KermMartian wrote:
alberthrocks wrote:
Hmm... any other ideas for wireless implementation? Smile
Maybe there are smaller chips for RF?
Or maybe we can use something else?
There are some smaller chips for RF, and I'm also trying to consider some modulation schemes to cram the two signals into one channel


Hehe, I think that was one of my ideas in the first place. Razz
Nevertheless, combining (or modulating, as you call it) the 2 lines into one will be interesting, and definitely will reduce hardware amount. Smile

Also, another idea: we have Calcnet2, right? Besides that, there's also multiple signals to take into account (i.e. me distributing plenty of these in the school). I propose a Bluetooth like "passcode" connect, where 2+ wireless boxes can link to each other with a pass code to prevent signal conflicting, plus allow group/individual (indv. = paired) communication. Entry of the code will be via buttons, and a LED matrix display for digits, with LEDs to indicate status. If you wanted to do overkill, you could make it looks like the new iPod nano, and use a touchscreen. Razz

And just a random thought - most (if not all) RF modules are within the FCC limits, right? (Recent announcements of FCC "whitespace" bandwidth openings led me to ask.) Would it go past any boundaries? Interfere with other electronics? (Including communication/usability, of course!)
Reduce the hardware? No sir! If you want TI-OS linking and CALCnet and all the other current methods to work, it's gonna require tons more hardware to do the modulation, but will save RF confusion. All available RF modules will already be properly licensed, as long as you use them within the antenna and power specifications of their manuals. Regarding all the passcode-type stuff, what's going to be handling all that? The hardware or the calculator? Again, if that's the calculator doing that, then there's not going to be a lot of normal linking activity that can happen.

BTW, did the OT calcs project die?
KermMartian wrote:
Reduce the hardware? No sir! If you want TI-OS linking and CALCnet and all the other current methods to work, it's gonna require tons more hardware to do the modulation, but will save RF confusion. All available RF modules will already be properly licensed, as long as you use them within the antenna and power specifications of their manuals. Regarding all the passcode-type stuff, what's going to be handling all that? The hardware or the calculator? Again, if that's the calculator doing that, then there's not going to be a lot of normal linking activity that can happen.

BTW, did the OT calcs project die?


Ahh, my bad. I don't understand electronics well, do I? Razz
Anyway, I like the modulation method. I definitely don't want to have 4 RF modules per box, and manage all of them. Smile

And I might up the voltage/amps, since the page on SparkFun says that I can do that to increase range/signal. I'd love the range to go higher, if needed. Wink (Through walls, maybe going through the entire school building! But that might make one FCC mad...)

Passcode handling and such is ALWAYS hardware, not calc. Everything with the wireless box is always hardware. The linking is supposed to be nice and oblivious to the wireless portion. Transparency is the key to this project. I'd assume some small plastic buttons would be used, as well as an LED matrix display (or LCD with backlight). And for that handling, what processor would we use? AVR? PIC? We need it to be fast enough to handle the communication... AND audio. (Hey, you might as well toss audio in too if you're using the 2.5mm port, right?) Wink

As for OTZ80, it's on a hiatus, but not dead. I'm the only one pulling the OTCalc train along, and I've became busy with school and such, so I haven't had time to pull the train, and hence pretty much everybody got off of it. Now, you might say that I'm doing 2 projects here! (Hub and this wireless idea) That's because it's a tiny project that I'm pretty sure I can do over the breaks in the year. OTZ80 is 1000 steps above that, which range to stability, reliability, and more, plus it's a lot more expensive, and will be sold in the future.

In the end, what I'm trying to say is that it's not dead. It's certainly not active either, but I don't consider a project dead unless everyone gives up on it, which hasn't happened. Wink
Aight, I'm glad to hear that you're being realistic about what hardware needs to be external because it can't really be handled in software. I'm also happy to hear that the OTCalc project is not dead. I'm a bit concerned that your external box for this is just turning into a mini-OTCalc of its own, though. Very Happy
KermMartian wrote:
Aight, I'm glad to hear that you're being realistic about what hardware needs to be external because it can't really be handled in software. I'm also happy to hear that the OTCalc project is not dead. I'm a bit concerned that your external box for this is just turning into a mini-OTCalc of its own, though. Very Happy


External box? As in this project? Probably not, since it's nothing too hard to implement. Wink

And you still haven't answered the million dollar question: what CPU and/or modulation HW will be used for this?
albert wrote:
(or LCD with backlight)
Orly? Isn't that one of your pet cornerstones of the OTCalc project? Wink At any rate, I have no clue what modulation chip, although I recall a few candidates from my vague longterm memories of previous research that I'll try to find once again.
KermMartian wrote:
albert wrote:
(or LCD with backlight)
Orly? Isn't that one of your pet cornerstones of the OTCalc project? Wink At any rate, I have no clue what modulation chip, although I recall a few candidates from my vague longterm memories of previous research that I'll try to find once again.


Ahh, indeed. Smile I like the pretty colors of the LCD backlight... Razz
I think that the display should be visible enough to read, even in the dark.
(Hence LED matrix/LCD w/backlight display suggestions)

As for the modulation chip... find it! Smile (I'll wait - I'll ask again on Saturday/Sunday ish.)
I think if you're trying to read the LCD ... on your networking module ... for your calculator, and in the dark, that you have problems that a backlight can't fix. And the modulation chip was the one suggested for that "RadioLinc" project in some of the comments on ticalc.org; I'll look for it when I finish my homework this weekend unless you beat me to it.
alberthrocks wrote:
I'm quite interested again in this idea/project (sparked from HackADay's comments), so I've decided to start this up in the break again to see if we can gain some traction on it! Smile

Basically, it'll have a LCD screen to control everything.
Nearly every aspect of it will be HW, so it's pretty transparent. However, software will affect the HW when necessary (advanced networking).

The "advanced networking" is an actual network, and "subnetworks".

Since I'm in a rush, I'll just post a diagram of a proposed idea:


Source: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1016340/PublicPictures/CalculatorWirelessNetwork.xcf
Ahh that's where it went! Smile Quote but no comment?
WOW! this would really be soo coool!
But won't the box to connect to the network be even bigger than the calc itself? Wink Sad

perhaps you could use something like ZigBee? That's kinda open-source stuff. They also use it in Arduino, and it's got a very low battery consumption.
I didn't respond because I didn't quite have a chance to marshall my thoughts on this in the midst of my projects (for progress on CALCnet to internet, aka gCn, check out the Arduino CALCnet Sniffing thread). I think that using calculators as relays is an interesting idea for a peered wireless network, but there are significant obstacles.

Also, Lord Coniupiter, welcome to Cemetech! Be sure to Introduce Yourself.
  
Register to Join the Conversation
Have your own thoughts to add to this or any other topic? Want to ask a question, offer a suggestion, share your own programs and projects, upload a file to the file archives, get help with calculator and computer programming, or simply chat with like-minded coders and tech and calculator enthusiasts via the site-wide AJAX SAX widget? Registration for a free Cemetech account only takes a minute.

» Go to Registration page
Page 2 of 2
» All times are UTC - 5 Hours
 
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

 

Advertisement