Flight Data Recorder for my dish

[Magic Static]

Well sort of. It is at least a little black box. I'm talking about another one of N0QBY's wonderful FTA projects. This time I had a couple of occurrences with my dish not responding the way it should have and thought wouldn't it be nice to log the communication between the receiver and the ASC1. I remembered the DiSEqC Decoder project and thought I should do that one of these days. http://www.ringolake.com/pic_proj/satellite/sat_projects.html

Well last week a friend stopped by and gave me a box of old satellite stuff and there were a couple "Signal Combiners" that were in a perfect box for the decoder project. So I jumped in and got busy.

So now it looks like this:

Using a 9v battery I test the function of the ON/OFF and Clear switch.

Now installed between my HTPC and the ASC1 we see all the DiSEqC commands in hexadecimal

A more detailed look inside :



I found out that Digi-Key will flash the PICs you buy from them. Just email them the HEX file. No need to buy a programmer.

 

[Titanium]

Great project!

I had no idea that Digi-Key burns PICs. That makes these types of projects easily and inexpensive. What was the approximate parts cost?

Are you also able to read the DiSEqC strings via the RS-232?

Also like the ASC1 Blue LCD...

 

[Magic Static]

The parts were about $20 plus the case. The display is more than half the cost at $12.00. I have not logged the strings via RS232 yet, but that is the plan. While I was inspired to build this project because of some quirks in the dish control system, I have not experienced any thing like for a long time now.

 

[ZetaMale]

Well sort of. It is at least a little black box. I'm talking about another one of N0QBY's wonderful FTA projects. This time I had a couple of occurrences with my dish not responding the way it should have and thought wouldn't it be nice to log the communication between the receiver and the ASC1. I remembered the DiSEqC Decoder project and thought I should do that one of these days. http://www.ringolake.com/pic_proj/satellite/sat_projects.html

Well last week a friend stopped by and gave me a box of old satellite stuff and there were a couple "Signal Combiners" that were in a perfect box for the decoder project. So I jumped in and got busy.
View attachment 111627


So now it looks like this:
View attachment 111628


Using a 9v battery I test the function of the ON/OFF and Clear switch.

View attachment 111629


Now installed between my HTPC and the ASC1 we see all the DiSEqC commands in hexadecimal

View attachment 111630

View attachment 111631


A more detailed look inside :

View attachment 111632 View attachment 111633

I found out that Digi-Key will flash the PICs you buy from them. Just email them the HEX file. No need to buy a programmer.

Cool! I've been thinking of building something like this. Heh, I've been thinking of doing a lot of things.

Nice to meet another Star Trek fan.

 

[N6BY]

That will be an excellent diagnostic aid (if ever needed). I wonder how hard it would be to add the capability to inject a DiSEqC command via the RS232 port?

 

[KE4EST]

Also like the ASC1 Blue LCD...

All mine have blue also!

 

[richyrich]

With the wealth of the parts needing recycling these days; how fast the ID of such projections; or port reading; flashing; and strictness; can such a stream be read; and jtag any typing in lively waveform reading? To add another projection to the display; like SCPC base 64; and MCPC stewpping/log; as many a hidden mpeg-iv receiver today is looking for? I would love a double display; meter; for fully IDing not only the "streamed language selction and stepping ability" which digital is defined with as only a stream; but all such "streaming"; basically today's fully animated ID sourcery; the entire basis of a satellite signal can be seen; base 8/6/4/2/1; or odd/even relations/ true false decisions; a real "new" way to say on or off; it is the way it is read! These informative basics in digital encoding; format; CAM/CAS as only a read waveform decision; the entire "operating" system shows; CC; Guide; Data; the required "path" of Free Info and operations also uses. The project in format; what is data input/data output; a micro runnin'? Many who read streams all day should not be reading some parts of a waveform found in pay tv devices; but they are only certained data already working on the/a receivers ability; or formatted as a device found in every chip used for all the info you need; is when the ok/not ok means real waveform info you have no right to (CC/Guide/data readers? The device is very powerful then and should be designed under strict rules of engagements (like a good woman/man relationship). Build it right; it is easy to boat it in from the East. How strict the readout is for DISEqC/DISEq 1.X/ can and is a real CAMERA! And I want to encode (encrpt) my cameras into a stream at the bandwidth allowed. Is that ok?

How bout we set it up at each MCPC purity of FTA and Free info allowed to be used or read; the number of them is a filled display step by step. What is really the "operating system" then?

I want it for radar and "cork"; like a videogame; can this be a "language" also? of course, home radar may not be allowed....

 

[Magic Static]

One footnote to this project: Remember when the microHD first came out? Scott couldn't get his to run the V-Box positioner. It was ultimately determined that a built-in switch in a WSI C/Ku combo LNBF in conjunction with the microHD caused a malfunction in the DiSEqC handling. I believe this same phenomenon is demonstrated with the DiSEqC Decoder. In short, the DiSEqC Decoder does not operate with a microHD. I won't even on/off or clear screen. I leave that to the engineers to understand why.

 

[N0QBH]

Thanks for the kind words Magic. I hope this helps folks understand their FTA systems a little better.
Mike N0QBH

 

[N0QBH]

That will be an excellent diagnostic aid (if ever needed). I wonder how hard it would be to add the capability to inject a DiSEqC command via the RS232 port?

