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QuinLED-ESP32 Ethernet Compatibility

2023-12 The QuinLED-ESP32 Legacy versions are no longer being offered!

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While developing the Ethernet option for the QuinLED-ESP32 and in extension the QuinLED-Dig boards I tried to take backward compatibility into account as much as possible. In the end, while there are some compromises when using the Ethernet board on the QuinLED-Dig-Uno v2 and QuinLED-Dig-Quad v1 boards, I do not believe they are too bad either and it can still be worth upgrading an older version board with the new modules!

To have no feature compromises you need to use a new version Dig-Uno v3 or Dig-Quad v2 which will be available soon in pre-assembled form and there will be updated DIY designs in the future.

Below will be information to determine what kind of limitations you might encounter using a Dig-Uno v2 or Dig-Quad v1 board with the new Ethernet board. First will be a known issues list, then a list in reverse to highlight what remains working perfectly fine.

All these limitations are because of the pins the Ethernet board needs, please see the pins used here

Known compatibility issues

Just a small reminder, these limitations apply only to the versions mentioned AND in combination with Ethernet! If those limitations are a deal breaker for you, and you need Ethernet for that particular setup, upgrading the specific board to the new version is recommended!

QuinLED-Dig-Uno v2 with Ethernet

  • Cannot use Temperature Sensor
  • Cannot use Q1-Q4 pins
  • Cannot use Audio Input
  • Cannot use Button Pin

QuinLED-Dig-Quad v1 with Ethernet

  • Cannot use Temperature Sensor
  • Cannot use Q1-Q4 pins
  • Cannot use Audio Input
  • Cannot use Button Pin
  • Cannot use LED4 output
  • Cannot use 12v LEDs (regulators overheat)
    • This can be fixed by replacing the Linear power regulators on the board as shown in this article!
    • Alternatively you can switch to using the 5vEXT function!

Wait, what is working?!

I get the above might seem like a lot, but let’s take a look at the primary functions of the boards and what remains working!

QuinLED-Dig-Uno v2 with Ethernet

  • Multi-Channel LED output using LED1 (L1_D) and LED2 (L1_C)
  • 5v or 12v power input and LEDs
  • All other board functions such as high power handling, onboard fusing, level-shifters, capacitors, etc.

QuinLED-Dig-Quad v1 with Ethernet

  • Multi-Channel LED output using LED1, LED2 and LED3
  • 5v power and LEDs
  • 12v LEDs while using the 5vEXT function
  • All other board functions such as power distribution, onboard fusing, level-shifters, capacitors, etc.

As you can see, all main functions of the board still work perfectly on the QuinLED-Dig-Uno v2 and most main functions also remain working on the QuinLED-Dig-Quad v1! Sadly the linear regulators on that one overheat when using 12v LEDs, but this can be easily fixed by using the 5vEXT function, or, if you can solder yourself, by replacing the linear regulators with the one from the QuinLED-Dig-Uno.

If these limitations are an issue in your setups, sadly the only fix for that is to either keep using the boards with WiFi or build/purchase a newer version of the Dig boards which don’t have the limitations anymore.

Fitting issue

Since the older generation boards weren’t exactly planned out to use double pin rows like the new versions do, the newer version of the ESP32 board but especially of the Ethernet version will not fit. In my experience though I have always been able to fit the new modules and pins onto the older Dig-Uno boards. None of the pins touch (although visually they do look close) and functionality is as listed above. Sadly on the Dig-Quad some terminals are too close together and it won’t fit at all.

We are looking at making a special “legacy” version of the QuinLED-ESP32-ABE available which will have a custom pin layout soldered on to make it physically compatible with the Dig-Uno v2 and Dig-Qaud v1. Once this is available it will be listed under the QuinLED-ESP32-ABE board and then with “old generation” pins.