ease of use?

scott_fx · 07-09-2007, 08:19 PM

I totally missed your project until now and I'm really interested in this. my main concern is my lack of coding knowledge. Say I wanted to implement control over my hv/ac controls (probably the most common use) how would i customize it for a specific function and how would I map the controls to a button?

I read the faq on your website but it seems like it's still in development. Basically I'm asking for a 'fusion brain for dummies' thread or webpage that I can learn more about the product.

tia,

scott

2k1Toaster · 07-09-2007, 09:41 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by scott_fx

I totally missed your project until now and I'm really interested in this. my main concern is my lack of coding knowledge. Say I wanted to implement control over my hv/ac controls (probably the most common use) how would i customize it for a specific function and how would I map the controls to a button?

I read the faq on your website but it seems like it's still in development. Basically I'm asking for a 'fusion brain for dummies' thread or webpage that I can learn more about the product.

tia,

scott

Yup there will be one soon. I am just trying to get the software all functional, and then the writeups begin. It is on the list I promise!

And if you have specific questions about what you need help with, just make a new thread in this software section, and I will answer as soon as I can. Then I can use those questions as a base for the new guide I will write. I am guessing that since you are having troubles others will or are as well.

2k1Toaster · 07-09-2007, 09:44 PM

Oh and how to customize all that becomes a bit easier to see if you look at the skin designer. That has most of the available options in there, so you can see. I tried to make the skin designer as friendly as possible. Meaning if there is a selection between what you can do for instance switch an output to turn on or off or send a keystroke to a program from a button press, the cooresponding section comes alive and greys out the other section to show that it is either-or, not both.

Have you tried the skin designer yet? It is not just a graphical setup, it is a configurator as well. Of course you could manually edit the skin files as well.

greenman100 · 07-10-2007, 07:50 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by scott_fx

I totally missed your project until now and I'm really interested in this. my main concern is my lack of coding knowledge. Say I wanted to implement control over my hv/ac controls (probably the most common use) how would i customize it for a specific function and how would I map the controls to a button?

I read the faq on your website but it seems like it's still in development. Basically I'm asking for a 'fusion brain for dummies' thread or webpage that I can learn more about the product.

tia,

scott

If you can set up roadrunner, you can set up this.

There is no "coding", just skin editing, and we have a GUI for that.

scott_fx · 07-11-2007, 02:47 AM

oh great, thanks guys.

I haven't installed the software yet because i dont have my computer hooked up yet (using my g/f's laptop and i dont want to clutter it up)

so, if i got this right, basically through the board and software i can map a keypress on the the touchscreen to an output on the board that would; for instance, turn on the rear defrost. How about for rotary controls like the temp. dial.? how would i go about figuring out the values of the pot? i thought i read somewhere in my research that there is a loging ability in fusion brain?

sorry for my ignorance, i'm just trying to grasp this before i have at it with my a/c controls and my soldering gun.
(my car is getting a total revamp and i should be ready to hack up the dash for the last time in a week) I just want to make provisions for this if it is with in my capability.

oh...one last thing. i have a vfd display to show temperature and mode...would your software/hardware be able to decipher that or should i plan on desoldering that from the board and molding the display in my dash?

thanks for your help so far.

2k1Toaster · 07-11-2007, 05:30 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by scott_fx

so, if i got this right, basically through the board and software i can map a keypress on the the touchscreen to an output on the board that would;

Yeserie-doo-bob. That is the absolute easiest implementation.

Quote: Originally Posted by scott_fx

for instance, turn on the rear defrost.

Yes. And you can make it timed as well so you can turn on the rear defrost for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, whatever.

Quote: Originally Posted by scott_fx

How about for rotary controls like the temp. dial.? how would i go about figuring out the values of the pot?

Usually rotary controls are now digital encoders. They send digital signals down certain wires. Basically on or off, but on 4 lines lets say which gives 4! combinations or 16. So with 4 relays you could then control it, and through software you can "link" and "anti-link" them so you can encode outputs that way. If I am not understanding you, then we might need a picture or something. Also Tim is better at this part than I. I am an all digital person! Give me a 32bit truth table anyday over analogue signals.

Quote: Originally Posted by scott_fx

i thought i read somewhere in my research that there is a loging ability in fusion brain?

Yes the software does it. It is not done through firmware. The software creates a file in a folder with the name of the sensor being used. Then the date, and as much info as it can store until you turn it off. If the file is still relatively new and it is the same day when you turn logging back on, it appends it to the file rather than start a new one.

