This is a breakout board for the Microchip MCP4241 dual digital potentiometer. This board features 2 digital potentiometers that can reach a maximum value of 10K Ohm. Since it’s a dual potentiometer it’s perfect for audio-stereo applications.

This simple board allows you to replace a mechanical potentiometer, and to control the resistance value with digital signals using the microcontroller of your preference. This means that you can virtually turn the wiper by sending a digital value to its SPI interface.

It has a 7-bit resolution, so you can go from 0 to 10K Ohm through steps of ~77,5 Ohm. And since it is digital, you can control the sweep profile you want to use depending on how your write the code (logarithmic, linear, etc.). By using a traditional mechanical potentiometer, you are limited by its predefined sweep profile.

The MCP4241 has an SPI interface, so it’s easily addressable using just 4 microcontroller pins. It also has an EEPROM that you can use to store a start-up value, that it’s automatically loaded when the IC is powered on.

Convenient 0,1″ (2,54mm) spaced pins header allows you to plug this board to any breadboard or protoboard.

The board comes fully tested and assembled.

Features

• 2.7V – 5.5V power supply.
• Zero to full-scale (10K Ohm) operation.
• Non-volatile memory: automatic recall of saved wiper value.
• SPI interface. Up to 10MHz.
• Shutdown pin.
• Write-protect control pin.
• Extended temperature range (-40°C to +125°C).
• 0,1″ (2,54mm) spaced pins.
• 2 mounting holes.

Applications

• Audio volume.
• Audio stereo.
• Light control.

Documents

• MCP4241 Datasheet

Hardware

• Schematics
• Gerber files