Intermediate
30 min

Decode, express, and amplify data across diverse applications with MCP4728 and PIC32MZ1024EFH064

Empower data expression

DAC 4 Click with PIC32MZ clicker

Published Aug 18, 2023

Click board™

DAC 4 Click

Dev Board

PIC32MZ clicker

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

PIC32MZ1024EFH064

Designed for precision, it transforms digital insights into analog realities, enabling seamless communication and decision-making

A

A

Hardware Overview

How does it work?

DAC 4 Click is based on the MCP4728, a quad, 12-bit voltage output Digital-to-Analog converter (DAC) with nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) from Microchip. Its onboard precision output amplifier allows it to achieve rail-to-rail analog output swing. The DAC input codes, device configuration bits, and I2C address bits are programmable to the nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) using I2C serial interface commands. The nonvolatile memory feature enables the DAC device to hold the DAC input codes during power-off time, allowing the DAC outputs to be available immediately after power-up with the saved settings. The MCP4728 device has a high-precision internal voltage reference (VREF = 2.048V). The user can select the internal reference, or an external reference may be used (VDD) for each channel individually. This

gives the ADC 4-click good flexibility for use in various applications. Each channel can be operated individually in Normal mode or Power-Down mode by setting the configuration register bits. In Power-Down mode, most of the internal circuits in the powered-down channel are turned off for power savings, and the output amplifier can be configured to present a known low, medium, or high resistance output load. This device also includes a Power-on Reset (POR) circuit to ensure reliable power-up and an onboard charge pump for the EEPROM programming voltage. The MCP4728 has four output pins routed to the output terminal blocks (TB1 and TB2). The output range of the DAC is 0 V to VREF or 0 V to 2×V REF. The communication with the main MCU is established over a two-wire I2C compatible serial

interface, with standard (100 kHz), fast (400 kHz), or high speed (3.4 MHz) modes supported. The I2C lines (SCL and SDA) are routed to the dedicated mikroBUS™pins. The LDA pin is a multipurpose GPIO: It can be used as Synchronization input or for the device I2C address selection. RDY pin can also optionally be used to monitor the status of EEPROM programming activity. This Click board™ can operate with either 3.3V or 5V logic voltage levels selected via the VCC SEL jumper. This way, both 3.3V and 5V capable MCUs can use the communication lines properly. Also, this Click board™ comes equipped with a library containing easy-to-use functions and an example code that can be used, as a reference, for further development.

DAC 4 Click top side image
DAC 4 Click bottom side image

Features overview

Development board

PIC32MZ Clicker is a compact starter development board that brings the flexibility of add-on Click boards™ to your favorite microcontroller, making it a perfect starter kit for implementing your ideas. It comes with an onboard 32-bit PIC32MZ microcontroller with FPU from Microchip, a USB connector, LED indicators, buttons, a mikroProg connector, and a header for interfacing with external electronics. Thanks to its compact design with clear and easy-recognizable silkscreen markings, it provides a fluid and immersive working experience, allowing access anywhere and under

any circumstances. Each part of the PIC32MZ Clicker development kit contains the components necessary for the most efficient operation of the same board. In addition to the possibility of choosing the PIC32MZ Clicker programming method, using USB HID mikroBootloader, or through an external mikroProg connector for PIC, dsPIC, or PIC32 programmer, the Clicker board also includes a clean and regulated power supply module for the development kit. The USB Micro-B connection can provide up to 500mA of current, which is more than enough to operate all onboard

and additional modules. All communication methods that mikroBUS™ itself supports are on this board, including the well-established mikroBUS™ socket, reset button, and several buttons and LED indicators. PIC32MZ Clicker is an integral part of the Mikroe ecosystem, allowing you to create a new application in minutes. Natively supported by Mikroe software tools, it covers many aspects of prototyping thanks to a considerable number of different Click boards™ (over a thousand boards), the number of which is growing every day.

