doityourselfchristmas.com - User contributions [en]

Control boards and Contacts

2009-03-13T18:03:58Z

Omzig: /* Lighting Control Board Source Listing */

'''
== Lighting Control Board Source Listing ==
'''

Below is a list of board designs found on DIYC and contact sources for them.

<table border="1"><tr><td>'''Non-Dimming'''</td></tr>

<tr><td>Board</td><td>Description/wiki Link</td><td>Contact</td><td>Associated Forum</td></tr>

<tr><td>Olsen 595</td><td>[http://www.christmasinshirley.com/wiki/index.php?title=64_Channel_Olsen_595_Controller_Assembly_Instructions 64 channels requires external SSRs]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=2 Macrosill]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=10 DIYC:Olsen 595 Forum]</td></tr>

<tr><td>Grinch</td><td>[http://www.christmasinshirley.com/wiki/index.php?title=GRINCH_Controller_Assembly_Instructions 64 channels requires external SSRs]</td><td> [http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=11 wjohn]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=31 DIYC:Grinch Forum]</td></tr>

<tr><td>'''Dimming'''</td></tr>

<tr><td>Board</td><td>Description/wiki Link</td><td>Contact</td><td>Associated Forum</td></tr>

<tr><td>Renard 64</td><td>[http://www.christmasinshirley.com/wiki/index.php?title=64_Channel_Olsen_595_Controller_Assembly_Instructions 64 Channels requires external SSRss]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=11 wjohn]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=34 DIYC:Renard Forum]</td></tr>

<tr><td>Ren16</td><td>[http://www.christmasinshirley.com/wiki/index.php?title=16_Channel_Renard_with_SSRs 16 channels with on board SSR]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=11 wjohn]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=34 DIYC:Renard Forum]</td></tr>

<tr><td>Ren-C</td><td>[http://www.christmasinshirley.com/wiki/index.php?title=REN-C_PCB_ASSEMBLY_INSTRUCTIONS Adapts Olsen/Grinch boards for dimming]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=11 wjohn]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=34 DIYC:Renard Forum]</td></tr>

<tr><td>Ren24</td><td>[http://www.christmasinshirley.com/wiki/index.php?title=24_Channel_Renard_with_SSR_Assembly_Instructions 24 channels with on board SSR],[http://data.kostyun.com/PDF/building_ren_24.pdfPDF:Assembly Instruction from kostyun.com ]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=4 fkostyun]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=34 DIYC:Renard Forum]</td></tr>

<tr><td>Ren24lvl</td><td>24 Channels requires external SSR</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=4 fkostyun]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=34 DIYC:Renard Forum]</td></tr>

<tr><td>RenSS 8</td><td>[http://www.christmasinshirley.com/wiki/index.php?title=Image:Wiki_-_Renard_SS8_Complete.jpg 8 channels with on board SSR]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=6 waynej]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=34 DIYC:Renard Forum]</td></tr>

<tr><td>RenSS 16</td><td>[http://www.christmasinshirley.com/wiki/index.php?title=Image:Wiki_-_Renard_SS16_Completed_Board.jpg 16 channels with on board SSR]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=6 waynej]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=34 DIYC:Renard Forum]</td></tr>

<tr><td>RenSS 24</td><td>[http://www.christmasinshirley.com/wiki/index.php?title=Image:Wiki_-_Renard_SS24_Completed_Board.jpg 24 channels with on board SSR]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=6 waynej]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=34 DIYC:Renard Forum]</td></tr>

<tr><td>FG128</td><td>128 channel with external SSR Modules</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=71 Firegod]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=32 DIYC:Firegod Forum]</td></tr>

<tr><td>'''Misc.'''</td></tr>

<tr><td>Board</td><td>Description/wiki Link</td><td>Contact</td><td>Associated Forum</td></tr>

<tr><td>LEDtrik</td><td>[http://www.christmasinshirley.com/wiki/index.php?title=LedTriks_Controller_Assembly_Instructions LED sign (Animation and scrolling text)] </td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=11 wjohn]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=13 DIYC:LEDtrik Forum]</td></tr>

<tr><td> LEDtrik-c</td><td>[http://www.christmasinshirley.com/wiki/index.php?title=Tricks-C_Controller_Assembly_Instructions Serial port or standalone adapter for the LEDtriks ]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=11 wjohn]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=13 DIYC:LEDtrik Forum]</td></tr>

<tr><td>SSROZ</td><td>[http://www.christmasinshirley.com/wiki/index.php?title=4_Channel_SSROZ_Assembly_Instructions 4 Channel SSROZ]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=11 wjohn]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=11 DIYC:SSR Forum]</td></tr>

<tr><td>DCSSR</td><td>[http://www.christmasinshirley.com/wiki/index.php?title=4_Channel_DCSSR_Assembly_Instructions 4 Channel DCSSR]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=11 wjohn]</td><td>[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=11 DIYC:SSR Forum]</td></tr>

</table>

Open Design Disclaimer: Here at Do it yourself Christmas we work on an open design concept. This means that any design brought to the Forums or chatroom on DIYC and openly discussed for development and later distributed, is expected to have its schematics openly shared and publicly published somewhere on the site.

Renard

2009-02-05T01:11:00Z

Omzig: /* Number of Circuits (Channels) */

== Overview ==

Renard is the name of a computer-controlled, PIC-based dimmer scheme, and also refers to dimming controllers that people have built based on this scheme. The designs all use mid-range PIC micro-controllers, are generally modular in units of eight channels (dimmable circuits), and use medium-speed, daisy-chainable, one-direction serial communications for input. Renard controllers do not have stand-alone show sequencing capabilities, and rely on a separate computer (usually a PC) to send it real-time sequences of dimmer commands.

This design was originally described in the [http://computerchristmas.com/?link=how_to&HowToId=71 Simple PIC-Based 8-Port Dimmer] 'How-To' on the http://computerchristmas.com website in a generic form. Since then various people have designed and built controllers based on this hardware, and there are likely to be coop buys of one or more of these designs. Renard is strictly a DIY, hobbyist effort at this time, with no commercial products available (either software or hardware).

Here is a picture of an assembled Renard8 pcb (an 8-channel board with an RS485 interface). The two connectors in the lower left are for cables that go to remotely located 4-channel SSR boards, and the two on the upper right are for serial (RS485) input and output.

[[Image:web_100_8269.JPG|right|thumb|160px|[[16_Channel_Renard_with_SSRs | Renard16]] ]]
[[Image:IMG_3021.JPG|right|thumb|160px|[[24_Channel_Renard_with_SSR_Assembly_Instructions | Renard24]] ]]
[[Image:Ren_64.jpg|right|thumb|160px|[[Renard64 | Renard64]] ]]

[[Image:Renard8_img_001.jpg]]

In addition to the Renard8 pictured above, there are several other Renard boards available. These include 16 and 24 channel versions with onboard SSRs, and a 64 channel version without SSRs. In addition, a transformer board exists for providing power and zero-crossing to a Renard, as well as a board to convert an Olsen 595 board to a Renard board. More information can be found on these controllers' respective pages, accessible from the [[Renard Main Page]].
== The Pieces and How They Connect Together ==

Create some drawings.

=== Distance ===

The maximum distance between controllers (or between the PC and the first controller) depends on whether RS232 or RS485 is used as the physical communications method. For RS232 the standards only specify short distances (less than 15 m), but past experiences in other situations suggests that it should work up to several times that distance, especially if low capacitance cable is used. For RS485 it should work out to a distance of more than 300m.

=== Number of Circuits (Channels) ===

The number of Renard channels that can be supported on a serial port depends on both the baud rate and on the frequency of updates that has been programmed into the Vixen sequence. The most common PC control software is Vixen, which easily supports multiple serial ports (including USB-RS232 and USB-485 converters).

{| border="1"
|+Number of Channels (*)
!
|colspan="3" align="center" |Refresh Interval
|-
| Baud Rate
| 100 ms
| 50 ms
| 25 ms
|-
| 115200
|align="right" |1150
|align="right" |574
|align="right" |286
|-
| 57600
|align="right" |574
|align="right" |286
|align="right" |142
|-
| 38400
|align="right" |382
|align="right" |190
|align="right" |94
|-
| 19200
|align="right" |190
|align="right" |94
|align="right" |46
|}

(*) Note - these numbers are based on using the Modified Renard Plugin included in Vixen 2.X as the dimmer codes that require two-byte encoding are avoided.

=== Firmware Versions ===

There are several different versions of the Renard Firmware available.

The first ('regular') version sends out a 30 uS low-going pulse (about 36 uS in areas with 50 Hz AC power), which is intended just to turn on the SSR at the right point in the AC cycle. This pulse is only long enough to activate the SSR, which then stays on by itself until the end of the AC cycle. The advantage of this version is that it draws the least amount of power from the +5V supply. The disadvantage of this version is that the current draw of AC-powered LED lights may be too low during certain parts of the AC power cycle to allow the opto/triac to stay on by itself. The current draw of each SSR output is about 6 mA, or 48 mA for 8 channels. However, the duty cycle of each SSR input is about 1:256, so the average current draw is about .18 mA (much less than the PIC itself).

The next (PWM) version of the firmware sends out a variable width low-going pulse synchronized to the AC power cycle. The pulse starts at the same time as it would in the 'regular' version of the firmware, but lasts until the end of the AC cycle instead of turning off right away. The advantage of this version is that it can be used for dimming direct-drive LEDs (those without any SSRs involved), and will be better at dimming low-current lights with SSRs (including LED lights intended for AC operation). The disadvantage of this version is that it draws a lot more current from the +5V supply in the worst case. The current draw of each SSR output is still 6 mA (or 12 mA if there are status LEDs in parallel with the SSR), for a total of 48 mA (96 mA). The worst case duty cycle is now 100%, so the full 48 mA (or 96 mA) has to be accounted for.

The last (DC) version of the firmware is very similar to the PWM firmware, also sending out a variable-width pulse. However, this pulse is not synchronized to the AC power line, so there is no need to connect a zero-crossing signal to the controller.

=== SSR Selection ===

The Renard Dimmer is designed to turn the SSRs on at different points of each AC powerline cycle (at the beginning for high-brightness, in the middle for medium brightness, and at the end for very low brightness). As a result, the SSRs must be selected for random-phase turn-on. The Renard controllers will not work properly with SSRs designed for zero-crossing turn-on.

=== Driving LED Light Strings ===

Controlling LED light strings requires the use of the special version of the firmware designed for PWM operation (as opposed to the standard version of the firmware, which controls the light intensity by pulse positioning). The reason for this is that LED current at certain voltage (brightness) levels may be too low to latch the optos/triacs in the SSRs. The PWM firmware eliminates this problem by driving the SSRs for the entire 'ON' portion of each AC power line cycle, rather than providing just a narrow pulse at the start of the 'ON' period.

=== Power Requirements ===

The power requirement for the controller varies with the exact application. The PIC itself usually draws around 5mA. Additional current is required for the oscillator (if present), the serial line interface chips, the SSRs and the voltage regulator (if any). It is hard to give guidelines for these parts, because there are many possible choices for all of these parts. It is best to consult the datasheets for the parts that are actually installed.

==== Observed Current Draw ====

The current consumption numbers were obtained by placing a 1 Ω resistor (+/- 5%) in series with the power input pin(s) to the controller, and measuring the voltage across the resistor. The columns with the label 'term' were measurements taken with a 120 Ω termination resistor connected across the RS485 output signals, while 'no term' measurements were taken with the RS485 output connector left open. These numbers should be viewed as representative, not exact. The actual numbers will vary from chip to chip, with temperature, the regulator output voltage, tolerance of the RS485 terminating resistor, and so forth.

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! PCB
! Non-PWM Current (no term)
! Non-PWM Current (term)
! PWM Current (no term)
! PWM Current (term)
|-
!Renard8
|align="right" |20 mA
|align="right" |39 mA
|align="right" |60 mA
|align="right" |80 mA
|-
!XMUS 16-Channel
|align="right" |45 mA
|align="right" |71 mA
|align="right" |122 mA
|align="right" |149 mA
|-
|}

Note: All measurements taken with the PIC configured to use an external 18.432 MHz oscillator, and with all output channels connected to SSRs (no on/off LED installed on the SSR, however). The outputs of the PIC were configured for maximum dimmer brightness (i.e. worst case situation). The measurements were taken with a DC supply connected to the pins 7,8 on the RJ45 connector, with the zero-crossing signal supplied by other means. In addition, one of the output pins was observed with an oscilloscope to verify correct operation.

== Comparison with Other Schemes ==

LOR
AL
D-LIGHT
DMX-512

== Future Directions ==

== Protocol ==

===Version 1===

==== Character Format ====

Baud Rate can vary, current firmware is programmed for 57600.

1 Start Bit, 8 Data Bits, No Parity bit, 1 Stop bit (8N1)

==== Special Characters ====
<tt>
0x7D - Pad byte, silently discarded by controller firmware, inserted by host PC to prevent Tx overrun
0x7E - Sync byte, start of packet marker.
0x7F - Escape byte, used as prefix for encoding dimmer levels that correspond to the special characters.
</tt>

==== Packet Format ====
<tt>
Byte 0 - 0x7E (sync byte)
Byte 1 - Command/address byte (usually 0x80, see below)
Byte 2-n - Dimmer values (0-0xFF, values 0x7D, 0x7E and 0x7F have special encoding, all others are sent raw)
</tt>

==== Firmware Operations ====

When the controller receives a character, it first checks to see if it is the sync character (0x7E). If so, this is the start of a packet, and the controller resets its packet receiving state machine. The controller re-transmits the sync byte, so that down-stream controllers can also reset their packet receiving state machines.

The next character is the command/address byte. There are three possible cases for this byte:

1) If this byte is less than 128 (0x80), it is for some protocol that this firmware cannot handle (reserved for future use). The command/address byte is retransmitted, as are all the remaining bytes in the packet.

