Open Source Prop Controller (moved thread)

[MiniGuy]

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This is moved from the General Halloween forum.

Here is the initial Post:

For the past couple of years I have been working on some ideas for a stand alone prop controller. I am designing it just for me, and have no intent to sell prop controllers so I thought about designing it online with input from the forum and make all of it available for everyone to build and improve. I am just starting to put my ideas on paper and I am a few months from having the time to start coding, but thought it might be good to start getting some feedback. If Anyone is interested, I will post my initial thoughts/design and see what improvements we can collectively make. Everything will be published back here so that anyone can use the design and code. The prop controller is based on the PIC micro. It is a stand alone controller for an individual prop, but can be cascaded such that several are used and each triggers the next prop.

Anyone interested?

Here are my initial thoughts on a design for a prop controller.




Features:
-Triggered either by an internal counter or external input trigger Top Left
-120V Triac Output to trigger Prop
-120V Triac Output to trigger Lights
-5V output to trigger audio circuit
-5V Aux output to trigger another Prop controller so that these can be cascaded
-(2) seven segment LED displays to show/set time between (interval) and time on (duration)
-(1) Red (1) Green LED or (1) Bi-color LED to indicate if you are setting the Interval or Duration
-Mode selector to allow setting of either interval or duration
-(1) Up switch and (1) down switch to change interval/duration time
-(1) switch to select internal or external trigger
-(3) switches (x10, x100, x1000) that are used when setting the duration/interval to determine if the time shown on the 2 displays is ,multiplied by 10, 100, or 1000 so that long intervals can be set easily.
-Initial thoughts are to use the PIC16F877. Its a little more than needed, but make it easier to program and there are I/O pins to spare without any slick programming.

Notes: Switches may be combined into a switch block or multi function switch, but are shown as individual switches in the diagram.

That's it. Suggestions? Changes?

[Phoenix]

Use a Picaxe instead of a basic PIC, costs a little more but you will have in effect something thats a lot cheaper and as easy to program, if not easier than a prop-1

[MiniGuy]

From what I can see, it is about the same price for the functionality. I also have an extensive PIC development and prototyping system that I use. I program in Mikrobasic so its hard to get much easier. I think it makes sense to come up with a design that is as processor agnostic as possible. At least easy enough to use with either. Thanks for the feedback.

[nOrTHeRn TouCh]

that looks like a cool set-up... I my self don't know to much on that stuff but sure looks interesting to me and would love to learn.... Your internal/external Trigger is that to power your prop controller manually? if so I am even more interested cause my haunt in 70% manually controlled, I use hacked motion sensor for the other 30%... All be whatching this thread to see where it goes hope U add pics when ya start...

[Phoenix]

yes, but the Picaxe is far more accessible, the programming software is free, you don't need a programming kit nor PIC development experience, the language is virtually the same as the Basic Stamp

[MiniGuy]

I will take a harder look at the picaxe. I have tried not to do too much with it since I already have PICs, Basic Stamp and OOPIC. I am trying to stick with one an I love pics. Can you recommend a comparable Picaxe?

[Phoenix]

I will take a harder look at the picaxe. I have tried not to do too much with it since I already have PICs, Basic Stamp and OOPIC. I am trying to stick with one an I love pics. Can you recommend a comparable Picaxe?

how many IO pins do you want

[MiniGuy]

that looks like a cool set-up... I my self don't know to much on that stuff but sure looks interesting to me and would love to learn.... Your internal/external Trigger is that to power your prop controller manually? if so I am even more interested cause my haunt in 70% manually controlled, I use hacked motion sensor for the other 30%... All be whatching this thread to see where it goes hope U add pics when ya start...

Good question on the input. I did not show power for the prop controller. The input is just o trigger the prop, not to power it. My props mostly use 110V. You would be able to hook the hacked motion sensor to close the contacts on a relay as an input trigger for this controller, or choose internal trigger and it will fire every XX minutes/seconds for yy minutes/seconds.

[MiniGuy]

how many IO pins do you want

The 16F877A has 33 I/O 256 eeprom and 8192 single word instructions. It lso has USART, 8 bit A/D and 2 PWM, but most of that is overkill for this application. Lets say about 16 to 20 pins would be a good start.

[Phoenix]

Then Id pick from these 3, and would probably go for either 28X1 or 28X2 since the two are pretty much interchangable, not as many IO pins but you still have the 2 PWM channels whichever one you pick

Standard: (600/1000 lines memory)
18X 5 inputs 8 outputs 3 ADC 8MHz
28X1 0-12 inputs 9-17 outputs 0-4 ADC 20MHz

Advanced: (2 x 1000 lines memory)
28X2 22 configurable i/o 0-12 ADC 40MHz