PIC32MZ clicker double side image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

default

Architecture

PIC32

MCU Memory (KB)

1024

Silicon Vendor

Microchip

Pin count

64

RAM (Bytes)

524288

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

NC
NC
AN
NC
NC
RST
NC
NC
CS
NC
NC
SCK
NC
NC
MISO
NC
NC
MOSI
Power Supply
3.3V
3.3V
Ground
GND
GND
Multipurpose Pin
RB3
PWM
Data Ready
RB5
INT
NC
NC
TX
NC
NC
RX
I2C Clock
RD10
SCL
I2C Data
RD9
SDA
Power Supply
5V
5V
Ground
GND
GND
1

Take a closer look

Schematic

DAC 4 Click Schematic schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

PIC32MZ clicker front image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the PIC32MZ clicker as your development board.

PIC32MZ clicker front image hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click front image hardware assembly
Prog-cut hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click complete accessories setup image hardware assembly
Micro B Connector Clicker Access - upright/background hardware assembly
Necto image step 2 hardware assembly
Necto image step 3 hardware assembly
Necto image step 4 hardware assembly
Necto image step 5 hardware assembly
Necto image step 6 hardware assembly
Flip&Click PIC32MZ MCU step hardware assembly
Necto No Display image step 8 hardware assembly
Necto image step 9 hardware assembly
Necto image step 10 hardware assembly
Debug Image Necto Step hardware assembly

Track your results in real time

Application Output via Debug Mode

1. Once the code example is loaded, pressing the "DEBUG" button initiates the build process, programs it on the created setup, and enters Debug mode.

2. After the programming is completed, a header with buttons for various actions within the IDE becomes visible. Clicking the green "PLAY" button starts reading the results achieved with the Click board™. The achieved results are displayed in the Application Output tab.

DEBUG_Application_Output

Software Support

Library Description

This library contains API for DAC 4 Click driver.

Key functions:

  • dac4_voltage_reference_set - Setting channel voltage reference values

  • dac4_gain_set - Writing channel gain values

  • dac4_data_report - Reading channel data and forming reports

Open Source

Code example

This example can be found in NECTO Studio. Feel free to download the code, or you can copy the code below.

/*!
 * \file 
 * \brief Dac4 Click example
 * 
 * # Description
 * This application enables usage of digital to analog converter.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 * 
 * ## Application Init 
 * Initializes I2C driver, executes general call reset and wake up commands.
 * 
 * ## Application Task  
 * Changes the output voltage of channels every 3 seconds, and displays
 * the channels status on the USB UART.
 * 
 * \author MikroE Team
 *
 */
// ------------------------------------------------------------------- INCLUDES

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "dac4.h"

// ------------------------------------------------------------------ VARIABLES

static dac4_t dac4;
static log_t logger;

// ------------------------------------------------------- ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS

void dac4_log_report ( uint8_t channel_no )
{
    dac4_channel_setting_t dac4_channel_buffer[ 8 ];

    dac4_data_report ( &dac4, dac4_channel_buffer );
    channel_no *= 2;
    
    log_printf( &logger, "--- Power ON bit: " );
    switch ( dac4_channel_buffer[ channel_no ].por_bit )
    {
        case 0:
        {
            log_printf( &logger,"Power OFF\r\n" );
            break;
        }
        case 1:
        {
            log_printf( &logger, "Power ON\r\n" );
            break;
        }
        default :
        {
            break;
        }
    }

    log_printf( &logger, "--- V reference    : " );
    switch ( dac4_channel_buffer[ channel_no ].voltage_reference )
    {
        case DAC4_VREF_EXTERNAL:
        {
            log_printf( &logger, "External\r\n" );
            break;
        }
        case DAC4_VREF_INTERNAL:
        {
            log_printf( &logger, "Internal\r\n" );
            break;
        }
        default :
        {
            break;
        }
    }

    log_printf( &logger, "--- Power mode     : " );
    switch ( dac4_channel_buffer[ channel_no ].power_mode )
    {
        case DAC4_MODE_NORMAL:
        {
            log_printf( &logger, "Normal\r\n" );
            break;
        }
        case DAC4_MODE_1kOhm:
        {
            log_printf( &logger, "1 kOhm\r\n" );
            break;
        }
        case DAC4_MODE_100kOhm:
        {
            log_printf( &logger, "100 kOhm\r\n" );
            break;
        }
        case DAC4_MODE_500kOhm:
        {
            log_printf( &logger, "500 kOhm\r\n" );
            break;
        }
        default :
        {
            break;
        }
    }