2) If the byte is exactly 0x80, the next eight bytes (after decoding) are intended for this controller. The command/address byte is retransmitted. The next eight bytes are decoded and used internally without retransmitting. The remaining bytes in the packet are retransmitted for use by the downstream controllers.

3) If the byte is greater than 0x80, the packet is intended for some downstream controller. The command/address byte is decremented and transmitted, and the remaining bytes in the packet are retransmitted.

== Schematic ==
[[Image:Renard_generic_sch.gif]]

This is a generic Renard schematic, not specific to any particular board. It is intended as the starting point for creating a custom design, and many of the elements of this schematic can be modified for individual circumstances.

=== AC Input (J2) ===

This connector is used to bring 110VAC into the board for sensing the AC zero-crossing. The resistors R1 and R2 will need to be changed for operation at other voltages.

High voltage is present on this connector, and great care should taken with this connector and the related components to prevent damage or injury. Do not build this circuit if you are not knowledgeable about working with power-line voltages.

=== Power Connector (J5) ===

This is used to provide power (+5V) to the Renard controller.

=== Serial (RS232) Connectors (J3 and J4) ===

These connectors are used for input data (J3, from either the PC or an upstream Renard controller) and transmitting data to downstream controllers (J4).

=== SSR Connector (J1) ===

This connector is designed to interface with the Simpleio TRIAC8 board. The current firmware versions assume that the SSRs are configured in a current-sink mode. The outputs of the PIC are active low. In the inactive state the outputs are high, and are driven low to activate the SSR. The normal firmware will cause the outputs to driven low for about 30 μS (for 60 Hz operation, slightly longer for 50 Hz operation). This fairly narrow pulse will be latched in both the opto-coupler and the triac in the SSR, extending the cycle until the AC voltage drops back to 0.

In many cases it may be desireable to replace J1 with connectors that are better suited to the particular application.

=== RS232 Voltage Converter (U10, C8 and C9) ===

This is the classic MAX232 circuit used for converting between RS232 voltage levels (+/- 15V) and TTL logic levels (0 to 5V). This circuit may be replaced with RS485 interface chips (such as the SN75176 or SN75179) if operation with RS485 is desired.

== Firmware ==

See the [[Renard Firmware]] page.

Renard

2009-02-05T01:08:33Z

Omzig: /* Number of Circuits (Channels) */

== Overview ==

Renard is the name of a computer-controlled, PIC-based dimmer scheme, and also refers to dimming controllers that people have built based on this scheme. The designs all use mid-range PIC micro-controllers, are generally modular in units of eight channels (dimmable circuits), and use medium-speed, daisy-chainable, one-direction serial communications for input. Renard controllers do not have stand-alone show sequencing capabilities, and rely on a separate computer (usually a PC) to send it real-time sequences of dimmer commands.

This design was originally described in the [http://computerchristmas.com/?link=how_to&HowToId=71 Simple PIC-Based 8-Port Dimmer] 'How-To' on the http://computerchristmas.com website in a generic form. Since then various people have designed and built controllers based on this hardware, and there are likely to be coop buys of one or more of these designs. Renard is strictly a DIY, hobbyist effort at this time, with no commercial products available (either software or hardware).

Here is a picture of an assembled Renard8 pcb (an 8-channel board with an RS485 interface). The two connectors in the lower left are for cables that go to remotely located 4-channel SSR boards, and the two on the upper right are for serial (RS485) input and output.

[[Image:web_100_8269.JPG|right|thumb|160px|[[16_Channel_Renard_with_SSRs | Renard16]] ]]
[[Image:IMG_3021.JPG|right|thumb|160px|[[24_Channel_Renard_with_SSR_Assembly_Instructions | Renard24]] ]]
[[Image:Ren_64.jpg|right|thumb|160px|[[Renard64 | Renard64]] ]]

[[Image:Renard8_img_001.jpg]]

In addition to the Renard8 pictured above, there are several other Renard boards available. These include 16 and 24 channel versions with onboard SSRs, and a 64 channel version without SSRs. In addition, a transformer board exists for providing power and zero-crossing to a Renard, as well as a board to convert an Olsen 595 board to a Renard board. More information can be found on these controllers' respective pages, accessible from the [[Renard Main Page]].
== The Pieces and How They Connect Together ==

Create some drawings.

=== Distance ===

The maximum distance between controllers (or between the PC and the first controller) depends on whether RS232 or RS485 is used as the physical communications method. For RS232 the standards only specify short distances (less than 15 m), but past experiences in other situations suggests that it should work up to several times that distance, especially if low capacitance cable is used. For RS485 it should work out to a distance of more than 300m.

=== Number of Circuits (Channels) ===

The number of Renard channels that can be supported on a serial port depends on both the baud rate and on the frequency of updates that has been programmed into the Vixen sequence. The most common PC control software is Vixen, which easily supports multiple serial ports (including USB-RS232 and USB-485 converters).

With an update interval of 100 ms and a 57600 baud rate, the number of channels that can be supported (worst case) is 288. There are a few dimmer levels that are sent using a two-character sequence (dimmer levels 125, 126, and 127 out of 255), and this worst case number is intended to handle the situation where the brightness level of all of the channels has been set to one of these levels.

{| border="1"
|+Number of Channels (*)
!
|colspan="3" align="center" |Refresh Interval
|-
| Baud Rate
| 100 ms
| 50 ms
| 25 ms
|-
| 115200
|align="right" |1150
|align="right" |574
|align="right" |286
|-
| 57600
|align="right" |574
|align="right" |286
|align="right" |142
|-
| 38400
|align="right" |382
|align="right" |190
|align="right" |94
|-
| 19200
|align="right" |190
|align="right" |94
|align="right" |46
|}

(*) Note - these numbers are based on using the Modified Renard Plugin included in Vixen 2.X as the dimmer codes that require two-byte encoding are avoided.

=== Firmware Versions ===

There are several different versions of the Renard Firmware available.

The first ('regular') version sends out a 30 uS low-going pulse (about 36 uS in areas with 50 Hz AC power), which is intended just to turn on the SSR at the right point in the AC cycle. This pulse is only long enough to activate the SSR, which then stays on by itself until the end of the AC cycle. The advantage of this version is that it draws the least amount of power from the +5V supply. The disadvantage of this version is that the current draw of AC-powered LED lights may be too low during certain parts of the AC power cycle to allow the opto/triac to stay on by itself. The current draw of each SSR output is about 6 mA, or 48 mA for 8 channels. However, the duty cycle of each SSR input is about 1:256, so the average current draw is about .18 mA (much less than the PIC itself).

The next (PWM) version of the firmware sends out a variable width low-going pulse synchronized to the AC power cycle. The pulse starts at the same time as it would in the 'regular' version of the firmware, but lasts until the end of the AC cycle instead of turning off right away. The advantage of this version is that it can be used for dimming direct-drive LEDs (those without any SSRs involved), and will be better at dimming low-current lights with SSRs (including LED lights intended for AC operation). The disadvantage of this version is that it draws a lot more current from the +5V supply in the worst case. The current draw of each SSR output is still 6 mA (or 12 mA if there are status LEDs in parallel with the SSR), for a total of 48 mA (96 mA). The worst case duty cycle is now 100%, so the full 48 mA (or 96 mA) has to be accounted for.

The last (DC) version of the firmware is very similar to the PWM firmware, also sending out a variable-width pulse. However, this pulse is not synchronized to the AC power line, so there is no need to connect a zero-crossing signal to the controller.

=== SSR Selection ===

The Renard Dimmer is designed to turn the SSRs on at different points of each AC powerline cycle (at the beginning for high-brightness, in the middle for medium brightness, and at the end for very low brightness). As a result, the SSRs must be selected for random-phase turn-on. The Renard controllers will not work properly with SSRs designed for zero-crossing turn-on.

=== Driving LED Light Strings ===

Controlling LED light strings requires the use of the special version of the firmware designed for PWM operation (as opposed to the standard version of the firmware, which controls the light intensity by pulse positioning). The reason for this is that LED current at certain voltage (brightness) levels may be too low to latch the optos/triacs in the SSRs. The PWM firmware eliminates this problem by driving the SSRs for the entire 'ON' portion of each AC power line cycle, rather than providing just a narrow pulse at the start of the 'ON' period.

=== Power Requirements ===

The power requirement for the controller varies with the exact application. The PIC itself usually draws around 5mA. Additional current is required for the oscillator (if present), the serial line interface chips, the SSRs and the voltage regulator (if any). It is hard to give guidelines for these parts, because there are many possible choices for all of these parts. It is best to consult the datasheets for the parts that are actually installed.

==== Observed Current Draw ====

The current consumption numbers were obtained by placing a 1 Ω resistor (+/- 5%) in series with the power input pin(s) to the controller, and measuring the voltage across the resistor. The columns with the label 'term' were measurements taken with a 120 Ω termination resistor connected across the RS485 output signals, while 'no term' measurements were taken with the RS485 output connector left open. These numbers should be viewed as representative, not exact. The actual numbers will vary from chip to chip, with temperature, the regulator output voltage, tolerance of the RS485 terminating resistor, and so forth.

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! PCB
! Non-PWM Current (no term)
! Non-PWM Current (term)
! PWM Current (no term)
! PWM Current (term)
|-
!Renard8
|align="right" |20 mA
|align="right" |39 mA
|align="right" |60 mA
|align="right" |80 mA
|-
!XMUS 16-Channel
|align="right" |45 mA
|align="right" |71 mA
|align="right" |122 mA
|align="right" |149 mA
|-
|}

Note: All measurements taken with the PIC configured to use an external 18.432 MHz oscillator, and with all output channels connected to SSRs (no on/off LED installed on the SSR, however). The outputs of the PIC were configured for maximum dimmer brightness (i.e. worst case situation). The measurements were taken with a DC supply connected to the pins 7,8 on the RJ45 connector, with the zero-crossing signal supplied by other means. In addition, one of the output pins was observed with an oscilloscope to verify correct operation.

== Comparison with Other Schemes ==

LOR
AL
D-LIGHT
DMX-512

== Future Directions ==

== Protocol ==

===Version 1===

==== Character Format ====

Baud Rate can vary, current firmware is programmed for 57600.

1 Start Bit, 8 Data Bits, No Parity bit, 1 Stop bit (8N1)

==== Special Characters ====
<tt>
0x7D - Pad byte, silently discarded by controller firmware, inserted by host PC to prevent Tx overrun
0x7E - Sync byte, start of packet marker.
0x7F - Escape byte, used as prefix for encoding dimmer levels that correspond to the special characters.
</tt>

==== Packet Format ====
<tt>
Byte 0 - 0x7E (sync byte)
Byte 1 - Command/address byte (usually 0x80, see below)
Byte 2-n - Dimmer values (0-0xFF, values 0x7D, 0x7E and 0x7F have special encoding, all others are sent raw)
</tt>

==== Firmware Operations ====

When the controller receives a character, it first checks to see if it is the sync character (0x7E). If so, this is the start of a packet, and the controller resets its packet receiving state machine. The controller re-transmits the sync byte, so that down-stream controllers can also reset their packet receiving state machines.

The next character is the command/address byte. There are three possible cases for this byte:

1) If this byte is less than 128 (0x80), it is for some protocol that this firmware cannot handle (reserved for future use). The command/address byte is retransmitted, as are all the remaining bytes in the packet.

2) If the byte is exactly 0x80, the next eight bytes (after decoding) are intended for this controller. The command/address byte is retransmitted. The next eight bytes are decoded and used internally without retransmitting. The remaining bytes in the packet are retransmitted for use by the downstream controllers.

3) If the byte is greater than 0x80, the packet is intended for some downstream controller. The command/address byte is decremented and transmitted, and the remaining bytes in the packet are retransmitted.

== Schematic ==
[[Image:Renard_generic_sch.gif]]

This is a generic Renard schematic, not specific to any particular board. It is intended as the starting point for creating a custom design, and many of the elements of this schematic can be modified for individual circumstances.

=== AC Input (J2) ===

This connector is used to bring 110VAC into the board for sensing the AC zero-crossing. The resistors R1 and R2 will need to be changed for operation at other voltages.

High voltage is present on this connector, and great care should taken with this connector and the related components to prevent damage or injury. Do not build this circuit if you are not knowledgeable about working with power-line voltages.

=== Power Connector (J5) ===

This is used to provide power (+5V) to the Renard controller.

=== Serial (RS232) Connectors (J3 and J4) ===

These connectors are used for input data (J3, from either the PC or an upstream Renard controller) and transmitting data to downstream controllers (J4).

=== SSR Connector (J1) ===

This connector is designed to interface with the Simpleio TRIAC8 board. The current firmware versions assume that the SSRs are configured in a current-sink mode. The outputs of the PIC are active low. In the inactive state the outputs are high, and are driven low to activate the SSR. The normal firmware will cause the outputs to driven low for about 30 μS (for 60 Hz operation, slightly longer for 50 Hz operation). This fairly narrow pulse will be latched in both the opto-coupler and the triac in the SSR, extending the cycle until the AC voltage drops back to 0.

In many cases it may be desireable to replace J1 with connectors that are better suited to the particular application.

=== RS232 Voltage Converter (U10, C8 and C9) ===

This is the classic MAX232 circuit used for converting between RS232 voltage levels (+/- 15V) and TTL logic levels (0 to 5V). This circuit may be replaced with RS485 interface chips (such as the SN75176 or SN75179) if operation with RS485 is desired.

== Firmware ==

See the [[Renard Firmware]] page.

