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XBee 900HP

CreeCree Posts: 132
edited 2013-08-20 14:04 in Accessories
I was wondering, can the xbee be used alone without a micro-controller if I am using an RTD or digital temperature sensor to send data to another xbee.
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Comments

  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2013-07-12 10:28
    If the device you have connected sends and/or receieves data serially then you can connect it without a microcontroller. If it is an I2C, SPI, 1-Wire, etc. interface then you would need a microcontroller to convert the data to asynchronous serial.
  • CreeCree Posts: 132
    edited 2013-07-12 12:26
    I am trying to do the terminal test, but it is not working. I see the blue lights flash and I have done the test/query response.

    any idea why it may not work?
  • FranklinFranklin Posts: 4,747
    edited 2013-07-12 13:01
    How are you connecting to the module and have you tried to communicate using X-CTU?
  • CreeCree Posts: 132
    edited 2013-07-12 13:03
    im using the usb board from parallax and I am using the x-ctu program to do the testing. I have the getting started with xbee modules book and I'm trying to do the tests. I have the done the previous test/query response, and now i was trying to do the terminal test, but it is not working the way it should be.

    When u type in "hello world", it supposed to come out "hheelllloo wwoorrlldd" blue and red., but it does not.
  • CreeCree Posts: 132
    edited 2013-07-12 13:35
    I think this might explain my issue

    http://www.digi.com/support/kbase/kbaseresultdetl?id=3325

    also from this thread,.
    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/147882-Xbee-Pro-S3B-Parallax-32400-and-X-CTU-no-communication
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2013-07-12 16:25
    Actually I don't believe either one of those links is related to your issue. The first link refers to a different module than you have (one we don't sell). In the second link I had confirmed the modules work as expected. For the loopback test do you have a remote module powered at 3.3V with the DIN/DOUT lines tied together? Are the two modules associated?
  • CreeCree Posts: 132
    edited 2013-07-15 06:42
    Chris Savage wrote: »
    Actually I don't believe either one of those links is related to your issue. The first link refers to a different module than you have (one we don't sell). In the second link I had confirmed the modules work as expected. For the loopback test do you have a remote module powered at 3.3V with the DIN/DOUT lines tied together? Are the two modules associated?

    I have the xbee usb adabter powering the xbee,
    ok, i double checked and I put the wire on the wrong side.

    even though I tried again with the right pins connected, it did not work.

    Am I supposed to use both xbees for this test? if thats what u meant by two modules I did end up trying with two with no success. the blue lights turn on but, no red leters in the X-ctu screen.

    They seem to be communicating, but the remote xbee is not sending back the data.
  • CreeCree Posts: 132
    edited 2013-07-15 10:35
    Never mind I figured it out. I had to click on the

    "Enable to display received signal strength indicator" in the range test tab. :(
  • CreeCree Posts: 132
    edited 2013-07-18 10:55
    I solved the problem this time, I switched laptops.

    Anyways now I am having issues with an example from "getting started with xbee modules" on p33-34.

    After I type the Hello and +++, itry to enter ATCH. Im supposed to get a C, but I get an error. Is the programming in the x-ctu different from the series 1 xbee?
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2013-07-18 10:58
    Different series have different firmware and different chipsets. I would refer to the command guide for the module you're using.
  • CreeCree Posts: 132
    edited 2013-07-18 12:09
    Chris Savage wrote: »
    Different series have different firmware and different chipsets. I would refer to the command guide for the module you're using.

    Do you have any examples because I am having difficulty understanding it in the manual on the DIGI website.
  • FranklinFranklin Posts: 4,747
    edited 2013-07-18 14:22
    Cree wrote:
    Do you have any examples because I am having difficulty understanding it in the manual on the DIGI website.
    Do you have a spacific question or link to the exact part you need help with? Perhaps we can make it more clear for you.
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2013-07-18 15:16
    I would recommend more specific questions. Your question is too wide open to answer.
  • CreeCree Posts: 132
    edited 2013-07-19 06:15
    K, Ill try to be more precise, do u have any examples programming examples for the xtcu software or basic stamp for temperature sensors or to send serial data with the xbee pro 900 hp.

    Because its my first time using the xbee and I havnt really found any examples that would help me learn.

    Is it too much to ask for?
  • FranklinFranklin Posts: 4,747
    edited 2013-07-19 12:04
    do u have any examples programming examples for the xtcu software or basic stamp for temperature sensors or to send serial data with the xbee pro 900 hp.
    It does not look like there is any examples specific to the 900HP. The X-CTU software is a Digi product and looking there or asking on their forums would be best.
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2013-07-19 12:16
    Sending data serially across any XBee module is done the same way. Once they're linked it's basically a wireless serial link. So any communication example using an XBee should provide an example. It sounds like you want an example specific to your application done using the exact same hardware and that isn't necessarily likely. The different series have different features and ranges, but in the end serial communication is just that. With that, you can use the examples found here:

    http://learn.parallax.com/search/node/XBee

    or here:

    http://www.parallax.com/StoreSearchResults/tabid/768/txtSearch/XBee/List/0/SortField/4/ProductID/718/Default.aspx
  • CreeCree Posts: 132
    edited 2013-07-22 11:06
    ok, I just came back from digi chat support, you can say they were as helpful as they could since the xbee pro 900 hp is a fairly new product and aren't really any examples.

