Procrastinator in need of advice

[wo1vesrx]

Hello everyone,

I'm a procrastinator. I tend to wait until the last minuet to work on projects that I should have started months ago. Anyway, I'm looking for some advice, and I hope someone here can point me in the right direction.

For the last couple years, I used a home built 595 controller for running my lights. This year, I've decided to upgrade to dimming. So I got one of the Ren-C Beta boards. I haven't done anything with it yet, not even buy parts for it. It looks like I need to rebuild my 595 controller this year too. I did a bad job building it.

I have the means to etch my own boards, and a ready to etch design I got off the net. I'll still have to buy more parts to make it work. So the question I have is, should I go ahead with this, and build the new 595 controller, as well as the Ren-C, or should I scrap the whole idea and build a real Ren64?

Since I'm sure I missed all the CO-OPs at this point in the year, are there any ready to etch designs for the Ren64 online?

Is there another approach I should be taking that I'm not thinking of?

Thanks!

Brian Gudzevich
-http://www.holidaylandscapes.com
-WO1VES

[cmurray]

You say you had a 595 so I am assuming you have working SSRs of standard design.

Personally I would go with a real REN64.
See this thread
http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=443&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
and this wiki.
http://doityourselfchristmas.com/wiki/index.php?title=Renard64

PM wjohn and see what he has available.
He seems to have stock of most all coop boards and you can not etch your own board for what he is asking.
Since the official coop has ended prices may have increased but are still very reasonable.

Joel

[Macrosill]

Brian,
I was contemplating the same thing. I had 4 more 595s to build along with the Ren-Cs and Ren-Ts. In the end I felt it better to scrap it and build Ren-64s. Cost was one issue. It was cheaper to build a Ren-64 than a 595 and Ren-C.

[cruizer]

Ahhh, but what about a Grinch and a REN-C??

[Macrosill]

In that case I would have had to buy the new Grinch boards. If I was going to buy new equipment I was going to buy the Ren-64s. The Ren-C is just a way to "recycle" your existing 595 hardware to get dimming. Not for a new system, IMO.

[wo1vesrx]

Thanks guys, that helps me a lot. I was thinking the same thing, I guess I just needed to have someone agree with me.

Joel, I'll give wjohn a pm tomorrow, and see if he has any boards left. And I'll see what I need for parts.

Brian, your right, cost is a big issue. It looks like the price is pretty close going either way, so if I'm going to start over with a new board, might as well go for the full Ren64.

Now, I just need to see what I can find for a cheap pic programmer.

Thanks again!

Brian