Renard

2009-02-04T19:27:12Z

Omzig: /* Number of Circuits (Channels) */

== Overview ==

Renard is the name of a computer-controlled, PIC-based dimmer scheme, and also refers to dimming controllers that people have built based on this scheme. The designs all use mid-range PIC micro-controllers, are generally modular in units of eight channels (dimmable circuits), and use medium-speed, daisy-chainable, one-direction serial communications for input. Renard controllers do not have stand-alone show sequencing capabilities, and rely on a separate computer (usually a PC) to send it real-time sequences of dimmer commands.

This design was originally described in the [http://computerchristmas.com/?link=how_to&HowToId=71 Simple PIC-Based 8-Port Dimmer] 'How-To' on the http://computerchristmas.com website in a generic form. Since then various people have designed and built controllers based on this hardware, and there are likely to be coop buys of one or more of these designs. Renard is strictly a DIY, hobbyist effort at this time, with no commercial products available (either software or hardware).

Here is a picture of an assembled Renard8 pcb (an 8-channel board with an RS485 interface). The two connectors in the lower left are for cables that go to remotely located 4-channel SSR boards, and the two on the upper right are for serial (RS485) input and output.

[[Image:web_100_8269.JPG|right|thumb|160px|[[16_Channel_Renard_with_SSRs | Renard16]] ]]
[[Image:IMG_3021.JPG|right|thumb|160px|[[24_Channel_Renard_with_SSR_Assembly_Instructions | Renard24]] ]]
[[Image:Ren_64.jpg|right|thumb|160px|[[Renard64 | Renard64]] ]]

[[Image:Renard8_img_001.jpg]]

In addition to the Renard8 pictured above, there are several other Renard boards available. These include 16 and 24 channel versions with onboard SSRs, and a 64 channel version without SSRs. In addition, a transformer board exists for providing power and zero-crossing to a Renard, as well as a board to convert an Olsen 595 board to a Renard board. More information can be found on these controllers' respective pages, accessible from the [[Renard Main Page]].
== The Pieces and How They Connect Together ==

Create some drawings.

=== Distance ===

The maximum distance between controllers (or between the PC and the first controller) depends on whether RS232 or RS485 is used as the physical communications method. For RS232 the standards only specify short distances (less than 15 m), but past experiences in other situations suggests that it should work up to several times that distance, especially if low capacitance cable is used. For RS485 it should work out to a distance of more than 300m.

=== Number of Circuits (Channels) ===

The number of Renard channels that can be supported on a serial port depends on both the baud rate and on the frequency of updates that has been programmed into the Vixen sequence. The most common PC control software is Vixen, which easily supports multiple serial ports (including USB-RS232 and USB-485 converters).

With an update interval of 100 ms and a 57600 baud rate, the number of channels that can be supported (worst case) is 288. There are a few dimmer levels that are sent using a two-character sequence (dimmer levels 125, 126, and 127 out of 255), and this worst case number is intended to handle the situation where the brightness level of all of the channels has been set to one of these levels.

{| border="1"
|+Number of Channels (*)
!
|colspan="3" align="center" |Refresh Interval
|-
| Baud Rate
| 100 ms
| 50 ms
| 25 ms
|-
| 115200
|align="right" |1150
|align="right" |574
|align="right" |286
|-
| 57600
|align="right" |574
|align="right" |286
|align="right" |142
|-
| 38400
|align="right" |382
|align="right" |190
|align="right" |94
|-
| 19200
|align="right" |190
|align="right" |94
|align="right" |246
|}

(*) Note - these numbers are based on using the Modified Renard Plugin included in Vixen 2.X as the dimmer codes that require two-byte encoding are avoided.

=== Firmware Versions ===

There are several different versions of the Renard Firmware available.

The first ('regular') version sends out a 30 uS low-going pulse (about 36 uS in areas with 50 Hz AC power), which is intended just to turn on the SSR at the right point in the AC cycle. This pulse is only long enough to activate the SSR, which then stays on by itself until the end of the AC cycle. The advantage of this version is that it draws the least amount of power from the +5V supply. The disadvantage of this version is that the current draw of AC-powered LED lights may be too low during certain parts of the AC power cycle to allow the opto/triac to stay on by itself. The current draw of each SSR output is about 6 mA, or 48 mA for 8 channels. However, the duty cycle of each SSR input is about 1:256, so the average current draw is about .18 mA (much less than the PIC itself).

The next (PWM) version of the firmware sends out a variable width low-going pulse synchronized to the AC power cycle. The pulse starts at the same time as it would in the 'regular' version of the firmware, but lasts until the end of the AC cycle instead of turning off right away. The advantage of this version is that it can be used for dimming direct-drive LEDs (those without any SSRs involved), and will be better at dimming low-current lights with SSRs (including LED lights intended for AC operation). The disadvantage of this version is that it draws a lot more current from the +5V supply in the worst case. The current draw of each SSR output is still 6 mA (or 12 mA if there are status LEDs in parallel with the SSR), for a total of 48 mA (96 mA). The worst case duty cycle is now 100%, so the full 48 mA (or 96 mA) has to be accounted for.

The last (DC) version of the firmware is very similar to the PWM firmware, also sending out a variable-width pulse. However, this pulse is not synchronized to the AC power line, so there is no need to connect a zero-crossing signal to the controller.

=== SSR Selection ===

The Renard Dimmer is designed to turn the SSRs on at different points of each AC powerline cycle (at the beginning for high-brightness, in the middle for medium brightness, and at the end for very low brightness). As a result, the SSRs must be selected for random-phase turn-on. The Renard controllers will not work properly with SSRs designed for zero-crossing turn-on.

=== Driving LED Light Strings ===

Controlling LED light strings requires the use of the special version of the firmware designed for PWM operation (as opposed to the standard version of the firmware, which controls the light intensity by pulse positioning). The reason for this is that LED current at certain voltage (brightness) levels may be too low to latch the optos/triacs in the SSRs. The PWM firmware eliminates this problem by driving the SSRs for the entire 'ON' portion of each AC power line cycle, rather than providing just a narrow pulse at the start of the 'ON' period.

=== Power Requirements ===

The power requirement for the controller varies with the exact application. The PIC itself usually draws around 5mA. Additional current is required for the oscillator (if present), the serial line interface chips, the SSRs and the voltage regulator (if any). It is hard to give guidelines for these parts, because there are many possible choices for all of these parts. It is best to consult the datasheets for the parts that are actually installed.

==== Observed Current Draw ====

The current consumption numbers were obtained by placing a 1 Ω resistor (+/- 5%) in series with the power input pin(s) to the controller, and measuring the voltage across the resistor. The columns with the label 'term' were measurements taken with a 120 Ω termination resistor connected across the RS485 output signals, while 'no term' measurements were taken with the RS485 output connector left open. These numbers should be viewed as representative, not exact. The actual numbers will vary from chip to chip, with temperature, the regulator output voltage, tolerance of the RS485 terminating resistor, and so forth.

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! PCB
! Non-PWM Current (no term)
! Non-PWM Current (term)
! PWM Current (no term)
! PWM Current (term)
|-
!Renard8
|align="right" |20 mA
|align="right" |39 mA
|align="right" |60 mA
|align="right" |80 mA
|-
!XMUS 16-Channel
|align="right" |45 mA
|align="right" |71 mA
|align="right" |122 mA
|align="right" |149 mA
|-
|}

Note: All measurements taken with the PIC configured to use an external 18.432 MHz oscillator, and with all output channels connected to SSRs (no on/off LED installed on the SSR, however). The outputs of the PIC were configured for maximum dimmer brightness (i.e. worst case situation). The measurements were taken with a DC supply connected to the pins 7,8 on the RJ45 connector, with the zero-crossing signal supplied by other means. In addition, one of the output pins was observed with an oscilloscope to verify correct operation.

== Comparison with Other Schemes ==

LOR
AL
D-LIGHT
DMX-512

== Future Directions ==

== Protocol ==

===Version 1===

==== Character Format ====

Baud Rate can vary, current firmware is programmed for 57600.

1 Start Bit, 8 Data Bits, No Parity bit, 1 Stop bit (8N1)

==== Special Characters ====
<tt>
0x7D - Pad byte, silently discarded by controller firmware, inserted by host PC to prevent Tx overrun
0x7E - Sync byte, start of packet marker.
0x7F - Escape byte, used as prefix for encoding dimmer levels that correspond to the special characters.
</tt>

==== Packet Format ====
<tt>
Byte 0 - 0x7E (sync byte)
Byte 1 - Command/address byte (usually 0x80, see below)
Byte 2-n - Dimmer values (0-0xFF, values 0x7D, 0x7E and 0x7F have special encoding, all others are sent raw)
</tt>

==== Firmware Operations ====

When the controller receives a character, it first checks to see if it is the sync character (0x7E). If so, this is the start of a packet, and the controller resets its packet receiving state machine. The controller re-transmits the sync byte, so that down-stream controllers can also reset their packet receiving state machines.

The next character is the command/address byte. There are three possible cases for this byte:

1) If this byte is less than 128 (0x80), it is for some protocol that this firmware cannot handle (reserved for future use). The command/address byte is retransmitted, as are all the remaining bytes in the packet.

2) If the byte is exactly 0x80, the next eight bytes (after decoding) are intended for this controller. The command/address byte is retransmitted. The next eight bytes are decoded and used internally without retransmitting. The remaining bytes in the packet are retransmitted for use by the downstream controllers.

3) If the byte is greater than 0x80, the packet is intended for some downstream controller. The command/address byte is decremented and transmitted, and the remaining bytes in the packet are retransmitted.

== Schematic ==
[[Image:Renard_generic_sch.gif]]

This is a generic Renard schematic, not specific to any particular board. It is intended as the starting point for creating a custom design, and many of the elements of this schematic can be modified for individual circumstances.

=== AC Input (J2) ===

This connector is used to bring 110VAC into the board for sensing the AC zero-crossing. The resistors R1 and R2 will need to be changed for operation at other voltages.

High voltage is present on this connector, and great care should taken with this connector and the related components to prevent damage or injury. Do not build this circuit if you are not knowledgeable about working with power-line voltages.

=== Power Connector (J5) ===

This is used to provide power (+5V) to the Renard controller.

=== Serial (RS232) Connectors (J3 and J4) ===

These connectors are used for input data (J3, from either the PC or an upstream Renard controller) and transmitting data to downstream controllers (J4).

=== SSR Connector (J1) ===

This connector is designed to interface with the Simpleio TRIAC8 board. The current firmware versions assume that the SSRs are configured in a current-sink mode. The outputs of the PIC are active low. In the inactive state the outputs are high, and are driven low to activate the SSR. The normal firmware will cause the outputs to driven low for about 30 μS (for 60 Hz operation, slightly longer for 50 Hz operation). This fairly narrow pulse will be latched in both the opto-coupler and the triac in the SSR, extending the cycle until the AC voltage drops back to 0.

In many cases it may be desireable to replace J1 with connectors that are better suited to the particular application.

=== RS232 Voltage Converter (U10, C8 and C9) ===

This is the classic MAX232 circuit used for converting between RS232 voltage levels (+/- 15V) and TTL logic levels (0 to 5V). This circuit may be replaced with RS485 interface chips (such as the SN75176 or SN75179) if operation with RS485 is desired.

== Firmware ==

See the [[Renard Firmware]] page.

Renard

2008-11-10T05:46:08Z

Omzig: /* Firmware Operations */ (spelling)

== Overview ==

Renard is the name of a computer-controlled, PIC-based dimmer scheme, and also refers to dimming controllers that people have built based on this scheme. The designs all use mid-range PIC micro-controllers, are generally modular in units of eight channels (dimmable circuits), and use medium-speed, daisy-chainable, one-direction serial communications for input. Renard controllers do not have stand-alone show sequencing capabilities, and rely on a separate computer (usually a PC) to send it real-time sequences of dimmer commands.

This design was originally described in the [http://computerchristmas.com/?link=how_to&HowToId=71 Simple PIC-Based 8-Port Dimmer] 'How-To' on the http://computerchristmas.com website in a generic form. Since then various people have designed and built controllers based on this hardware, and there are likely to be coop buys of one or more of these designs. Renard is strictly a DIY, hobbyist effort at this time, with no commercial products available (either software or hardware).

Here is a picture of an assembled Renard8 pcb (an 8-channel board with an RS485 interface). The two connectors in the lower left are for cables that go to remotely located 4-channel SSR boards, and the two on the upper right are for serial (RS485) input and output.

[[Image:web_100_8269.JPG|right|thumb|160px|[[16_Channel_Renard_with_SSRs | Renard16]] ]]
[[Image:IMG_3021.JPG|right|thumb|160px|[[24_Channel_Renard_with_SSR_Assembly_Instructions | Renard24]] ]]
[[Image:Ren_64.jpg|right|thumb|160px|[[Renard64 | Renard64]] ]]

[[Image:Renard8_img_001.jpg]]

In addition to the Renard8 pictured above, there are several other Renard boards available. These include 16 and 24 channel versions with onboard SSRs, and a 64 channel version without SSRs. In addition, a transformer board exists for providing power and zero-crossing to a Renard, as well as a board to convert an Olsen 595 board to a Renard board. More information can be found on these controllers' respective pages, accessible from the [[Renard Main Page]].
== The Pieces and How They Connect Together ==

Create some drawings.

=== Distance ===

The maximum distance between controllers (or between the PC and the first controller) depends on whether RS232 or RS485 is used as the physical communications method. For RS232 the standards only specify short distances (less than 15 m), but past experiences in other situations suggests that it should work up to several times that distance, especially if low capacitance cable is used. For RS485 it should work out to a distance of more than 300m.

=== Number of Circuits (Channels) ===

The number of Renard channels that can be supported on a serial port depends on both the baud rate and on the frequency of updates that has been programmed into the Vixen sequence. The most common PC control software is Vixen, which easily supports multiple serial ports (including USB-RS232 and USB-485 converters).

