HUD Project Update

Genesis · 2nd February 2006, 23:32

Use a PIC and sync communications - four wires; data/clock/+5V/ground.

Scuba_Vixen · 3rd February 2006, 06:14

The more stuff you try to make the HUD do, the quicker you get to where it gets overly complex, and looses it's primary function as an basic monitor and alert .

As soon as you start sending control signals, then a cable snag /breach is going to cause some $$$ damage.

Mine has 5 wires: +5v, (dedicated regulator) and active low enables (ULN2803 driver chip) for 5 leds (2 are paired, so 1 wire for the pair)

Worst case scenario, and the cable snags and gets ripped out, I replace a cable, and likely the HUD display. Very cheap compared to replacing the controller.

Darlene

Genesis · 3rd February 2006, 14:10

Yeah, I certainly understand that...... just was commenting on how you could drive tiny 7-segment displays without going nuts with the wires...

Scuba_Vixen · 3rd February 2006, 15:33

Quote: (Originally Posted by Genesis)

Yeah, I certainly understand that...... just was commenting on how you could drive tiny 7-segment displays without going nuts with the wires...

Ahhhhhh, OK .....

The old "can be done ...... practicality not withstanding" thought there.

The controller board is comming along well. If only I had photo sensitive boardstock available here..... Have to do it all the old fashioned way, .... by hand.

Darlene

Genesis · 3rd February 2006, 21:48

LOL!

BTW, check out ExpressPCB. Decent software (free) and you draw your PCB on your computer, submit electronically, and for $~50 you get three boards back in a few days.

You can't beat that with a stick.

No soldermask or silkscreen layers at that price - but that's ok.

I don't mind laying the traces and etching "the hard way" but drilling the holes is a royal PITA.

jknights · 5th February 2006, 13:14

Quote: (Originally Posted by Genesis)

LOL!

BTW, check out ExpressPCB. Decent software (free) and you draw your PCB on your computer, submit electronically, and for $~50 you get three boards back in a few days.

You can't beat that with a stick.

No soldermask or silkscreen layers at that price - but that's ok.

I don't mind laying the traces and etching "the hard way" but drilling the holes is a royal PITA.

Great piece of software to be free.
Wish I had this before. ;-)

Darlene,
Some of these bits are available if you want to buy.
The guy there is really helpful and quick to mail out.
http://www.tecme.de/frame_eq2.htm

steevke · 5th February 2006, 13:16

If you buy your pcboards through pcbpool you can use a free copy of target 3001, which is an excellent pcb-board design package.

You can also use the excellent and free 'kicad' package.

Steven

Scuba_Vixen · 6th February 2006, 02:59

IT'S ALIVE !!!

Having spent my days off making the board for my controller, I put it all together, and for not having done this kind of work in a while, everything went like I still knew what I was doing. Everything works perfectly, it calibrated right in and the HUD indication is dead on to the readouts. I calibrated the digital display to 1.000 with the cells in 100% O2. Now I can use the cell simulators to check everything at PO2s above 1.0

The display board will stack above the left side of the controller board, with it's battery underneath in the left cutout in the controller board. The 2 connector's recepticles will come thru the housing just below the display board, and beside the battery.

The controller and HUD battery sits on edge, in the smaller cutout on the right of the controller board. The little voltage regulator board will stack above the right side of the controller board, just below the microcontroller. There's still some space left on the controller board, so I may relocate it onto there.

The single led on the controller, is a white led that comes on at exactly 1.0 PO2, and is for calibration. The HUD also has a special display for 1.0 PO2, all 3 leds are on.

Anyway, it all works really cool, I'm one happy camper.

Next phase is packaging it all up into a housing. ... A 4" X 6" housing with 10mm thick walls will leave just enough room to slip it all in.

Here's a pic with everything working together and calibrated. The little mini plug sticking up from the BS2 is for connecting it to the PC.

Darlene

Genesis · 6th February 2006, 03:42

Cool! Looks good Darlene!

jknights · 7th February 2006, 20:18

Darlene,
Looks cool and it all works.

Now want to see the final packaged result.

Do you take orders ;-)

2nd February 2006, 23:32	#11 (permalink)
Genesis Bubbless Box of Death Current Rebreather/s: Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Home Build Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sunny Florida Posts: 1,453	Re: HUD Project Update Use a PIC and sync communications - four wires; data/clock/+5V/ground. __________________ "A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American." http://www.denninger.net http://www.diversunion.org/liability.htm - Fix the Diving Cert racket
(Offline)

3rd February 2006, 06:14	#12 (permalink)
Scuba_Vixen e/mCCR Dolphin Pilot Current Rebreather/s: Other CCR Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Home Build Join Date: May 2005 Location: St. Croix USVI Posts: 557	Re: HUD Project Update The more stuff you try to make the HUD do, the quicker you get to where it gets overly complex, and looses it's primary function as an basic monitor and alert . As soon as you start sending control signals, then a cable snag /breach is going to cause some $$$ damage. Mine has 5 wires: +5v, (dedicated regulator) and active low enables (ULN2803 driver chip) for 5 leds (2 are paired, so 1 wire for the pair) Worst case scenario, and the cable snags and gets ripped out, I replace a cable, and likely the HUD display. Very cheap compared to replacing the controller. Darlene
(Offline)

