REN-W connected to Helix question

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bcowan

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I am planning to connect a REN-W directly to one of the channel bank ports on my Helix. I am not sure how I should configure the XBEE radio for this setup. The REN-W will be transmitting to several Simple Renard 32 controllers. Here are the two configuration options I have found.

(1) 57600, Mark parity, 2 stop bits.

(2) 57600, 8 data bits, NO parity and 1 stop bit.
 
You would have to set the XBee on the Ren-W to the same comm parameters as the data coming out of Helix because if it doesn't match that, the Xbee won't accept the data properly if at all. So the Helix data will determine the XBee setting. Once that's determined, set the others to that as well.
 
I'm thinking it will be 57600/8/n/1.

How are you powering the Ren-W?

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"Samsung Galaxy - making Applesauce since 2010"
 
Mike is correct, the Renard protocol uses 57600/8/n/1. The only change you might want to do besides using the standard Ren-W settings is to force it to use a different PAN ID than the one you use for your Helix XBee radios. That way it will automatically operate on a different channel than the Helix XBees and shouldn't cause any interference.
 
You might want to doublecheck with Greg (or if Greg reads this first, he can feel free to chime in), but I don't think the 5v supply on the Helix is robust enough to power a Ren-W in addition to the board. I had visions of doing the same thing once upon a time, and iirc, Greg told me I'd have to use a separate 5v supply.

One other tip for the Xbee - change both the channel and panid for the radios in the Ren-W. Per the Dirkmeister, having the two sets of Xbees operate on different channels helps eliminate possible crosstalk issues.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy SII
"Samsung Galaxy - making Applesauce sinche 2010"
 
bcowan said:
Thanks for the info. I am using the 5V RDS on the Helix V3 board.
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I wouldn't recommend doing that. The XBee Pro requires up to 250mA during transmitting. The Helix only has a 1A power supply and between the on board XBee, the MP3 player, the Propeller chip and the four quad RS485 transmitters it uses most of the available current.
 
mikentn said:
One other tip for the Xbee - change both the channel and panid for the radios in the Ren-W. Per the Dirkmeister, having the two sets of Xbees operate on different channels helps eliminate possible crosstalk issues.
Click to expand...

Yes, changing the PanID is one thing, but if the radios are on the same channel and close to one another, you can get some interference or the radios have to work a little harder to cull the data out of all those radio waves floating around. The channel setting is at the very top of the series 1 radio's configuration screen.

I'll also add a reminder that there are a lot of devices that operate in the 2.4ghz spectrum that can cause problems. Cordless phones, microwave ovens, security systems, wireless routers, video game consoles (such as a WII or any console that's wireless)....
 
gmbartlett said:
I wouldn't recommend doing that. The XBee Pro requires up to 250mA during transmitting. The Helix only has a 1A power supply and between the on board XBee, the MP3 player, the Propeller chip and the four quad RS485 transmitters it uses most of the available current.
Click to expand...

So if I am not using the on board XBee will the power supply have enough current to run the REN-W?
 
gmbartlett said:
Does the Ren-W board have any other circuitry that would draw power (I don't think so)? I've never tested it but it should work.
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There's a 3.3v regulator, a MAX232 chip and (if installed) an LED. All three will use up a little horsepower...
 
dirknerkle said:
There's a 3.3v regulator, a MAX232 chip and (if installed) an LED. All three will use up a little horsepower...
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Is there an RS485 interface on the Ren-W? If not then you won't be able to connect it directly to a Helix Channel Bank. You will have to connect a Renard to the Channel Bank. You can then connnect the Ren-W using the RS232 output from this first Renard.
 
gmbartlett said:
Is there an RS485 interface on the Ren-W? If not then you won't be able to connect it directly to a Helix Channel Bank. You will have to connect a Renard to the Channel Bank. You can then connnect the Ren-W using the RS232 output from this first Renard.
Click to expand...

Ren-W is RS485. It uses the MAX232 chip but it's a 485 device, pinned for standard 485 hookups with Renard.
 
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