Creating Firing boards - LED output

[tyrion2323]

Dear AO,

I'm wondering if anyone with any electrical and/or software engineering experience could help me with the following question:

How difficult would it be to create an electro pneumatic board to be able to do the following functions:

Semi Auto uncapped
Ramping 15bps
Adj. Dwell
Adj. Eye Delay

If it's easier, modes could be trigger via DIP switches instead of trigger pulls. (i.e. DIP#1 toggles between ramping and semi, DIP#2 turns eyes on/off, DIP#3 adjusts dwell, DIP#5 adjusts eye delay)

I want it so that it all functions off a multi-colored LED:
Red = Semi Mode Eyes on
Green = Semi Mode Eyes off
Blue = Ramping Mode Eyes on
Yellow = Ramping Mode Eyes off


I could provide the wiring harness that it would have to connect to. I'm inquiring to see how much a prototype would cost. If it works, there *could* be a bulk order in the future.

Who here could help me?

[tyrion2323]

Ooh - on a second thought - how easy would it be to reprogram an already existing board? I could probably manage to get a board over to you...

Though a new board is more desirable =)

Jacob

[Joni]

I'm pretty sure it will be cheaper to buy a predator board instead. It can do all those things except the multicolored led

[tyrion2323]

Nah - predator boards are $160. I know for a fact that this can be done much cheaper than that. They make more complicated chips for DM4s for $20 on PBN.

[MarkM]

Take a chip blank devoid any info and program it...you need a PIC programmer together with the correct unit to program a range of chips, cheap programmers only program one chip and once the code increases (it will, you need a better programmer and a different chip ) a full hex code string, so that when you do one thing the code checks to not do something else or do something if something else is happening...lots of duplicate lines of code. This is where the cost is, parts wise I agree it is not a lot but all added up together with the time taken for the interlectual property (the code) that is where you raise the cost. $20 DM chips are just the chips that someone (if this price is correct) is fitting to a board that has a value, Quad LED's ? Tri colour maybe but Quad? even if I gave you all the parts together with an etched board (more cost) for a Predator and said make it, whilst you could what is your time worth?

Speedy chips are a chip with a retail value, of what several hundred dollars? But a blank cost of a couple of dollars...this IS a rip off but many people bought them, they could have been at least a 1/3 less and then would have appeared closer to a cost that could be called value for money. Most all of the cost of replacement boards is in the R&D and once volume sales occur then the real profit kicks in..and since when was profit a dirty word?

Way too many people complain about the cost of electronics in all walks of life, the first are always lots of money and then they drop in price...how much is a DVD player now? DVD burners are now at prices less than DVD players were when they were first introduced. But the new format of DVD players will be higher than current DVD burners...still think boards are a rip off? Of course they are still just a few wires and lots of cheap parts

I commend you on thinking about a project like this but be aware of the costs to you not the I can get $20 chips, so this board (insert any you want to) is too much money.

[Jotsy]

just wondering.. where do u get all this equipment? the PIC programmer and stuff i mean... and where can you find blank chips to program??

[tyrion2323]

Take a chip blank devoid any info and program it...you need a PIC programmer together with the correct unit to program a range of chips, cheap programmers only program one chip and once the code increases (it will, you need a better programmer and a different chip ) a full hex code string, so that when you do one thing the code checks to not do something else or do something if something else is happening...lots of duplicate lines of code. This is where the cost is, parts wise I agree it is not a lot but all added up together with the time taken for the interlectual property (the code) that is where you raise the cost. $20 DM chips are just the chips that someone (if this price is correct) is fitting to a board that has a value, Quad LED's ? Tri colour maybe but Quad? even if I gave you all the parts together with an etched board (more cost) for a Predator and said make it, whilst you could what is your time worth?

Speedy chips are a chip with a retail value, of what several hundred dollars? But a blank cost of a couple of dollars...this IS a rip off but many people bought them, they could have been at least a 1/3 less and then would have appeared closer to a cost that could be called value for money. Most all of the cost of replacement boards is in the R&D and once volume sales occur then the real profit kicks in..and since when was profit a dirty word?

Way too many people complain about the cost of electronics in all walks of life, the first are always lots of money and then they drop in price...how much is a DVD player now? DVD burners are now at prices less than DVD players were when they were first introduced. But the new format of DVD players will be higher than current DVD burners...still think boards are a rip off? Of course they are still just a few wires and lots of cheap parts

I commend you on thinking about a project like this but be aware of the costs to you not the I can get $20 chips, so this board (insert any you want to) is too much money.

Mark, you obviously know WAY more than I ever will about code writing and chip-making. I'm still gonna try, though! I HAVE considered a Predator board many times, but since I can't afford having one installed for me, it would mean learning how to make sure that the predator board could output to my wiring harness. That's the main reason I haven't bought a Predator board.

[MarkM]

just wondering.. where do u get all this equipment? the PIC programmer and stuff i mean... and where can you find blank chips to program??

Not Maplin that's for sure
Many places sell them mouser.com, digikey.com and a few places in our country too, the same with the chips. You do have to know which type of chip you are looking for and then go search plus a pc with the correct ports etc to actually get the programmer to work...it isn't a standalone unit, nor do they look particually pretty though Maplin is good for a case to house it in. RS components or Farnell are your best bet but you need trade accounts to buy from either, resellers exist but you will pay more because they are a reseller. Minimum quantitys are a killer too plus some of the associated tools to make the wiring harnesses are extremely expensive.

[MarkM]

Mark, you obviously know WAY more than I ever will about code writing and chip-making. I'm still gonna try, though! I HAVE considered a Predator board many times, but since I can't afford having one installed for me, it would mean learning how to make sure that the predator board could output to my wiring harness. That's the main reason I haven't bought a Predator board.

It will connect to what you have already....for any reading this I have had a PM from Tyrion2323 so I know which marker he wants to do this for, but the info is more for any others reading this thread. A Predator will work on any SINGLE solenoid electro marker.