With an update interval of 100 ms and a 57600 baud rate, the number of channels that can be supported (worst case) is 288. There are a few dimmer levels that are sent using a two-character sequence (dimmer levels 125, 126, and 127 out of 255), and this worst case number is intended to handle the situation where the brightness level of all of the channels has been set to one of these levels.

{| border="1"
|+Number of Channels (*)
!
|colspan="3" align="center" |Refresh Interval
|-
| Baud Rate
| 100 ms
| 50 ms
| 25 ms
|-
| 115200
|align="right" |575
|align="right" |287
|align="right" |143
|-
| 57600
|align="right" |287
|align="right" |143
|align="right" |71
|-
| 38400
|align="right" |191
|align="right" |95
|align="right" |47
|-
| 19200
|align="right" |95
|align="right" |47
|align="right" |23
|}

(*) Note - these numbers are based on using the Modified Renard Plugin included in Vixen 2.X as the dimmer codes that require two-byte encoding are avoided.

=== Firmware Versions ===

There are several different versions of the Renard Firmware available.

The first ('regular') version sends out a 30 uS low-going pulse (about 36 uS in areas with 50 Hz AC power), which is intended just to turn on the SSR at the right point in the AC cycle. This pulse is only long enough to activate the SSR, which then stays on by itself until the end of the AC cycle. The advantage of this version is that it draws the least amount of power from the +5V supply. The disadvantage of this version is that the current draw of AC-powered LED lights may be too low during certain parts of the AC power cycle to allow the opto/triac to stay on by itself. The current draw of each SSR output is about 6 mA, or 48 mA for 8 channels. However, the duty cycle of each SSR input is about 1:256, so the average current draw is about .18 mA (much less than the PIC itself).

The next (PWM) version of the firmware sends out a variable width low-going pulse synchronized to the AC power cycle. The pulse starts at the same time as it would in the 'regular' version of the firmware, but lasts until the end of the AC cycle instead of turning off right away. The advantage of this version is that it can be used for dimming direct-drive LEDs (those without any SSRs involved), and will be better at dimming low-current lights with SSRs (including LED lights intended for AC operation). The disadvantage of this version is that it draws a lot more current from the +5V supply in the worst case. The current draw of each SSR output is still 6 mA (or 12 mA if there are status LEDs in parallel with the SSR), for a total of 48 mA (96 mA). The worst case duty cycle is now 100%, so the full 48 mA (or 96 mA) has to be accounted for.

The last (DC) version of the firmware is very similar to the PWM firmware, also sending out a variable-width pulse. However, this pulse is not synchronized to the AC power line, so there is no need to connect a zero-crossing signal to the controller.

=== SSR Selection ===

The Renard Dimmer is designed to turn the SSRs on at different points of each AC powerline cycle (at the beginning for high-brightness, in the middle for medium brightness, and at the end for very low brightness). As a result, the SSRs must be selected for random-phase turn-on. The Renard controllers will not work properly with SSRs designed for zero-crossing turn-on.

=== Driving LED Light Strings ===

Controlling LED light strings requires the use of the special version of the firmware designed for PWM operation (as opposed to the standard version of the firmware, which controls the light intensity by pulse positioning). The reason for this is that LED current at certain voltage (brightness) levels may be too low to latch the optos/triacs in the SSRs. The PWM firmware eliminates this problem by driving the SSRs for the entire 'ON' portion of each AC power line cycle, rather than providing just a narrow pulse at the start of the 'ON' period.

=== Power Requirements ===

The power requirement for the controller varies with the exact application. The PIC itself usually draws around 5mA. Additional current is required for the oscillator (if present), the serial line interface chips, the SSRs and the voltage regulator (if any). It is hard to give guidelines for these parts, because there are many possible choices for all of these parts. It is best to consult the datasheets for the parts that are actually installed.

==== Observed Current Draw ====

The current consumption numbers were obtained by placing a 1 Ω resistor (+/- 5%) in series with the power input pin(s) to the controller, and measuring the voltage across the resistor. The columns with the label 'term' were measurements taken with a 120 Ω termination resistor connected across the RS485 output signals, while 'no term' measurements were taken with the RS485 output connector left open. These numbers should be viewed as representative, not exact. The actual numbers will vary from chip to chip, with temperature, the regulator output voltage, tolerance of the RS485 terminating resistor, and so forth.

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! PCB
! Non-PWM Current (no term)
! Non-PWM Current (term)
! PWM Current (no term)
! PWM Current (term)
|-
!Renard8
|align="right" |20 mA
|align="right" |39 mA
|align="right" |60 mA
|align="right" |80 mA
|-
!XMUS 16-Channel
|align="right" |45 mA
|align="right" |71 mA
|align="right" |122 mA
|align="right" |149 mA
|-
|}

Note: All measurements taken with the PIC configured to use an external 18.432 MHz oscillator, and with all output channels connected to SSRs (no on/off LED installed on the SSR, however). The outputs of the PIC were configured for maximum dimmer brightness (i.e. worst case situation). The measurements were taken with a DC supply connected to the pins 7,8 on the RJ45 connector, with the zero-crossing signal supplied by other means. In addition, one of the output pins was observed with an oscilloscope to verify correct operation.

== Comparison with Other Schemes ==

LOR
AL
D-LIGHT
DMX-512

== Future Directions ==

== Protocol ==

===Version 1===

==== Character Format ====

Baud Rate can vary, current firmware is programmed for 57600.

1 Start Bit, 8 Data Bits, No Parity bit, 1 Stop bit (8N1)

==== Special Characters ====
<tt>
0x7D - Pad byte, silently discarded by controller firmware, inserted by host PC to prevent Tx overrun
0x7E - Sync byte, start of packet marker.
0x7F - Escape byte, used as prefix for encoding dimmer levels that correspond to the special characters.
</tt>

==== Packet Format ====
<tt>
Byte 0 - 0x7E (sync byte)
Byte 1 - Command/address byte (usually 0x80, see below)
Byte 2-n - Dimmer values (0-0xFF, values 0x7D, 0x7E and 0x7F have special encoding, all others are sent raw)
</tt>

==== Firmware Operations ====

When the controller receives a character, it first checks to see if it is the sync character (0x7E). If so, this is the start of a packet, and the controller resets its packet receiving state machine. The controller re-transmits the sync byte, so that down-stream controllers can also reset their packet receiving state machines.

The next character is the command/address byte. There are three possible cases for this byte:

1) If this byte is less than 128 (0x80), it is for some protocol that this firmware cannot handle (reserved for future use). The command/address byte is retransmitted, as are all the remaining bytes in the packet.

2) If the byte is exactly 0x80, the next eight bytes (after decoding) are intended for this controller. The command/address byte is retransmitted. The next eight bytes are decoded and used internally without retransmitting. The remaining bytes in the packet are retransmitted for use by the downstream controllers.

3) If the byte is greater than 0x80, the packet is intended for some downstream controller. The command/address byte is decremented and transmitted, and the remaining bytes in the packet are retransmitted.

== Schematic ==
[[Image:Renard_generic_sch.gif]]

This is a generic Renard schematic, not specific to any particular board. It is intended as the starting point for creating a custom design, and many of the elements of this schematic can be modified for individual circumstances.

=== AC Input (J2) ===

This connector is used to bring 110VAC into the board for sensing the AC zero-crossing. The resistors R1 and R2 will need to be changed for operation at other voltages.

High voltage is present on this connector, and great care should taken with this connector and the related components to prevent damage or injury. Do not build this circuit if you are not knowledgeable about working with power-line voltages.

=== Power Connector (J5) ===

This is used to provide power (+5V) to the Renard controller.

=== Serial (RS232) Connectors (J3 and J4) ===

These connectors are used for input data (J3, from either the PC or an upstream Renard controller) and transmitting data to downstream controllers (J4).

=== SSR Connector (J1) ===

This connector is designed to interface with the Simpleio TRIAC8 board. The current firmware versions assume that the SSRs are configured in a current-sink mode. The outputs of the PIC are active low. In the inactive state the outputs are high, and are driven low to activate the SSR. The normal firmware will cause the outputs to driven low for about 30 μS (for 60 Hz operation, slightly longer for 50 Hz operation). This fairly narrow pulse will be latched in both the opto-coupler and the triac in the SSR, extending the cycle until the AC voltage drops back to 0.

In many cases it may be desireable to replace J1 with connectors that are better suited to the particular application.

=== RS232 Voltage Converter (U10, C8 and C9) ===

This is the classic MAX232 circuit used for converting between RS232 voltage levels (+/- 15V) and TTL logic levels (0 to 5V). This circuit may be replaced with RS485 interface chips (such as the SN75176 or SN75179) if operation with RS485 is desired.

== Firmware ==

See the [[Renard Firmware]] page.

24 Channel Renard with SSR Assembly Instructions

2008-05-06T17:34:22Z

Omzig: /* PC to Renard24 Cable */

Revision 1 board (first revision)
Revision 2 board (second revision)
Revision 2.5 board (final revision)

=== Schematic===

[[Media:Renard64_sch_001.pdf]]
(please note, the schematic is identical to the Renard64)

=== Layout ===

[[Image:REN_24_25.jpg]]

=== COOP PCB V2.5 ===

[[Image:IMG_3021.JPG]]

=== Co-Op Board 3.0 Assembly Instructions ===

Currently in-process!

=== Design Notes for v 3.0 Co-Op Board===

No notes yet!

=== BOM ===

<pre>
PCB
1 Ren24v3 Renard 24-Port PCB

Board Specific Parts:
571-7969494 1
595-SN75176BP 2
511-L7805CV 1
821-DB102G 1 '''SUB PART 512-DF01M'''
532-7136DG 1
271-27K-RC 3
271-1K-RC 4
271-120-RC 1
625-1N4001-E3 1
78-1N5239B 2
838-3FD-320 1
782-H11AA1 1
520-TCF1843-X 1
140-HTRL25V1000-RC 1
140-HTRL25V10-RC 1
534-3517 4
504-GMA-15 2

Parts from the Common Parts List:
511-BTA08-400B 24 (or 511-BTA04-700T more sensitive triac for LED's)
859-MOC3023 24
579-PIC16F688-I/P 3
604-WP63ID 2
604-WP1503GD 1
271-180-RC 24
271-680-RC 27
581-SA105E104MAR 5
571-41032390 1
571-3828115 4
571-1-390261-2 2
571-1-390261-3 3
571-3902611 24 (Optional 6 Pin Socket for Optocoupler - Recommended)
571-5564161 2

Common Parts Description:
ST Microelectronics BTA08 Triac Driver (24 needed)
MOC 3023 Optocoupler (24 needed)
Microchip PIC 16F1688 (3 needed)
Red T1 3/4 LED (2 needed)
Green T1 3/4 LED (1 needed)
180ohm 1/4 watt resistor (24 needed)
680ohm 1/4 watt resistor (24 needed)
.10 uF Ceramic Capacitor (5 needed)
.100 three pin header (4 needed) Part specified is a 40 pin, cut off size that is needed.
.100 Shunt (4 needed) You may also "steal" these off of old computer parts.
6 pin DIP socket (optional - 24 needed)
8 pin DIP socket (2 needed)
14 pin DIP socket (3 needed)
RJ45 Sockets (2 needed) orientation doesn't matter. Specified part is same as the Ren64

Parts changed for board 3.0
PART OPTION #1 - Using Screw Down Terminals
571-2828376 4 6 Position Screw Down Terminal
651-1725041 4 3 Position Double Stacked Terminal

PART OPTION #2 - Using Spade Terminals
534-1287 48 Spade Terminals

</pre>

** NOTE UPDATED 10/06 - I put the wrong transformer part # Old part is 838-3FD-310 [[please see here if you purchased any]].

== Revision History ==

01/20/2007 Initial Design
03/20/2007 Revision 2 submitted to test manufacturing.
07/15/2007 Changed RJ45 to comply with current Renard standards.
07/15/2007 Added additional holes for a larger transformer.
07/15/2007 Added transformer voltage selection jumpers, will allow for 120/240v operation for our friends down under.
07/15/2007 Changed fuse size to 5x20mm fuse from AG3 fuse.
07/16/2007 Added option for DIP or SMT MOC2032 optos.
08/20/2007 Version 2.5 submitted to test manufacturing.
10/01/2007 Making small adjustments based on user feedback to ease setup of board. No major changes made.
01/14/2008 Corrected RS485 pins 4/5 to match Ren16 and Ren64
01/14/2008 Minor silkscreen corrections.
01/14/2008 Increase the size of the board to add a neutral buss onto the board.
01/14/2008 Added support for either spade terminals or screw down terminals.

Errata for Rev 1 PCB -

1) Onboard regulator not functioning properly: needed addition of 1000uF capacator. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)
2) Outputs are out of order. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)
3) Triacs are located to close together. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)

Errata for Rev 2 PCB -

1) Outputs 17/18 are swapped. (corrected in rev 2.5 board)

Errata for Rev 2.5 PCB - (Co-Op Board)
1) RS485 traces swapped from the Ren16/Ren64 pin config. (To be corrected in Rev 3.0 Board)
2) Silkscreen needs to have some clarification done for part orientation.

Planned Errata for Rev 3.0 PCB - (Board not yet in production)
2) 24v/36v input voltage support. (This requires more of locating compatable parts)

=== Design Notes for v 2.5 Co-Op Board===

Pin 1 of the crystal is on the bottom left.

Pin 1 of the transformer is on the top left.

The cathode (striped) pin of the 1N4001 diode is on the top.

The correct designation of the capacitor on the top right is .1uF, not .1F.

The + pin of the DB102 is on the bottom right both of the ~ should be on the left.

The parts list has a 100uF cap, ignore it - as its not needed (Deleted from BOM) There is a 1uF on the board, also not needed.

The 7805 (flat side) goes to the top of the board.

The heatsink for the 7805 should be trimmmed at the bottom to allow for proper fit.

