Zootalaws

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Viewing 15 posts - 106 through 120 (of 124 total)
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  • in reply to: Successfully used external driver models? #7103
    Zootalaws
    Member

    Wouldn’t you be better off using a driver, rather than a controller?

    in reply to: proximity switches. #7097
    Zootalaws
    Member

    It doesn’t output 6V, it needs 6V to work. Dividing the voltage would render it inoperable.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inductive_sensor

    in reply to: Finally working – VFD noise issues #7096
    Zootalaws
    Member

    The Bay’s no good for me – they usually won’t ship to these parts, but thanks. It’s enough for me to find something.

    in reply to: Bluetooth Serial Dongle? #7095
    Zootalaws
    Member

    I am wandering why I cannot use HC-06 ?
    I’m asking because i have one somewhere at home and i was thinking about trying it.

    Maybe you can – I have HC-05 and HC-06 and I’ve had no luck getting the HC-06 working this way. But, that’s not to say you can’t. I have had my fill of HC-06 devices and just don’t bother with them any more. I tried using one for my second TinyG but it wasn’t having any of it, so I went back to the HC-05 and had it working in about 2 minutes.

    The process should be the same, so following these instructions should be right.

    From the Wiki:

    The modules with the HC-03 and HC-05 firmware are the Master and Slave integrated Bluetooth serial modules with firmware which allows you to modify master and slave mode at any time. HC-03 are industrial grade products, HC-05 are commercial grade products.

    The modules with the HC-04 and HC-06 firmware are the modules which are factory set to be Master or Slave modules. Master and slave mode cannot be switched from the factory setting. HC-04 is an industrial grade product, HC-06 is a commercial grade product.

    So, unless you know which module you have, master or slave, will probably determine what you can do with it.

    From a hardware perspective, the HC-05 and HC-06 are identical, with different firmware. If you have the right tools, you can reprogram them.

    http://wiki.pinguino.cc/index.php/SPP_Bluetooth_Modules

    in reply to: Bluetooth Serial Dongle? #7094
    Zootalaws
    Member

    Was I incorrect in assuming that your Arduino reference was an Arduino Uno?

    Yes, I use mostly Nano’s, Pro Micro’s.

    The ‘Uno setup suite’ is the Arduino IDE – same for all models of Arduino. I didn’t bother going into detail on how you communicate with the Arduino, because if you have one, you invariably know how to talk to/program it.

    So once paired, Coolterm on your PC can send the “AT+UART=230400,0,0″ over the BT link to the far end HC-05. Cool.

    No, the only way to get into command mode is by setting P34 high, via the Arduino and some sort of USB-attached serial connection. The SPP (Serial Port Profile) devices are really dumb. You can go into command mode and tell them how they are to be configured and then reboot them in either master or slave mode and use them as a wireless serial device. You can’t make a BT session and go into command mode. They aren’t flexible like a general-purpose Bluetooth device, even though they have the same chip. It’s all in the firmware and how the pins are broken out. These are aimed at a single purpose. You could rewrite/reflash the firmware and get other functions (like audio, etc.) if you wanted, but the HC-series modules are all aimed at serial comms.

    in reply to: Bluetooth Serial Dongle? #7086
    Zootalaws
    Member

    Excellent!

    in reply to: Bluetooth Serial Dongle? #7083
    Zootalaws
    Member

    “I’ll also assume that to make changes, such as your follow-on change to 230400 baud rate, one needs to go back to the Uno setup suite.”

    I don’t know what a ‘Uno setup suite’ is, so I doubt I used one 🙂

    I changed the parameter using CoolTerm, then rebooted and changed the default baud rate on my CoolTerm settings.

    Chilipeppr and tgFX both worked fine with the BT device – but I am on a Mac. My ‘production’ machine is an HP laptop running Win8.1. I will try it out on there nd let you know. I have been using the Mac a lot lately as it has all my other stuff on it – and that was the impetus to add BT to the TinyG – I didn’t want to have to keep connecting and unplugging the Mac.

    in reply to: Comprehensive list of command tokens? #7082
    Zootalaws
    Member

    I’m not sure what you mean by ‘tokens’, but wouldn’t the $$ command give you all the parameters available?

    in reply to: Finally working – VFD noise issues #7081
    Zootalaws
    Member

    I would love to see how you installed your ferrite beads, Mort.

    Also, you said “The fix is to install a EMI filter in the mains power line very close to the VFD”

    Can you expand on that? What is an EMI filter and how would I install one?

    in reply to: On the edge? #7079
    Zootalaws
    Member

    Thanks Alden

    in reply to: Tinyg failure #7052
    Zootalaws
    Member

    You can add an external driver pretty easily. Wire it to the external connectors on the TinyG board.

    You should be able to buy something in Australia easily enough without having to send it back to .

    If you want the same – a Ti DRV8825 – you can get a ‘Polulu’ type external driver: http://www.robotgear.com.au/Product.aspx/Details/707-DRV8825-Stepper-Motor-Driver-Carrier-High-Current-V2

    in reply to: On the edge? #7045
    Zootalaws
    Member

    Both my TinyGs are the same – bought at the same time – I was just mucking around after I put the BT module on and thought I would see whether I could do maintenance under BT – like upgrading firmware, etc.

