What to do with (currently) unused I/O?


MartyMacGyver

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If I program my Papilio Pro + LogicStart to only use the LEDs and switches (leaving everything else unused and omitted from the UCF per other advice here) I notice that all segments of the 7-segment displays glow dimly once it's programmed and active.

 

I wonder: would it be better to set all unused I/O lines to high-impedance to prevent this side-effect - or is that already the default, and I need to choose something else as a default?

 

Or, is this actually a sign of some physical problem? The board looks OK... Since I've been doing more reading than programming and I'm waiting on a new joystick cap I haven't fiddled with the 7-segment displays yet.

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Thanks! Would "pulldowns all around" be reasonable for this board, when it comes to unused inputs?

 

Yes, I'm recently aware of the unused pin property, but I'm not sure what's optimal. As a more general rule for unconnected I/O, would pulldowns be optimal, or would high-Z be (in terms of reducing noise and not consuming more power than is absolutely necessary due to unused pins)?

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