I've reversed the DSUB connections just to see if it makes any difference. No dice.
dtr = 0 'DB9 pin 4 on Firecracker
rts = 1 'DB9 pin 7 on Firecracker
OBC
Did you try my program? The attached version has the demo mode procedure.
Maybe you are getting noise from your power supply. I used to have problems with my computer's UPS interferring with X10 signals for any units on the same circuit
Very cool, Jeff. I still haven't had time to play with my Firecracker -- been busy helping (paying!) clients with Propeller code and finishing my March article (on CAN networking with the Propeller).
I've been working on a web page to potentially use with the Firecracker. It might work with a BS2 and the PINK or the Propeller and Spinneret (or other).
NOTE: It only works correctly with Internet Explorer - try to make it work with Firefox later...Works now!
If you click the "1-8 / 9-16" switch under the buttons, the button clicks reflect the selected range.
Clicking the House code causes it to increment to the next letter e.g. "C" to "D".
If you hold down the "ALT" button when you click it, it decrements to the previous letter e.g. "D" to "C"
(The "led" lights for a short time when a button is clicked.)
You can also click this image to view the web page..
Just took a look at this thread... Thinking about a TV interface for my X10 stuff...
Ron, thanks for posting those photos. I think the FCC circuit is correct, at least it looks like it might be...
If so, I think it might be possible to connect to the Propeller without the level shifting IC.
It looks like there are two ways to go:
1. Disconnect it's 5 V supply circuit and supply 5V directly to the PIC. The 100k resistors in the signal lines probably need to be dropped to something lower, maybe 10k. Only question is if the PIC will accept 3.3V as a logic 1. I think it would, but not sure. May need transistors to level shift...
2. Remove the Pic and drive the RF circuit directly. It's just a resistor to the base of a transistor... I found a page on the web "NedLog" where he reverse engineered the protocol and gives sample code to do it...
Ron, your photos seem to show all the components... I see the diodes and the 100k resistors, the PIC chip, a transistor, the inductors...
I guess I don't see right away why it's not the same...
Thanks for posting your pics. I think your is also the same circuit as listed in FCC...
I like this layout a lot better though, all on one board...
If it's like I think it is, I'm going to try my option#2 above... That way, I just plug it into a servo header on any Propeller board and make it work (needs just one pin).
Just bought a 3-pack off of Ebay to give this a try... That way, if I ruin 2, I can still do what you guys are doing...
BTW: If this is a revised version, it looks like they added more non-SMD parts, a little strange...
I know this is an old thread, but I still use several X10 modules and was trying to figure out a way to control them using my Android phone or tablet.
First, I removed the D-sub connectors from the Firecracker PCB using a Dremel cutoff wheel and desoldered the left over pin pieces.
Then I wired up a board with a TC4427 IC (per Jon's schematic) and connected it to the Firecracker PCB.
Then I connected a Sparkfun WiFly RN-XV module to a propeller board and added my new board.
Now I can use various TCP-IP utilities (like TCP Client on PlayStore) to connect to the WiFly module using port forwarding on my home WiFi router to send commands to a X10 TM751 transceiver to control X10 modules.
Comments
Did you try my program? The attached version has the demo mode procedure.
Maybe you are getting noise from your power supply. I used to have problems with my computer's UPS interferring with X10 signals for any units on the same circuit
https://www.dropbox.com/gallery/7557533/1/firecracker?h=56c054#gallery:1
I've tested the firecracker on the PC, slow but works. Also running your code..
I'm starting to have some real doubts about these chips.
Edit: removed the cap from the 2nd circuit. things starting to happen..
OBC
Starting to think I was also being foiled by a broken wire..
Now it gets interesting...
OBC
GREAT! Glad you got it working. I tried Jon's code and it worked as well.
I think I will get another Firecracker or two. I bought 6 TC4427A chips.
Jon
Thanks for making us aware of the TC4427 chip - I'm sure it will come in handy on other projects!
thanks
MikeS
Yep.
Link-> http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?lang=en&site=us&KeyWords=TC4427ACPA-ND
The fun has started...
Are you serving up those pages from a Spinneret by chance?
Too bad I can't get status data back from the firecracker...
OBC
You could switch over to a TW523 two-way interface - there is an OBEX object - http://obex.parallax.com/objects/465/
I've got a TW523 but I've only used it with a Basic Stamp (one-way) and Arduino (two-way)
I've taken the x10 one step further by creating a modification of Harrison's webserver to control Jon's object and created an Instructable.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Control-the-real-world-from-your-project/
I've also tried to give full credit where credit is due. This is an amazing project built on the back of some fantastic forum members.
OBC
Jeff - Great job documenting the project!
Might spark more interest in the Propeller too.
Thanks for the great project!
OBC
It's 77 longs and includes the "All Lights On" and "All Units Off" commands.
I also wrote a demo program to test it out.
NOTE: It only works correctly with Internet Explorer - try to make it work with Firefox later... Works now!
You can view a sample of it here http://ronczap.home.insightbb.com/remote.htm
If you click the "1-8 / 9-16" switch under the buttons, the button clicks reflect the selected range.
Clicking the House code causes it to increment to the next letter e.g. "C" to "D".
If you hold down the "ALT" button when you click it, it decrements to the previous letter e.g. "D" to "C"
(The "led" lights for a short time when a button is clicked.)
OBC
It isn't communicating with any device right now. It is just HTML and javascript and GIF files.
The "buttons" are MAP and AREA elements that respond to mouse clicks, etc.
It would be fairly simple to load this into a web server like the PINK and add some code to set variables which a BS2 could act on.
Also, I added the Unit numbers to the left of the buttons.
LINK - HR12A remote
Ron, thanks for posting those photos. I think the FCC circuit is correct, at least it looks like it might be...
If so, I think it might be possible to connect to the Propeller without the level shifting IC.
It looks like there are two ways to go:
1. Disconnect it's 5 V supply circuit and supply 5V directly to the PIC. The 100k resistors in the signal lines probably need to be dropped to something lower, maybe 10k. Only question is if the PIC will accept 3.3V as a logic 1. I think it would, but not sure. May need transistors to level shift...
2. Remove the Pic and drive the RF circuit directly. It's just a resistor to the base of a transistor... I found a page on the web "NedLog" where he reverse engineered the protocol and gives sample code to do it...
When I opened up the Firecracker, it was obvious that the FCC schematic did not match.
I created this thread where I use a BS2, PINK, and web pages to drive the Firecracker
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?137258-X-10-Automation-via-the-WEB&p=1065912#post1065912
I guess I don't see right away why it's not the same...
- Ron
Maybe it is the same circuit, just in a different PCB format.
I like this layout a lot better though, all on one board...
If it's like I think it is, I'm going to try my option#2 above... That way, I just plug it into a servo header on any Propeller board and make it work (needs just one pin).
Just bought a 3-pack off of Ebay to give this a try... That way, if I ruin 2, I can still do what you guys are doing...
BTW: If this is a revised version, it looks like they added more non-SMD parts, a little strange...
First, I removed the D-sub connectors from the Firecracker PCB using a Dremel cutoff wheel and desoldered the left over pin pieces.
Then I wired up a board with a TC4427 IC (per Jon's schematic) and connected it to the Firecracker PCB.
Then I connected a Sparkfun WiFly RN-XV module to a propeller board and added my new board.
Now I can use various TCP-IP utilities (like TCP Client on PlayStore) to connect to the WiFly module using port forwarding on my home WiFi router to send commands to a X10 TM751 transceiver to control X10 modules.