[DeTomaso] Optical turn signal control

Sat Jan 26 16:11:13 EST 2013

How can you ever get the Windows 95 splash screen out of your mind. I
RE-INSTALLED Win95 100x and ever time It says "Getting ready to run
windows for the first time!" FU, this is the 86th time I have re-installed
it!

http://www.guidebookgallery.org/pics/gui/startupshutdown/splash/win95-2-1.png

> That's awesome!
>
> I remember Windows 3.1... and 3.11... and how 95 would be so great....
>
> Charles McCall
> Raising Pantera Awareness Across Europe
> 1985 DeTomaso Pantera #9375
> http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=2323
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: detomaso-bounces at poca.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at poca.com] On
> Behalf
> Of gow2 at rc-tech.net
> Sent: sábado, 26 de enero de 2013 21:41
> To: David Fisher
> Cc: POCA list
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Optical turn signal control
>
> Had a guy her servicing our Laser a couple weeks ago. I talked about doing
> things in Windows 3.1. He gave me a blank stare. I said, "you know before
> Windows95?"......."What's Windows95?".....
>
>
>
>
>> It looks like you are having a lot of fun.   I'll date myself, but I
>> recall
>> making a x y milling controller off a Z80 eval board.   Pretty
>> satisfying
>> to get all the things to work together.
>>
>> Keep all the creativity coming... love to see it.
>>
>> David
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Jan 26, 2013 at 8:13 AM, <gow2 at rc-tech.net> wrote:
>>
>>> > Cool stuff... do tell more...
>>> >
>>> > David
>>> >
>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The control for the turn signal encoder is called the Arduino. The
>>> Arduino
>>> is what I call "a micro controller for dummies". These type of
>>> platforms
>>> are becoming very popular. Arduino is one of the most popular platforms
>>> with an enormous wealth of information.
>>>
>>> I call it a micro controller for dummies because yu don't have to
>>> understand much about the micro controller. Configuring and programing
>>> is
>>> basic. If you have done ANY basic level introductory program you can
>>> follow the examples which are plentiful through Google and books. It is
>>> just about getting the syntax right.
>>>
>>> The Arduino has a compiler (free download). The Arduino plugs into a
>>> USB
>>> on the computer. If you want to control say a servo, in a Micro
>>> Controller
>>> you may have to create a signal at a specific pulse width to operate
>>> the
>>> servo. In the Arduino, you make a note in the beginning to add a servo,
>>> name an item a servo then tell the item to move to a position. It's
>>> that
>>> simple. The rest is how you nest your program to do what you want.
>>>
>>> There is an explosion of these sort of boards right now. I would say
>>> the
>>> Arduino is one of the most popular for this sort of application. Radio
>>> Shack is even carrying these now; along with the LCD I use, and intro
>>> boook, etc.
>>>
>>> Someone directed me to a new board this week which...is not really what
>>> I
>>> need here, but is unbelievable. It is basically a computer which runs
>>> linux in the same configuration with massive inputs and outputs. It is
>>> called the Raspberry and is ....$35. !!!!!
>>>
>>> http://www.alliedelec.com/lp/120626raso/
>>>
>>> Back to the Arduino. I start with the "Uno" which is a prototyping
>>> board:
>>>
>>> http://arduino.cc/en/Main/arduinoBoardUno
>>>
>>> It has 14 digital input/output pins and 6 analog input output pins. I
>>> work
>>> out the logistics with the prototyping board then move to a more solid
>>> solution.
>>>
>>> I have circuit boards made for the NANO which is pretty much the same
>>> thing except it is designed to be soldered on a board:
>>>
>>>
>>> http://arduino.cc/en/Main/arduinoBoardNano
>>>
>>> The circuit boards I have made are designed to hook up the things I
>>> need
>>> such as a voltage converter to take the voltage from 12v to 5,  sockets
>>> for thermocouple chips, encoder counters, pull up/down resisters, mods
>>> etc. It is a flexible circuit in which I am on my 3rd rendition.
>>>
>>> The encoder itself is not hard but the timing can be tricky. The
>>> encoder
>>> has 2 LED emitters/detectors. They are staggered 1/2 wave. The logic is
>>> to
>>> read the separate waves. If both are high and one goes low, you know
>>> which
>>> direction it is moving. Each move provides a count.
>>>
>>> The tricky spot is timing. If you are doing things in the program when
>>> the
>>> count comes across, you will miss it. A separate chip is used to take
>>> care
>>> of the logic. It is a very simple chip which works well for this
>>> application. It tags the Arduino on 2 pins. One pin is an interrupt. It
>>> gives direction and count +/- 1. The interrupt is the key because at
>>> every
>>> count it interrupts the program and updates the count so nothing is
>>> missed. Works very well for this application.
>>>
>>> The arduino will also manage 8 servos on the heaterbox in a constant
>>> loop.
>>> If an input condition has changed it will turn on the servo, move it,
>>> and
>>> turn it off.
>>>
>>> There is a whole group of conditions going on in the turn signal
>>> process.
>>> It will control each of the 4 turn signals and flashers via a power
>>> mosfet. It has a few things to consider; position of the wheel, are the
>>> flashers and turn signals on at the same time, are the lights on (the
>>> front marker is both marker and turn signal), manual cancel, etc.
>>>
>>> I can do creative things like make the front marker both a turn signal
>>> and
>>> a marker. If flashers and turn signals are on, I will flash 2x, turn
>>> signal 2x, flash 2x, etc. If I leave the turn signal on for 5 min, turn
>>> them off. Things like that.
>>>
>>> he left is the prototype. The right is the actual column. You are
>>> seeing
>>> the bottom of the column:
>>>
>>> http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/panttransam/turn/turn3.jpg
>>>
>>> I have been working through the learning curve on the prototype. This
>>> involves making a lot of mistakes, figuring out what I have done and
>>> getting it right. A soldered board is so much better when done right
>>> the
>>> first time. As I get parts nailed down, I hope to begin putting it
>>> together in the car Sunday with some finish wiring. So much still to
>>> do.
>>>
>>> The mile stone for me was getting the encoder to read reliably without
>>> error which I have done. That above all was the hardest part. The rest
>>> is
>>> just logistics.
>>>
>>>
>>> Gary
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> > On Fri, Jan 11, 2013 at 2:51 PM, <gow2 at rc-tech.net> wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> Here are some parts being used to build the encoder based turn
>>> signal:
>>> >>
>>> >> http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/panttransam/turn/turn.jpg
>>> >>
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>>>
>>
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