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View Full Version : Concept - Wireless Dimming system


avatar-it
12-15-2007, 09:08 AM
)Guys.

i am currently thinking of a concept to try and develop a wireless version of the systems we have.

the system would basicly be this.

Transmitter

1. a Micro of some sort (pic micro?) attached to both the pc and a wireless transmiter to allow the commands to be transmitted to the end points.

1.1 Allow transmitting on wireless signals at or above 56k BPS
1.2 connect to either the Com port or maybe the USB port of a PC.
1.3 transmit to each device using a device ID and then the port settings.


Reciever

2. Multiple addressable recivein g transmitters. consiting of a wireless receiver , a micro (pic) and the ssr curcuit.

2.1 Addressable as an 8 bit receiving device allowing 256 differnt recievers. Allowing the transmitter to send signals that would be recieved by each device but only executed on the intended reciever.
2.2 have different versions depending on if you needed to control AC, DC etc.
2.3 allow for upto say 8 outputs per receiving station. (is it worth considering 16?)
2.4 Use PWM dimming system as remotely it is possible that only a DC signal is availabe.
2.5 Able to be run on either a AC or DC signal (5-35v AC or DC) allowing for Plug pack pwer of even other sources of power (eg battery or Solar etc)
2.6 allow for either SSR built into the receiver (prefered?)or allow for connection to existing SSR units (osssr etc) (should this be 2 different receivers?)

Both transmitter and reciever should be fully public domain ( hardware and software)

anyway this is somethign i am thinking about .

why am i sharing this idea i hear yoiu ask?
well mainly because im not sure if im capable of developing the system alone.

I think wireless is a logical step in moving forward in the systems that we have, mainly because running cat 5 cabling everywhere is inconveniant and costly ( althought probably cheaper than the receivers) .

anyway i am current ly considering creating a transmitter and receiver demo that would only allow for 1 reciever to test the idea.

at this stage any thoughts either good or bad would be apreiciated.

Thanks

Peter Rogers

PS. i may edit this post to allow for future thoughts etc,
( i hope this makes sense, i have possibly had to much to drink tonignt. ill check this post again when im sober. :) )
ben
12-15-2007, 09:32 AM
I have pondered something like this also. I wondered if we could just put together a 4 channel transmitter and reciever that you can hook into the parallel port and send signals to the controller. The Olsen and Grinch only use 4 inputs so this may be doable.

Ben
avatar-it
12-15-2007, 09:36 AM
i would shy away from the parralel port for multiple reasons.

basicly i think talking to a micro over RS232 or usb would be alot easier than the parrallel port as alot of micros have a RS 232 port built in. also i can allready see problems with talking to the parralell port in modem computers ( if they have one at all) but usb is hear to stay. so either direct USB communications or usb-Com port adaptors are the way to go i think.

im thinking more like a remote renard instead of a remote grinch.

thinking some sort of high speed transmitter . EG. http://www.laipac.com/easy_trf24_eng.htm
RavingLunatic
12-15-2007, 09:47 AM
Firegod did a wireless system before, check his post to see if this is what you had in mind:
http://www.christmasinshirley.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=666
FireGod
12-15-2007, 09:51 AM
See the last post of the thread
ben
12-15-2007, 09:58 AM
See the last post of the thread

so Firegod did you get that working? I am very interested in going wireless.

Ben
avatar-it
12-15-2007, 10:03 AM
thats loooking fairly close to what im talking about.

maybe i should search more :o
DynamoBen
12-15-2007, 12:06 PM
If you pick a controller that is serial you can use an XBee to communicate between them. An XBee uses the zigbee protocol method where all the device speak to each other.

http://www.digi.com/products/wireless/point-multipoint/xbee-series1-module.jsp
ben
12-15-2007, 12:09 PM
If you pick a controller that is serial you can use an XBee to communicate between them. An XBee uses the zigbee protocol method where all the device speak to each other.

http://www.digi.com/products/wireless/point-multipoint/xbee-series1-module.jsp

ok I am a little slow with this. Serial is the RS232 port correct? Is there a way to adapt the parallel port to work with the XBee?

Ben
DynamoBen
12-15-2007, 01:40 PM
ok I am a little slow with this. Serial is the RS232 port correct? Is there a way to adapt the parallel port to work with the XBee?


Yes in this case serial is RS-232. You would need some sort of parallel to serial converter for the XBee to work. What I was thinking was you could use it with either DMX or the Renard controller.
ben
12-15-2007, 01:43 PM
ok I am a little slow with this. Serial is the RS232 port correct? Is there a way to adapt the parallel port to work with the XBee?


Yes in this case serial is RS-232. You would need some sort of parallel to serial converter for the XBee to work. What I was thinking was you could use it with either DMX or the Renard controller.

ok. I see. What do I exactly need to order to get the Xbee to work? the starter set or just the transmitter and transmitter?

Ben
DynamoBen
12-15-2007, 02:37 PM
I'm not sure what you will need. While I'm familiar with the product I have yet to order and use one.
FireGod
12-15-2007, 02:47 PM
I purchased the starter kit and it connectes to a USB port. It works straight out of the box.
ben
12-15-2007, 02:52 PM
I purchased the starter kit and it connectes to a USB port. It works straight out of the box.

Thats good to know. Looks like I might be purchasing one.

Ben
avatar-it
12-15-2007, 06:00 PM
couple of questions.

are the xbee units the way to go? i know there easy to get and use etc but are they cheap enough for this type of project or should we be looking cheaper? do we need something faster? longer range? the cypress units retail at mouser for under $10.

also using the firelord board linked earlier as a referrence i am wondering if its to big for a remote node. ie do we really want to that many SSR's off 1 board ?

because the major advantage i can see with this system is not having to run the car 5 cables to the remote SSR units. using the board that was linked all we are doing is removing the cat 5 cable between the PC and the control unit. we still have to run quite a few to each SSR unit.

also how do we address the individual units? i was thinking a bank of switches to select the ID. maybe 4 switches giving 16 different ID's with another 4 bits selectable by using differnent firmware. giving a total of 8bits (256 ) address's.
Edit: just remembered that i have seen some 1 wire serial number devices. these give a 64bit unique address . we could simply add one of these to the board and each board woul then be addressable. being the the wireless units that we are talking are capable of sending and receiving then there is no reason why they couldnt send there serial numbers back to the base node so that it knew the address's of all the units available.
FireGod
12-15-2007, 08:25 PM
Software programs the ID into the Xbee unit. The Xbee unit also does other things besides wireless serial communication.
avatar-it
12-16-2007, 01:36 AM
you dont think the cost of the xbee units is to steep for such a unit?

the cost of the xbee unit is probably more than the rest of the components.
although they would make the system allmost trivial to produce. could even be added to the renard system or your FGdimmer system resonally easy.

also assuming that xbee is the way to go, i think the series 2 units would be the go. twice the tranmit power at only a couple of dollars extra.