DIGWDF Store Announcement

[tweist]

Here's something else that the DIGWDF engineering staff has cooked up: the 485plugin.

This will make it possible to plug an RS232/RS485 cat5 cable into the XBee header... turning a wireless controller into a wired controller.

It's a tiny board, about 1" x 1-3/4"

Go ahead.... drool.... (our engineers do all the time...)

Dirk

This may be a dumb question, does this unit not require the 3.3V Regulator? And how does the XBee get its power?
I do like the design, small, quick, and easy.

[CaptKirk]

The Xbee has a small nuclear reactor on it that powers the wireless.... DUH!

[dirknerkle]

Correct, Ted. The serial adapter replaces the XBee radio, and it uses 5v from the main board pins, leaving the 3.3v regulator with nothing to power and our engineers say that there's no need to put it or the 47uf cap on the board if you aren't going to use the Xbee.

Because the MiniRen controllers were designed specifically for wireless use, our engineering group had a slight change of heart and decided to provide a way to keep the MiniRen controllers as-is but provide the capability for wired input via an inexpensive serial-in "dongle." This extends the usefulness of the controller to situations where you might have more than one MiniRen inside the same CG1000 case to use additional channels and having two Xbees that close together may interference with one another. Or, with the serial out dongle, use the MiniRen to receive data and be able to export a wired signal to the next Renard controller, which might be an SS24 or Simple 32 and thus provide for a more affordable wireless solution for multiple controllers.

[dirknerkle]

Well, here you go. DIGWDF's MiniRen Pic Adapter. An 8 channel add-on Renard controller for external SSRs on a 1.75" square board.

Total build time: 5 minutes, including flashing the PIC.

Parts: one 6-pin header, one .1uf cap, one 14-pin DIP socket, one PIC16F688 chip and two RJ45 jacks. total cost: about $5.

Maybe we should call it the Renard 855: 8 channels, 5 minutes, 5 bucks.

The header pins, from left-to-right are NC CK RX ZC G +5

NC is no connect. The other pins you connect to your existing Renard controller (that uses PIC16F688 chips) as follows:
CK connects to the CLOCK (crystal) signal, or pin 2 on any PIC on your controller
RX connects to pin 6 of the LAST PIC on your controller
ZC connects to the ZC or pin 4 of any PIC on your controller
G connects to any ground on your controller
+5v connects to pin 1 of any PIC or any other place where +5v is available on your controller

MiniRen boards already have header pins for all these connections, making it simple to add 8 channels to any MiniRen. On your own Renard controller, you may have to solder a few wires, but now you know how to add 8 channels to your Renard. EDIT: Oh, and dare I say... a small supply of these is already available in the store in full kit form -- all parts included, $5 + $2 S/H. Individual boards are on order and should be available only in a couple weeks...

[Mactayl]

Very nice and compact, you sure must be keeping those engineers busy at DIGWDF.. Do they have time for lunch or are they so dedicated that they work straight through their breaks.

[dirknerkle]

Very nice and compact, you sure must be keeping those engineers busy at DIGWDF.. Do they have time for lunch or are they so dedicated that they work straight through their breaks.

Breaks? What's that?

I did hear one of them complaining the other day that his car didn't have any of them anymore, but he didn't seem to care.
He said he had developed a workaround.

[ErnieHorning]

You’ll probably end up putting sheets under the windows like Apple did, so the Engineers don’t start jumping.

[Greg in Canby]

Maybe we should get a "work party" together and paint shut all the upper windows . . .

To much awesome stuff coming out of DIGWDF.

[ErnieHorning]

To much awesome stuff coming out of DIGWDF.

What's weird is that it all seems really usefull.

[Greg in Canby]

What's weird is that it all seems really usefull.

I would like to nominate dirknerkle to the DIYC Hall of Fame.