Kermit's Content

#26423 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 04 April 2012 - 02:48 PM in General Discussion

I'm here again! :-)
After reading books, googling around, I decided to start from the first problem (probably the easy one): controlling a lot of leds or similar devices on a wide surface (10 meters x 4 meters). Since actually there are really a lot of wires and cables, I think that using shift registers chain-linked each other and put in smart positions can save a lot of these cables.
Posted Image

This simple drawing can give the idea, I hope: the shift registers act as local 'pits' where to connect leds to, so I need only a three wires cable going all around, and the local (short) connection to peripherals.
Moreover, I think that netduino cannot power everything, so I'll have to add a power line going all around, and transistors to act as switches to activate the single peripheral, when put on.
It looks like it can become all very clean and simple, if this is a feasible solution...
Before starting testing, I would like some good advice, if possible: thanks in advance, as always!
Andrea

#26795 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 09 April 2012 - 05:57 PM in General Discussion

...and for anyone interested in Netduino AND chocolate, here it goes...
http://www.baciperug...na_history.html
But don'ask for more boxes, I'll send one only to Paul! :-)
Andrea

#26794 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 09 April 2012 - 05:54 PM in General Discussion

No, no trains, but here in Italy we make them with real little rivers, moving puppets, dawn-sunset lights... and so on! :-) Ok, since I've said it, I'll have to arrange a box of Baci's for you! :-) Andrea

#27831 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 21 April 2012 - 05:40 PM in General Discussion

PWMs
Ok, since I had started (and quickly closed!) a related thread, I consider the problem of the many PWMs closed (with just another order for new components!!! :-)))
Andrea

#27845 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 21 April 2012 - 07:57 PM in General Discussion

...you drilling with your LEGS??? :-) Andrea

#28436 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 02 May 2012 - 09:53 AM in General Discussion

Yes, I already find out that I can find ready-made solutions, but this is not a forum about trains, but on the Netduino: I'm pretty sure that my solution will cost more, in the end, and will be less stable, but it will be MY solution, and I will learn (as I'm already doing) a lot of things. So, I thank you for your help, I find the sites very interesting, I'm looking on them, but I want to try to make all by myself! You know, there are things in life called challenges... :-) Andrea

#28288 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 29 April 2012 - 09:53 AM in General Discussion

...long way for me, to get the grip on these things... Obviously I already knew of H-bridge, L293D and similar, but when trying REALLY to do things, you have to reelaborate what you know, and if you don't have experience, it's really a tough work... I hope to get more brilliant in the next times: I'm tired of my red faces!!! :-) What always puzzles me is how much you are approachable, and kind, to always answer my silly questions... Andrea

#28276 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 28 April 2012 - 10:25 PM in General Discussion

Update (even if my spare time is never enough...): As Mario Vernari suggested, applying 12VDC to the rail exchange (instead of the requested 16VAC) makes the rail exchange function without any problem (but it comes to my mind to ask if with time this can damage someway, somewhere...). More important, I'm testing how to modulate voltage to the rails, and it all looks ok, apart from a little problem... ehm...: how I can give NEGATIVE voltage to the rails, if I have in input a positive DC, and transorming (linearly or with PWm) in the voltage I want, but always positive? Do I have to make two different circuits? Even in this case, how can I apply one or the other, excluding totally the other one? Thanks, as always... Andrea

#26788 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 09 April 2012 - 04:41 PM in General Discussion

It's always a pleasure, to hear from you, Paul! (do they sell Perugina's Baci - Kisses, in Reading? Ever tried one? :-)) I thought about fiber-optic cable, too, but never talked about it, because maybe it's a little bit James Bond-ish... :-) Yes, the only thing is trying, and it's because of this that I already had issued another order!!! :-) When I have everything, I will not have enough time to test everything! :-) Andrea P.S.: next in list would be the automation of the 'crib' in my church, for Christmas... (I don't know if 'crib' is the righe word, I found it with Google Translate)

#27645 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 19 April 2012 - 02:20 PM in General Discussion

Hi to all. I have all the pieces, now: italian mail system is not so fast, but at least I received everything, so I can start to make my tests (I have some test loco, rail exchange, power supply, courtesy of my friend, too...). The first test (Mario's suggestion) has been very fast: I tried a 9V DC battery trying to move the rail exchange, but I only hear a little click, and nothing moves. I tried every combination, but nothing. So it looks like I have to stick with AC: on the power supply, I see 16V, 8VA (so I suppose 0.5A :-)). With this low current, couldn't I use a 'normal' BC557 to act as a switch? Or the fact that it's AC blocks this possibility? I would like to get an advice, before burning something... :-) If not, what kind of relay do I have to look for? Thanks as always from a rainy Italy... Andrea

#26521 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 05 April 2012 - 12:22 PM in General Discussion