    log_printf( &logger, "--- Gain value     : " );
    switch ( dac4_channel_buffer[ channel_no ].gain_value )
    {
        case DAC4_MODE_NORMAL:
        {
            log_printf( &logger, "1x Gain\r\n" );
            break;
        }
        case DAC4_MODE_1kOhm:
        {
            log_printf( &logger, "2x Gain\r\n" );
            break;
        }
        default :
        {
            break;
        }
    }
    
    log_printf( &logger, "--- DAC input data : %d  [0-4095]\r\n", dac4_channel_buffer[ channel_no ].dac_input_data );
    log_printf( &logger, "-------------------------------------\r\n" );
}

void dac4_set_output ( uint8_t channel_set )
{
    dac4_channel_setting_t dac4_channel_x;
    static uint16_t aux_dac_input_data = 0;
    
    dac4_channel_x.channel_select = channel_set;
    dac4_channel_x.udac_bit = DAC4_UPDATE;
    dac4_channel_x.voltage_reference = DAC4_VREF_EXTERNAL;
    dac4_channel_x.power_mode = DAC4_MODE_NORMAL;
    dac4_channel_x.gain_value = DAC4_GAIN_x1;
    dac4_channel_x.dac_input_data = aux_dac_input_data;

    if ( 0 != dac4_single_write( &dac4, &dac4_channel_x ) )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, "--- Fatal ERROR !!! \r\n" );
    }
    else
    {
        log_printf( &logger, "------------------------------------- \r\n" );
        log_printf( &logger, "--- Output setup done \r\n" );
        log_printf( &logger, "------------------------------------- \r\n" );
        aux_dac_input_data += 500;
        if ( aux_dac_input_data > 4095 )
        {
            aux_dac_input_data = 0;
        }
    }
}

void dac4_channel_report ( )
{
    log_printf( &logger, "\r\n -----> Channel A \r\n" );
    dac4_set_output( DAC4_CHANNEL_A );
    dac4_log_report( 0 );
    Delay_ms( 3000 );
    
    log_printf( &logger, "\r\n -----> Channel B \r\n" );
    dac4_set_output( DAC4_CHANNEL_B );
    dac4_log_report( 1 );
    Delay_ms( 3000 );
    
    log_printf( &logger, "\r\n -----> Channel C \r\n" );
    dac4_set_output( DAC4_CHANNEL_C );
    dac4_log_report( 2 );
    Delay_ms( 3000 );
    
    log_printf( &logger, "\r\n -----> Channel D \r\n" );
    dac4_set_output( DAC4_CHANNEL_D );
    dac4_log_report( 3 );
    Delay_ms( 3000 );
}

// ------------------------------------------------------ APPLICATION FUNCTIONS

void application_init ( void )
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;
    dac4_cfg_t cfg;

    /** 
     * Logger initialization.
     * Default baud rate: 115200
     * Default log level: LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG
     * @note If USB_UART_RX and USB_UART_TX 
     * are defined as HAL_PIN_NC, you will 
     * need to define them manually for log to work. 
     * See @b LOG_MAP_USB_UART macro definition for detailed explanation.
     */
    LOG_MAP_USB_UART( log_cfg );
    log_init( &logger, &log_cfg );
    log_info( &logger, "---- Application Init ----" );

    //  Click initialization.

    dac4_cfg_setup( &cfg );
    DAC4_MAP_MIKROBUS( cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    dac4_init( &dac4, &cfg );
    log_info( &logger, "---- Application ----" );

    Delay_ms( 500 );
    dac4_general_call_reset( &dac4 );
    Delay_ms( 500 );
    dac4_general_call_wake_up( &dac4 );
    Delay_ms( 500 );

    log_printf( &logger, "--- App init done \r\n \r\n" );
}

void application_task ( void )
{
    dac4_channel_report( );
}

void main ( void )
{
    application_init( );

    for ( ; ; )
    {
        application_task( );
    }
}

// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END

Additional Support

Resources

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