*NEW* USB Input/Output Board -- Fusion Brain

[Rowan]

Is it possible to hack bluethooth in and how dose the PIC communicate with the PC? Serial? Other?

You won't be able to hack it in, as is uses an emulated serial type communications over USB.. If the firmware writers wanted, it would be relatively easy to have the firmware select either USB or the EUSART module. This would require the use of the two pins on the 4550 RX/TX (RC7/RC6) to connect to the TX/RX pins on the Bluetooth module. On the PC side, you'll have to connect to the device via bluetooth, have a COM port assigned, and then select this COM port in the software. (Might be a bit harder than I made it sound, but it isn't impossible)

[turbocad6]

I like it as a dumb passthru, if it was all programmed on the pic it wouldn't be as configurable & customisable or as unlimited in a sense as it is now I think...

I'm finishing up my graphics for a skin for testing... then I'll dig into the code of the skin.., when the car is running the engine will be visable as it is now, the red glow around it will pulsate kinda to indicate it's running, along with the exhaust out back, if the car is off then niether will be visable...

[Rowan]

I like it as a dumb passthru, if it was all programmed on the pic it wouldn't be as configurable & customisable or as unlimited in a sense as it is now I think...

I wasn't saying it shouldn't be a 'dumb' device, I was saying why would anyone want it powered without a PC (Since it can't do anything without one)..

Also, it would be more customisable.. Imagine if it had a startup/shutdown controller built-in, or other things that people need.. This is possible, and could still be a 'passthru' device, and it would also be completely configurable via the PC.. (ie startup/shutdown delays and times)

[greenman100]

You *think* i2c and something?? Have you read the datasheet?

For people wondering about the comms etc, the PCB used in this project is a built-upon version of this:
http://www.burger-web.com/Projects/P...18UsbBoard.htm

and/or this:
http://www.create.ucsb.edu/~dano/CUI/

It uses the Microchip CDC class firmware, for serial communication over USB (creates a virtual COM port on your PC).

The 4550 has one MSSP module, which supports I2C or SPI communications. It also has an enhanced USART module, which could easily be used with the Bluetooth devices I posted above.

You say you are sampling at 1Khz? Sampling what? Each ADC? Why on earth would you need that? For one, USB isn't even fast enough, let alone CDC (what bitrate have you got set?) - Even at the highest bitrate, the most you could get would be 6ms per request (especially since the PC has to request a result, and nice CPU usage you'd have at that rate too...), so you can reduce your sampling rate down to 166hz per channel and have no difference.. Even then, 166 samples per second.. needed for the accelerometer?

Also, I see absolutely NO point in having this device powered on once the PC has been shut down, since when closing the application it clears all DO's anyway and is a "dumb" device. What possible reasons would people have for otherwise?

We're sampling as fast as we can. The software only pulls about 7% CPU usage, and it sees about 100Hz in real life.

And sorry, I didn't have the datasheet in front of me, nor did I have it memorized.

If you'd like, 2k1 and I can just throw in the towel. Obviously we aren't doing it to your standards. I will tell you what, though, PCB fabrication and assembly is not cheap, and we are not in this for the money. We are doing it to help out, but if you don't appreciate it, I know I for one will gladly stop.

[Rowan]

Calm down mate, you're the one who said it wasn't fast enough for any more code - if you're already sampling at 10 times what the PC see's you have plenty speed left for extra code.

You guys are doing a great job, i'll 'leave' you alone now, and not offer any more suggestions.

[greenman100]

Calm down mate, you're the one who said it wasn't fast enough for any more code - if you're already sampling at 10 times what the PC see's you have plenty speed left for extra code.

You guys are doing a great job, i'll 'leave' you alone now, and not offer any more suggestions.

I am open to all suggestions. Perhaps I just took your tone the wrong way, that happens on the internet...

[Rowan]

I'm sorry it came across like that

[P3D4T0R]

On another note I was finally able to get StreetDeck to talk to a DLL I made so that headache is over only to bring on another one which I will post about later perhaps. Before I kill myself over this Id like to know how many people not only including beta testers would use with with there StreetDeck install, providing you have one or are going to at some point? I really just want to know if it is worth it... should I build one that I will like and will work for me or should I build one that everyone will enjoy, that's all I want to know.

Finally I am finalizing my study of the program and will post all the cons I have found, and maybe some pros too, who knows :P

Sorry about this but it seems my questions got over looked in the hoopla... thats right I said hoopla

[greenman100]

Also we need high refresh rate for character LCD.

[Chris31]

Why not an el cheapo usb bluetooth dongle, and then the program PC side might be able to interface with that sort of thing? This would require it to still be PC dependand.

If we move everything off to PIC processing, we wont be able to use the 4550 because it is simply not fast enough nor does it have the processing power.

Not sure if you meant attaching a cheap USB BT dongle on the PIC. You certainly cant do that, the PIC doesnt support to act as USB host. Even if you are able to do that, then you may have problems with writing the serial profiles on the PIC firmware anyway. Like whats been said, you are better off using an RS232<>BT module and connect that to the RX/TX pins of the PIC. Of course the firmware need changing so all the communications are redirected to these pins.

The 4550 is a powerful beast, you may need to write some of the codes in ASM if you are having problems with speeds.

I was surprised you guys are using RS232 emulations. Are you using the handshake lines? or have created one?

And the other things, if you gonna start selling these then you may consider applying for the USB VID/PID otherwise you *may* get into trouble for using non registered or copied IDs. Im assuming you guys are using the microchips USB IDs for now?