    As far as I am aware, nothing I have tried to date has resulted in an error.

    The point I was making was that the Wiki says to not use the edge branch for production, but the shipping units have the edge branch loaded. Either the wiki needs a better explanation or the shipping units should ship with ‘production’ code.

    I imagine I am not alone in not checking the isntalled version vs releases right off.

    It’s not a criticism, it was meant as a question because the wiki is clear that you are inviting armageddon should you use the edge branch 😉

    in reply to: Bluetooth Serial Dongle? #7044
    Zootalaws
    Member

    Details details 🙂 Of course – thanks.

    At some stage you will need to connect your BT module to your TinyG.:)

    in reply to: Bluetooth Serial Dongle? #7041
    Zootalaws
    Member

    Even further…

    After experimenting with reliability, distance, etc. I thought I would ramp up the speed. As BT can comfortably handle 3M/s, I thought I would turn the wick up to 230400: AT+UART=230400,0,0

    Worked a treat.

    Responses to commands are snappy.

    in reply to: Bluetooth Serial Dongle? #7039
    Zootalaws
    Member

    Further to this:

    For those that want to implement a Bluetooth connection to their TinyG, here’s a primer:

    For a Bluetooth module, I recommend the HC-05 – on a sled, like the JY-MCU or (my favourite) the CZ-HC-05. You can use a HC-10, but don’t try the HC-06, you won’t have much fun with it. The HC-05 is, in my opinion, the most versatile of the Bluetooth SPPs. I usually have about 50 of varying different types around the place – HC05, 06, 10, 11 – but keep coming back to the HC-05 and in particular, the GOMCU CZ-HC-05 module, which is just better. We use them for programming remote-controlled fishing boats, for controlling bubble walls, LED installations, 3D printers, and all manner of arduino devices that do all sorts of weird and wonderful things. I have tried a number of different brands, including the eye-wateringly expensive units from RedBear, and the $24-$35 units from Adafruit and Sparkfun and keep end up using the $4 units from GOMCU. They have proved remarkably resilient and reliable.

    CZ-HC-05

    I prefer the CZ over the JY for a few reasons – it’s really small, it’s really well made, it has the KEY (P34, state pin) already broken out.

    Tools:
    4 pin female header, soldering iron and solder.
    HC-05 of some sort, on a sled.
    Arduino of some description.
    A breadboard and jumper wires helps.
    This sketch: to program the HC-05

    /*
    AT+ORGL (Restore the factory default state)
    AT+UART=115200,0,0 (Set baud rate to 115200, one stop bit and no parity bit)
    AT+NAME=TinyG
    */
    #include <SoftwareSerial.h>
    #define rxPin 10
    #define txPin 11
    SoftwareSerial mySerial(rxPin, txPin); // RX, TX
    char myChar ;
    void setup() {
      Serial.begin(9600);   
      Serial.println("AT");
      mySerial.begin(38400);
      mySerial.println("AT");
    }
    void loop() {
      while (mySerial.available()) {
        myChar = mySerial.read();
        Serial.print(myChar);
      }
     while (Serial.available()) {
        myChar = Serial.read();
        Serial.print(myChar); //echo
        mySerial.print(myChar);
      }
    }

    Solder the 4-pin female header to the appropriate 4 pins on the V8 TinyG.

    Connect the BT module to the Arduino as follows:

    Arduino pins:
    10 to HC05 TX // RX on Arduino
    11 to HC05 RX // TX on Arduino
    GND to HC05 GND // Common
    5V to HC05 VCC // 5V
    5v to HC05 KEY // 5V : setting this to 5V on the CZ when you power it on puts the HC-05 in command mode, where you can program the features. If you use the JY, you need to be aware of how the implementor has wired it and which pins he has available. Some wire P34 on the sled but leave the pin un-soldered, some wire it all up just like the CZ, some wire other pins… if they haven’t wired it, you will need to hold a signal high to P34 while you power cycle the HC-05 to get it into command mode. Once you have it in CM, you can remove the signal – it will stay in command mode until reset or power-cycled.

    Connect/power on the arduino and load the sketch above.

    Recycle the arduino and the HC05 should initialise and slowly flash its LED – this indicates it is in Command Mode.

    Bring up the Arduino IDE serial monitor and set to 9600+CR+LF
    Enter AT and you should get ‘OK’ back.

    By default, the HC-05 should be set to:

    Slave Mode
    Connection mode: Connect to the Bluetooth device specified
    Baud rate: 38400 bits/s; Stop bit: 1 bit; Parity bit: None.
    Passkey: “1234”
    Device name: “H-C-2010-06-01”

    At this stage I would set to factory defaults, using the AT+ORGL command.

    Then, to set up for the TinyG

    Set the baud rate to 115,200kb: AT+UART=115200,0,0
    Change the device name: AT+NAME=TinyG
    You can also change the pairing key – my Macbook defaults to 0000, but the HC-05 defaults to 1234: AT+PSWD=0000

    There are other parameters in the AT command set, but none of them are relevant to getting the HC-05 working on the TinyG.

    Any questions, just post them here.

Viewing 15 posts - 106 through 120 (of 124 total)