Any reasons not to?

[AAH]

I'm thinking of making up a pixel board based on the RGB-123 48 output board that plugs onto a BBB. Is there any reason/s that anyone can think of that would suggest that this is a bad idea.
I would have a mix of powered, non-powered and differential outputs available. A RTC may also be available to add if the pins aren't already committed.
At 1st glance it would likely end up in a board around 7.5" x 3.5"

[CaptainMurdoch]

Something like the F16-B but with all 48 outputs on a single board?

Note that FPP doesn't support using the differential serial outputs at the same time as all 48 pixel outputs, unless you are referring to pixels over differential.

[AAH]

Similar to F16-B but with 16 outputs like the F16-B and 2 pairs of 16 accessible via expansion plugs. The expansion can have plain RJ45 connectors on them to allow the outputs to be broken out to a metre or so away and powered separately. A powered expansion with 16 more fused outputs or alternately 16 pixel outputs over differential. This would offer 16 outputs for close strings and the other 32 if required can be spaced at 1m to 100's of metres.

The reliability of the BBB and maybe BBG is more what I am after. I've had little problem with my BBB running my octo matrix for the last 2 years and I know the BBB has a lot more processing and Ethernet power than the Pi but that's almost my sum knowledge.

Something like the F16-B but with all 48 outputs on a single board?

Note that FPP doesn't support using the differential serial outputs at the same time as all 48 pixel outputs, unless you are referring to pixels over differential.

[zwiller]

I'd still like to see a smaller cheap low output board or a board with only differential outputs.  I think we're in minority but there's still plenty of folks sticking to one prop per port.  Seems like this is an area to explore since I think everyone has been pretty much designing a max channel central concept.     

[dkulp]

Similar to F16-B but with 16 outputs like the F16-B and 2 pairs of 16 accessible via expansion plugs. The expansion can have plain RJ45 connectors on them to allow the outputs to be broken out to a metre or so away and powered separately. A powered expansion with 16 more fused outputs or alternately 16 pixel outputs over differential. This would offer 16 outputs for close strings and the other 32 if required can be spaced at 1m to 100's of metres.

How is that any different than the F16-B?   It has two expansion ports for expansion boards.  Right now, the only expansions boards are the normal 16 fused outputs, but you could just design a new expansion board for it that does differential. 


That said I really like the F16-B and F4-B boards.   Cheap and reliable.  Even with the extra cost of using the "Red" BBB to deal with the temperature issues, it's a very cost effective controller.

[David Pitts]

Similar to F16-B but with 16 outputs like the F16-B and 2 pairs of 16 accessible via expansion plugs. The expansion can have plain RJ45 connectors on them to allow the outputs to be broken out to a metre or so away and powered separately. A powered expansion with 16 more fused outputs or alternately 16 pixel outputs over differential. This would offer 16 outputs for close strings and the other 32 if required can be spaced at 1m to 100's of metres.

How is that any different than the F16-B?   It has two expansion ports for expansion boards.  Right now, the only expansions boards are the normal 16 fused outputs, but you could just design a new expansion board for it that does differential. 


That said I really like the F16-B and F4-B boards.   Cheap and reliable.  Even with the extra cost of using the "Red" BBB to deal with the temperature issues, it's a very cost effective controller.

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe I will build a differential expansion for F16-B like we have for F16V2.

[CaptainMurdoch]

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe I will build a differential expansion for F16-B like we have for F16V2.

I was wondering whether it would make sense to have a small adapter board that let you use a F16v2/3 expansion board with the F16-B.  Just a pair of headers for the ribbon cables and the right pin connections to map the pins.  This could even be a small board with just a tall female header on the bottom that would plug into the F16-B and a F16v2/v3 compatible male header on the top for the ribbon to the F16v2/3 expansion board.

[dkulp]

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe I will build a differential expansion for F16-B like we have for F16V2.

How about a F16-Bv2 that re-layouts everything so that it just uses the exact same expansion boards as the F16V3/v2?    While you're at it, adjust the pinouts/port mapping so that we can use the first 32 along with DMX (just lose the last expansion).





Dan

[AAH]

The original RGB-123 has the Uart tx and rx brought out and accessible.  Is the available for driving as dmx/renard via FPP?

[CaptainMurdoch]

The original RGB-123 has the Uart tx and rx brought out and accessible.  Is the available for driving as dmx/renard via FPP?

I haven't tried, but if it is connected to one of the onboard serial ports, you might be able to get it working by selecting ttyS0, ttyS1, ttyS2, ttyS3 depending on which port it is and if it doesn't conflict with the 48+ outputs used by the Octoscroller or WS281x string PRU code.

[AAH]

  I was going to be happy to leave it off my board as it's getting a bit crowded and as the RGB123 only uses TTL levels not 485 I imagined it hadn't been implemented as dmx. Having a dmx port would be useful but there's always the option of using usb-485 dongle.

  On another design note does anyone have any idea what current the BBB and rgb123 combined uses. I'm designing based on 5V 3A.

The original RGB-123 has the Uart tx and rx brought out and accessible.  Is the available for driving as dmx/renard via FPP?

I haven't tried, but if it is connected to one of the onboard serial ports, you might be able to get it working by selecting ttyS0, ttyS1, ttyS2, ttyS3 depending on which port it is and if it doesn't conflict with the 48+ outputs used by the Octoscroller or WS281x string PRU code.

[AAH]

I got the 1st few boards designed up and on the way before I broke my collarbone and came to a grinding halt barely able to use computer or soldering iron. Below are pics of 2 of the expansion boards. The loaded 1 is an expansion board that will connect to the motherboard and add 4 powered pixel outputs. This 1 is for when the additional channels are within about 1m. The unloaded board is virtually the same thing but it's a differential receiver and should allow distances of 100m or so from motherboard to expansion board.

[AAH]

More boards built. User manual and testing is underway.

HE123 motherboard
-16 fused pixel outputs (2811, 2812 etc)
-2 expansion headers to allow for the addition of an additional 32 outputs.
-5V or 12V powered
-real time clock

Daughterboards
HE123-PX powered pixel expansion daughterboard
-16 outputs. 4 power inputs. 4 fuses per output
-plugs on top of HE-123 to give an additional 16 fused 2811 outputs
(yet to be built)

HE123-RJ pixel breakout daughterboard
-plugs onto 1 of HE123 expansion headers
-16 outputs. no electronics. pixel outputs match standard RJ45 pairs
-mates with 4 HE123EX

HE123-TX pixel differential expansion daughterboard
-plugs onto 1 of HE123 expansion headers
-16 RS422 balanced pair outputs for long range tx
-16 outputs. pixel outputs on standard RJ45 pairs
-mates with 4 HE123RX

Receivers
HE123-EX 4 channel pixel power breakout
-RJ45 connector to 4 channels fused pixel outputs
-mates with HE123RJ
-can be used for as a  breakout to power unfused pixel outputs like on rPi-28D or J1Sys P2

HE123-RX 4 channel RS422 to pixel receiver
-RJ45 connector to 4 channels powered, buffered pixel outputs
-mates with HE123-TX (should be compatible with Falcon RS422 long range transmitters)

Standalone transmitter
HE123-4T 4 channel pixel to 4 RS422
-balanced pair outputs for long range transmission to a HE123-RX
-can be used to give long range transmission from any 2811, 2812 etc pixel controller

[AAH]

The preliminary manual is up at http://www.hansonelectronics.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/HE123-User-Manual-V1.0.pdf
Massive amounts more info to get in there as time permits. More Falcon Player setup stuff, photos showing how the boards connect etc.