Poll - Renard to 595-coop Converter

Would you be interested in having a Renard-595 converter?

  • Yes, I'd be interested in one or two.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Yes, I'd be interested in three or more.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No, I don't need any.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I don't know yet.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
P

P. Short

Super Moderator
Staff member
Despite not liking the idea of polls, I'll do one anyway.

The purpose of this poll is to gauge interest in a Renard-595 Converter. The basic purpose of this board is to allow the 595 boards to be controlled through some type of serial port (so that you can get greater distance), and to allow the 595-coop boards to be dimmed (192 brightness levels). Depending on the level of interest (and hence the size of a coop order for the PCB), the cost could be down in the $10-$15 range. This board would allow a 595-coop board to act like a 64-channel dimmer (in other words, you don't lose any of the 595 channels). It is described a little bit more over in the wiki.

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Phil
 
Just so everyone is on the same page. Running the bill of materials through Mouser shows the cost to be $12.43 in parts including the optional chip sockets. The Green Translucescent LED's were on backorder. So I sub'd the GT for GC or Green Water Clear.
 
Hold onto your horses...it's not even into Beta yet. Not that I expect any of the parts to change (except maybe the 22pf caps, and the color of the LEDs).

--

Phil
 
I am interested but I nned to know something I do not use triacs for my ssr;s i use a ssr relay insted does dimming work with this?

here is a link to what i use for switching relay

http://www.futurlec.com/RelSS.shtml

Let em know please if it will work with this..

If so I dont understand how..maybe confused

Thanks Joe
 
I can't tell for sure (especially since there are a lot of relays on that page), but the first few that I looked at appeared to be zero-crossing type SSRs, which are generally cannot be dimmed.

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Phil
 
You are looking for ones that are not "ZC" or "Zero" or "Zero Crossing". The ones that will dim will usually say "Random" or "Random Crossing"
 
Ok so this will allow the 595 with Seans SSR'S to be dimmed...Just what I want and the greater distance...Now the only problem I'm having with this or any other idea which involved dimming is the pic and a few other parts that I can't seem to find.Does anyone know of a place in Canada (Ontario specifically) where these can be found.Only place I have is circuit city which is not good as they have no listing and I got a place called Sayal electronics and Active electronics.Neither have a listing for this pic ic let alone a few other parts you states guys are using.Resistors and caps are an easy cheap find.So any help on maybe a part coop or even boards that are put together and tested might be more worth my while for that sole reason.Also I'm still looking at something that has it's own memory as well..So any ideas that anyone can help with would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks guys.
Joe
 
It would greatly surprise me if any those parts are available locally anywhere in the world, even Silicon Valley. They should be available at Mouser, Digikey and a number of the usual electronics parts distributors over the Internet.

However, let me gently suggest that the nature of your question leads me to think that you might not have sufficient experience in this sort of thing, and are just starting out building electronic devices from scratch. You might want to consider simpler projects, or at least ones that have a lot more history (and are more mature) than this one.

--

Phil
 
As noted Phil the problem is finding parts at the 2 places I have access to.That was the point.I like the idea of what this board has to offer..Only problem even with any of the boards you guys have built is some parts to me are not available in canada as none of them are listed.From manufactures yes they are and even at mouser they are listed but locally here at the 2 electronic places I have at my disposal they are not nor do they have any catalogue listing for them.That is why I asked for a place someone else might have seen or know of for these types of parts.It's easier for me to go get them then it would be for me to order them and hope the right ones arrive.If I encounter problems with wrong parts or they sub parts on me I'm screwed..At least here I have the support plus the damn 1800 number for mouser is outta my calling range and will not work.That is why any order has not been placed.That also was why I wrote what I did explaining the situation that someone else might have had as well..
 
I have never had a problem with Mouser sending the wrong parts. If you get a wrong part, it was because the wrong part was ordered. I do all of my ordering online with them also. No phone call needed.
;)
 
I understand and thank-you...I'm simply surprised I can't find this stuff locally..If mouser is the ticket then so be it.Sayal electronics and Active have been great palces for gear in the past.Just seems strange.Plus I love the support you get when shopping at those places.
 