    But when I do try the xbee example (simple debug to remote terminal.) on on p 46. My xbees do communicate through the terminals, but it seems I couldn't get the serial data to the xbee to be sent to the second xbee (the Blue LED did not turn on which indicates communication)

    This is the example code on p 46
    ' Simple_Debug.bs2' Sends data to Remote terminal for monitoring
' ********************************************************
' {$STAMP BS2sx}
' {$PBASIC 2.5}
' *************** Constants & PIN Declarations ***********
#SELECT $STAMP
 #CASE BS2, BS2E, BS2PE
 T9600 CON 84
 #CASE BS2SX, BS2P
 T9600 CON 240
 #CASE BS2PX
 T9600 CON 396
#ENDSELECT
Baud CON T9600
Rx PIN 15 ' XBee DOUT - Not used in this example
Tx PIN 14 ' XBee DIN
RTS PIN 11 ' XBee RTS - Not used in this example
' ************** Variable Declarations ******************
Counter VAR Byte
' ************** Main LOOP ******************************
PAUSE 500 ' 1/2 second pause to stabilize comms
SEROUT Tx, Baud, [CLS,"Program Running...",CR]
PAUSE 2000 ' Pause before counting
FOR Counter = 1 TO 20 ' Count and display remotely
 SEROUT Tx, Baud, ["Counter = ", DEC Counter, CR]
 PAUSE 100
NEXT
SEROUT Tx, Baud, ["Loop complete.",CR]
END
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2013-07-23 10:22
    I think the question is whether or not your 900HP is connecting to the one on the other side. When I posted my comments about compatibility in another thread I also connected a 900HP to two Boards of Education and had code that transmitted serialized packets with summative checksums and tell me how many were received and lost. But in order to connect the XBee module must have the same settings. Assuming nothing was changed they should have been able to connect by default.
  • CreeCree Posts: 132
    edited 2013-07-23 10:46
    Can u plz put a link to the thread.
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2013-07-23 12:04
    I followed up in one of the threads you linked above after doing my own tests.
  • CreeCree Posts: 132
    edited 2013-07-24 08:23
    Chris Savage wrote: »
    I followed up in one of the threads you linked above after doing my own tests.

    and ur conclusion is?


    im switching to the sries 1 xbee because I am having too many problem trying to understand the 900 hp and the api commands because I do not have enough experience with xbee. At least there are a lot of examples for the series 1 so it would make it easier for a beginner like me.
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2013-07-24 09:11
    For just sending/receiving serial data there is no real difference in how you would use the S1 VS the 900HP modules. I didn't offer any example code because the code you had was not working. I was thinking it was that the two devices weren't connected and if we could just get that far you'd be set. Did you change any settings on either module in X-CTU?
  • CreeCree Posts: 132
    edited 2013-07-24 10:20
    I do have them communicating with each other and the settings for the Xbees are default
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2013-07-24 10:48
    Sorry, I thought you had an issue sending/receiving data between the two 900HP modules. Somewhere along the line I missed something.
  • CreeCree Posts: 132
    edited 2013-07-24 10:57
    Its partly my fault because I am not always clear when I type
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2013-07-24 11:04
    Okay, so then what exactly is the issue with the 900HP? Unless you're using any special functions you shouldn't need to worry about the API stuff.
  • CreeCree Posts: 132
    edited 2013-07-24 11:15
    Well if I need to use the digital IOs, wouldn't I need to use the API stuff. From that I want to send serial data from a remote module to a local module.

    K so right now I trying to use a push button to turn on an led right now, but I am unsure how I am supposed to do this.

    I know line passing can not be done with this module.

    Right now when I press the button there is communication, but no output on the other IO pin. I did set up the setting for the push button and output of the modules.
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2013-07-24 14:07
    Okay, I have an XBee application in progress and I will look into the line passing at that time. I only tested serial data transfer using our demo/test code that I test all radio transceivers with.
  • CreeCree Posts: 132
    edited 2013-07-25 06:14
    About line passing, there was a thread about that with the xbee 900 hp

    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/148381-Xbee-900HP-Digital-Input-Output-Line-Passing-digi-answer-!

    Just a reminder.
  • CreeCree Posts: 132
    edited 2013-07-25 12:27
    I think there may be an issue with my parallax usb boards because I am not able to do a loop back test anymore. the Din and Dout are always high. But I am able to power my xbees and communicate between them
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