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#292780 - 26/02/2007 00:52 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: Mach]
gbeer
carpal tunnel

Registered: 17/12/2000
Posts: 2665
Loc: Manteca, California
Hoo boy! I want one. Count me in. PM to follow.
_________________________
Glenn

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#292781 - 26/02/2007 13:44 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: maczrool]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14472
Loc: Canada
Quote:
Since the dimmer doesn't work it makes me wonder about it. Also, is the control line really used for the buttons? I thought the button commands were sent over the IR line.

Stu


As I said, The control line is used to manage the brightness for the display and for the buttons.

The brightness for ... the buttons, not the press/release actions!

Cheers

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#292782 - 26/02/2007 13:57 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: mlord]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
Thanks. Misunderstood that. So basically it's as if this line were not even connected. I've checked the circuit and there is continuity on this line between all the ICs and connectors.

When do you expect to see your boards come in?

Stu
_________________________
If you want it to break, buy Sony!

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#292783 - 26/02/2007 14:37 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: maczrool]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14472
Loc: Canada
Quote:

When do you expect to see your boards come in?



Heh.. eventually. This is Patrick, after all!

Cheers

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#292784 - 26/02/2007 17:23 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: mlord]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
Quote:
Heh.. eventually. This is Patrick, after all!


Yeahhh. Let me see if I can put together a shorter cable and see if that helps.

Stu
_________________________
If you want it to break, buy Sony!

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#292785 - 27/02/2007 19:17 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: mlord]
pca
old hand

Registered: 20/07/1999
Posts: 1102
Loc: UK
Hey! Watch it!



pca
_________________________
Experience is what you get just after it would have helped...

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#292786 - 27/02/2007 19:19 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: pca]
wfaulk
carpal tunnel

Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
"Hey! Watch it!", he responds, 28 hours later.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk

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#292787 - 28/02/2007 02:34 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: wfaulk]
MarkM
stranger

Registered: 11/12/2000
Posts: 105
Loc: Seattle, WA USA
Hey, Patrick is a busy guy. His brain is full of ideas and new projects.

Everyone should download the video out design and take a look at his work. I want to make a giant poster out of it. If you need the impossible done, Patrick is the guy to pull it off. Sorry to talk about you like you're not here Patrick, but I always found it funny that one day you'd say something was nearly impossible, then a day later you'd come back with an idea or theory and say it's going to take a lot of work and $$$. Feel free to reply within the normal 28 hour period.

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#292788 - 28/02/2007 10:17 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: MarkM]
rob
carpal tunnel

Registered: 21/05/1999
Posts: 5335
Loc: Cambridge UK
Patrick is busy on one of my impossible projects at the moment and nobody is allowed to hassle him!

Rob

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#292789 - 28/02/2007 14:12 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: rob]
MarkM
stranger

Registered: 11/12/2000
Posts: 105
Loc: Seattle, WA USA
Oops - too late.

At least you hire him. I haven't had any luck getting Patrick on a project for a long time.

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#292790 - 28/02/2007 21:30 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: pca]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14472
Loc: Canada
Quote:
Hey! Watch it!



pca


(not that I'm much quicker right now.. xDSL woes and all)..

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#292791 - 01/03/2007 10:59 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: MarkM]
pca
old hand

Registered: 20/07/1999
Posts: 1102
Loc: UK
Because of Rob and his impossible projects...



pca
_________________________
Experience is what you get just after it would have helped...

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#292792 - 01/03/2007 11:01 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: mlord]
pca
old hand

Registered: 20/07/1999
Posts: 1102
Loc: UK
I should be building up the four board sets I have here over the weekend, life permitting. I'm going to order any missing bits today.

pca
_________________________
Experience is what you get just after it would have helped...

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#292793 - 01/03/2007 16:32 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: MarkM]
rob
carpal tunnel

Registered: 21/05/1999
Posts: 5335
Loc: Cambridge UK
Quote:
Oops - too late.

At least you hire him. I haven't had any luck getting Patrick on a project for a long time.

The trick is to drive to his house and buy him chicken burgers until he does what you want.

Damn, given it away now!

Rob

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#292794 - 01/03/2007 18:01 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: rob]
pgrzelak
carpal tunnel

Registered: 15/08/2000
Posts: 4859
Loc: New Jersey, USA
This brings "Will Work For Food" to a whole new level...
_________________________
Paul Grzelak
200GB with 48MB RAM, Illuminated Buttons and Digital Outputs

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#292795 - 02/03/2007 01:09 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: rob]
MarkM
stranger

Registered: 11/12/2000
Posts: 105
Loc: Seattle, WA USA
Well, that's still at least a 14 hour trip for me, not counting the 4 hours at airports. So you're safe...unless I can order those chicken burgers for delivery.

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#292796 - 02/03/2007 20:41 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: rob]
gbeer
carpal tunnel

Registered: 17/12/2000
Posts: 2665
Loc: Manteca, California
Quote:

The trick is to drive to his house and buy him chicken burgers until he does what you want.


Ah Ha! The old chicken burger torture.
_________________________
Glenn

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#292797 - 03/03/2007 19:18 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: mlord]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
Quote:
Meanwhile, maybe try it with a 10' cable instead of 20' ?


I just built up a 10 foot cable. It's definitely not the cable length that's the problem.

