[merlin/orion] Interface

[claudevh]

by claudevh » Wed Dec 03, 2008 10:33 am

Hi Joni, I have forget something ...

You have a MAC PC (POWERBOOK) running MAC OS ?
This platform is in trying/testing period fo PAPYWIZARD.
"Payton" is PYTHON ... and according to Python organisation :

Python runs on Windows, Linux/Unix, Mac OS X, OS/2, Amiga, Palm Handhelds, and Nokia mobile phones. Python has also been ported to the Java and .NET virtual machines.

Can Frederic give us more info about that?
Maybe ... you can help to test the platform ?

[claudevh]

by claudevh » Thu Dec 04, 2008 5:14 pm

Hello to all,

Finally available!!! The Kit TRONISOFT!
(But the stock is very restricted at the moment, some units only)

To command direct to TRONISOFT by following the interim Internet link:

http://www.tronisoft.com/9751.php

The description is very summarized and incomplete, it is also an "interim description".
The kit is not still under its final form and does not content the special cable/connector, nor the enclosure at the moment!

But, at simple request for your part and after purchase of your kit, You only have to send me one "direct" E-mail with your name, complete address, N ° of telephone and N ° of order to TRONISOFT and we shall forward you a cable/connector (by common post) !

The enclosure was not even chosen at the moment, your suggestions are the welcome!

A description supplements and a manual is in preparation!



_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bonjour à  tous,

Le Kit TRONISOFT enfin disponible !

(Mais stock très limité pour l'instant, quelques pièces seulement ...)

A commander en direct chez TRONISOFT en suivant le lien internet provisoire suivant:

http://www.tronisoft.com/9751.php

La description est très sommaire et incomplète, il s'agit d'une description provisoire.
Le kit n'est pas encore sous sa forme définitive et ne comprend ni cable/connecteur, ni boitier pour l'instant !

Sur simple demande de votre part et après achat de votre kit, nous vous ferons parvenir un cable/connecteur (par courrier ordinaire).

Il vous suffit de m'envoyer un E mail en direct avec votre nom, adresse complète, N° de téléphone et N° de commande chez TRONISOFT ...

Le boitier n'a pas encore été choisi pour l'instant, vos suggestions sont les bienvenues !
Une description complète ainsi qu'un manuel est en préparation!

[mediavets]

by mediavets » Thu Dec 04, 2008 5:49 pm

Hello to all,

Finally available!!! The Kit TRONISOFT!
(But the stock is very restricted at the moment, some units only)

To command direct to TRONISOFT by following the interim Internet link:

http://www.tronisoft.com/9751.php

The description is very summarized and incomplete, it is also an "interim description".
The kit is not still under its final form and does not content the special cable/connector, nor the enclosure at the moment!

But, at simple request for your part and after purchase of your kit, You only have to send me one "direct" E-mail with your name, complete address, N ° of telephone and N ° of order to TRONISOFT and we shall forward you a cable/connector (by common post) !

The enclosure was not even chosen at the moment, your suggestions are the welcome!

A description supplements and a manual is in preparation!

Claude,

Thanks for your efforts to get this made.

It looks good and the price is good too.

I wish it had been available when I put my 4201+BTLink togther - soldering those wires was quite fiddly for someone as unhandy as me.

Do you have a close up photo to show the modified 4201 and the special cable?

Will the BTLink RS232-Bluetooth adapter be pre-configured to 9600 baud?

[AerialVr]

by AerialVr » Wed Jan 21, 2009 4:06 pm

can someone tell me how this usb to ttl cable http://www.ftdichip.com/Documents/DataSheets/Modules/DS_TTL232R.pdf could connect to the cable that plugs into the merlin below? or perhaps it cant?

thanks in advance

Ok, all works fine Here is some explanations for those who want to build themselves the cable...

1) buy the 4201 Tronisoft module: http://www.tronisoft.com/4201.php

2) get a phone cable with a RJ11 jack (4 wires), or a modem cable with a RJ12 (6 wires; external ones are unused). Cut a short length (15-20cm).

3) cut the red wire (unused). Connect two 220 Ohm resistors on the yellow wire. Caution: depending of the side of the phone cable you keep, colors can be inverted from my explanations and photos.

4) connect the wires and resistors on the Tronisoft module as follow:

- black: GND
- green: +V
- resistors: RD and WR

5) that's it! As soon as you connect and turn on the Merlin, you should see all leds on. RD/WR leds should blink during operation. You can remove the RD/WR leds and put a low power on on VCC to avoid too much current.