:-) Yes, I think that Monica Bellucci is our national monument! :-)))
Apart from this, I don't want to throw anything away, I'm not that kind of guy... only, I'll have to study much more, and understand how I can solve the problem: challenges are made to be solved! :-)
Posted Image

Done with Paint, here is an image of how the model is: 10mx4m, there are a lot of different devices to control (the image cannot convey how many different, and small, electric devices there are), and my friend kept adding every single device, linking cables from any single device to the control center.
So, other than the wires, other problems are all the power adapters (from 220VAC to 9V, to 12V, to 6V, to 16VAC..., many for each voltage), buttons, pulse buttons...
And he would like to go on adding other devices, so reordering things, finding a different solution than the brute force, is becoming NOT an option!
I was pretty sure that I could send signals over a 10meters span, it didn't look a so great distance, but I believe in you, so I only have to explore other possibile solutions!
Andrea

#26512 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 05 April 2012 - 09:42 AM in General Discussion

Oh, I didn't think that a hobby problem could become so complex (and interesting! :-)). Yes, the budget is important, I think not only for me, but in general for any hobbist (but it depends on what we consider a budget; I think a budget is what an average person can spend thinking it will *NOT* have a cash return selling solutions): good solutions are the cheap ones, otherwise we step into professional solutions (that are not for me, anyway, since I am a software programmer!). So, thanks to anybody for any contribution, every single concept is really interesting, even if I thought this was the *easy* one, and it became the *worst*: the sad conclusion is that if this is the situation, it is difficult to imagine Netduino used in real solution different from toys/educational kits. When I see here people trying to make home automation, don't they crash in problems like this??? My thanks become larger and larger, I'm learning really a lot of things! ...and the dinner invitation is for Mario too (maybe it's easier, for him!) Andrea

#26785 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 09 April 2012 - 03:38 PM in General Discussion

As always, thank you, Paul! (but your advice on chocolate is a bit too late... You know, I live close to Perugia, that's a chocolate city!!! ;-))
Coming to the problem, yes, I read about not too long distances with I2C, but then I also read documents like this:
http://www.esacademy...ns/i2c-faq.html
or this:
http://ics.nxp.com/products/i2chubs/
where is explicitly said about hundreds of meters or even kilometers...
Do you think they are believable, or is there something hidden? :-)
Andrea

#26472 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 04 April 2012 - 08:39 PM in General Discussion

Oh, no... the beauty of the system is that some of the trains are *really* old, so are most of the railways: so the project is to add control, but leaving all the (physical) model as is... Digital trains are not an option! Thanks anyway for the idea! Andrea

#26471 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 04 April 2012 - 08:37 PM in General Discussion

...maybe because I don't even know what it is... :-) I'm going to learn another thing... googleing right now! :-) Andrea

#26776 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 09 April 2012 - 02:01 PM in General Discussion

...I'm still studying for the first problem of this thread, that, I recall, is about controlling some I/O devices (typically LEDS) from a distance of about 5-10 meters.
I still didn't try any of the solutions already kindly proposed (for example, direct SPI connection with a 74HC595): I made e new order of components, but they failed to arrive (it's Easter time! :-)).
So I went on looking at ways to solve *easily* the problem (SPI is not certain to function over a distance...).
Now I spot this component: http://www.nxp.com/d...eet/PCF8575.pdf
...that for a newbie like me looks like what I'm looking for! May I control this component (many of them) directly from a Netduino?
Thanks again to whoever will help me in choosing the solution.
Andrea

#26562 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 05 April 2012 - 05:40 PM in General Discussion

No, actually, we are more on the 50 & 50 side (50 leds and small things, plus 25 rail exchanges), but my friend is stuck with complexity: he would like to add things, but decided to stop and think what we can do... Anyway, from what you are telling me, the problem is more on distances, than quantity... Andrea

#26480 How to drive train models

Posted by Kermit on 04 April 2012 - 10:11 PM in General Discussion

Ok, Paul, I must be crazy! :-( Reading and googleing everywhere, I didn't remember that you already gave me the shift register solution: you are very sharp too, since you point out (correctly) that the wires are not surely three, but this is not a problem, since one only cable going round is surely much simpler than things now. I'm not an expert in electronics, so I cannot understand the capacitor thing (to avoid 'rumors'): but with your hint I'll try to find more info about it. I owe you a dinner, so if you ever come to Italy, I'll really be happy to have you in my house! :-) Andrea

#27846 Many many PWMs

Posted by Kermit on 21 April 2012 - 08:01 PM in General Discussion

I thank you all for your input, but I'm living in Italy, and I'm seeing that I cannot find all over Europe someone who sells the shields you talked about in the previous messages: I can barely find the (naked) TLC5940 chip, I think I'll have to build the circuits myself... :-( Andrea