The fuse clips are two tight for the board - now sure how this happened - I need to look into this more - as this is the part that I ordered last year and it fits fine.

The jumpers on the board are for 120/240v operation. If you don't plan on using the boards on 120v these can be hard soldered with a jumper wire.

There are two resistors that are close to the output blocks, when installing them, leave them up a bit so they can be pushed back a little bit.

==== PC to Renard24 Cable ====

The FKostyun Renard24 board has on-board power supply circuitry and on-board zero-crossing circuitry, so all that it needs on the RJ45 cable are data signals and ground. If you are using RS232 input and connecting it directly to the PC serial port, the following cable pinouts will work:

'''Version 3.0 Board:'''
PC DB9 Pin 3 to RJ45-pin 4
PC DB9 Pin 5 to RJ45-pins 1,2,5 (pins 1 and 5 are required, pin 2 is optional).

If you are using a RS-232 to RS-485 converter, the pinout is Pin 5 to A+
and Pin 4 to B-. This is the same as for the Ren 16.

'''Version 2.5 Board:'''
PC DB9 Pin 3 to RJ45-pin 5
PC DB9 Pin 5 to RJ45-pins 1,2,4 (pins 1 and 4 are required, pin 2 is optional).
'''NOTE:''' ''The 2.5 cable will not work with the Renard16, Renard64 or Ren-C boards because pins 4 and 5 on the version 2.5 Renard24 are reversed from those other boards.''

[[Image:Db9f.gif]]
'''Female DB9 connector as if you were looking into the end of it from the outside.'''

24 Channel Renard with SSR Assembly Instructions

2008-05-06T05:42:16Z

Omzig: /* PC to Renard24 Cable */

Revision 1 board (first revision)
Revision 2 board (second revision)
Revision 2.5 board (final revision)

=== Schematic===

[[Media:Renard64_sch_001.pdf]]
(please note, the schematic is identical to the Renard64)

=== Layout ===

[[Image:REN_24_25.jpg]]

=== COOP PCB V2.5 ===

[[Image:IMG_3021.JPG]]

=== Co-Op Board 3.0 Assembly Instructions ===

Currently in-process!

=== Design Notes for v 3.0 Co-Op Board===

No notes yet!

=== BOM ===

<pre>
PCB
1 Ren24v3 Renard 24-Port PCB

Board Specific Parts:
571-7969494 1
595-SN75176BP 2
511-L7805CV 1
821-DB102G 1 '''SUB PART 512-DF01M'''
532-7136DG 1
271-27K-RC 3
271-1K-RC 4
271-120-RC 1
625-1N4001-E3 1
78-1N5239B 2
838-3FD-320 1
782-H11AA1 1
520-TCF1843-X 1
140-HTRL25V1000-RC 1
140-HTRL25V10-RC 1
534-3517 4
504-GMA-15 2

Parts from the Common Parts List:
511-BTA08-400B 24 (or 511-BTA04-700T more sensitive triac for LED's)
859-MOC3023 24
579-PIC16F688-I/P 3
604-WP63ID 2
604-WP1503GD 1
271-180-RC 24
271-680-RC 27
581-SA105E104MAR 5
571-41032390 1
571-3828115 4
571-1-390261-2 2
571-1-390261-3 3
571-3902611 24 (Optional 6 Pin Socket for Optocoupler - Recommended)
571-5564161 2

Common Parts Description:
ST Microelectronics BTA08 Triac Driver (24 needed)
MOC 3023 Optocoupler (24 needed)
Microchip PIC 16F1688 (3 needed)
Red T1 3/4 LED (2 needed)
Green T1 3/4 LED (1 needed)
180ohm 1/4 watt resistor (24 needed)
680ohm 1/4 watt resistor (24 needed)
.10 uF Ceramic Capacitor (5 needed)
.100 three pin header (4 needed) Part specified is a 40 pin, cut off size that is needed.
.100 Shunt (4 needed) You may also "steal" these off of old computer parts.
6 pin DIP socket (optional - 24 needed)
8 pin DIP socket (2 needed)
14 pin DIP socket (3 needed)
RJ45 Sockets (2 needed) orientation doesn't matter. Specified part is same as the Ren64

Parts changed for board 3.0
PART OPTION #1 - Using Screw Down Terminals
571-2828376 4 6 Position Screw Down Terminal
651-1725041 4 3 Position Double Stacked Terminal

PART OPTION #2 - Using Spade Terminals
534-1287 48 Spade Terminals

</pre>

** NOTE UPDATED 10/06 - I put the wrong transformer part # Old part is 838-3FD-310 [[please see here if you purchased any]].

== Revision History ==

01/20/2007 Initial Design
03/20/2007 Revision 2 submitted to test manufacturing.
07/15/2007 Changed RJ45 to comply with current Renard standards.
07/15/2007 Added additional holes for a larger transformer.
07/15/2007 Added transformer voltage selection jumpers, will allow for 120/240v operation for our friends down under.
07/15/2007 Changed fuse size to 5x20mm fuse from AG3 fuse.
07/16/2007 Added option for DIP or SMT MOC2032 optos.
08/20/2007 Version 2.5 submitted to test manufacturing.
10/01/2007 Making small adjustments based on user feedback to ease setup of board. No major changes made.
01/14/2008 Corrected RS485 pins 4/5 to match Ren16 and Ren64
01/14/2008 Minor silkscreen corrections.
01/14/2008 Increase the size of the board to add a neutral buss onto the board.
01/14/2008 Added support for either spade terminals or screw down terminals.

Errata for Rev 1 PCB -

1) Onboard regulator not functioning properly: needed addition of 1000uF capacator. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)
2) Outputs are out of order. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)
3) Triacs are located to close together. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)

Errata for Rev 2 PCB -

1) Outputs 17/18 are swapped. (corrected in rev 2.5 board)

Errata for Rev 2.5 PCB - (Co-Op Board)
1) RS485 traces swapped from the Ren16/Ren64 pin config. (To be corrected in Rev 3.0 Board)
2) Silkscreen needs to have some clarification done for part orientation.

Planned Errata for Rev 3.0 PCB - (Board not yet in production)
2) 24v/36v input voltage support. (This requires more of locating compatable parts)

=== Design Notes for v 2.5 Co-Op Board===

Pin 1 of the crystal is on the bottom left.

Pin 1 of the transformer is on the top left.

The cathode (striped) pin of the 1N4001 diode is on the top.

The correct designation of the capacitor on the top right is .1uF, not .1F.

The + pin of the DB102 is on the bottom right both of the ~ should be on the left.

The parts list has a 100uF cap, ignore it - as its not needed (Deleted from BOM) There is a 1uF on the board, also not needed.

The 7805 (flat side) goes to the top of the board.

The heatsink for the 7805 should be trimmmed at the bottom to allow for proper fit.

The fuse clips are two tight for the board - now sure how this happened - I need to look into this more - as this is the part that I ordered last year and it fits fine.

The jumpers on the board are for 120/240v operation. If you don't plan on using the boards on 120v these can be hard soldered with a jumper wire.

There are two resistors that are close to the output blocks, when installing them, leave them up a bit so they can be pushed back a little bit.

==== PC to Renard24 Cable ====

The FKostyun Renard24 board has on-board power supply circuitry and on-board zero-crossing circuitry, so all that it needs on the RJ45 cable are data signals and ground. If you are using RS232 input and connecting it directly to the PC serial port, the following cable pinouts will work:

'''Version 3.0 Board:'''
PC DB9 Pin 3 to RJ45-pin 4
PC DB9 Pin 5 to RJ45-pins 1,2,5 (pins 1 and 5 are required, pin 2 is optional).

If you are using a RS-232 to RS-485 converter, the pinout is Pin 5 to A+
and Pin 4 to B-. This is the same as for the Ren 16.

'''Version 2.5.0 Board:'''
PC DB9 Pin 3 to RJ45-pin 5
PC DB9 Pin 5 to RJ45-pins 1,2,4 (pins 1 and 4 are required, pin 2 is optional).
'''NOTE:''' ''The 2.5.0 cable will not work with the Renard16, Renard64 or Ren-C boards because pins 4 and 5 on the version 2.5.0 Renard24 are reversed from those other boards.''

[[Image:Db9f.gif]]
'''Female DB9 connector as if you were looking into the end of it from the outside.'''

24 Channel Renard with SSR Assembly Instructions

2008-05-06T05:35:48Z

Omzig: /* PC to Renard24 Cable */

Revision 1 board (first revision)
Revision 2 board (second revision)
Revision 2.5 board (final revision)

=== Schematic===

[[Media:Renard64_sch_001.pdf]]
(please note, the schematic is identical to the Renard64)

=== Layout ===

[[Image:REN_24_25.jpg]]

=== COOP PCB V2.5 ===

[[Image:IMG_3021.JPG]]

=== Co-Op Board 3.0 Assembly Instructions ===

Currently in-process!

=== Design Notes for v 3.0 Co-Op Board===

No notes yet!

=== BOM ===

<pre>
PCB
1 Ren24v3 Renard 24-Port PCB

Board Specific Parts:
571-7969494 1
595-SN75176BP 2
511-L7805CV 1
821-DB102G 1 '''SUB PART 512-DF01M'''
532-7136DG 1
271-27K-RC 3
271-1K-RC 4
271-120-RC 1
625-1N4001-E3 1
78-1N5239B 2
838-3FD-320 1
782-H11AA1 1
520-TCF1843-X 1
140-HTRL25V1000-RC 1
140-HTRL25V10-RC 1
534-3517 4
504-GMA-15 2

Parts from the Common Parts List:
511-BTA08-400B 24 (or 511-BTA04-700T more sensitive triac for LED's)
859-MOC3023 24
579-PIC16F688-I/P 3
604-WP63ID 2
604-WP1503GD 1
271-180-RC 24
271-680-RC 27
581-SA105E104MAR 5
571-41032390 1
571-3828115 4
571-1-390261-2 2
571-1-390261-3 3
571-3902611 24 (Optional 6 Pin Socket for Optocoupler - Recommended)
571-5564161 2

Common Parts Description:
ST Microelectronics BTA08 Triac Driver (24 needed)
MOC 3023 Optocoupler (24 needed)
Microchip PIC 16F1688 (3 needed)
Red T1 3/4 LED (2 needed)
Green T1 3/4 LED (1 needed)
180ohm 1/4 watt resistor (24 needed)
680ohm 1/4 watt resistor (24 needed)
.10 uF Ceramic Capacitor (5 needed)
.100 three pin header (4 needed) Part specified is a 40 pin, cut off size that is needed.
.100 Shunt (4 needed) You may also "steal" these off of old computer parts.
6 pin DIP socket (optional - 24 needed)
8 pin DIP socket (2 needed)
14 pin DIP socket (3 needed)
RJ45 Sockets (2 needed) orientation doesn't matter. Specified part is same as the Ren64

Parts changed for board 3.0
PART OPTION #1 - Using Screw Down Terminals
571-2828376 4 6 Position Screw Down Terminal
651-1725041 4 3 Position Double Stacked Terminal

PART OPTION #2 - Using Spade Terminals
534-1287 48 Spade Terminals

</pre>

** NOTE UPDATED 10/06 - I put the wrong transformer part # Old part is 838-3FD-310 [[please see here if you purchased any]].

== Revision History ==

01/20/2007 Initial Design
03/20/2007 Revision 2 submitted to test manufacturing.
07/15/2007 Changed RJ45 to comply with current Renard standards.
07/15/2007 Added additional holes for a larger transformer.
07/15/2007 Added transformer voltage selection jumpers, will allow for 120/240v operation for our friends down under.
07/15/2007 Changed fuse size to 5x20mm fuse from AG3 fuse.
07/16/2007 Added option for DIP or SMT MOC2032 optos.
08/20/2007 Version 2.5 submitted to test manufacturing.
10/01/2007 Making small adjustments based on user feedback to ease setup of board. No major changes made.
01/14/2008 Corrected RS485 pins 4/5 to match Ren16 and Ren64
01/14/2008 Minor silkscreen corrections.
01/14/2008 Increase the size of the board to add a neutral buss onto the board.
01/14/2008 Added support for either spade terminals or screw down terminals.

Errata for Rev 1 PCB -

1) Onboard regulator not functioning properly: needed addition of 1000uF capacator. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)
2) Outputs are out of order. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)
3) Triacs are located to close together. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)

Errata for Rev 2 PCB -

1) Outputs 17/18 are swapped. (corrected in rev 2.5 board)

Errata for Rev 2.5 PCB - (Co-Op Board)
1) RS485 traces swapped from the Ren16/Ren64 pin config. (To be corrected in Rev 3.0 Board)
2) Silkscreen needs to have some clarification done for part orientation.

Planned Errata for Rev 3.0 PCB - (Board not yet in production)
2) 24v/36v input voltage support. (This requires more of locating compatable parts)

=== Design Notes for v 2.5 Co-Op Board===

Pin 1 of the crystal is on the bottom left.

Pin 1 of the transformer is on the top left.

The cathode (striped) pin of the 1N4001 diode is on the top.

The correct designation of the capacitor on the top right is .1uF, not .1F.

The + pin of the DB102 is on the bottom right both of the ~ should be on the left.

The parts list has a 100uF cap, ignore it - as its not needed (Deleted from BOM) There is a 1uF on the board, also not needed.

The 7805 (flat side) goes to the top of the board.

The heatsink for the 7805 should be trimmmed at the bottom to allow for proper fit.

The fuse clips are two tight for the board - now sure how this happened - I need to look into this more - as this is the part that I ordered last year and it fits fine.

The jumpers on the board are for 120/240v operation. If you don't plan on using the boards on 120v these can be hard soldered with a jumper wire.

There are two resistors that are close to the output blocks, when installing them, leave them up a bit so they can be pushed back a little bit.