6) if you use a bluetooth converter (from AIRcable or Tronisoft), you can power it by closing the little jumper near the sub-D connector (edit: the jumper is not implemented; just short-wired the 2 contacts near the sub-D. Have a look at the product picture).

Feel free to ask for more informations.

[fma38]

by fma38 » Wed Jan 21, 2009 4:31 pm

You only need to put the two 220 Ohms resistors on pins 4 and 5 (TX and RX), wire the other side of these resistors together and connect this common side to the yellow wire of the RJ11 cable, as described in this thread (check your RJ11 color wires!).

Also connect the pin 1 (GND) to the black wire of the RJ11 cable.

You don't need any power supply, as it is provided by the USB host port.

Hope it is clear.

[AerialVr]

by AerialVr » Wed Feb 11, 2009 10:14 pm

Ok, all works fine Here is some explanations for those who want to build themselves the cable...

1) buy the 4201 Tronisoft module: http://www.tronisoft.com/4201.php

2) get a phone cable with a RJ11 jack (4 wires), or a modem cable with a RJ12 (6 wires; external ones are unused). Cut a short length (15-20cm).

3) cut the red wire (unused). Connect two 220 Ohm resistors on the yellow wire. Caution: depending of the side of the phone cable you keep, colors can be inverted from my explanations and photos.

4) connect the wires and resistors on the Tronisoft module as follow:

- black: GND
- green: +V
- resistors: RD and WR

5) that's it! As soon as you connect and turn on the Merlin, you should see all leds on. RD/WR leds should blink during operation. You can remove the RD/WR leds and put a low power on on VCC to avoid too much current.

6) if you use a bluetooth converter (from AIRcable or Tronisoft), you can power it by closing the little jumper near the sub-D connector (edit: the jumper is not implemented; just short-wired the 2 contacts near the sub-D. Have a look at the product picture).

Feel free to ask for more informations.

just to confirm - the top image is of what you are keeping and the bottom is the other end of the cable. Is the latch feature closer to the table? hard to see with something clear.

Thanks
Chris Blake

[fma38]

by fma38 » Wed Feb 11, 2009 11:39 pm

just to confirm - the top image is of what you are keeping and the bottom is the other end of the cable.

Yes, exactly.

Is the latch feature closer to the table? hard to see with something clear.

I don't understand what you mean, here (sorry for my poor english!).

[AerialVr]

by AerialVr » Thu Feb 12, 2009 2:24 pm

just to confirm - the top image is of what you are keeping and the bottom is the other end of the cable.

Yes, exactly.

Is the latch feature closer to the table? hard to see with something clear.

I don't understand what you mean, here (sorry for my poor english!).

im trying to make sure i don't have the connector flipped over compared to your picture. one side of it has the terminals and on the other side there is the little snap feature that lockes it into the port on the orion. it appears the terminal side is facing up. is that correct?

Thanks
Chris Blake

[fma38]

by fma38 » Thu Feb 12, 2009 2:46 pm

Oh, yes, I understand, now! Yes, terminal side is facing up, and the latch is on the table...

[AerialVr]

by AerialVr » Thu Feb 12, 2009 3:48 pm

Thanks Frederick!

I should be running this weekend

[claudevh]

by claudevh » Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:45 pm

Hi all,

You can find hereafter a picture explaining the composition of the "Cable/Connector" for interfacing the Merlin/Orion with the Tronisoft kit.
This layout can also be used for all other interfaces.
The colors are conform to the original cable of the Merlin/Orion ...

Your suggestions are welcome !

[Paul]

by Paul » Sun Feb 15, 2009 7:02 pm

The colors are conform to the original cable of the Merlin/Orion ...

Hi Claude, thanks for your illustrative pic. pls add to the wiki.

Do you mean cable colors of the handcontroller?
Then mine has a brown wire where you have black one.

A 4 wire RJ12 phone cord is imho a cheap start, if one regards colors and sequence of wires to avoid mismatch.

Last edited by Paul on Sun Feb 15, 2009 7:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[fma38]

by fma38 » Sun Feb 15, 2009 8:56 pm

Great job, Claude!

[claudevh]

by claudevh » Sun Feb 15, 2009 10:47 pm

Paul and Frederic,

Thanks !
Of course my intention is to publish in the Wiki ...

