diff --git a/firmware/main.c b/firmware/main.c
index d0f0ef4..8cb8ce1 100644
--- a/firmware/main.c
+++ b/firmware/main.c
@@ -32,7 +32,9 @@
 #include "ir_nec.h"
 #include "settings.h"
 
-#include <avr/eeprom.h> /* EEPROM handling */
+volatile uint8_t* PORTS[CHANNELS_1+CHANNELS_2] = {&PORTC,&PORTC,&PORTC,&PORTC,&PORTC,&PORTD,&PORTD,&PORTD,&PORTD,&PORTD};
+volatile uint8_t* DDRS[CHANNELS_1+CHANNELS_2] = {&DDRC,&DDRC,&DDRC,&DDRC,&DDRC,&DDRD,&DDRD,&DDRD,&DDRD,&DDRD};
+const uint8_t BITS[CHANNELS_1+CHANNELS_2] = {PC0,PC1,PC2,PC3,PC4};
 
 /* global variables */
 #define INPUT_MAX 255 /* max length for user input string */
@@ -181,10 +183,10 @@ void ioinit(void)
 	TIMSK1 |= (1<<OCIE1A); /* enable timer 1 compare interrupt */
 
 	/* configure channels (used for powering LEDs using an nMOS) */
-	DDRC |= (1<<CH1_1)|(1<<CH1_2)|(1<<CH1_3)|(1<<CH1_4)|(1<<CH1_5); /* CH1_x is output */
-	PORTC &= ~((1<<CH1_1)|(1<<CH1_2)|(1<<CH1_3)|(1<<CH1_4)|(1<<CH1_5)); /* switch off CH1_x */
-	DDRD |= (1<<CH2_1)|(1<<CH2_2)|(1<<CH2_3)|(1<<CH2_4)|(1<<CH2_5); /* CH2_x is output */
-	PORTD &= ~((1<<CH2_1)|(1<<CH2_2)|(1<<CH2_3)|(1<<CH2_4)|(1<<CH2_5)); /* switch off CH2_x */
+	for (uint8_t i=0; i<CHANNELS_1+CHANNELS_2; i++) {
+		*(DDRS[i]) |= (1<<BITS[i]);
+		*(PORTS[i]) &= ~(1<<BITS[i]);
+	}
 
 	/* use timer 0 as source for the channel PWM */
 	/* use CTC mode */
@@ -223,24 +225,18 @@ int main(void)
 	channel_flag = true; /* calculate above values later */
 
 	puts("LED dimmer up & running");
-	uint8_t p = 0;
-	eeprom_update_byte((uint8_t*)&p,0x42);
-	printf("eeprom: %02x\n",eeprom_read_byte((uint8_t*)&p));
-	if (verify_settings()) {
-		puts("settings ok");
-	} else {
-		puts("settings corrupted");
-		puts("initializing settings");
+
+	/* load settings */
+	if (!verify_settings()) {
 		initialize_settings();
-		puts("saving settings");
 		save_settings();
-		if (verify_settings()) {
-			puts("settings saved");
-		} else {
-			puts("settings not saved");
+		if (!verify_settings()) {
+			puts("can't store setting");
+			return 0;
 		}
 	}
-	return 0;
+	load_settings();
+	
 	while (true) {
 		/* calculated PWM values */
 		while (channel_flag) {
@@ -355,87 +351,6 @@ void uart_action(char c)
 			//ch_1[0] = (ch_1[0]+1)%(LEVELS+1);
 			channel_flag = true;
 			break;
-		case '2':
-			PINC |= (1<<CH1_2);
-			printf("CH1_2: ");
-			if (PINC&(1<<CH1_2)) {
-				puts("on");
-			} else {
-				puts("off");
-			}
-			break;
-		case '3':
-			PINC |= (1<<CH1_3);
-			printf("CH1_3: ");
-			if (PINC&(1<<CH1_3)) {
-				puts("on");
-			} else {
-				puts("off");
-			}
-			break;
-		case '4':
-			PINC |= (1<<CH1_4);
-			printf("CH1_4: ");
-			if (PINC&(1<<CH1_4)) {
-				puts("on");
-			} else {
-				puts("off");
-			}
-			break;
-		case '5':
-			PINC |= (1<<CH1_5);
-			printf("CH1_5: ");
-			if (PINC&(1<<CH1_5)) {
-				puts("on");
-			} else {
-				puts("off");
-			}
-			break;
-		case '6':
-			PIND |= (1<<CH2_1);
-			printf("CH2_1: ");
-			if (PIND&(1<<CH2_1)) {
-				puts("on");
-			} else {
-				puts("off");
-			}
-			break;
-		case '7':
-			PIND |= (1<<CH2_2);
-			printf("CH2_2: ");
-			if (PIND&(1<<CH2_2)) {
-				puts("on");
-			} else {
-				puts("off");
-			}
-			break;
-		case '8':
-			PIND |= (1<<CH2_3);
-			printf("CH2_3: ");
-			if (PIND&(1<<CH2_3)) {
-				puts("on");
-			} else {
-				puts("off");
-			}
-			break;
-		case '9':
-			PIND |= (1<<CH2_4);
-			printf("CH2_4: ");
-			if (PIND&(1<<CH2_4)) {
-				puts("on");
-			} else {
-				puts("off");
-			}
-			break;
-		case '0':
-			PIND |= (1<<CH2_5);
-			printf("CH2_5: ");
-			if (PIND&(1<<CH2_5)) {
-				puts("on");
-			} else {
-				puts("off");
-			}
-			break;
 		case '-':
 			if (OCR0A>0) {
 				OCR0A--;
diff --git a/firmware/main.h b/firmware/main.h
index 6f94a9f..5aff61d 100644
--- a/firmware/main.h
+++ b/firmware/main.h
@@ -16,23 +16,19 @@
  * It handles all peripherals (power, fan, channels, IR, serial)
  */
 
