Thread: Valentine1 Serial Adapter - Now Shipping!

I have been following this thread for the past few weeks and I definitely see potential on with this device no so much with the concealed display use but more so for integration into the Car PC system. I don't think people will want to pay for a pc connect device unless its doing something more than what the orginal can do. One suggestion I have is to integrate the software into a front end, for example when the device detects a laser/radar to the front, a large red arrow pointing forward will flash. The problem with the software you have is that it is designed for standalone use, I am sure you could probably embed it into Centrafuse but otherwise there isn't much integration. This idea is great though!

I completely agree. I am just providing some software so that you can use the device. I need other developers who are familiar with frontend development to get involved and make something. I am trying to spread the word and get people on board though who can do this.

Originally Posted by CityFan86

I completely agree. I am just providing some software so that you can use the device. I need other developers who are familiar with frontend development to get involved and make something. I am trying to spread the word and get people on board though who can do this.

This is not big probem add this in Centrafuse... If I will buy this radardetector I will buy this device and 100% develope plugin... Otherwise if sourcecode will be free avalible maybe I will write plugin without device...

The protocol is documented on my site at http://www.v1connect.com/Protocol.aspx

I am still undecided if I will release the source code for my app, or just release parts of the code to get people going. I would hope my documentation would be enough for someone to develop a plugin.

If you buy the V1 and are interested this device to make a plugin, let me know and we can work out a discount price for you effort.

Nice.... I like cooperation . And Dejan's proven himself as someone who can get the job done! I looking forward to seeing how this develops, I may even have to get one of these in right away so I can start playing with. I just wish the Valentine 1 wasn't $400, it is a nice radar though. I guess you get what you pay for.

Well Dejan, if you decide to develop a plugin and need anything, let me know. I could even test it out for you if you needed. I can install centrafuse and the plugin on my laptop for testing.

Status Report:

New website design is up. Found the last work didnt work in IE so I have actually tested it in other browsers now. Let me know what you think of the layout/design.

As for the hardware, should be receiving my first one end of next week to start of week after.

Still finishing up the software side of things.

Hope to hear more from plugin developers once the hardware is out and people using it. No word yet on one being made before then.

CityFan86........ I love what you've done...... awesome work.

I am about to purchase 3 V1's for my cars and have Car PC's in them all so the integration into CF would be the one thing that would make me purchase.

One question I have is that I've previously made serial to V1 adaptors for an old version of similar software....... do you think that would work with your software ?

I can post a diagram that I followed if it would help. I'd be more than happy to pay you for your software if you think my current hardware would work OK. If not then I'll happily purchase some of your hardware once you've got the CF plugins sorted.

Originally Posted by f1racr

CityFan86........ I love what you've done...... awesome work.

I am about to purchase 3 V1's for my cars and have Car PC's in them all so the integration into CF would be the one thing that would make me purchase.

One question I have is that I've previously made serial to V1 adaptors for an old version of similar software....... do you think that would work with your software ?

I can post a diagram that I followed if it would help. I'd be more than happy to pay you for your software if you think my current hardware would work OK. If not then I'll happily purchase some of your hardware once you've got the CF plugins sorted.

No other hardware will work with my Software (or any software using my protocol). This is due to the way I made the hardware.

As for frontend integration: I have said it before, I have no plans on creating software for different frontends. There are too many developers out their that have done this before and that would do a much better job than I. I have released the protocol for the V1CS and am willing to provide any answers to any questions regarding it. I expect and hope that frontend software will appear as soon as the hardware is out there. I will be selling the first few hardware pieces to people who will beta test it and/or develop software for it.


DISCLAIMER: The text below is how I am aware all other hardware works. If im wrong, im wrong, though I dont believe I am.

All other hardware acts like the V1 protocol is already in pc accepted serial format, and simply converts the TTL voltages (0v & 5v) to RS232 voltages (12v & -12V). The fact is the V1 protocol is not already in a serial protocol format, and the hardware out their simply uses a RS232 baud rate that is in sync with the V1 baudrate and thus picks up the data. The baud rate is too fast though for the V1 data so the data sent also include junk bits. So every byte transmitted includes 1 bit of V1 data and 7 bits of junk.
Ex. JJJ0JJJJ JJJ1JJJJ JJJ1JJJJ JJJ0JJJJ
Each "J" is a junk bit and the 0's and 1's are the actual V1 bits. There is no baud rate that could just pick up the 1's and 0's. This method is accurate in the sense that the V1 data is read. Its just not reading it using the correct protocol.

My method is what I consider the correct way to do it. I utilize a microchip that reads the V1 data in the exact method it was intended to be read (right data rate etc). I read the V1 data bit by bit at the correct baud rate. Upon reading the data I output it at the correct PC RS232 baud rate in a new cleaner format that I came up with. Was this last step needed? No. But seeing as I was transmitting the data to the PC after I read it from the V1, I figured I might as well transmit it in what I thought would be a better format.