[Gordon]

by Gordon » Sun Feb 15, 2009 11:02 pm

Simple and clearly explained

[AerialVr]

by AerialVr » Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:01 pm

are the com port settings determined by the mount or by the ttl converter. i am using a laptop with xp and a wi fi device server with a usb to ttl converter cable into the mount. for some reason i have to set the port on the hardware tab of papywizard to port 6 when the port on the laptop is port 7

also what is the proper baud rate, data bits, parity, stop bits and flow control and is that a function of my usb to ttl converter or the orion mount or papywizard software?

i have it working but sometimes it will connect and sometimes not. i think it has to do with the order in witch i connect things. the silex device servier uses a vitual com port program. If i get the bugs worked out this should be cool. i originally thought i had to have a router to connect to the wifi device server but it turns out it can be used in ad hoc mode so just need the laptop and the device server with a usb hub. that way i can control the camera with dslr remote and do wider range bracketing.

[mediavets]

by mediavets » Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:41 pm

are the com port settings determined by the mount or by the ttl converter. i am using a laptop with xp and a wi fi device server with a usb to ttl converter cable into the mount. for some reason i have to set the port on the hardware tab of papywizard to port 6 when the port on the laptop is port 7

Because Papywizard enumerates COM ports from zero. You could alternatively enter 'COM7'.

also what is the proper baud rate, data bits, parity, stop bits and flow control and is that a function of my usb to ttl converter or the orion mount or papywizard software?

9600, 8, N, 1, no flow control.

Last edited by mediavets on Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[fma38]

by fma38 » Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:53 pm

AerialVr, what is the wifi server you are using? It may be possible to use it directly through an ethernet socket, instead of having all the virtual COM stuff... I'm interested by such server; can you give us a link where to buy it?

[mediavets]

by mediavets » Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:26 am

AerialVr, what is the wifi server you are using? It may be possible to use it directly through an ethernet socket, instead of having all the virtual COM stuff... I'm interested by such server; can you give us a link where to buy it?

Think it may be this one:
http://www.silexeurope.com/en/home/products/usb-device-servers/sx-2000wg.html

http://www.silexeurope.com/en/home/where-to-buy/reseller.html

Last edited by mediavets on Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

[AerialVr]

by AerialVr » Tue Feb 17, 2009 1:45 pm

http://www.silexamerica.com/sx-2000wg.html

this is the one. would be interested in the ethernet idea. would that also work in connecting to my camera with dslr remote?

[fma38]

by fma38 » Tue Feb 17, 2009 4:05 pm

Would that also work in connecting to my camera with dslr remote?

I think it should work, yes. I guess the driver provides some some of usb virtual port? So the tethered software should see the camera has if it was connected to the computer...

But this won't work under linux, nor maemo.

[AerialVr]

by AerialVr » Tue Feb 17, 2009 4:45 pm

can you point me in the right direction for setting up an ethernet socket?

[fma38]

by fma38 » Tue Feb 17, 2009 5:06 pm

A socket is a sort of special file descriptor, which allows a program to read/write over a TCP/IP connection, and communicates with a specific host, using a given port.

For example, a web navigator, using http protocol, connects to a server on port 80. Once the connexion is established, the client sends some commands, and the server replies to it.

The usb server should listen to a specific port, at the IP address it got from the dhcp server, or from its internal config. So, it should be possible to open a socket from Papywizard, and read/write directly to the usb server.

The problem is that you need to know the protocol used to communicate! I didn't see it... The driver installed on the PC (Windows/Mac) communicates with the server, and when a new usb device is plugged on the usb server, creates a virtual local usb device.

[claudevh]

by claudevh » Mon Feb 23, 2009 1:55 am

Hi all,

As promized, here is the link to a summary document about the study of different possibilities for connecting the Merlin/Orion with PC, Mac, Nokia, etc ...

The study is not yet finished but, considering the problems with Tronisoft, I prefer to publish the document now !
I will fill it with new info's when they will be availlable !

This document is not the "BIBLE" but can help !

http://www.autopano.fr/wiki/images-fr/e/e2/Merlin_Interface_study.pdf

[hillels]

by hillels » Mon Feb 23, 2009 6:16 am

Claude,

Thanks for the time putting together the options study. So far it looks like there are only two options on the board. I have already looked into the ursaminor option. Besides being very expensive, they are also very unaccommodating. Basically they want me to wire a lot of money to a company I never heard of for a product that doesn't have any comparison. The Parallax-A7eng-eb500-SER optional intrigues me, but I'm not sure what you are implying with the cable, etc. For the parallax option, what EXACTLY are the pieces and how would one get each from the US, and what has to be done with each? Looks like there is some soldering, a cable that you will make, and power that has to come to the board somehow. Is there not an all-in-one solution equivalent to the Tronisoft and Ursaminor kits - but for the folks in the USA that requires only minimal engineering expertise? I know, I'm dreaming again...