3rd February 2006, 14:10	#13 (permalink)
Genesis Bubbless Box of Death Current Rebreather/s: Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Home Build Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sunny Florida Posts: 1,453	Re: HUD Project Update Yeah, I certainly understand that...... just was commenting on how you could drive tiny 7-segment displays without going nuts with the wires... __________________ "A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American." http://www.denninger.net http://www.diversunion.org/liability.htm - Fix the Diving Cert racket
(Offline)

3rd February 2006, 15:33	#14 (permalink)
Scuba_Vixen e/mCCR Dolphin Pilot Current Rebreather/s: Other CCR Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Home Build Join Date: May 2005 Location: St. Croix USVI Posts: 557	Re: HUD Project Update Quote: (Originally Posted by Genesis) Yeah, I certainly understand that...... just was commenting on how you could drive tiny 7-segment displays without going nuts with the wires... Ahhhhhh, OK ..... The old "can be done ...... practicality not withstanding" thought there. The controller board is comming along well. If only I had photo sensitive boardstock available here..... Have to do it all the old fashioned way, .... by hand. Darlene
(Offline)

3rd February 2006, 21:48	#15 (permalink)
Genesis Bubbless Box of Death Current Rebreather/s: Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Home Build Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sunny Florida Posts: 1,453	Re: HUD Project Update LOL! BTW, check out ExpressPCB. Decent software (free) and you draw your PCB on your computer, submit electronically, and for $~50 you get three boards back in a few days. You can't beat that with a stick. No soldermask or silkscreen layers at that price - but that's ok. I don't mind laying the traces and etching "the hard way" but drilling the holes is a royal PITA. __________________ "A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American." http://www.denninger.net http://www.diversunion.org/liability.htm - Fix the Diving Cert racket
(Offline)

5th February 2006, 13:14	#16 (permalink)
jknights New Member Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oliva, Valencia, Spain. Posts: 121	Re: HUD Project Update Quote: (Originally Posted by Genesis) LOL! BTW, check out ExpressPCB. Decent software (free) and you draw your PCB on your computer, submit electronically, and for $~50 you get three boards back in a few days. You can't beat that with a stick. No soldermask or silkscreen layers at that price - but that's ok. I don't mind laying the traces and etching "the hard way" but drilling the holes is a royal PITA. Great piece of software to be free. Wish I had this before. ;-) Darlene, Some of these bits are available if you want to buy. The guy there is really helpful and quick to mail out. http://www.tecme.de/frame_eq2.htm
(Offline)

5th February 2006, 13:16	#17 (permalink)
steevke Custom Title Allowed! Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Other Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Belgium Posts: 317	Re: HUD Project Update If you buy your pcboards through pcbpool you can use a free copy of target 3001, which is an excellent pcb-board design package. You can also use the excellent and free 'kicad' package. Steven
(Online)

6th February 2006, 02:59	#18 (permalink)
Scuba_Vixen e/mCCR Dolphin Pilot Current Rebreather/s: Other CCR Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Home Build Join Date: May 2005 Location: St. Croix USVI Posts: 557	Re: HUD Project Update IT'S ALIVE !!! Having spent my days off making the board for my controller, I put it all together, and for not having done this kind of work in a while, everything went like I still knew what I was doing. Everything works perfectly, it calibrated right in and the HUD indication is dead on to the readouts. I calibrated the digital display to 1.000 with the cells in 100% O2. Now I can use the cell simulators to check everything at PO2s above 1.0 The display board will stack above the left side of the controller board, with it's battery underneath in the left cutout in the controller board. The 2 connector's recepticles will come thru the housing just below the display board, and beside the battery. The controller and HUD battery sits on edge, in the smaller cutout on the right of the controller board. The little voltage regulator board will stack above the right side of the controller board, just below the microcontroller. There's still some space left on the controller board, so I may relocate it onto there. The single led on the controller, is a white led that comes on at exactly 1.0 PO2, and is for calibration. The HUD also has a special display for 1.0 PO2, all 3 leds are on. Anyway, it all works really cool, I'm one happy camper. Next phase is packaging it all up into a housing. ... A 4" X 6" housing with 10mm thick walls will leave just enough room to slip it all in. Here's a pic with everything working together and calibrated. The little mini plug sticking up from the BS2 is for connecting it to the PC. Darlene
(Offline)

6th February 2006, 03:42	#19 (permalink)
Genesis Bubbless Box of Death Current Rebreather/s: Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Home Build Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sunny Florida Posts: 1,453	Re: HUD Project Update Cool! Looks good Darlene! __________________ "A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American." http://www.denninger.net http://www.diversunion.org/liability.htm - Fix the Diving Cert racket
(Offline)

7th February 2006, 20:18	#20 (permalink)
jknights New Member Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oliva, Valencia, Spain. Posts: 121	Re: HUD Project Update Darlene, Looks cool and it all works. Now want to see the final packaged result. Do you take orders ;-)
(Offline)

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