#27871 Many many PWMs

Posted by Kermit on 22 April 2012 - 06:45 AM in General Discussion

...mmmmm... I think I ended my apologies... what I can say is that now I think it's my Google, to be faulty... :lol:

Thanks again Andrea

#27805 Many many PWMs

Posted by Kermit on 21 April 2012 - 11:09 AM in General Discussion

Since my other thread is getting long (Train models), I start here a new thread for a subproblem: how to drive, for example, 20 PWM signals from a single Netduino.
Yes, the first straight answer could be to buy more Netduinos, but it's not only a cost problem: then I'd have to sync all together, that would be another big problem!
What I'm thinking about, is there some solution where I first select an 'address' (to be considered in a wider sense...), and then I set a duty cycle? The 'subcircuit' (or something like that) should retain that value, be self-powered, and going on supplying the exact pulse until maybe I re-select the same 'address', and put out a new value.
The first idea coming to my mind is to use many shift register chained in SPI, where, using the output pins of each shift register, put out a 'value' to feed to something else to be used as a PWM source (and obviously I don't know how to create such a thing...).
I googled everywhere, but I couldn't find any good start, so I'm really at zero! :-(
Is there anyone pointing me to a good direction?
Thanks in advance
Andrea

#27812 Many many PWMs

Posted by Kermit on 21 April 2012 - 12:26 PM in General Discussion

PWM IC:
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10136

On a breakout board:
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10615

...ehm... I don't know how to tell it in English, but right now I have a big big red face... :-(
Andrea

#28712 Modbus-TCP is now for Windows Phone too

Posted by Kermit on 09 May 2012 - 12:04 PM in Project Showcase

I'm really sorry to change cards again... :-) I tried to do my homework, during lunch :-), so I googled to try to understand what you could mean, and I find out that I can buy a complete arduino solution for as little as 6 euros (ATMega328 + spare parts), so, if this is programmable in C/C++ and has characteristics similar, more or less, to the netduino, this can be interesting for other eventual ideas where cost is an essential factor. So, now... ehm... if the satellites for the trains can be done using this solution, it would be even better; but now one IMPORTANT question comes to my mind: it's true that C#, visual studio, debugger, etc. etc., but what happens to my projects if ALSO the main unit becomes an arduino? Is it sort of a heretic question here??? :-) I feel that I can ask this here, since I've been many times certified professional with microsoft, certified partner with my (small) consulting firm, and grown up with Microsoft C/C++ 6.0 in DOS: is there (still) anyone remembering this last one? I kept its manuals in my library even now! :-))) Andrea

#28692 Modbus-TCP is now for Windows Phone too

Posted by Kermit on 08 May 2012 - 09:20 PM in Project Showcase

So, the only way was connecting them via serial: specifically UART, using the RS-485 interface. That's still a very good solution, because it's the only answer to several constraints:

simplicity (both hardware and software);
cost effective (can be realized even on a half-Euro MCU);
reliability (very high noise immunity);
very long distance wiring (up to 1.2km);
worldwide standard, thus thousands of sensors can be plugged without no effort;
no need of permissions, instead of most radio-based systems (*).

Mario, here you said that we can realize an RS-485 connection with half-euro: could you elaborate on this, giving some advice, for us mere mortals? :-)
Thanks as usual from Città di Castello! :-)
Andrea

#28707 Modbus-TCP is now for Windows Phone too

Posted by Kermit on 09 May 2012 - 10:17 AM in Project Showcase

Mario, you are always way too kind and gentle, with an in-expert like me. As for Skype, I cannot use it for most of the day: moreover, I think that your expertize can be very useful to many people, so it would be wonderful if you could go on posting your thoughts here... Yes, the railroad project is still alive, and I added an animated nativity for the church (and we hope to do it for Christmas!), so, since my spare time is very little, too, I think that I can get both projects done for the end of the year (no hurry, on my side! :-)). You touch an important point on your last post: since I have a small consulting firm, specialized in Microsoft technologies (only software, at the moment), I would like to stress the functionalities of the Netduino to get the real grab on it. I've always been sure that only stretching the limits of things, I can deeply understanding potentialities of systems. In this sense, for me it's not too important to have a perfect solution, for the problem under investigation: what I care most is to get some real case experience on Netduino projects. That doesn't mean, of course, that in every situation I want absolutely use only a Netduino central unit, but that I want to do all I can to stay at least close to this (theoretical) solution. There is another reason, too... I don't know any other MCU, apart from the name 'arduino', so I should start again studying another platform... I don't think I have this will... :-) But, if you think it can be an interesting approach, could you point me to some inexpensive little board that I can link to the Netduino? Since I have a strong background in C/C++, I don't have any problem on these languages, but not worse! :-))) Can we make them talk and sync together without relevant problems? You are invaluable, Mario! Andrea

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