DMX2IR transceiver (aka Yet Another IR thread)

Slaving secondary emitter heads from the master unit (that generates the modulated carrier) would seem to be the most reliable way. Maybe send the power and data to the emitter heads over a cheap CAT5 cable? That way you can have a low impedance DC source right at the emitter head so the LED current drive is clean and strong.
 
Cloned Renard parsing code from the SimpleREN, at the moment it's either/or but eventually I want to auto-detect the protocol (State: Coded but untested).

I'm starting on the IR Receiver(s) now, but don't have any actualy pixels. If anyone has pre-made pixel driver code (2801, 2811, GECE) or pointers to those routines, that would be a big help. As with the Transmitter, I'm hoping that the FW can support all pixel types, and put some config commands in place to allow for pixel format selection.
 
LabRat said:
Cloned Renard parsing code from the SimpleREN, at the moment it's either/or but eventually I want to auto-detect the protocol (State: Coded but untested).

I'm starting on the IR Receiver(s) now, but don't have any actualy pixels. If anyone has pre-made pixel driver code (2801, 2811, GECE) or pointers to those routines, that would be a big help. As with the Transmitter, I'm hoping that the FW can support all pixel types, and put some config commands in place to allow for pixel format selection.
Click to expand...

You can find the interface code to GECEs in RXIR53.SXB code I posted a while ago in IR Communication thread. There is some bit banging done to implement the unusual protocol, but transferable to PIC.

EDIT: Here is link for IR Reindeer headset code.. http://doityourselfchristmas.com/fo...unication-for-Light-Shows&p=242492#post242492

Regards,
Lightman
 
Last edited:
Got it.. Thx.
I will get that running after the PWM output code is running.
I think I can lay hands on a single 2811 pixel here.. so that will follow.


lightman said:
You can find the interface code to GECEs in RXIR53.SXB code I posted a while ago in IR Communication thread. There is some bit banging done to implement the unusual protocol, but transferable to PIC.

EDIT: Here is link for IR Reindeer headset code.. http://doityourselfchristmas.com/fo...unication-for-Light-Shows&p=242492#post242492

Regards,
Lightman
Click to expand...
 
I've got some spare IR Transmitter PCB's here (5 in total). $1.50 each + shipping.

Please note that these are the v1 development boards, and some minor barnacle re-work is required.
The board can be easily modified to accomodate the 14 pin 16F1823 or the 8 pin 12F1822.
Re-work involves cutting a trace, and adding a small shunt.

Note these boards use standard REN pinout, the v2 boards will be using the DMX pinout.

v2 board design is underway, and I will be sending off the order soon. Just tring to see if I can move the serial port pins away from the pins that share the PWM. This will free up the PWM pins for drivng more external IR leds.

Schematic of the v1 PCB is attached here. There's a list of the issues encountered, all of which will be addressed in the next iteration.
IR_Tx_V1.jpg

Drop me a PM if you want a board.
 
With regard to the Disney Ears referenced a few times, I think I have a better idea of how they work now that I have walked around the park with them more.

I can't be sure if the shows are handled the same way, but at least in certain places like "Cars Land" and "The Haunted Mansion," when you pass by an infrared sensor "zone" (so to speak), the sensor sends a command to your ears. In Cars Land, it causes the ears to blink sequentially orange (to match the cones). In "The Haunted Mansion" the sensor actually shuts off the ears for the duration of the ride.

By this logic, the infrared transmitter is not sending constant commands to continue the ear's illumination but instead are transmitting some sort of simplistic-sequence that the ears are commanded to do until they receive their next command. The board in the ears essentially memorize the sequence it receives.

Thoughts?
 
Next round of boards on the way.

Transmitter v2.3 - reworking to allow for upto 3 slave transmitters to be tied to the first. Firmware already acts as an 8 channel DMX to IR bridge.

IrTx_v3_2.png

Transmitter Daughter - single channel DCSSR combined with 15 IR LED's.
IrDaughter.png

Receiver - 3 channel (RGB) integrated into a board intended to support a LUXEON STAR. Star will be clamped down, and then current limiting resisors used for the RGB connections. This in intended to go inside a "magic seashell" for use in the youth group production of "The Little Mermaid".

IrShell.png

I'm still concerned about the coverage of actors/dancers and "line of sight", so I'm also pursuing an RF based solution using the RFM12B chipset (less than 1/2 the price of Xbee, if I did the math correctly).

DMX to RFM12B bridge:
DMX2RFM12B.png

Receiver - handles 15 channels. These would drive small DCSSR modules, to power flexible RGB Led strips.
5RGB_RFM12B.png

Now I wait for the next set of boards to arrive, and start working (again) on the new firmware.
 
What are you expecting the range to be on this RFM12B chip? And they're about half the price of normal XBee? ($15-$17 or so?)
 
My goal is one side of the stage, to another (30'), but my reading says I should expect to get a reliable signal at 30m (or 3x that distance).

Most people that tried to use these with PIC's ran into issued with the PIC being an 8bit device, and the RFM12B's using 16bit FIFO's. Though further reading will show that it is possible. So I'm looking forward to the challenge. In theory full DMX speeds should be possible, though that may be beyond my abilities in the short term.

Now that the boards are ordered, just need to get the parts from mouser (and the radio's from Sparkfun ($6.95 each)).
 
Wow, nice and cheap. How do you handle addressing with these? Do you just setup one as a TX and the rest as RX and broadcast all data and use start address firmware?
 
Jrd said:
Wow, nice and cheap. How do you handle addressing with these? Do you just setup one as a TX and the rest as RX and broadcast all data and use start address firmware?
Click to expand...

Yes. That is the the goal.

For AVR users, google "JeeNodes" for some similar solutions.
 
Nice job Labrat! I like the integrated packaging with LED lights.

Your children are lucky to have a Dad like you. Can't wait to see videos of mermaid show.

Regards,
Lightman
 
LabRat said:
(man I need to get more sleep)
Click to expand...

How many kids do you have? Isn't the amount of sleep you get per night a direct inverse ratio to the number of children in your household? :wink:

\dmc
(My wife says she has me and the cats and that's enough dependents.)
 
Three, but two are teens now. They warned us to never let the kids outnumber the parents. (and no..that doesn't mean that I'm open to having more parents in the relationship).

Lack of sleep is work related + some illness in the family + getting the teen's "show" (a dinner theatre) operational. One more day, and I can put that behind us. For those that care of such things, it's a twisted take on a "stage reading of War of the Worlds", which actually turns into a murder mystery. Something novel for the kids to try, and fun for the families that are watching. No blinky flashy for this one, though an "Applause" sign and/or "On the Air" sign would have been a good addition (too late now).


dmcole said:
How many kids do you have? Isn't the amount of sleep you get per night a direct inverse ratio to the number of children in your household? :wink:

\dmc
(My wife says she has me and the cats and that's enough dependents.)
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top