Help with 32 channel parellel port

[schifpine1]

Update:

frankv: I tried a few things with your ideas. After studying the Hill320 schematic, I realized that I the plugin is not setup to use all control bits, but rather multiplex with two of them. Without adding a multiplexor to the front of my circuit, I can not expand more than 8 channels.

T.D.Sutton: Thanks for that link! That helped me with the information from frankv. You are correct about needing to add addressing IC's.

RavingLunatic: I setup your idea, and realized that I would be sending the same 8 bits to each chip. Then I could change the vixen sequence for channel 9-12 to tell which chip I want on, and when. I think?
In reality, this would still only be 8 channels right? I am confusing myself.

P. Short: There are plugins for discolitez, that allow you to expand from 8 channels, to 32. I moved that plugin to the vixen plugin folder, and it shows up as a dmx plugin. I guess I don't know how to import plugins to vixen, or if you can.
http://www.retro-riders.com/retrotec...tez/index.html

Thanks!

[ErnieHorning]

You can't use the plugin from the site that you posted. It's for Winamp and not Vixen.

There isn't a plugin in any released version of Vixen. It was discussed in this thread but nothing was ever developed. It sounds as though with a slight modification, it would function identically as a Hill320.

[RavingLunatic]

Originally Posted by schifpine1

RavingLunatic: I setup your idea, and realized that I would be sending the same 8 bits to each chip. Then I could change the vixen sequence for channel 9-12 to tell which chip I want on, and when. I think?
In reality, this would still only be 8 channels right? I am confusing myself.

You can make it work if you do something like in the attached image. You would need to use 8 Vixen event intervals for each change of your 32 channels.

First you load the data for the first 8 channels in Vixen channels 1-8, then latch that data by turning ON Vixen channel 9 then OFF (which can be done in the next event while loading new data).

Then you load the data for the next 8 (9-16) channels (again using Vixen channels 1-8) and latch that data by turning ON Vixen channel 10 then OFF.

Then you load the data for the next 8 (17-24) channels (again using Vixen channels 1-8) and latch that data by turning ON Vixen channel 11 then OFF.

Then you load the data for the next 8 (25-32) channels (again using Vixen channels 1-8) and latch that data by turning ON Vixen channel 12 then OFF.


While this method would work for you, it is far from an ideal solution. The ideal solution is to have a plug-in that allows you to enter all 32 channels in each event interval and then the plug-in handles all of the data movement and clocking at each event interval.

[schifpine1]

RavingLunatic: You are correct, this will work.
Perfect for what I need, Vixen is awesome!

[dirknerkle]

Originally Posted by RavingLunatic

While this method would work for you, it is far from an ideal solution. The ideal solution is to have a plug-in that allows you to enter all 32 channels in each event interval and then the plug-in handles all of the data movement and clocking at each event interval.

RL, that is one of the most creative solutions I've seen anywhere. It's thinking a little outside the box that often proves to be the simplest solution.

Nice job!