Blinkt hat issues

Support
1

I purchased a Starter Kit that included a Raspberry Pi Zero W and Blinkt hat.

The Pi Zero W boots fine and installed the Blinkt software using the script from this page:

https://learn.pimoroni.com/tutorial/sandyj/getting-started-with-blinkt

without any errors but I can’t get the Blinkt hat to light up. The Blinkt is oriented with the rounded corners towards the outside of the Pi. I’m not the most skilled at soldering so I in order to rule out that as the issue I tried this on a Raspberry Pi 3. Same result.

I think I have a bad Blinkt. Any other possible explanations for these problems?

Thank you!

2

From the looks of it. If you have the Pi Zero with the GPIO in back, USB and HDMI facing you. The Blinkt is on correctly if you can read the text. If the text is upside down you have it on the wrong way.
Same deal for a Pi 3B. GPIO on the side farthest away from you HDMI jack pointing at you. text should be readable.

3

Did you use the same SD card when you tried it on the Raspberry Pi 3? Was it a freshly set up SD card, or could there be anything else running in the background?

4

I confirmed the correct orientation. The Pi Zero W and Pi 3 have different SD cards so I don’t think that is the issue. I will try imaging a new card anyway just in case.

5

Have you had any luck?

6

I imaged a new SD card and still no response from the Blinkt hat. I assume it’s DOA, no?

7

Yes I think it would be worth sending an email to support@pimoroni.com, referencing this thread, and ask for a replacement.

8

im trying to code blinkt on python but it says

Traceback (most recent call last):
File “/home/pi/test.py”, line 1, in
from blinkt import set_pixel, show
File “/home/pi/blinkt.py”, line 1, in
from blinkt import set_pixel, show
ImportError: cannot import name ‘set_pixel’

the examples for the lights work but python dont what do i do

9

Don’t name your file “blinkt.py” since the first place “import” looks for a module is the current directory. The Python script ends up importing itself, rather than the Blinkt library. Rename the file and delete any sneaky “blinkt.pyc” that might be next to it, and you should be set!