Arduino users news

[Jules Marchildon]

Couple days ago...

https://www.qualcomm.com/news/releases/2...ccess-to-i

..not sure if any other PB users use this platform?  90% of my projects have a USB/Serial Arduino link to a PB GUI application.

https://www.hackster.io/news/qualcomm-ac...d91d83e890

[Pierre Bellisle]

Hi Jules!

I like Arduino,
part of my latest project is controlling Samsung TV via the ex-link serial connector, including code for Nano and PB.
Just ordered four MAX232N from Digikey to make real TTL to RS232 adaptors.
For RS232, all that I saw coming from China is sadly fake...
Project also capture some infra red messages and convert them to control some top box. Fun, fun, fun!

For Qualcomm, I like their CPU,
but now I'm afraid that they will want to promote mostly their stuff
and neglect all other options that we had or could have so much fun with...
Future will tell...

What is your current project?

[Jules Marchildon]

Yes, need to be careful of knock off's for sure, been bitten a few times.   I've always want to combine all my IR remotes into one, never got around to it aside from reading about it, a project for another day.  

We buy single FTDI and 4 port FTDI USB chips for our USB to RS485 cards.  Most of the arduino projects are for work for in-house testing of finished products.   Next slow horse project is for personal use , we buy 60 Grandstream VoIP phones every year, pull out the card and embed it into our suite/Panic controllers to interface to old analog audio for suites and remote panic stations. Been tossing the GS phone cases out until recently, thought I could use the LCD and keypad for some of my personal projects, got the graphics LCD working using a PIC24,  going to port it over to arduino soon.  I cut off the handset cradle.  If you want a few, let me know, I'm happy to mail them to you from work.

   

[Pierre Bellisle]

do not send, I got so many projects on the back burner, it could bring some new ones
and my machine to make every days 29 hours long is not ready yet...

for ir, if you have no more than 3 devices the real cheap learning L336 Remote Controller may be a good subject, but I suspect you have more than 3, a completely usb programmable remote could be fun, Arduino should build one, I think the nearest was the logitech family but they brutally stopped the web application to program them, so sooner or later they will all become useless...

about L336, I bought one a few weeks ago and did not try it yet...

congrats for the LCD / PIC24, I guess it took a lil head scratching...

[Klaus Schussler]

For some Arduino and AVR Micro controller projects I use Bascom from MCS Electronics.
Sticking to BASIC for Micros and Windows makes my life somewhat easier.
Bascom covers almost all the Microchip AVR series (AVR, Mega, Xmega, Tiny & newer AVR DA/DB)
Anyone else use a Basic compiler for micro controllers?

K.

[Jules Marchildon]

Pierre, I had help using a sigrok logic analyzer and a working GXP1625, my friend who's an amazing engineer, he helped me work out the external Res&Cap components and pin functions, then with the logic analyzer he was able to match it to an ST7567A.  I see now there are several Arduino libraries that support this controller, so it should be very simple to flip over.  Oh, and thanks for the L366 remote tip,  I just purchase one from Alixpress for under 5 bucks free shipping.

btw, when I was in the sales rep business, Supertex was one of my product lines, in early 2000 I met several times with the original Harmony remote developers Glen Harris and Justin Henry,  helping them with our EL backlight driver IC.  They later sold off their company to logitech I think circa 2003~2004 for some big bucks, can't remember how much but well over $20M to the Swiss company. 
 
Klause, in the past I dabbled with Great Cow, mickrobasic, but PICBasic Pro was my fav.  Wow, even back in the 80's I used the 8052AH-BASIC.  A few years ago my friend helped me move to the MPLAB  C compiler so I can collaborate with him at work.  If we can't modify an existing board for an inhouse projects, we use Arduino to get it done.  He does all of our PCB designs and firmware, I'm very lucky.

[Pierre Bellisle]

Klaus,
On my part, I'm far to be a pro at Arduino coding,
I use solely the Arduino ide, I did use a little B4A for Android phone coding but did not try B4R Arduino.
Taking about Android, I did a front end for ADB with PB4Win to install, uninstall apk and view whats on the phone. Work great but need a finishing touch, another project to work on.

Jules,
Good reverse eng. work, I had a look at the sigrok logic analyzer, so nice, so cheap, added to the buying list...

Still on Arduino, I'm working on my snow blower that have two electric chute motors, 2 spots, hand warmer.
They did lots of funny stuff to preserve the alternator that give less than 10 amps.
When one DC chute motor work, the hands heater is cut of by a relay.
Taking measures to draw the schematic, I was tired of looking at the meter, then at the wiring, then at the meter again, etc.
So I thought, what if I could have a two tone device do discriminate between different voltage, no need to look at the meter.
Then I thought maybe an Arduino circuit have been already designed.
Much better, the talking meter is there, need an Arduino, a speaker and resistors for lowering tension, that is it.
See Andy Wong video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYlJgPPoZfg
Life is good...

[Jules Marchildon]

I'm definitely no pro either, I was playing with logic, res, caps, leds and inductors since grade 5, all through high school and College but ended up in a tech sales support role for 35 years so I treated it as a hobby. My friend here at work has a degree and doesn't like to do any home projects, says it's his break from thinking during regular work hours. Why can't I figure this out? LoL.

Pierre, your area gets a lot more snow than me. Now that my body is getting lazy & I'm getting tired of breathing gas fumes. I need an all electric riding snow blower, maybe an ATV with a blower attachment?

Didn't know what ADB meant, googled results: 'Android Debug Bridge is a versatile command-line tool...' that's very interesting to know. More reading material.

For talking meter, this is the one I have #Aneng SZ08+ it's $16 now on AliExpress, but in a few weeks going on sale guessing it will drop by $2 and you get free shipping. In my area, they don't use canada post, it's drop off by some private courrier usually within two weeks.