==== PC to Renard24 Cable ====

The FKostyun Renard24 board has on-board power supply circuitry and on-board zero-crossing circuitry, so all that it needs on the RJ45 cable are data signals and ground. If you are using RS232 input and connecting it directly to the PC serial port, the following cable pinouts will work:

'''Version 3.0 Board:'''
PC DB9 Pin 3 to RJ45-pin 4
PC DB9 Pin 5 to RJ45-pins 1,2,5 (pins 1 and 4 are required, pin 2 is optional).

If you are using a RS-232 to RS-485 converter, the pinout is Pin 5 to A+
and Pin 4 to B-. This is the same as for the Ren 16.

'''Version 2.5.0 Board:'''
PC DB9 Pin 3 to RJ45-pin 5
PC DB9 Pin 5 to RJ45-pins 1,2,4 (pins 1 and 4 are required, pin 2 is optional).
'''NOTE:''' ''The 2.5.0 cable will not work with the Renard16, Renard64 or Ren-C boards because pins 4 and 5 on the version 2.5.0 Renard24 are reversed from those other boards.''

[[Image:Db9f.gif]]
'''Female DB9 connector as if you were looking into the end of it from the outside.'''

24 Channel Renard with SSR Assembly Instructions

2008-05-06T04:43:56Z

Omzig: /* PC to Renard24 Cable */

Revision 1 board (first revision)
Revision 2 board (second revision)
Revision 2.5 board (final revision)

=== Schematic===

[[Media:Renard64_sch_001.pdf]]
(please note, the schematic is identical to the Renard64)

=== Layout ===

[[Image:REN_24_25.jpg]]

=== COOP PCB V2.5 ===

[[Image:IMG_3021.JPG]]

=== Co-Op Board 3.0 Assembly Instructions ===

Currently in-process!

=== Design Notes for v 3.0 Co-Op Board===

No notes yet!

=== BOM ===

<pre>
PCB
1 Ren24v3 Renard 24-Port PCB

Board Specific Parts:
571-7969494 1
595-SN75176BP 2
511-L7805CV 1
821-DB102G 1 '''SUB PART 512-DF01M'''
532-7136DG 1
271-27K-RC 3
271-1K-RC 4
271-120-RC 1
625-1N4001-E3 1
78-1N5239B 2
838-3FD-320 1
782-H11AA1 1
520-TCF1843-X 1
140-HTRL25V1000-RC 1
140-HTRL25V10-RC 1
534-3517 4
504-GMA-15 2

Parts from the Common Parts List:
511-BTA08-400B 24 (or 511-BTA04-700T more sensitive triac for LED's)
859-MOC3023 24
579-PIC16F688-I/P 3
604-WP63ID 2
604-WP1503GD 1
271-180-RC 24
271-680-RC 27
581-SA105E104MAR 5
571-41032390 1
571-3828115 4
571-1-390261-2 2
571-1-390261-3 3
571-3902611 24 (Optional 6 Pin Socket for Optocoupler - Recommended)
571-5564161 2

Common Parts Description:
ST Microelectronics BTA08 Triac Driver (24 needed)
MOC 3023 Optocoupler (24 needed)
Microchip PIC 16F1688 (3 needed)
Red T1 3/4 LED (2 needed)
Green T1 3/4 LED (1 needed)
180ohm 1/4 watt resistor (24 needed)
680ohm 1/4 watt resistor (24 needed)
.10 uF Ceramic Capacitor (5 needed)
.100 three pin header (4 needed) Part specified is a 40 pin, cut off size that is needed.
.100 Shunt (4 needed) You may also "steal" these off of old computer parts.
6 pin DIP socket (optional - 24 needed)
8 pin DIP socket (2 needed)
14 pin DIP socket (3 needed)
RJ45 Sockets (2 needed) orientation doesn't matter. Specified part is same as the Ren64

Parts changed for board 3.0
PART OPTION #1 - Using Screw Down Terminals
571-2828376 4 6 Position Screw Down Terminal
651-1725041 4 3 Position Double Stacked Terminal

PART OPTION #2 - Using Spade Terminals
534-1287 48 Spade Terminals

</pre>

** NOTE UPDATED 10/06 - I put the wrong transformer part # Old part is 838-3FD-310 [[please see here if you purchased any]].

== Revision History ==

01/20/2007 Initial Design
03/20/2007 Revision 2 submitted to test manufacturing.
07/15/2007 Changed RJ45 to comply with current Renard standards.
07/15/2007 Added additional holes for a larger transformer.
07/15/2007 Added transformer voltage selection jumpers, will allow for 120/240v operation for our friends down under.
07/15/2007 Changed fuse size to 5x20mm fuse from AG3 fuse.
07/16/2007 Added option for DIP or SMT MOC2032 optos.
08/20/2007 Version 2.5 submitted to test manufacturing.
10/01/2007 Making small adjustments based on user feedback to ease setup of board. No major changes made.
01/14/2008 Corrected RS485 pins 4/5 to match Ren16 and Ren64
01/14/2008 Minor silkscreen corrections.
01/14/2008 Increase the size of the board to add a neutral buss onto the board.
01/14/2008 Added support for either spade terminals or screw down terminals.

Errata for Rev 1 PCB -

1) Onboard regulator not functioning properly: needed addition of 1000uF capacator. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)
2) Outputs are out of order. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)
3) Triacs are located to close together. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)

Errata for Rev 2 PCB -

1) Outputs 17/18 are swapped. (corrected in rev 2.5 board)

Errata for Rev 2.5 PCB - (Co-Op Board)
1) RS485 traces swapped from the Ren16/Ren64 pin config. (To be corrected in Rev 3.0 Board)
2) Silkscreen needs to have some clarification done for part orientation.

Planned Errata for Rev 3.0 PCB - (Board not yet in production)
2) 24v/36v input voltage support. (This requires more of locating compatable parts)

=== Design Notes for v 2.5 Co-Op Board===

Pin 1 of the crystal is on the bottom left.

Pin 1 of the transformer is on the top left.

The cathode (striped) pin of the 1N4001 diode is on the top.

The correct designation of the capacitor on the top right is .1uF, not .1F.

The + pin of the DB102 is on the bottom right both of the ~ should be on the left.

The parts list has a 100uF cap, ignore it - as its not needed (Deleted from BOM) There is a 1uF on the board, also not needed.

The 7805 (flat side) goes to the top of the board.

The heatsink for the 7805 should be trimmmed at the bottom to allow for proper fit.

The fuse clips are two tight for the board - now sure how this happened - I need to look into this more - as this is the part that I ordered last year and it fits fine.

The jumpers on the board are for 120/240v operation. If you don't plan on using the boards on 120v these can be hard soldered with a jumper wire.

There are two resistors that are close to the output blocks, when installing them, leave them up a bit so they can be pushed back a little bit.

==== PC to Renard24 Cable ====

The FKostyun Renard24 board has on-board power supply circuitry and on-board zero-crossing circuitry, so all that it needs on the RJ45 cable are data signals and ground. If you are using RS232 input and connecting it directly to the PC serial port, the following cable pinouts will work:

'''Version 3.0 Board:'''
PC DB9 Pin 3 to RJ45-pin 4
PC DB9 Pin 5 to RJ45-pins 1,2,5 (pins 1 and 4 are required, pin 2 is optional).

If you are using a RS-232 to RS-485 converter, the pinout is Pin 5 to A+
and Pin 4 to B-. This is the same as for the Ren 16.

'''Version 2.5.0 Board:'''
PC DB9 Pin 3 to RJ45-pin 5
PC DB9 Pin 5 to RJ45-pins 1,2,4 (pins 1 and 4 are required, pin 2 is optional).
'''NOTE:''' ''The 2.5.0 cable will not work with the Renard16, Renard64 or Ren-C boards because pins 4 and 5 on the version 2.5.0 Renard24 are reversed from those other boards.''

[[Image:Db9f.gif]]
'''DB9 connector as if you were looking into the end of it from the outside.'''

File:Db9f.gif

2008-05-06T04:40:22Z

Omzig: Female DB9 connector as if looking into from the outside.

Female DB9 connector as if looking into from the outside.

24 Channel Renard with SSR Assembly Instructions

2008-05-06T03:41:04Z

Omzig: /* PC to Renard24 Cable */

Revision 1 board (first revision)
Revision 2 board (second revision)
Revision 2.5 board (final revision)

=== Schematic===

[[Media:Renard64_sch_001.pdf]]
(please note, the schematic is identical to the Renard64)

=== Layout ===

[[Image:REN_24_25.jpg]]

=== COOP PCB V2.5 ===

[[Image:IMG_3021.JPG]]

=== Co-Op Board 3.0 Assembly Instructions ===

Currently in-process!

=== Design Notes for v 3.0 Co-Op Board===

No notes yet!

=== BOM ===

<pre>
PCB
1 Ren24v3 Renard 24-Port PCB

Board Specific Parts:
571-7969494 1
595-SN75176BP 2
511-L7805CV 1
821-DB102G 1 '''SUB PART 512-DF01M'''
532-7136DG 1
271-27K-RC 3
271-1K-RC 4
271-120-RC 1
625-1N4001-E3 1
78-1N5239B 2
838-3FD-320 1
782-H11AA1 1
520-TCF1843-X 1
140-HTRL25V1000-RC 1
140-HTRL25V10-RC 1
534-3517 4
504-GMA-15 2

Parts from the Common Parts List:
511-BTA08-400B 24 (or 511-BTA04-700T more sensitive triac for LED's)
859-MOC3023 24
579-PIC16F688-I/P 3
604-WP63ID 2
604-WP1503GD 1
271-180-RC 24
271-680-RC 27
581-SA105E104MAR 5
571-41032390 1
571-3828115 4
571-1-390261-2 2
571-1-390261-3 3
571-3902611 24 (Optional 6 Pin Socket for Optocoupler - Recommended)
571-5564161 2

Common Parts Description:
ST Microelectronics BTA08 Triac Driver (24 needed)
MOC 3023 Optocoupler (24 needed)
Microchip PIC 16F1688 (3 needed)
Red T1 3/4 LED (2 needed)
Green T1 3/4 LED (1 needed)
180ohm 1/4 watt resistor (24 needed)
680ohm 1/4 watt resistor (24 needed)
.10 uF Ceramic Capacitor (5 needed)
.100 three pin header (4 needed) Part specified is a 40 pin, cut off size that is needed.
.100 Shunt (4 needed) You may also "steal" these off of old computer parts.
6 pin DIP socket (optional - 24 needed)
8 pin DIP socket (2 needed)
14 pin DIP socket (3 needed)
RJ45 Sockets (2 needed) orientation doesn't matter. Specified part is same as the Ren64

Parts changed for board 3.0
PART OPTION #1 - Using Screw Down Terminals
571-2828376 4 6 Position Screw Down Terminal
651-1725041 4 3 Position Double Stacked Terminal

PART OPTION #2 - Using Spade Terminals
534-1287 48 Spade Terminals

</pre>

** NOTE UPDATED 10/06 - I put the wrong transformer part # Old part is 838-3FD-310 [[please see here if you purchased any]].

== Revision History ==

01/20/2007 Initial Design
03/20/2007 Revision 2 submitted to test manufacturing.
07/15/2007 Changed RJ45 to comply with current Renard standards.
07/15/2007 Added additional holes for a larger transformer.
07/15/2007 Added transformer voltage selection jumpers, will allow for 120/240v operation for our friends down under.
07/15/2007 Changed fuse size to 5x20mm fuse from AG3 fuse.
07/16/2007 Added option for DIP or SMT MOC2032 optos.
08/20/2007 Version 2.5 submitted to test manufacturing.
10/01/2007 Making small adjustments based on user feedback to ease setup of board. No major changes made.
01/14/2008 Corrected RS485 pins 4/5 to match Ren16 and Ren64
01/14/2008 Minor silkscreen corrections.
01/14/2008 Increase the size of the board to add a neutral buss onto the board.
01/14/2008 Added support for either spade terminals or screw down terminals.

Errata for Rev 1 PCB -

1) Onboard regulator not functioning properly: needed addition of 1000uF capacator. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)
2) Outputs are out of order. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)
3) Triacs are located to close together. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)

Errata for Rev 2 PCB -

1) Outputs 17/18 are swapped. (corrected in rev 2.5 board)

Errata for Rev 2.5 PCB - (Co-Op Board)
1) RS485 traces swapped from the Ren16/Ren64 pin config. (To be corrected in Rev 3.0 Board)
2) Silkscreen needs to have some clarification done for part orientation.

Planned Errata for Rev 3.0 PCB - (Board not yet in production)
2) 24v/36v input voltage support. (This requires more of locating compatable parts)

=== Design Notes for v 2.5 Co-Op Board===

Pin 1 of the crystal is on the bottom left.

Pin 1 of the transformer is on the top left.

The cathode (striped) pin of the 1N4001 diode is on the top.

The correct designation of the capacitor on the top right is .1uF, not .1F.

The + pin of the DB102 is on the bottom right both of the ~ should be on the left.

The parts list has a 100uF cap, ignore it - as its not needed (Deleted from BOM) There is a 1uF on the board, also not needed.

The 7805 (flat side) goes to the top of the board.

The heatsink for the 7805 should be trimmmed at the bottom to allow for proper fit.

The fuse clips are two tight for the board - now sure how this happened - I need to look into this more - as this is the part that I ordered last year and it fits fine.

The jumpers on the board are for 120/240v operation. If you don't plan on using the boards on 120v these can be hard soldered with a jumper wire.

There are two resistors that are close to the output blocks, when installing them, leave them up a bit so they can be pushed back a little bit.

==== PC to Renard24 Cable ====

The FKostyun Renard24 board has on-board power supply circuitry and on-board zero-crossing circuitry, so all that it needs on the RJ45 cable are data signals and ground. If you are using RS232 input and connecting it directly to the PC serial port, the following cable pinouts will work:

'''Version 3.0 Board:'''
PC DB9 Pin 3 to RJ45-pin 4
PC DB9 Pin 5 to RJ45-pins 1,2,5 (pins 1 and 4 are required, pin 2 is optional).

