Handheld DMX tester

[n1ist]

I'm redoing the board to be (mainly) thru-hole.  The only SMT parts will be the regulator, inductor, and diode if you want to build the switcher.  I am also resizing it to fit into Mouser's 789-S1A-442710LCD enclosure.  It's handheld and has a built-in 4-AA holder.  I hope to get the board out for fab today or tomorrow so I can start coding.
/mike

[n1ist]

Things are proceeding nicely.  I have the LCD working now, along with the negative bias voltage generator.   It turns out that Mouser linked the wrong data sheet to the case I got, and I designed it against the data sheet, so it doesn't fit.   There are other options that will work.  The DC/DC converter works nicely, even down below 3V so running from 2 AA cells works fine (I'm using C cells now since I had the holder on hand).

Now to add the keypad or encoder and get some more code done.  And take some better pictures 
/mike

[rrowan]

Hi Mike

That looks really nice

Cheers

Rick R.

[wbuehler]

Looks Cool

Bill

[ThaiWay]

Very nice Mike!

John

[PJNMCT]

Mike,

Looking good...

-Paul

[dmaccole]

Mike:

Thanks for all your hard work.

Isn't this project far enough along that it deserves its own thread?

\dmc

[n1ist]

Over in this thread You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login. we have been tossing around ideas for a handheld DMX tester.   In order to keep (or is it lose?) my sanity, I have started to build such a beast.  It has progressed to the point where I am moving it into its own thread.

The more I think about it, the better I'm liking the use of the rotary encoder over the keyboard.  It's a reasonable way to select items from a menu, and only needs one hole in the case :-)  I may want another button (other than the select action of the encoder) to get back to the main menu.  I'll see what works when I get the menu routines coded.

Since last time, I have gotten the rotary encoder wired up and coded.  I'ts just moving a hat back and forth across the LCD right now, but that's just a test.

/mike

[RJ]

Cool!

[wbuehler]

Cool

Bill

[ThaiWay]

Sounds great Mike... keep at it!

John

[dmaccole]

This will be a great device to have next season. Thanks so much for taking the time, Mike.

\dmc

[n1ist]

OK, we have blinky flashy - it is now speaking DMX.  So far, with static values, but it does control the one JEC pixel I have hooked up right now.   

Next step is to fill out the menu items and start coding the routines behind the scenes.

/mike

[n1ist]

After much fiddling, I think I have most of the menu routines coded; I just need to hilight which digit in a multi-digit number you are changing.  I have switched over to a 4-button design (left/right moves you through the menu, up/down changes an option).    So far, it is supporting "all on/off" and "set channel to value".   Next will be the sweep tests, and then I will work on the special modes to initialize the starting channel on the various boards.

I will be respinning the board in KiCAD so I will be able to generate Gerbers and make affordable boards.  I will also likely change the processor to an Atmega168 as it is cheaper and smaller.

/mike

[brandonj]

Mike,
This is looking great!  I think such a device would make troubleshooting and "field testing" so much easier! I am very interested in your project.  Keep up the good work!

-Brandon