Injecting diseqc is a whole different matter. The decoder uses a simple zero crossing detector to "see" the diseqc signals and the rs-232 is output only.
It would be a complete redesign to generate the signals.
Mike N0QBH

 

[N6BY]

Injecting diseqc is a whole different matter. The decoder uses a simple zero crossing detector to "see" the diseqc signals and the rs-232 is output only.
It would be a complete redesign to generate the signals.
Mike N0QBH

Would be a great project for a Rasberry Pi (with the addition of a 22 kHz tone burst generator).

 

[a33]

Would be a great project for a Rasberry Pi (with the addition of a 22 kHz tone burst generator).

Or see http://juras-projects.org/eng/software.php : diseqc generator using your computer audio output.
Interesting website!

Greetz,
A33

 

[N6BY]

Or see http://juras-projects.org/eng/software.php : diseqc generator using your computer audio output.
Interesting website!

Greetz,
A33

Very cool. I see that the Moteck motor is OK with carriers below 22 kHz. This PC/Sound card implementation is great for trying various commands, but it would still be nice to have a small box dedicated for this purpose.

Was talking to one of my sons friends yesterday, a senior student in electrical engineering. He said a 22 kHz sine wave could be generated using a 555 timer chip. Sure enough, I just did a search and turned up this circuit: http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/Sine-wave-generator-circuit-with-a-555-timer.php .

Could use the GPIO output from a Pi to rapidly switch the 22 kHZ circuit on/off as necessary to send DiSEqC commands.

 

[Titanium]

Many ICs are available to precisely generate and interface the DiSEqC command protocol. Here is example application notes for a ST IC that is a complete interface and as it relates to this thread, receives TTL and outputs the formatted DiSEqC strings:
http://www.bdtic.com/DownLoad/ST/AN2713.pdf

 

[a33]

This PC/Sound card implementation is great for trying various commands, but it would still be nice to have a small box dedicated for this purpose.

Did you further search the juras-projects website?
It has this: http://www.juras-projects.org/eng/projects.php#ecdiseqcgen

You have to program your diseqc commands in eprom in that circuit.

Greetz, A33

 

[Magic Static]

I decided to follow up on the offer from Digi-key to program PIC chips. Ummmm.. not for us It's a $50 setup fee and $0.25 per chip over 200 quantity. Makes good business sense but not for a hobbyist.

 

[Magic Static]

Well this was so much fun I want to do it again. After all, there is another version,v4.20 . This one was v2.16 . Wonder if that has anything to do with the display size?
I had two of the signal combiner boxes and when I put a blue display in the ASC1 it gave me an extra 4x20 display. I checked through my parts and found everything to build another except the PIC16F628A. I had a 20 pin DIP socket instead of an 18 pin. Many moons ago when we had a RadioShack and they still sold electrical components I bought a resistor assortment. I'll never use them all up I thought. But I have actually ordered some of the ones I've run out of. I strip old electrical devices of components and terminals and have built up quite an assortment of stuff that comes in handy. The box of old satellite stuff that was given to me yielded the two cases, they each had F terminals, also from the box of stuff the two serial connectors. The DIP socket I had from long ago projects. The voltage regulators and caps are salvage items and left overs. The tiny momentary closed switches are not as easy to find as you might think. Auto parts stores have lots of switches but they are all huge. The switches I used are from my scrap pile in my toolbox. They are Valet buttons from old Subaru security systems. The programing button from those systems would be even better but they unfortunately are often broken and why I had none. So if looking for some small switches, check shops that install those security systems. The fixed inductive choke (2.2UH) I reasoned being part of a portal and power supply for these FTA projects and would be needed in many applications. I bought a bunch of them but only have 4 left

So I built unit B, same size box but it's bigger on the outside and smaller on the inside

I'll have a PIC in a couple days. There is a bit of mystery in the two version numbers, 2.16 and 4.20 as if when the chip turns on it IDs the display. But I put the chip from the first unit into the second one and it still showed v2.16 . I found when the v2.16 unit turns on you see the version number but not the cursor. The cursor is the 17th character on that line. You see it with the larger display. It was a lot harder to get that display to fit the box than I thought. but I squeezed it in. I'm thinking at this point, If you were to build one of these, do the bigger display.

 

[Magic Static]

I forgot to mention the little green project boards. Such a deal $0.80ea for the big ones and $0.40ea for the ones half the size. So I ordered 6 big ones and 10 little boards. Free Shipping China Post Figured that would keep me stocked for a bit. Well I never got the 6 big boards just the 10 little ones. Well the folks in China were eager to save face and make it up but I think they had trouble with Engrish. I don't know if they understood what my issue was. But I got a duplicate order in the mail, "sorry about the problems" and all was good. I then had 20 of the small boards and 6 of the bigger ones. With the free shipping these things not only were good quality they were Cheap!!

 

[Magic Static]

N0QBH really didn't discuss logging the DiSEqC calls. But on his web page the picture shows he is using HyperTerminal. That was part of windows but not any longer. So I'm using a free program called PuTTY.

 

[Titanium]

Do the asterisks indicate the number of times the string was reissued by the STB? For example: many STBs reissue the 22KHz/DiSEqC commands if the signal is not locked in an attempt to acquire or reestablish the signal path.