Daisy-chain MAX6954

[PinheadBE]

Hi,

I have a project where I will daisy chain several MAX6954's
Here is the DS:  https://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/data-sheets/MAX6954.pdf

It appears so simple that I didn't give it a second thought..... until I found this comment on a github repository:
https://github.com/AnthonyDiGirolamo/MAX6954

The MAX6954 Data Sheet says that the chips can be chained (see Figure 2. MAX6954 Daisy-Chain Connection) but I was getting data corruption with my setup. The corruption completely went away when I controlled each chip individually.

I wonder what the problem could be, what precautions I could take to avoid problems (insert a Schmitt-triggered buffer at the DIN input of the second chip perhaps ?   Keep a relatively low speed in the communication ?)....

I unfortunately didin't find a way to contact the guy.....   

Since I have 8 MAX6954 chained, I could also add 3 address lines from my MCU and a 74x138 decoder, but this would complicate my PCB layout which is already a 4-layer heavily populated PCB

Ideas welcome 

[barshatriplee]

Ensure that each MAX6954 device receives a stable and clean power supply. Any fluctuations or noise on the power lines can affect the device's performance and communication reliability. Consider using appropriate decoupling capacitors and filtering techniques to maintain stable power.

[PinheadBE]

That will be the case: I will put 5 decades of decoupling caps on the power lines: 10 nF, 100 nF, 1 µF, 10 µF and 100 µF close to each chip and a bulk cap of 1000 µF directly after the power regulator, which is a linear LDO regulator (+ 100 nF everywhere where usually needed)

Besides, in the Github project mentionned above, a clock speed of "only" 1 MHz is used.    The MAX6954 can go as high as 26 MHz.   Which is why I find it so weird that he is having trouble.   On the other hand, he doesn't use a PCB but wire-wrapped connections.....   I wouldn't have done that, but I'm not blaming anyone, of course: 7 years ago, it wasn't not yet so easy to grab cheap PCB built in small quantities for hobbyists.

In my application, I even don't need to go up to 1 MHz, since there will be no fancy effects.

Has anyone got any experience with that chip ?