continuous pwm and pakV

Archiver

I am trying to make a simple device using a 2sx. Push a button and a
light fades up to full and stays there. Push the same button again
and the light fades to zero. I have looked through the Parallax info
and tried a couple of things but I don't seem to be able to get the
pwm output continuous and be able to check an input at the same time.
After looking on this site(the best for tech) the PAKV seems to be
the only way to go. Am I right or just missing something?
Ian

Archiver

I think that this is exactly what the PAK was designed for. Al
Williams is also a model for "superior customer service"! He can
help you with using the PAK.

Have you thought about a two step process. Step one would be a for-
next loop that brightens the light to max. Step two would then
simply set the pin to High to have it light continuous (in other
words, don't use PWM to light a light that is at full illumination).
Just an idea.

Steve
--- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "iphillipsca <iphillips@s...>"
<iphillips@s...> wrote:
> I am trying to make a simple device using a 2sx. Push a button and
a
> light fades up to full and stays there. Push the same button again
> and the light fades to zero. I have looked through the Parallax
info
> and tried a couple of things but I don't seem to be able to get the
> pwm output continuous and be able to check an input at the same
time.
> After looking on this site(the best for tech) the PAKV seems to be
> the only way to go. Am I right or just missing something?
> Ian

Archiver

You know, after I ordered the PAKV and was on my way home from work
the same idea popped into my head(great minds...). So I tried it this
morning and it works! Next I'll nest a button command in the pwm
cycle in case of an accidental initiate.I've had the 2sx for about 7
months now and done alot of the experiments in Stampworks but nothing
beats doing a project that has an actual application. Once again,
(for those who are new) the stamp has great support, possibilities
and ease of use. I can reference this with the fact that I attended a
presentation from Microchip on the new 18f pic. Not as easy as the
stamp but a challenge none the less.
Ian
--- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "sjoblin001 <steven_joblin@h...>"
<steven_joblin@h...> wrote:
> I think that this is exactly what the PAK was designed for. Al
> Williams is also a model for "superior customer service"! He can
> help you with using the PAK.
>
> Have you thought about a two step process. Step one would be a for-
> next loop that brightens the light to max. Step two would then
> simply set the pin to High to have it light continuous (in other
> words, don't use PWM to light a light that is at full
illumination).
> Just an idea.
>
> Steve
> --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "iphillipsca <iphillips@s...>"
> <iphillips@s...> wrote:
> > I am trying to make a simple device using a 2sx. Push a button
and
> a
> > light fades up to full and stays there. Push the same button
again
> > and the light fades to zero. I have looked through the Parallax
> info
> > and tried a couple of things but I don't seem to be able to get
the
> > pwm output continuous and be able to check an input at the same
> time.
> > After looking on this site(the best for tech) the PAKV seems to
be
> > the only way to go. Am I right or just missing something?
> > Ian

Archiver

I'm so glad you asked... I am working on a project that will require
lights to gradually dim up and down, and you've given me some good
ideas on where to start!

At the Science Museum of VA we are going to recreate the "Inner
Space", or "Inside a Crystal" exhibit. There will be a room made of
triangular mirrors. At each vertex is a cluster of different colored
light bulbs inside a translucent partial sphere. The mirrors make it
look like a complete sphere. This represents the nucleus. Along the
sides of the triangles are colored light strips. These represent the
bonds. The visitor walk into the room and triggers a motion sensor.
An audio program starts playing, with spacey music and narration
explaining different crystal structures. For example when it talks
about a gold crystal, the yellow lightbulbs in the globes dim up and
so do the yellow light strips, forming the geometry of the
appropriate crystal stucture. The mirrors make it feel like you're
inside the crystal, and it looks like the crystal goes off to
infinity. It's pretty freaking cool. We had the exhibit here in
the '80s, but it was dismantled for building renovations, it used
equipment that is now obsolete, and the original structure would be
too big to fit it the space we have for it now. So we have to build
a new one.

Anyway it's important for the total effect that the lights dim up &
down gradually rather than popping on all at once. Also, I think
there are places in the program where a light has to be dimmed up to
50% and held there, while the Stamp does other things.

