Hardware ideas

[PJNMCT]

I think this is a great idea to send an addressable test signal without the need to use vixen when troubleshooting at the very least.

...just want to add my support.

-Paul

[RPM]

RJ,

Good point, but even so I know that even with the controllers out in the yard it could be a pain to run back and forth from the controller and SSR's to set the channels.
If someone had lots of SSR4's spread out then having a simple battery powered hand held unit to go around and plug into each device to set the start channel would be much easier than running back to the controller every time to set a new start channel.

Just my 2 cents worth...


  Robert

That would be nice but remember that the express sets the start channel on the front panel already and the upgrade module we are look at will add this to the Freestyle at a point so don't want to ham string anyone after they work hard on a project.

RJ

[RJ]

Ok, heres the whole story.

I have a DMX tester that was one of my toy projects. The problem is I wanted it wireless. So I sat the design a side until the wireless was done. My want was that you could stand in your yard and control any channel or run test sequences with it in your hand without plugging into anything.  I plan to be totally wireless this year so it would be nice to pickup your tester and dial up channel 345 and dial it to 60% and have it come on at 60%. Or select a test sequence that runs through every channel to see if you lights are all working.

The design uses a rotary encoder and a 2 line blue LCD display off of an Ebay seller as the interface. The encoder can be pushed as a momentary switch which is the selection method.  The plan was to use the wireless module as its communication means. I do not know how long it would be before I have it so if someone wants to build one please go ahead. I just did not want to duplicate. I have the LedTriks II as a priority and it could me a monster project so I may very well not have got to it this year. I would like to have some other development on the forum.

RJ

[RPM]

OK, I see....  I like the wireless idea, very cool!
Last year I ran my Vixen computer wireless and I used a wireless remote desktop link via laptop and I could sit in my front yard and control things, so I see how a wireless tester could come in handy

Robert

Ok, heres the whole story.

I have a DMX tester that was one of my toy projects. The problem is I wanted it wireless. So I sat the design a side until the wireless was done. My want was that you could stand in your yard and control any channel or run test sequences with it in your hand without plugging into anything.  I plan to be totally wireless this year so it would be nice to pickup your tester and dial up channel 345 and dial it to 60% and have it come on at 60%. Or select a test sequence that runs through every channel to see if you lights are all working.

The design uses a rotary encoder and a 2 line blue LCD display off of an Ebay seller as the interface. The encoder can be pushed as a momentary switch which is the selection method.  The plan was to use the wireless module as its communication means. I do not know how long it would be before I have it so if someone wants to build one please go ahead. I just did not want to duplicate. I have the LedTriks II as a priority and it could me a monster project so I may very well not have got to it this year. I would like to have some other development on the forum.

RJ

[RJ]

Go for it guys I'd love to see what you come up with. We need a little less RJ and a little more other peoples stuff!

RJ

[cmorda]

I have a half baked idea of using a fax/modem to decode dtmf and feed the requests to vixen somehow.  That way you could use your cell phone (or maybe a cordless) to command channels on/off or a dim level.

I probably have everything I need since I use NCH SwiftSoft IVM for my voicemail server. I know it can do complex interactive voice menus and interact with other programs. But I don't see time to get that all figured out on my radar.

Does anybody else think this could be useful? If so maybe I can take the time to figure out the details.

Sheesh. My second half baked idea on this thread.

Chris

[deplanche]

Go for it guys I'd love to see what you come up with. We need a little less RJ and a little more other peoples stuff!

RJ

No, we want stuff that works! 

[n1ist]

OK, I guess it is time to play with DMX transmission...  Let me see what I can toss together.  The hardware for this is quite easy.

So what features would we want?

- Set channel 'x' to value 'y'.
- Set all channels to 0
- Set all channels to 0xFF (this could be dangerous as it may exceed people's power budget or current limits)
- Special modes to allow setting start channels of various devices?
- A "ripple" mode that rolls a 0xFF from channel 'x' to 'y' to detect crossed output cables?

[PJNMCT]

OK, I guess it is time to play with DMX transmission...  Let me see what I can toss together.  The hardware for this is quite easy.

So what features would we want?

- Set channel 'x' to value 'y'.
- Set all channels to 0
- Set all channels to 0xFF (this could be dangerous as it may exceed people's power budget or current limits)
- Special modes to allow setting start channels of various devices?
- A "ripple" mode that rolls a 0xFF from channel 'x' to 'y' to detect crossed output cables?

...can't think of a real reason why but maybe...

Set to channel 'x' and ramp from zero to 255 and back to zero with the ability to pause at any time.

-Paul

[REM]

I like RJs idea of running a test sequence which flashes every channel in the universe.

[n1ist]

I just threw this schematic together.  It's still missing the power supply - any ideas?
/mike

[PJNMCT]

Mike,

I've been out of the embedded market for years (decades really) so excuse my ignorance.

1. You only need a nibble for the display data?
2. I know that most if not all of the equipment on this site uses PIC controllers and so most users have the programmers/development tools for PICs not AVR (Microchip Technology vs. Amtel) - potential user base problem.

Looks pretty clean otherwise from my perspective.

-Paul

[RPM]

Wow... very close to the circuit I've been running for almost a year now.  I don't use a keypad, just four switches and my processor is only an Atmega8, so I don't have all the expansion lines.  I already have firmware for it, so I was going to add a few more functions and maybe change out the buttons for the rotary encoder RJ suggested.

  Robert

I just threw this schematic together.  It's still missing the power supply - any ideas?
/mike

[n1ist]

The LCDs work in either 4-bit or 8-bit mode.   As for PIC vs. Atmel, I have been using the Atmel line for quite some time now; I switched because at that time there was no good free C compiler for the PICs (many years ago).  This could be done with either.

As for the rotrary encoder, I'm not sure how much I would like to be spinning and pressing the knob to select one of 256 or 512 values even if you do it videogame style of select a digit/press to go the next.  I'll add a rotary encoder as an alternate to the keypad; once I have the board done, I can try both out and see which works better.  Costwise, it's about the same - $3.60 for the encoder or 20 cents a button from Digikey.

[dmaccole]

2. I know that most if not all of the equipment on this site uses PIC controllers and so most users have the programmers/development tools for PICs not AVR (Microchip Technology vs. Amtel) - potential user base problem.

I think you're going to see more and more AVR-based stuff in the up-coming months -- N1st and RPM are both developing on that platform and so am I, though the likelihood of anything coming off my bench is much lower ...

LadyAda.net's DASA serial programmer kit is $7.50, while her USBTiny/USB programmer kit is $22. Lower barrier-to-entry cost threshold.

\dmc