same ST-Link V2 compatible USB Programmer that I'm using, so you can get one with your "8-bit OLED Thing".

Finally, because it's common to use multiple 8-bit OLED Things on your breadboard projects, I'm offering a 4-up price. So, you can have 4 (or more), for a reduced bundle price!

Be sure to watch the linked video, for a demonstration of the "8-bit OLED Thing" in operation, as well as demonstrating kitset assembly.

What You Get

These come in Kitset form, so you have the choice of using the bare MCU board (for your own use), or you can simply attach the supplied OLED Display module and solder in the gold plated round-pin header strips, to complete your own "8-bit OLED Thing".

Included:

• Assembled, Programmed & Tested "8-bit OLED Thing" Microcontroller Board
• 32x64 Matrix OLED DIsplay Module
• 8-pin Round-Pin Gold-Plated Header Strip
• 2x 2-pin Round-Pin Gold-Plated Header Strips

Optional: Assembly

• Assembly - if you'd prefer I assemble it (and you just want the "8-bit OLED Thing" ready to go!)

Optional: Programmer

• ST-LINK V2 Compatible STM8 & STM32 USB Programmer (Tested)

Note: To order 1x Programmer with multiple 8-bit OLED Things, just add 1x 8-bit OLED Thing to your Cart first (with Programmer), then add more 8-bit OLED Things to your Cart (without the Programmer). The 4-up price applies for the total quantity in your Cart!

Your "8-bit OLED Thing" Kitset order is shipped in a robust cardboard carton with packing, for safe delivery via New Zealand International Air Parcel (see example shipping photo).

Note: Please visit the Documentation link (below) for more information on DigicoolThings, and for details of the various other projects I've been working on.

We pride ourselves with our "Next Business Day" Shipping Policy, and robust carton packaging. We also build to order, so if you order items with an "Assemble it for me" option selected, it may slightly delay shipping (while we build it for you).