Quote: Originally Posted by scott_fx

sorry for my ignorance, i'm just trying to grasp this before i have at it with my a/c controls and my soldering gun.
(my car is getting a total revamp and i should be ready to hack up the dash for the last time in a week) I just want to make provisions for this if it is with in my capability.

No problem.

Quote: Originally Posted by scott_fx

oh...one last thing. i have a vfd display to show temperature and mode...would your software/hardware be able to decipher that or should i plan on desoldering that from the board and molding the display in my dash?

No. Not unless it is really old and slow refresh times. The PC only samples the board every 30mS or so. In digital display time, that is a millenia. It would miss so many bits, that it would be undeciperable. So no it cannot do that. The firmware would have to do this, and we are not currently at the stage where we can add more stuff to the firmware. We need to get the current version 100% stable and tested first.

Quote: Originally Posted by scott_fx

thanks for your help so far.

Its what we are here for!

greenman100 · 07-11-2007, 07:53 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by scott_fx

How about for rotary controls like the temp. dial.? how would i go about figuring out the values of the pot?

They will read into the software as a value from 0.000 to 5.000. You can then set outputs to turn on/off at individual setpoints, or just display the output. You can also scale it any way you like, say 0-100 instead of 0-5.

scott_fx · 07-11-2007, 12:38 PM

i hate you guys... you just made me take on another project!

scott_fx · 07-12-2007, 03:09 AM

i think i tracked down a used hvac controler... i may become a big pain in your butt pretty soon

scott_fx · 07-13-2007, 01:22 AM

ok... so here is what i'll be controlling:

what would my parts list be?
would i need relay for each button?
from this post:
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/1037020-post17.html

it seems that i wont need the relays because the board will be mounted near the a/c controls

edit: damn it i didnt even read the product description.... 12 on/off outputs... so i should be set

the part that confuses me is what i'll need for the rotary encoders, i understood about the 4 wires and what not. but i'm not sure if that is digital or not and since i have two rotary encoders...do i need to purchase two boards?

greenman100 · 07-13-2007, 08:00 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by scott_fx

ok... so here is what i'll be controlling:

what would my parts list be?
would i need relay for each button?
from this post:
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/1037020-post17.html

it seems that i wont need the relays because the board will be mounted near the a/c controls

edit: damn it i didnt even read the product description.... 12 on/off outputs... so i should be set

the part that confuses me is what i'll need for the rotary encoders, i understood about the 4 wires and what not. but i'm not sure if that is digital or not and since i have two rotary encoders...do i need to purchase two boards?

Well, perhaps.

The on/off outputs are constant 12 volts, switched ground. So, if those switches don't switch 5 volts, or if they are switched positive, you need relays.

Also, those rotary knobs could be variable resistors or could be rotary encoders. If they are variable resistors, that's great, you can use a digital potentiometer. If they are rotary encoders, that's a lot more complicated to simulate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotary_encoder

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potentiometer

scott_fx · 07-13-2007, 01:36 PM

instead of relays could i use resistors to step down the voltage from 12 to 5v?

I'll have to wait till i get my car back before i can take it apart to see what is behind the knobs. If worst comes to worst i can just extend the rotary encoders (if that's what they are) and the vfd display off the board and mount them in my dash while using the pc to replace the buttons.

greenman100 · 07-13-2007, 02:04 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by scott_fx

instead of relays could i use resistors to step down the voltage from 12 to 5v?

I'll have to wait till i get my car back before i can take it apart to see what is behind the knobs. If worst comes to worst i can just extend the rotary encoders (if that's what they are) and the vfd display off the board and mount them in my dash while using the pc to replace the buttons.

You can, yes, but you have to have a pretty good idea of what you're doing, and you'd have to understand what those buttons are doing, also. I can't really tell you how to hook it up without having it in from of me to test and understand how it works. I can say without a doubt that disconnecting the switches and connecting the relays will work.

scott_fx · 07-13-2007, 02:05 PM

relays it is then :-)

greenman100 · 07-13-2007, 02:30 PM

Here's a little more background on the issue.

We use NPN transistor arrays to drive the 12 outputs. NPN, by definition, switches the ground. We really had to do it this way to make it easy to drive relays. It's kind of difficult to explain, but I can draw up some diagrams if you like.

The contacts in the relay will work just like the contacts in those switches.

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