'''Version 2.5.0 Board:'''
PC DB9 Pin 3 to RJ45-pin 5
PC DB9 Pin 5 to RJ45-pins 1,2,4 (pins 1 and 4 are required, pin 2 is optional).
'''NOTE:''' ''The 2.5.0 cable will not work with the Renard16, Renard64 or Ren-C boards because pins 4 and 5 on the version 2.5.0 Renard24 are reversed from those other boards.''

24 Channel Renard with SSR Assembly Instructions

2008-05-06T02:54:11Z

Omzig: /* PC to Renard24 Cable */

Revision 1 board (first revision)
Revision 2 board (second revision)
Revision 2.5 board (final revision)

=== Schematic===

[[Media:Renard64_sch_001.pdf]]
(please note, the schematic is identical to the Renard64)

=== Layout ===

[[Image:REN_24_25.jpg]]

=== COOP PCB V2.5 ===

[[Image:IMG_3021.JPG]]

=== Co-Op Board 3.0 Assembly Instructions ===

Currently in-process!

=== Design Notes for v 3.0 Co-Op Board===

No notes yet!

=== BOM ===

<pre>
PCB
1 Ren24v3 Renard 24-Port PCB

Board Specific Parts:
571-7969494 1
595-SN75176BP 2
511-L7805CV 1
821-DB102G 1 '''SUB PART 512-DF01M'''
532-7136DG 1
271-27K-RC 3
271-1K-RC 4
271-120-RC 1
625-1N4001-E3 1
78-1N5239B 2
838-3FD-320 1
782-H11AA1 1
520-TCF1843-X 1
140-HTRL25V1000-RC 1
140-HTRL25V10-RC 1
534-3517 4
504-GMA-15 2

Parts from the Common Parts List:
511-BTA08-400B 24 (or 511-BTA04-700T more sensitive triac for LED's)
859-MOC3023 24
579-PIC16F688-I/P 3
604-WP63ID 2
604-WP1503GD 1
271-180-RC 24
271-680-RC 27
581-SA105E104MAR 5
571-41032390 1
571-3828115 4
571-1-390261-2 2
571-1-390261-3 3
571-3902611 24 (Optional 6 Pin Socket for Optocoupler - Recommended)
571-5564161 2

Common Parts Description:
ST Microelectronics BTA08 Triac Driver (24 needed)
MOC 3023 Optocoupler (24 needed)
Microchip PIC 16F1688 (3 needed)
Red T1 3/4 LED (2 needed)
Green T1 3/4 LED (1 needed)
180ohm 1/4 watt resistor (24 needed)
680ohm 1/4 watt resistor (24 needed)
.10 uF Ceramic Capacitor (5 needed)
.100 three pin header (4 needed) Part specified is a 40 pin, cut off size that is needed.
.100 Shunt (4 needed) You may also "steal" these off of old computer parts.
6 pin DIP socket (optional - 24 needed)
8 pin DIP socket (2 needed)
14 pin DIP socket (3 needed)
RJ45 Sockets (2 needed) orientation doesn't matter. Specified part is same as the Ren64

Parts changed for board 3.0
PART OPTION #1 - Using Screw Down Terminals
571-2828376 4 6 Position Screw Down Terminal
651-1725041 4 3 Position Double Stacked Terminal

PART OPTION #2 - Using Spade Terminals
534-1287 48 Spade Terminals

</pre>

** NOTE UPDATED 10/06 - I put the wrong transformer part # Old part is 838-3FD-310 [[please see here if you purchased any]].

== Revision History ==

01/20/2007 Initial Design
03/20/2007 Revision 2 submitted to test manufacturing.
07/15/2007 Changed RJ45 to comply with current Renard standards.
07/15/2007 Added additional holes for a larger transformer.
07/15/2007 Added transformer voltage selection jumpers, will allow for 120/240v operation for our friends down under.
07/15/2007 Changed fuse size to 5x20mm fuse from AG3 fuse.
07/16/2007 Added option for DIP or SMT MOC2032 optos.
08/20/2007 Version 2.5 submitted to test manufacturing.
10/01/2007 Making small adjustments based on user feedback to ease setup of board. No major changes made.
01/14/2008 Corrected RS485 pins 4/5 to match Ren16 and Ren64
01/14/2008 Minor silkscreen corrections.
01/14/2008 Increase the size of the board to add a neutral buss onto the board.
01/14/2008 Added support for either spade terminals or screw down terminals.

Errata for Rev 1 PCB -

1) Onboard regulator not functioning properly: needed addition of 1000uF capacator. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)
2) Outputs are out of order. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)
3) Triacs are located to close together. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)

Errata for Rev 2 PCB -

1) Outputs 17/18 are swapped. (corrected in rev 2.5 board)

Errata for Rev 2.5 PCB - (Co-Op Board)
1) RS485 traces swapped from the Ren16/Ren64 pin config. (To be corrected in Rev 3.0 Board)
2) Silkscreen needs to have some clarification done for part orientation.

Planned Errata for Rev 3.0 PCB - (Board not yet in production)
2) 24v/36v input voltage support. (This requires more of locating compatable parts)

=== Design Notes for v 2.5 Co-Op Board===

Pin 1 of the crystal is on the bottom left.

Pin 1 of the transformer is on the top left.

The cathode (striped) pin of the 1N4001 diode is on the top.

The correct designation of the capacitor on the top right is .1uF, not .1F.

The + pin of the DB102 is on the bottom right both of the ~ should be on the left.

The parts list has a 100uF cap, ignore it - as its not needed (Deleted from BOM) There is a 1uF on the board, also not needed.

The 7805 (flat side) goes to the top of the board.

The heatsink for the 7805 should be trimmmed at the bottom to allow for proper fit.

The fuse clips are two tight for the board - now sure how this happened - I need to look into this more - as this is the part that I ordered last year and it fits fine.

The jumpers on the board are for 120/240v operation. If you don't plan on using the boards on 120v these can be hard soldered with a jumper wire.

There are two resistors that are close to the output blocks, when installing them, leave them up a bit so they can be pushed back a little bit.

==== PC to Renard24 Cable ====

The FKostyun Renard24 board has on-board power supply circuitry and on-board zero-crossing circuitry, so all that it needs on the RJ45 cable are data signals and ground. If you are using RS232 input and connecting it directly to the PC serial port, the following cable pinouts will work:

'''Version 3.0 Board:'''
PC DB9 Pin 3 to RJ45-pin 4
PC DB9 Pin 5 to RJ45-pins 1,2,4 (pins 1 and 4 are required, pin 2 is optional).

'''Version 2.5.0 Board:'''
PC DB9 Pin 3 to RJ45-pin 5
PC DB9 Pin 5 to RJ45-pins 1,2,4 (pins 1 and 4 are required, pin 2 is optional).
'''NOTE:''' ''The 2.5.0 cable will not work with the Renard16, Renard64 or Ren-C boards because pins 4 and 5 on the version 2.5.0 Renard24 are reversed from those other boards.''

24 Channel Renard with SSR Assembly Instructions

2008-05-06T02:43:28Z

Omzig: /* PC to Renard24 Cable */

Revision 1 board (first revision)
Revision 2 board (second revision)
Revision 2.5 board (final revision)

=== Schematic===

[[Media:Renard64_sch_001.pdf]]
(please note, the schematic is identical to the Renard64)

=== Layout ===

[[Image:REN_24_25.jpg]]

=== COOP PCB V2.5 ===

[[Image:IMG_3021.JPG]]

=== Co-Op Board 3.0 Assembly Instructions ===

Currently in-process!

=== Design Notes for v 3.0 Co-Op Board===

No notes yet!

=== BOM ===

<pre>
PCB
1 Ren24v3 Renard 24-Port PCB

Board Specific Parts:
571-7969494 1
595-SN75176BP 2
511-L7805CV 1
821-DB102G 1 '''SUB PART 512-DF01M'''
532-7136DG 1
271-27K-RC 3
271-1K-RC 4
271-120-RC 1
625-1N4001-E3 1
78-1N5239B 2
838-3FD-320 1
782-H11AA1 1
520-TCF1843-X 1
140-HTRL25V1000-RC 1
140-HTRL25V10-RC 1
534-3517 4
504-GMA-15 2

Parts from the Common Parts List:
511-BTA08-400B 24 (or 511-BTA04-700T more sensitive triac for LED's)
859-MOC3023 24
579-PIC16F688-I/P 3
604-WP63ID 2
604-WP1503GD 1
271-180-RC 24
271-680-RC 27
581-SA105E104MAR 5
571-41032390 1
571-3828115 4
571-1-390261-2 2
571-1-390261-3 3
571-3902611 24 (Optional 6 Pin Socket for Optocoupler - Recommended)
571-5564161 2

Common Parts Description:
ST Microelectronics BTA08 Triac Driver (24 needed)
MOC 3023 Optocoupler (24 needed)
Microchip PIC 16F1688 (3 needed)
Red T1 3/4 LED (2 needed)
Green T1 3/4 LED (1 needed)
180ohm 1/4 watt resistor (24 needed)
680ohm 1/4 watt resistor (24 needed)
.10 uF Ceramic Capacitor (5 needed)
.100 three pin header (4 needed) Part specified is a 40 pin, cut off size that is needed.
.100 Shunt (4 needed) You may also "steal" these off of old computer parts.
6 pin DIP socket (optional - 24 needed)
8 pin DIP socket (2 needed)
14 pin DIP socket (3 needed)
RJ45 Sockets (2 needed) orientation doesn't matter. Specified part is same as the Ren64

Parts changed for board 3.0
PART OPTION #1 - Using Screw Down Terminals
571-2828376 4 6 Position Screw Down Terminal
651-1725041 4 3 Position Double Stacked Terminal

PART OPTION #2 - Using Spade Terminals
534-1287 48 Spade Terminals

</pre>

** NOTE UPDATED 10/06 - I put the wrong transformer part # Old part is 838-3FD-310 [[please see here if you purchased any]].

== Revision History ==

01/20/2007 Initial Design
03/20/2007 Revision 2 submitted to test manufacturing.
07/15/2007 Changed RJ45 to comply with current Renard standards.
07/15/2007 Added additional holes for a larger transformer.
07/15/2007 Added transformer voltage selection jumpers, will allow for 120/240v operation for our friends down under.
07/15/2007 Changed fuse size to 5x20mm fuse from AG3 fuse.
07/16/2007 Added option for DIP or SMT MOC2032 optos.
08/20/2007 Version 2.5 submitted to test manufacturing.
10/01/2007 Making small adjustments based on user feedback to ease setup of board. No major changes made.
01/14/2008 Corrected RS485 pins 4/5 to match Ren16 and Ren64
01/14/2008 Minor silkscreen corrections.
01/14/2008 Increase the size of the board to add a neutral buss onto the board.
01/14/2008 Added support for either spade terminals or screw down terminals.

Errata for Rev 1 PCB -

1) Onboard regulator not functioning properly: needed addition of 1000uF capacator. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)
2) Outputs are out of order. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)
3) Triacs are located to close together. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)

Errata for Rev 2 PCB -

1) Outputs 17/18 are swapped. (corrected in rev 2.5 board)

Errata for Rev 2.5 PCB - (Co-Op Board)
1) RS485 traces swapped from the Ren16/Ren64 pin config. (To be corrected in Rev 3.0 Board)
2) Silkscreen needs to have some clarification done for part orientation.

Planned Errata for Rev 3.0 PCB - (Board not yet in production)
2) 24v/36v input voltage support. (This requires more of locating compatable parts)

=== Design Notes for v 2.5 Co-Op Board===

Pin 1 of the crystal is on the bottom left.

Pin 1 of the transformer is on the top left.

The cathode (striped) pin of the 1N4001 diode is on the top.

The correct designation of the capacitor on the top right is .1uF, not .1F.

The + pin of the DB102 is on the bottom right both of the ~ should be on the left.

The parts list has a 100uF cap, ignore it - as its not needed (Deleted from BOM) There is a 1uF on the board, also not needed.

The 7805 (flat side) goes to the top of the board.

The heatsink for the 7805 should be trimmmed at the bottom to allow for proper fit.

The fuse clips are two tight for the board - now sure how this happened - I need to look into this more - as this is the part that I ordered last year and it fits fine.

The jumpers on the board are for 120/240v operation. If you don't plan on using the boards on 120v these can be hard soldered with a jumper wire.

There are two resistors that are close to the output blocks, when installing them, leave them up a bit so they can be pushed back a little bit.

==== PC to Renard24 Cable ====

The FKostyun Renard24 board has on-board power supply circuitry and on-board zero-crossing circuitry, so all that it needs on the RJ45 cable are data signals and ground. If you are using RS232 input and connecting it directly to the PC serial port, the following cable pinouts will work:

'''Version 3.0 Board:'''
PC DB9 Pin 3 to RJ45-pin 4
PC DB9 Pin 5 to RJ45-pins 1,2,4 (pins 1 and 4 are required, pin 2 is optional).

'''Version 2.5.0 Board:'''
PC DB9 Pin 3 to RJ45-pin 5
PC DB9 Pin 5 to RJ45-pins 1,2,4 (pins 1 and 4 are required, pin 2 is optional).
'''NOTE:''' ''This cable will not work with the Renard16, Renard64 or Ren-C boards because pins 4 and 5 on the version 2.5.0 Renard24 are reversed from those other boards.''

Electronics Hardware

2008-05-04T14:03:06Z

Omzig: /* Renard */

This page contains links to ChristmasWiki entries relating to electronics hardware. It also has an overview of various types of DIY hardware that works with [[Vixen]] software.

