Augustica.com

Hello, could someone please tell me how I would go about hooking this VU meter to a stereo amplifier?

The Dejavu's PCB has a four prong connector K1. The prongs are marked as GND, +5V, RIN, and LIN. GND and +5V and connected to the ground bus and +5V bus of your power supply. The RIN and LIN prongs of K1 are connected to the right and left channels of your amplifier respectively. Dejavu is designed to be used with a preamplifier and/or a headphone amplifier and therefore requires a very low voltage (20 mVolt) to activate each of the 16 LEDs. A "full scale deflection" (all 16 LEDs activated) will require a signal of about 320 mVolt.

DO NOT connect Dejavu to a an output of a power amplifier. You will destroy it.

Great..In your opinion what would be the first thing to replace.

There is nothing to be replaced. You need to install attenuator resistors between the left and right channels of the amplifier and Dejavu to make sure that the maximum volume of the signal from the amplifier activates all 16 LEDs ("a full scale deflection") of the Dejavu.

Yes but I'm saying that it's too late i already hooked it up to a power amp. So it's more then likely destroyed.

Not necessarily. PIC16F88 is a tough micro controller to destroy. It can handle a lot of abuse. That being said, you have to use attenuator resistors if you want to connect Dejavu to an output of your power amplifier. However, you do not need the attenuator resistors if you connect Dejavu to the input of your power amplifier.

okay I understand now, I hooked it up the way it should be, I used a pre out on my amp and nothing, the chip get really, really hot. I went through and tested all the led's individually and they all work. Maybe it's just the IC?

1. What do you mean "and nothing". We only can help if you post thoughtful well written messages.
2. The IC must not be hot. Did you place it in the right direction in the socket? Or perhaps you rushed through the assembly and misplaced some part.
3. This kit always works. You REALLY have to make an effort for it not to work.
4. Post photos of the top and bottom of your assembled PCB.