UnicornHatHD blank

Support
1

Done: new install of Rasbian Lite, SPI enabled, install UnicornHatHD software:

$ curl https://get.pimoroni.com/unicornhathd | bash
  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed   Time    Time     Time  Current
                                 Dload  Upload   Total   Spent    Left  Speed
100 38555  100 38555    0     0   132k      0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:--  133k

This script will install everything needed to use
Unicorn HAT HD

Always be careful when running scripts and commands copied
from the internet. Ensure they are from a trusted source.

If you want to see what this script does before running it,
you should run: 'curl https://get.pimoroni.com/unicornhathd'

Note: Unicorn HAT HD requires SPI communication

Do you wish to continue? [y/N] y

Checking environment...
Updating apt indexes...
.....................
Installing python-pip...
Extracting templates from packages: 100%..
...Installing python3-pip...
.......................................
Checking hardware requirements...

SPI already enabled

Checking packages required by SPI interface...
.......................................spidev installed and up-to-date

Unicorn HAT HD comes with examples and documentation that you may wish to install.
Performing a full install will ensure those resources are installed,
along with all required dependencies. It may however take a while!

Do you wish to perform a full install? [y/N] y

Checking for dependencies...

Installing python-unicornhathd...
install ok installed
Installing python3-unicornhathd...
install ok installed

Checking for additional software...
python-flask is required
Installing python-flask...
python3-flask is required
Installing python3-flask...
python-numpy is already installed
python3-numpy is already installed
python-picamera is required
Installing python-picamera...
python3-picamera is required
Installing python3-picamera...
python-pil is required
Installing python-pil...
python3-pil is required
Installing python3-pil...
Installing git...

Downloading examples and documentation...
Resources for your Unicorn HAT HD were copied to
/home/pi/Pimoroni/unicornhathd

Finalising Install...

… but when I go to Pimoroni/unicornhathd/examples and run, say,

python3 demo.py

although the program runs ok, all the pixels stay dark.

2

Oops, should have said that this is with a Pi 3 B.

3

Is the Unicorn HAT HD mounted on top of the Pi and pushed all the way down on the header?

And definitely a Unicorn HAT HD and not a regular Unicorn HAT? (it happens)

4

It is definitely the HD (there are 16x16 LEDs) and I would have said so…

… but it is now working on a naked Pi 3 B.

Somewhat irritatingly, it doesn’t fit in the official case thanks to the case’s ‘what is it there for, it doesn’t do anything at all?!?’ rod by the USB/Ethernet port separators on the top part, and I can see that even if that were removed, the size of the ‘HAT hole’ is just a bit too small to see all the LEDs properly.

I thought the aluminium anidees-unibody-raspberry-pi-case you sold me recently (but which has now disappeared completely from the site!) would be ok, but it looks like it’s not and, because of the solid sides, there’s no way to check what’s going wrong. The HAT gets to the same depth - the top of the diffuser is at the level of top of the Ethernet port - but trying it again, it still doesn’t work in that case.

My previous favourite case has screws that get in the way, so are the Pibow ranges really the only ones that it will fit and work in?

5

I wonder if a stacking header would help in your case. I have one of the Anidees cases somewhere (and love it) and I’m pretty sure I managed to get a regular Unicorn HAT working in there. It was a pretty old version IIRC though.

6

Possibly, even if that means you couldn’t put the lid on. I’d love to know why it doesn’t work in one without that though.