Wizard,

The vast number of electronic parts available makes it not very practical for a local retail outlet to stock these types of items. Radio Shack is (likely) the only electronics parts store that is commonly found in US and Canadian cities. A quick check of their electronics parts inventory should help you gauge just how few parts have sufficient inventory turns to be offered in a retail store.

I also like using mouser because they have a massive selection, provide a tracking number when the order is shipped, have no minimum quantity or amount, no handling fee, and I can select from several shippers. I’ve done all of my orders online (Mouser.com) and have never needed to call them. I expect the other large companies that were suggested in earlier posts are very much the same.

One tip: I find locating parts that I’m unsure what to order is easier using a hardcopy catalogue (parts such as Molex connectors). On your first Mouser order you can request they send a catalogue. I received a new just one today, 1936 pages so I now have a spare for the downstairs bathroom :D . (well at least up until the wife thinks it's time to recycle the news papers)

Bill
 
Ahhh.. not seen a Wizard post in almost a year now. Still as entertaining as ever, I see.

I live in Silicon Valley. There are only a handful of places around here that I could walk-in off the street and say "Give me a PIC" and not have the person on the other side of the counter go "Huh?"

Mouser is your friend.

The "circuit city" comment was priceless. I imagine they have the PICs hidden somewhere in the toaster oven aisle.
 
OMG even Buzzkill missed the point of the post..I used reference to 2 places that are electronics warehouses and even in their 3000 page catalog they do not list pic chips at all.Seemed strange that only mouser would now doesn't it????I found that really odd as everyone here seems to be able to find them and only mouser has them...Come on guys think about it something has to be wrong with the methods used if only 1 place has them...Gee Buzzkill and here I thought you would have picked up on that simply and easily understood post...Guess I was wrong as usual...

Oh and P.S. it has not been a year since I posted..Once again the great Buzzkill fades in memory...Oh well guess we shall see..
Have fun Buzz..lol..I know I will
 
Umm.. just 'cause I had not seen one of your posts, doesn't mean you had not made any posts. Big difference. Was that "simply and easily understood"?

The PIC processor is used in so many DIY projects these days from remote controllers, weather stations, telephony projects, etc, etc. They are frankly everywhere in the DIY electronics realm.

Radio Shack used to carry lots of electronic parts for the hobbyist. Now you are lucky if you can find a capacitor in stock. That doesn't mean that capacitors no longer exist or that the "wrong method" was selected for the construction of a particular project if it requires a capacitor - It just means you look elsewhere.

Broaden your horizons...
 
Wiz, I just did a quick Google search and found that you have a place called A1 Electronic Parts (http://www.a1parts.com/). No micro’s but they a lot of other electronics. There’s Electro Sonic (http://www.e-sonic.com/) that has PIC programmers. Also, I see that Newark is in Canada, though I can’t tell exactly where, and they do have the PIC micro’s. Of course, you also have EBay there too.

I have no idea how the prices compare to Mouser, maybe the shipping is less; it’s certainly worth a look.
 
wizard,

If you are looking for the PICs then go to the manufacturers website www.microchip.com and click on their SALES link and you can navigate to get a listing of all their distributors in North America. They have a couple listed in Canada and several large mail order companies like Mouser.

There is no grand conspiracy that Mouser is the only one selling the PICs as you post suggests. Mouser is used as a suggested source often in this community due to many members having used them in the past and have been very satisfied with their service. I don't believe anybody ever suggested that they were the only ones that sold the PICs.

Check out the distributors and I'm sure you will find one (or more) that will have what you need.

RL
 
The reason that I tend to use mouser is that their product line is broader than most other distributors, they have a good dead-tree catalog, their search facilities seem quite good, and their prices are often cheaper than Digikey.

--

Phil
 
jameco.com ships to Canada and stocks pics

I checked and http://jameco.com ships to Canada and they stock lots of PICs along with a bunch of other microcontrollers as well.

I live in Sacramento about 8 minutes from hsc (http://www.halted.com). They stock the most electronic components I have ever seen in a local store. However I still order from jameco.com or mouser.com because of the price difference and the ease of not having to hunt through bins of stuff looking for everything I need. The local place is great to grab one off items I need to test things out though...

Internet Mail order is way to convenient these days.

ms
 
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