==Links==

[[Hardware Design Guidelines]]- The DIYC community standard for hardware design. It is recommended that you check your electronic device and PCB designs against this standard.

[[Co-Op Boards and Assembly Instructions]]- Assembly instructions and documentation on boards that can be obtained through a DIYC COOP.

[[Comparison of DIY Boards]]- Charts that compare statistics on various COOP boards, including their channel count, cost, and COOP status.

[[Renard Main Page]]- Renard is a simple PIC-Based Light Dimmer Controller for use with Vixen.

[[Solid State Relays]]- Solid State Relays (SSRs) are used for switching of mains-voltage lights in a computerized display.

[[DMX to Grinch/595 convertor]]- How to make your Grinch speak DMX.

[[All In One Tester]]- A single unit for testing controllers, cables, and SSR's

[[Olsen 595]]- How to make an Olsen 595 controller at home.

[[DMX ROBO Spot Light]]- How to build a Robotic Full Color Spotlight.

==Overview of DIY Hardware Approaches That Work With Vixen==

This section provides information about Do-It-Yourself (DIY) hardware that works with the [[Vixen]] software program. Vixen is a Windows (.NET Framework 2) program that runs on a PC, and is used to create and run light shows that may be synchronized to music. Here is a brief list of the DIY approaches that you can take that will work with Vixen.

===Non-Dimmable Light Controllers===

====SSR Direct Attach====

* Controlled through: Parallel Port
* Documentation: [[Solid State Relays]]

If you need 12 or fewer channels, you can just buy or build SSRs and connect them to the parallel port on your PC, and use them to turn 110VAC light strings (or just plain lamps) on and off (no dimming). These ssrs must be sourced or positive switched. From time to time there are coop buys of SSR boards,but these are usually sinked, and/or parts, to reduce your expense. You could place a couple ULN2803s and use the coop sinked ssrs. For more information on this come over to the forum and/or ask on the LiveChat.

====Kit74====
*Controlled through: Parallel Port

This is a kit with mechanical relays that can be purchased from various places. It is similar to the SSR Direct Attach, although the mechanical relays are noisy and have a limited lifespan. There are probably other similar kits available as well.

====Hill320====
* Controlled through: Parallel Port
* Documentation: http://computerchristmas.com/christmas/link-how_to/HowToId-4/How_To_Build_A_Parallel_Port_Controller_Box

This is a controller originally designed by Hill Robertson http://computerchristmas.com to allow up to 320 channels to be controlled by a PC, and requires an external power supply and SSRs. There isn't any coop board for this design at the moment. It is a more complicated design, and it is not currently recommended for newbies.

====Olsen 595/Grinch====
*Controlled through: Parallel Port
*Documentation: [[The GRINCH Controller]], [[GRINCH Controller Assembly Instructions]]
*Documentation: [[Olsen 595]]

This is a popular controller based on an approach first popularized on the http://computerchristmas.com and/or http://planetchristmas.com forums by Peter Olsen. In its first incarnation it used 8-bit 74HC595 logic chips, often with external buffers, while a later design (Grinch), popularized by Robert Jordan, uses 16-bit chips specialized for this use. There are coop boards available for both of these designs. These coop boards need external power supplies, and work with external (coop) SSR boards to control AC lighting.

There are some variations of this approach that support dimming, but they are not as popular and there aren't any coop boards available. However, using a [[Ren-C]] board can add dimming capability to a 595 or Grinch, which causes the board to operate as a Renard board. There is also an option available to run a Grinch or 595 from DMX, [[DMX to Grinch/595 convertor|here]].

The Grinch board is a good choice if you need more than 12 channels but want a board that is simple to build. It doesn't use very many parts, and is easy to assemble.

===Dimmable Light Controllers===
====Firegod====
*Controlled through : Serial Port
*Documentation: [[Firegod]]

This is a modular system that supports 32 to 128 channels per serial port, in increments of 32 channels, with 100 levels of dimming (using pulse width modulation - PWM). It consists of a host controller module and one to four field modules. The SSRs are not included on these boards, and must be provided separately. The interface to this system is RS-232. This system is available on a coop basis from time to time, with the kits including the boards, the parts, and pre-programmed microcontroller chips (PICs). This board is intermediate in complexity to build.

====Renard====
*Controlled through: Serial Port
*Documentation: [[Renard]]

This is another modular system that supports a varying number of channels, depending on baud rate selection. It supports 256 levels of dimming, and can be configured with or without PWM, or for use in DC applications. There are several coop boards available for this system with varying capabilities. It can be a fairly complex system because there are so many options. More information is available at the link listed above.

====Lynx====
*Controlled through: [[DMX]]
*Manual [[LYNX_Controller_Manual]]
The Lynx is a DIY dimmer design that uses [[DMX]] as its protocol but uses standard Cat5 cable for interconnections. It's designed to be similar to the layout of commercially available dimmers (LOR, AL, etc). It is an all in one unit that has its own power supply and SSR's built into it. You connect your DMX Cat5 and plug it in. Lights plug into female cord connections that exit from the board. It allows for a full 256 levels of dimming. The starting address is programmed via vixen. Since it uses the DMX protocol you can run 512 channels of Lynx on one DMX universe at 25ms timming.

In an effort to prevent variations in the design (leading to complications for the newer builders), insure that troubleshooting help can be provided, and keep the total cost as low as possible it is done as a modified coop. All the parts including the PCB and an enclosure are included. The necessary PIC microprocessor will come with the program preloaded so that the builder will not need a PIC programmer. A detailed instruction manual with pictures is included and should allow anyone with basic soldering skills to successfully build the controller.

===Other Controllers (Signs, Servos, etc.)===
====Ledtriks====
*Controlled through: Parallel Port
*Documentation: [[LedTriks Controller Assembly Instructions]]

This is a controller to control low-voltage LED panels, designed by Robert Jordan. These panels are typically 16 LEDs high by 48 LEDs wide, for a total of 768 LEDs. Vixen can control up to four panels through one parallel port, and can even display text.

====JEC Pixel Displays====
*Controlled through: [[DMX]]

Pixels are a stand-alone lighting fixture controlled by DMX-512. Each pixel has banks of red, green and blue wide-angle LEDs, currently six of each. Firmware is available in two versions: 3 and 4 channel. 3 channel requires a dmx channel for red, green and blue intensity. Four channel adds master intensity control to the original three.

Pixels require a stiff +12v switching power supply. Each circuit board draws ~ 130 mA at full brightness. Pixels chain together using standard CAT5 networking cable. Per the DMX spec, no more than 32 pixels should be connected together without using an optosplitter / signal buffer.

LED refresh rate is nearly 100 Hz.

More details can be found at http://www.response-box.com/rgblights

Currently in progress is a version of the firmware which will allow the DMX address to be changed in the field. Currently the address is hard-coded.

====rgbLED====
TBA

==Pictures of Various Coop Boards (mostly assembled)==
<gallery caption="Coop Boards (mostly assembled)" widths="150px" heights="150px" perrow="4">

Image:SSROZ 2.5a (small).jpg|[[4_Channel_SSROZ_Assembly_Instructions | SSR (solid state relay)]]
Image: coop595.jpg|[[64_Channel_Olsen_595_Controller_Assembly_Instructions | 595 Coop Board]]
Image: Coopgrinch.jpg|[[GRINCH_Controller_Assembly_Instructions | Grinch]]
Image: Ren24.jpg|[[24 Channel Renard with SSR Assembly Instructions | Renard by FKostyun: 24 ports with on-board power supply and SSRs]]
Image:Lynxsub2_163.jpg|Lynx (DMX dimmer)
Image:DSCF5084.JPG|Inside the Lynx
Image:xmus.jpg|[[16_Channel_Renard_with_SSRs | Ren16 (xmus)]]

</gallery>

==Commercial Products Supported By Vixen==

===Digital Input/Output Cards===

*[[PCI-DIO-96]] by National Instruments

24 Channel Renard with SSR Assembly Instructions

2008-04-20T05:21:42Z

Omzig: /* Revision History */

Revision 1 board (first revision)
Revision 2 board (second revision)
Revision 2.5 board (final revision)

=== Schematic===

[[Media:Renard64_sch_001.pdf]]
(please note, the schematic is identical to the Renard64)

=== Layout ===

[[Image:REN_24_25.jpg]]

=== COOP PCB V2.5 ===

[[Image:IMG_3021.JPG]]

=== Co-Op Board 3.0 Assembly Instructions ===

Currently in-process!

=== Design Notes for v 3.0 Co-Op Board===

No notes yet!

=== BOM ===

<pre>
PCB
1 Ren24v3 Renard 24-Port PCB

Board Specific Parts:
571-7969494 1
595-SN75176BP 2
511-L7805CV 1
821-DB102G 1 '''SUB PART 512-DF01M'''
532-7136DG 1
271-27K-RC 3
271-1K-RC 4
271-120-RC 1
625-1N4001-E3 1
78-1N5239B 3
838-3FD-320 1
782-H11AA1 1
520-TCF1843-X 1
140-HTRL25V1000-RC 1
140-HTRL25V10-RC 1
140-HTRL16V100-RC 1
534-3517 4
504-GMA-15 2

Parts from the Common Parts List:
511-BTA08-400B 24
859-MOC3023 24
579-PIC16F688-I/P 3
604-WP63ID 2
604-WP1503GD 1
271-180-RC 24
271-680-RC 28
581-SA105E104MAR 5
571-41032390 1
571-3828115 4
571-1-390261-2 2
571-1-390261-3 3
571-5564161 2

Common Parts Description:
ST Microelectronics BTA08 Triac Driver (24 needed)
MOC 3023 Optocoupler (24 needed)
Microchip PIC 16F1688 (3 needed)
Red T1 3/4 LED (2 needed)
Green T1 3/4 LED (1 needed)
180ohm 1/4 watt resistor (24 needed)
680ohm 1/4 watt resistor (24 needed)
.10 uF Ceramic Capacitor (5 needed)
.100 three pin header (4 needed) Part specified is a 40 pin, cut off size that is needed.
.100 Shunt (4 needed) You may also "steal" these off of old computer parts.
8 pin DIP socket (2 needed)
14 pin DIP socket (3 needed)
RJ45 Sockets (2 needed) orientation doesn't matter. Specified part is same as the Ren64

Parts changed for board 3.0
571-2828376 8 (Four needed for board 2.5) PART OPTION #1 - Screw down Terminal
651-1725041 4 Double Stacked Terminal
534-1287 52 PART OPTION #2 - Spade Terminals

</pre>

** NOTE UPDATED 10/06 - I put the wrong transformer part # Old part is 838-3FD-310 [[please see here if you purchased any]].

== Revision History ==

01/20/2007 Initial Design
03/20/2007 Revision 2 submitted to test manufacturing.
07/15/2007 Changed RJ45 to comply with current Renard standards.
07/15/2007 Added additional holes for a larger transformer.
07/15/2007 Added transformer voltage selection jumpers, will allow for 120/240v operation for our friends down under.
07/15/2007 Changed fuse size to 5x20mm fuse from AG3 fuse.
07/16/2007 Added option for DIP or SMT MOC2032 optos.
08/20/2007 Version 2.5 submitted to test manufacturing.
10/01/2007 Making small adjustments based on user feedback to ease setup of board. No major changes made.
01/14/2008 Corrected RS485 pins 4/5 to match Ren16 and Ren64
01/14/2008 Minor silkscreen corrections.
01/14/2008 Increase the size of the board to add a neutral buss onto the board.
01/14/2008 Added support for either spade terminals or screw down terminals.

Errata for Rev 1 PCB -

1) Onboard regulator not functioning properly: needed addition of 1000uF capacator. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)
2) Outputs are out of order. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)
3) Triacs are located to close together. (corrected in rev 2.0 board)

Errata for Rev 2 PCB -

1) Outputs 17/18 are swapped. (corrected in rev 2.5 board)

Errata for Rev 2.5 PCB - (Co-Op Board)
1) RS485 traces swapped from the Ren16/Ren64 pin config. (To be corrected in Rev 3.0 Board)
2) Silkscreen needs to have some clarification done for part orientation.

Planned Errata for Rev 3.0 PCB - (Board not yet in production)
2) 24v/36v input voltage support. (This requires more of locating compatable parts)

=== Design Notes for v 2.5 Co-Op Board===

Pin 1 of the crystal is on the bottom left.

Pin 1 of the transformer is on the top left.

The cathode (striped) pin of the 1N4001 diode is on the top.

The correct designation of the capacitor on the top right is .1uF, not .1F.

The + pin of the DB102 is on the bottom right both of the ~ should be on the left.

The parts list has a 100uF cap, ignore it - as its not needed. There is a 1uF on the board, also not needed.

The 7805 (flat side) goes to the top of the board.

The heatsink for the 7805 should be trimmmed at the bottom to allow for proper fit.

The fuse clips are two tight for the board - now sure how this happened - I need to look into this more - as this is the part that I ordered last year and it fits fine.

The jumpers on the board are for 120/240v operation. If you don't plan on using the boards on 120v these can be hard soldered with a jumper wire.

There are two resistors that are close to the output blocks, when installing them, leave them up a bit so they can be pushed back a little bit.

==== PC to Renard24 Cable ====

*'''''NOTE this applies to version 2.5.0'''''

The FKostyun Renard24 board has on-board power supply circuitry and on-board zero-crossing circuitry, so all that it needs on the RJ45 cable are data signals and ground. If you are using RS232 input and connecting it directly to the PC serial port, the following cable pinout will work:

PC DB9 Pin 3 to RJ45-pin 5
PC DB9 Pin 5 to RJ45-pins 1,2,4 (pins 1 and 4 are required, pin 2 is optional).

This cable will not work with the Renard16, Renard64 or Ren-C boards because pins 4 and 5 on the Renard24 are reversed from those other boards.