pocketbeagle2 - OLA with PRU DMX output

[s-light]

Hello community,

i would like to output DMX on the pocketbeagle2 
controlled/filled by OLA (https://www.openlighting.org/ola/)
(in best case ~2 Universes) 

in the fpp it seems there is - at least basic support for dmx-output in the RPU code - 
does anybody know of a standalone RPU example for DMX?
or how complicated is it to extract the code from the pixel-code from fpp?

i think i can write a ola plugin (did this before)
why ola?
my end goal is to use the pb2 as a simple to use and program module for 3 DIY Light-Desk-Builds i have already laying around..
(they just missing there main brain)
and in this case will do the main coding in python.
the DMX output is only one part of it.
the *desks* will have a *stand-alone* mode and an *laptop-online* mode.
in standalon there will be some simple fader-to-dmx-channel mapping
in *online* just sACN to DMX output and fader to OSC to *remote-controll* QLC+.
i first thought of doing all this in CircuitPython on an ESP32S3 or RP2040 or similar..
and than someone in this community suggested to look at the pocketbeagle2..
and it would make so much things easier and faster ;-)
i have a good bit of knowledge about embedded linux and (uC) programming - 
iam just missing all things regarding RPU
- maybe it would make sense to try to convert the dmx-output part of https://github.com/OpenLightingProject/rp2040-dmxsun
to RPU code?!
- maybe i can use the ~7 UART HW ports for this? (i have no idea if i can use UARTs from the RPU - or if i have to bit-bang the full DMX timing..)
- maybe it is even easier to use the embedded M4 core in the pocketbeagle2?

yeah so much questions ;-)

any ideas how to do this help me out ;-)

sunny greetings
stefan

[dkulp]

I believe 6 of the UARTS on the PB3 are usable directly for DMX without any major issues. I would just use that and forget using the PRU or M4.   You don't need the real time stuff for DMX as the UARTs can handle it directly. 

[s-light]

thanks Daniel!

i will try this!
that would makes things so much easier ;-)