Shoe Box Radio Upgrade, cool ideas wanted

[Space Varmint]

SV, thanks for the clear talk in post #111. I may have learned a thing or two

Oh thank you! That was nice. I'm just passing along a bit of prehistoric information. Really I was giving away may age...lol.

 

[Space Varmint]

I'm not a hundred percent sure of what software I should use, I was hoping that maybe you could tell me. (after all your the expert ) The only thing that I can tell you for sure is that I'm running windows (I hate macs). There were some firmware downloads on some of the sites that I came across, but I'm not sure if I want to downlaod them just yet. I do have some software on my home computer, I will tell you what it is when I get the chance.

Do I hear "PIC" as in Microchip in this response? See that's just it. The operating system has gotten tighter and tighter to where you can't get to ring zero anymore. I have software I wrote some time back that could in XP but they went another level in Vista and I just don't have time to keep up. Now I know there are some compilers, one is BASIC that will get you there. You might be able to surf for something. Look for "Ring Zero" or "Privilege Level Zero" software. Something to give you bit level control of USB or parallel ports. Microchip also has a kit where they give USB control and teach you about it using one of their processors.

 

[Dragon Tamer]

What I specificly need is for you to tell me how to find out which port is which on the computer.

 

[Space Varmint]

Well, that's another problem. The only thing I have on my Acer laptop is USB and mouse port and VGA port and phone jack and eithernet. So I would have to use USB. If you have a desk top then you have all. Your best bet is to get a PicKit2 which comes with a processor. Program it to be your programmer for other stuff. It's only 50 bucks and get everything. You need a tool. You can make the tool or go to Digi-key and I am sure they have a programmer for your processor but might be pricey and you might need a parallel port.

 

[Dragon Tamer]

Thank you for clearing that up, I have a parellel port on my computer already, so if that is the case then there isn't much of a problem.

Audioguru, I was working on your FM transmiter, and I was unable to find any variable cappacitors with that specific capacitance. I was just wongering where you got yours.

 

[audioguru]

Audioguru, I was working on your FM transmiter, and I was unable to find any variable cappacitors with that specific capacitance. I was just wondering where you got yours.

My variable capacitors are tiny but are not surface mounted. I saw them at a local electronics parts store and knew that I will use them soon.
The actual value is adjustable so it doesn't matter much if they can go as low as 5pF since 2pf or 10pF will still work. It doesn't matter if they can go as high as 35pF since 30pF to 60pF will still work. You can add or delete a turn or two from the coils to get the frequency range that you want if the variable capacitors cannot do it. They are called trimmer capacitors.

 

[Dragon Tamer]

Okay thank you, I have a few variable capacitors that I pulled out of some old radios, I could not get them to the specific values that you had, but I could get them close.

 

[Dragon Tamer]

Space Varmint, I was unable to find any of the tools for the 2250 that you described, however I found plenty of results for the PICs and I have no idea which one is which. I would really appreciate any help you can give me. Also, I found **broken link removed** on Maxim's website and I don't know how important they are to what we're trying to do.

**broken link removed**

Also, Audioguru is famous!

 

[Space Varmint]

Space Varmint, I was unable to find any of the tools for the 2250 that you described, however I found plenty of results for the PICs and I have no idea which one is which. I would really appreciate any help you can give me. Also, I found **broken link removed** on Maxim's website and I don't know how important they are to what we're trying to do.

**broken link removed**

Also, Audioguru is famous!

OK well there is a section on here and Microchip has a forum. But you can order the programmer and you get a free sample processor here: **broken link removed**

It comes with the PIC16f690 processor which is a great chip and will do all kinds of stuff! From there you could make a programmer for your 8051 using the PIC. I already posted a schematic of it in this thread and when you get it, I can send you the code to control the latching of the outputs. You can take it from there.

 

[arunb]

some improvements..

