actually the biggest hurdle was getting all the hardware together....
I think a big/huge mis-conception was/is that RFX (itself) was a soundboard/led driver solution... it wasnt.. RFX is just a chip that has a set of functions/features available for you to use, to do whatever you can think of.
Then a couple of use decided to use the chip as a 'base' to make a sound board & led driver around...and started throwing around ideas on how to accomplish that.
Well, the replicant chip isn't here anymore, so anyway if we are going thru this we better get fresh new start.
I don't think it's a good idea to use so specialized boards, or chips only one dealer has, because this is exactly what can happen: the vendor is gone with all the base components of the project.
My primary objective would be to design a board completly from scratch, using household circuits you can find at any electronic components store, wheter virtual or physical. Although doing printed circuit boards does requires some training and equipment there also exists predrilled board where you can build a circuit. Everyone in the saberscene has at least the basic skill of soldering the resistors to the leds and the wires to the switches, so this board would not require a lot more of that soldering skill for assembly.
Out there in the internet there are a lot of electronic diagrams for building anything, from FM transmitters to internet-controlled bread toasters. You can build all those stuff from parts you buy either downtown or thru a dozen different sellers at the internet, and without having the slighlest idea of how does it works, how does it does what it does, as long as you can follow a simple electronic diagram or solder a pcb with parts kit.
This would be my idea for a new, and really open, sound/driver card.
Because there is no point in designing an "open" board, sharing the diagram with all the world, if anyway you guys gotta buy the main chip from me. It would be easier just to simply send comments and suggestions to erv and the people behind ultra.
Regards
i did alot of reading into the picaxe micro-controlers and they seem like a good place to start from. i had actualy started a while back on workin on a diagram for a picaxe based sound/led string driver. but have since lost my way after being discouraged in this very thread lol. i may return back to it after reading the 2 books i have on c+ coding.
my design just used some simple motion sensors instead of a accelerometer since its easier to program. and a eeprom to store the sounds in, and a darlington driver to up the current for the led segments. was even trying to figure a way to do upgrading with a usb cable. ive lost all my information thodarn old computer having to die!. i thought the usb idea would have been nice. instead of taking your saber apart to get at a sd card and making sure the sd card is easy to get to, just put a usb port somewhere in the hilt, then u just plug and play
a wise man once said "dont try to be a great man....just be a man"
obi-one..
the biggest and hardest hurdle in your approach is writing a complete 'program' code to control your PIC/AVR chip.. (whatever you decide to do)
the RFX chip is a basic PIC24F chip.. can be purchased ANYWHERE, more or less..
it was the hardwork of the developer (Tim) that gave the chip 'life' (so to speak).. that made it usable for whateve rproject you wanted.
If you want to cut down on time & costs... going with a pre-defined, stable platform is a good choice.
Hey, timing is everything.... LOL, I just poked my head in and there's activity today.
I'd be all for a continuing fully open source type project. We'd have to be sensitive to TCSS's needs though... the forums are here in the first place to support the store, after all.
Maybe the first step is to find a place not affiliated with commerce for the project to "live"?
funny.. I just emailed you tday Troy..asking for alink you had given me a while back..
XL97, can you clear out a few PMs? I have a place for this thread and I will PM it to you.
For my part, I am still interested in this project. I just haven't found any time to learn the necessary things I need to in order to work on it. I have been trying to finish my current degree and apply for graduate school. This being said, I feel I still have some good input. If a separate forum is set up - PM me with the address.
Im always interested in the things people can do with the RFX chip.. Id like to watch.
So seems like a lot of people is still interested in this project. I also think is the right thing to move outside this forum if we will go on with this. So please, if someone can setup a board at yahoo or something I'd also like to get PMed to know where to gather.
Well, I didn't know what was exactly the RFX chip, since the webpage is down. But if you say it is a pic microcontroller, then you're right, you can buy it at your local electronics supplies store....
So where is then the Firmware? you know, code that goes inside the pic to actually make it a RFX chip.... or all the documentation to make use of it?
Regards
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