Stu
_________________________
If you want it to break, buy Sony!

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#292798 - 04/03/2007 12:45 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: maczrool]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14472
Loc: Canada
Quote:
Quote:
Meanwhile, maybe try it with a 10' cable instead of 20' ?


I just built up a 10 foot cable. It's definitely not the cable length that's the problem.

Stu


The only way to know that for sure, is to make up a zero-length cable. Or as close to zero as possible.

Cheers

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#292799 - 04/03/2007 17:56 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: mlord]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
Perhaps I did use too strong of language by saying "definitely," but afterall the boards were said to be "designed for a 3M extension" so using a cable that is pretty close to that should get similar performance. I'd hate to waste two crimp connectors on a zero length cable at $15+ a set. At this point I would have to guess there is something in the circuitry mixing up the signal in some way, but technically you are right about the zero length cable. After Patrick's filters come in I'll build up another board and see if I get the same results.

Stu
_________________________
If you want it to break, buy Sony!

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#292800 - 04/03/2007 20:45 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: maczrool]
Jehovah
new poster

Registered: 04/02/2007
Posts: 21
Zero lengths or negatives no problem. Call me.

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#292801 - 06/03/2007 02:16 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: maczrool]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
Patrick's filters came in today, so we can begin building the remaining nine board sets. I'll PM people as they become available.

Stu
_________________________
If you want it to break, buy Sony!

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#292802 - 06/03/2007 16:40 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: Jehovah]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
Quote:
Zero lengths or negatives no problem. Call me.

All the numbers I have for you result in the "this number has been disconnected" recording when I try them. What's your current number?
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#292803 - 07/03/2007 14:39 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: tfabris]
Jehovah
new poster

Registered: 04/02/2007
Posts: 21
Quote:
What's your current number?

It is right there in my Sig. Plain as day. For those who truly believe, anyway.

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#292804 - 08/03/2007 16:31 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: mlord]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
I've built another extender set, but it works just like the first, so something else must be going on. We will eventually be getting a logic analyzer as well, but for now I guess we'll have to rely on yours Mark. It's too bad you ordered from Patrick, or you might have had an extender in your hands very soon .

Stu
_________________________
If you want it to break, buy Sony!

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#292805 - 08/03/2007 16:57 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: maczrool]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14472
Loc: Canada
Quote:
I've built another extender set, but it works just like the first, so something else must be going on. We will eventually be getting a logic analyzer as well, but for now I guess we'll have to rely on yours Mark. It's too bad you ordered from Patrick, or you might have had an extender in your hands very soon .

Stu


Mmm.. okay, zero for two indicates a possible design or component issue.
The likely candidates are the MAX3237 and/or MAX3241E line drivers.

The MAX3241E looks a tad slow for this application -- no timing margin to speak of, really. I'm not sure about the MAX3237 -- there's an 'E' version of that chip which does look fast enough. I wonder which exact parts you have there?

Cheers

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#292806 - 08/03/2007 17:26 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: mlord]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
Quote:
Mmm.. okay, zero for two indicates a possible design or component issue.
The likely candidates are the MAX3237 and/or MAX3241E line drivers.

The MAX3241E looks a tad slow for this application -- no timing margin to speak of, really. I'm not sure about the MAX3237 -- there's an 'E' version of that chip which does look fast enough. I wonder which exact parts you have there?



All Es. They are the MAX3490ECSA+, MAX3237EAI+, and MAX3241ECAI+. Before buying, I upgraded the MAX3237 to the E version because it offers better ESD protection.

Stu
_________________________
If you want it to break, buy Sony!

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#292807 - 08/03/2007 17:46 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: maczrool]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14472
Loc: Canada
Okay, no big difference in spec between the E and non-E version there.

Try switching to R51 from R52. EDIT: Yes, we absolutely need this, I think.

-ml


Edited by mlord (08/03/2007 17:52)

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#292808 - 08/03/2007 17:56 Re: Display Extender Interest [Re: mlord]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14472
Loc: Canada
Quote:
Okay, no big difference in spec between the E and non-E version there.

Try switching to R51 from R52. EDIT: Yes, we absolutely need this, I think.

-ml


Explanation: The bit transmission scheme used by the kernel and the PIC appears
to use a series of 15us and 2us pulses to send information over the control line.

A 2us pulse would correspond to about a 500kb/s transmission rate.

The MAX3237(E) requires MBAUD==Vcc for rates above 250kb/s.
Populating R51 instead of R52 gives us that setting.

Cheers

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#292809 - 08/03/2007 18:12 We Have Lights! [Re: mlord]
maczrool
pooh-bah

Registered: 13/01/2002
Posts: 1649
Loc: Louisiana, USA
Quote:
Try switching to R51 from R52. EDIT: Yes, we absolutely need this, I think.


Good call there Mark. The illumination kit is happy now over 20 feet of cable! I was thinking about switching to megabaud mode to see the effect too, but figured it wouldn't matter because the receiving end is still limited to 256K isn't it? Patrick told me all his were built with R52 populated, so it looks like maybe you will have to change yours unless he's following along. I'll test the dimmer in a minute and see what happens with it.

Edit: Dimmer seems to work as designed too!

Thanks,
Stu


Edited by maczrool (08/03/2007 18:23)
_________________________
If you want it to break, buy Sony!

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