1. make the radio controllable by remote control, like a TV
2. Make a timer so that the radio can be switched ON/OFF at a particular time.
3. The radio can be interfaced to a PC or a laptop.

 

[Dragon Tamer]

some improvements..

1. make the radio controllable by remote control, like a TV
2. Make a timer so that the radio can be switched ON/OFF at a particular time.
3. The radio can be interfaced to a PC or a laptop.

I'm guessing that you have not been keeping up with this thread. However, it is always nice to hear ideas from someone new. Let me just say that the ideas that you have suggested have been considered, and we are currently going over all of those as we speak.

OK well there is a section on here and Microchip has a forum. But you can order the programmer and you get a free sample processor here: **broken link removed**

It comes with the PIC16f690 processor which is a great chip and will do all kinds of stuff! From there you could make a programmer for your 8051 using the PIC. I already posted a schematic of it in this thread and when you get it, I can send you the code to control the latching of the outputs. You can take it from there.

So if I buy this, then I should be able to program my DS2250 using the pic. I have downloaded the schematic that you posted earlier in this thread, so that part is taken care of. You are suggesting that I get the PICkit 2 starter kit right?

 

[Mikebits]

I'm guessing that you have not been keeping up with this thread. However, it is always nice to hear ideas from someone new. Let me just say that the ideas that you have suggested have been considered, and we are currently going over all of those as we speak.

Hard to expect anyone to keep up with this thread as it began with a post about a shoebox radio with questions about power supplies and audio amps along with LM3915 devices, and somewhere diverted to Ipods, DS2250 micro's and now PIC/DS2250 interfaces, why use both I have no idea. Who can keep up. You really might want to consider one thread per question as this post is so convoluted, I gave up reading it pages ago but for some reason clicked on a new thread which happened to be this one. Oops on my part.

 

[Dragon Tamer]

Well for right now we're trying to figure out how we can get the DS2250 to control an iPod based of certain conditions that are met, and according to Space Varmint, I need to have a PIC to program the DS. The idea was that if the power to the amp was disabled, then the 2250 would turn of the iPod so it was not running the entire time. If the alarm clock was activated, then it would cause the 2250 to turn the iPod back on and also power up the amp. I figured that as long as we were at it, we should make DS2250 capable of driving the iPod via a remote (that will be the last thing to work on).

 

[Mikebits]

You already have the DS2250 that is a micro controller, it has NVRAM, 32 I/O pins and a serial bus and it is based on 8051 code. Now you are planning to combine this with a PIC which is a whole different set of instructions and code. Now why oh why do you need two micro controllers and more importantly, why would you want to learn two processors and two sets of software for one project? I would think you could get by using one larger device with one common instruction set. What you propose is actually making your project harder than need be.

I suggest you take a step back, determine the input/outputs that you need, then decide a solution. Start with blocks, and then decide on parts, not other way around as your somewhat lacking a organized plan.

 

[Dragon Tamer]

I don't know, I don't really know what I'm doing. I thought that I would just listen to Space Varmint. According to him I needed the PIC so I could program the 2250.

 

[Mikebits]

Well, I don't know what suggestions were given to you and I do not wish to question any previous posters but I will tell you this. You can program the 2250 with a serial interface and no other micro is needed. With that said, I still think you should step back, create a nice block diagram just showing inputs and outputs of what you need and from there decide how to proceed in your hardware component selection. I would suggest posting your block diagram after you have made it. After you have thought this through, you will have better questions to ask and will also get better answers.

 

[Dragon Tamer]

Thanks for the advice, i guess this thread is going to go away for a few days till I finish the block diagram.

 

[Dragon Tamer]

Here is the block diagram of my µC. This is what I would like to do with the circuit. If it is too hard to do then I will change the USB portion of the circuit to a Parallel port (I can't make a serial programmer because my computer does not have one of those).

 

[Dragon Tamer]

I have taken care of the issue with programing using a USB port. I got a USB to serial converter for the computer.