One of the other posts regarding Scalextric Control and Display got me thinking again about putting my QL to some use that I could program some control. I don't want to reinvent the wheel regarding hardware specifically, unless someone knows of anything more suitable but here is my current thinking.
Is this a suitable route to explore?
Is there suitable Terminal software that will be able to provide the appropriate protocols etc.?
Would a parallel to i/o be better? This would also require sending bytes to the parallel port such as this one http://www.electronickits.com/kit/compl ... ck1601.htm
Should I just opt for a cheap PLC?
Is there a home-brew i/o that has been successfully used in the past?
What other information should I be looking for?
Thanks
Lee
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- QLick here for the Back 2 the QL Blog http://backtotheql.blogspot.co.uk/
Mr_Navigator wrote:
Is there suitable Terminal software that will be able to provide the appropriate protocols etc.?
According to the pdf from the vendor site, it looks like it's a plain ASCII protocol at 9600 8N1. So any terminal program (like QTPI, for example) or just a straightforward S*BASIC program would do.
I would not say so - It could theoretically be faster, but as soon as you'd be trying to get input from such an appliance, you'd be at loss (At least from S*BASIC)
Many Thanks Tofro, will update here when I get started
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- QLick here for the Back 2 the QL Blog http://backtotheql.blogspot.co.uk/
For what you want to do I would investigate hooking an Arduino to the QL serial port. They are really easy to program, have a fair amount of I/O for their cost and also some A/D as well.
You would basically need an arduino + rs232 shield (or just jerry rig a max232 to it yourself).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- QLick here for the Back 2 the QL Blog http://backtotheql.blogspot.co.uk/
Talking about Arduino - I have good experience with Duinomite - cheap and programmable in Basic, which fits better to the QL.
I personally have the Duinomite Mini for EUR 20.
It has PS/2 keyboard, VGA output, microSD card and several serial connections (both hardware and software serials). https://www.olimex.com/Products/Duino/Duinomite/
Bigger versions of Duinomite are able to accept Arduino shields as well, but the smaller Duinomites have serials built-in without the need of shields.
What is interesting is the special button it has that will destroy the micro-controller.
WARNING
Do not use the "programmer-to-go" button when there is no image on the OLIMEX PIC-KIT3 or MICROCHIP PIC-KIT3 because that might put your microcontroller in an irrecoverable state. We have tested the mentioned scenario and we can confirm that it destroys PIC32 chips (using both our and the original Microchip PICKIT3). We don't take responsibility if you break your chip that way. For more info check the following: http://www.microchip.com/forums/m635420.aspx.
Speaking of which was there any PLC emulation software written for the QL, specifically ladder logic?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- QLick here for the Back 2 the QL Blog http://backtotheql.blogspot.co.uk/
Using the Arduino (haven't looked at the Duinomite myself - yet), is in fact the second phase of the Scalextric project I'm still working on
At the moment, I'm just using some HERMES ports as inputs (rigged-up to some reed-switches set in to the tracking - fed through a simple 555 circuit to maintain the pulse long enough to be read by the QL), but when I start phase two, I'll be using the PWM outputs of the Arduino to actually drive the cars with the help of a motor shield - and that connection is going to be via serial connection to the QL just as you were exploring.