I am hoping to use a Basic Stamp to communicate serially with a
Pioneer DVD-V7400 DVD player (tells player to stop & start, gets
frame codes, while also controlling the light show.) It'll make my
job simpler if I can use a PakV to handle the dimming. I have never
used any of these PAK things before.

Thank you all for the great ideas!
Marie

--- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "iphillipsca <iphillips@s...>"
<iphillips@s...> wrote:
> You know, after I ordered the PAKV and was on my way home from work
> the same idea popped into my head(great minds...). So I tried it
this
> morning and it works! Next I'll nest a button command in the pwm
> cycle in case of an accidental initiate.I've had the 2sx for about
7
> months now and done alot of the experiments in Stampworks but
nothing
> beats doing a project that has an actual application. Once again,
> (for those who are new) the stamp has great support, possibilities
> and ease of use. I can reference this with the fact that I attended
a
> presentation from Microchip on the new 18f pic. Not as easy as the
> stamp but a challenge none the less.
> Ian
> --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "sjoblin001
<steven_joblin@h...>"
> <steven_joblin@h...> wrote:
> > I think that this is exactly what the PAK was designed for. Al
> > Williams is also a model for "superior customer service"! He can
> > help you with using the PAK.
> >
> > Have you thought about a two step process. Step one would be a
for-
> > next loop that brightens the light to max. Step two would then
> > simply set the pin to High to have it light continuous (in other
> > words, don't use PWM to light a light that is at full
> illumination).
> > Just an idea.
> >
> > Steve
> > --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "iphillipsca
<iphillips@s...>"
> > <iphillips@s...> wrote:
> > > I am trying to make a simple device using a 2sx. Push a button
> and
> > a
> > > light fades up to full and stays there. Push the same button
> again
> > > and the light fades to zero. I have looked through the Parallax
> > info
> > > and tried a couple of things but I don't seem to be able to get
> the
> > > pwm output continuous and be able to check an input at the same
> > time.
> > > After looking on this site(the best for tech) the PAKV seems to
> be
> > > the only way to go. Am I right or just missing something?
> > > Ian

Archiver

At 04:20 PM 12/12/02 +0000, you wrote:
>I'm so glad you asked... I am working on a project that will require
>lights to gradually dim up and down, and you've given me some good
>ideas on where to start!
>
>At the Science Museum of VA we are going to recreate the "Inner
>Space", or "Inside a Crystal" exhibit. There will be a room made of
>triangular mirrors. At each vertex is a cluster of different colored
>light bulbs inside a translucent partial sphere. The mirrors make it
>look like a complete sphere. This represents the nucleus. Along the
>sides of the triangles are colored light strips. These represent the
>bonds. The visitor walk into the room and triggers a motion sensor.
>An audio program starts playing, with spacey music and narration
>explaining different crystal structures. For example when it talks
>about a gold crystal, the yellow lightbulbs in the globes dim up and
>so do the yellow light strips, forming the geometry of the
>appropriate crystal stucture. The mirrors make it feel like you're
>inside the crystal, and it looks like the crystal goes off to
>infinity. It's pretty freaking cool. We had the exhibit here in
>the '80s, but it was dismantled for building renovations, it used
>equipment that is now obsolete, and the original structure would be
>too big to fit it the space we have for it now. So we have to build
>a new one.
>
>Anyway it's important for the total effect that the lights dim up &
>down gradually rather than popping on all at once. Also, I think
>there are places in the program where a light has to be dimmed up to
>50% and held there, while the Stamp does other things.
>
>I am hoping to use a Basic Stamp to communicate serially with a
>Pioneer DVD-V7400 DVD player (tells player to stop & start, gets
>frame codes, while also controlling the light show.) It'll make my
>job simpler if I can use a PakV to handle the dimming. I have never
>used any of these PAK things before.
>
>Thank you all for the great ideas!
>Marie
Marie -

Just as another suggestion, you may want to look into the possibility of
using X-10 equipment. The Stamp is readily equipped to output commands to
the various X-10 modules. X-10 Lamp Modules can be dimmed and depending on
the wattage requirement of your display, may provide a real simple solution.

Regards,

Bruce Bates