-/* ports */
+/* peripheral I/O */
 #define LED PD6 /* status LED */
 #define IR PB0 /* IR receiver */
 #define FAN PC5 /* FAN output */
 #define PWR_OK PB1 /* ATX power OK */
 #define nPS_ON PB2 /* ATX power supply ON switch */
-/* LEDs */
-#define CH1_1 PC0
-#define CH1_2 PC1
-#define CH1_3 PC2
-#define CH1_4 PC3
-#define CH1_5 PC4
-#define CH2_1 PD2
-#define CH2_2 PD3
-#define CH2_3 PD4
-#define CH2_4 PD5
-#define CH2_5 PD7
+
+/* channel definitions */
+#define CHANNELS_1 5 /* the number of outputs for channel 1 */
+#define CHANNELS_2 5 /* the number of outputs for channel 2 */
+extern volatile uint8_t* PORTS[CHANNELS_1+CHANNELS_2]; /* channel ports */
+extern volatile uint8_t* DDRS[CHANNELS_1+CHANNELS_2]; /* channel I/O configuration registers */
+extern const uint8_t BITS[CHANNELS_1+CHANNELS_2]; /* channel bits */
 
 void ioinit(void);
 void uart_action(char c);
diff --git a/firmware/settings.c b/firmware/settings.c
index eb7eb0e..9f4292c 100644
--- a/firmware/settings.c
+++ b/firmware/settings.c
@@ -3,11 +3,10 @@
 #include <stdbool.h> /* Boolean */
 #include <avr/eeprom.h> /* EEPROM handling */
 
+#include "main.h"
 #include "settings.h"
 
 /* initialize variable */
-volatile uint8_t* PORTS[CHANNELS_1+CHANNELS_2] = {&PORTC,&PORTC,&PORTC,&PORTC,&PORTC,&PORTD,&PORTD,&PORTD,&PORTD,&PORTD};
-const uint8_t BITS[CHANNELS_1+CHANNELS_2] = {PC0,PC1,PC2,PC3,PC4};
 uint8_t brightness[MODES][CHANNELS_1+CHANNELS_2];
 uint8_t mode;
 uint8_t ir_keys[IR_ACTION_END][2];
diff --git a/firmware/settings.h b/firmware/settings.h
index 3be1c24..53413fb 100644
--- a/firmware/settings.h
+++ b/firmware/settings.h
@@ -1,11 +1,3 @@
-#include <avr/io.h> /* AVR device-specific IO definitions */
-
-/* channel definitions */
-#define CHANNELS_1 5 /* the number of outputs for channel 1 */
-#define CHANNELS_2 5 /* the number of outputs for channel 2 */
-extern volatile uint8_t* PORTS[CHANNELS_1+CHANNELS_2]; /* channel ports */
-extern const uint8_t BITS[CHANNELS_1+CHANNELS_2]; /* channel bits */
-
 /* mode settings */
 #define MODES 3 /* the number of modes */
 extern uint8_t mode; /* the current mode */ //TODO load the mode