Elektor Voltage Current Calibrator Project

[Martin72]

My Mouser order should arrive on thursday, friday at work (FedEx is horrible when you´re not at home, so I leave the company adress instead).
Funny thing: Although there´s a Mouser Adress in germany, the ordered goods are coming from the States.
Display should arrive tomorrow from TME.

[Martin72]

I was also wondering why the display costs so much money...3.5" and touch is not a big burner now.
After I had downloaded the data sheet, however, it was more comprehensible.
Display, input interface and controller for the rest...Well, then it makes sense to me.

[KungFuJosh]

Basically we're stuck with the screen he designed this with. There are similar screens with similar feature sets for less cash.

BTW- found another error on the BOM. G6K-2 had a Y in it, which changes the spacing. I corrected it in the Mouser project. It's probably good now. 🤦

[Martin72]

Now the pcb fits into the housing..
But some parts are coming very close to the housing, must take care when soldering the parts.
And the super-duper-expensive-display has arrived.
OK, the building quality is superb, no question.
First I thought "and how to connect this ?!" - But there´s an adaptor in the package...Puhh.
Edit: I gues for programming the display.

[KungFuJosh]

It looks like you bought the "gen 4" version of the screen.

You need this one: https://4dsystems.com.au/products/ulcd-35dt/

But it looks like you got this one: https://4dsystems.com.au/products/gen4-ulcd-35dt/


I'm going to reorder the PCB with USB-C on it. I removed .5mm from the top of the PCB, and 1mm from the bottom of the PCB.

[Martin72]

Brilliant, just brillant....
I hate resending

[KungFuJosh]

Brilliant, just brillant....
I hate resending

Did they send you the wrong one? Either way, I'd be surprised if they weren't nice about it.

[Martin72]

I did a mistake and searched for it by using google.
They also having the right one(30 bucks more)..fu**

[Martin72]

https://www.tme.eu/de/details/ulcd-35dt/intelligente-displays/4d-systems/

The right one, on stock...

https://www.tme.eu/de/details/gen4-ulcd-35d/intelligente-displays/4d-systems/

Mine...
OK, return to sender.

Edit: Pic from his project

[KungFuJosh]

They also having the right one(30 bucks more)..fu**

And you thought it was expensive before. 😉

[Martin72]

Oh yes...

At least the program seems to work.

Software:  Workshop4 IDE

And we need a programming cable..

[KungFuJosh]

Interesting. What's the interface for programming? Direct to chip?

[Martin72]

I think, it´s this one here:

https://4dsystems.com.au/products/4d-upa/

Or this:

https://de.rs-online.com/web/p/entwicklungstool-zubehor/8417875

[KungFuJosh]

The first one you listed is for gen4 panels, which we don't want.

The second one might work (but it probably needs a chip; no chip, probably no work). Looking closely at the image of the (correct) panel, it shows RES GND RX TX +5V. That sounds to me like a serial to USB 2.0 converter module is what's used.

Anyway, this is probably the correct one from them (and just looks like a USB adapter): https://4dsystems.com.au/products/uusb-pa5-ii/

That has an FTDI FT232 USB chip on it, so my guess is, if you have another serial USB or Serial over Bluetooth module, you could probably get that to work.

I know this is a crazy question, but did you RTFM for the screen yet? Maybe there's some insight in there.

Did the guy who made the project use the programmer, or was the whole thing done through the microSD card?

[Martin72]

Hi,

That sounds to me like a serial to USB 2.0 converter module is what's used.

Their programming cable have a serial-usb converter in the connector housing.

I know this is a crazy question, but did you RTFM for the screen yet?

As ever, I flew over the pages...

Did the guy who made the project use the programmer, or was the whole thing done through the microSD card?

The GUI is made as follows:

Touch buttons and digits are images stored on the micro SD card. Each image has x,y coordinates on the touchscreen.

If it´s possible I want to avoid this and program the controller directly.
When I´ll get the right display I´ll take more care to read the manual...

[KungFuJosh]

The GUI is made as follows:

Touch buttons and digits are images stored on the micro SD card. Each image has x,y coordinates on the touchscreen.

If it´s possible I want to avoid this and program the controller directly.
When I´ll get the right display I´ll take more care to read the manual...

I would be surprised if it's possible. Whether programming directly is necessary or not, I don't know. I didn't read anything yet. 😉

However, I know there are images and sound files involved, so storage is necessary. I don't know how much storage the LCD has without the microSD.

[Martin72]

That´s a good point.

https://www.elektormagazine.de/labs/voltage-current-calibrator-0-to-10v-and-0-to-40ma-0001#

Interesting points on the section improvements..

[Martin72]

Hi,

However, I know there are images and sound files involved, so storage is necessary.

In the datasheet it is written that it is indeed exactly for this, you can also store logger data on it:

The uSD card is used when displaying images/video/sound, along with datalogging to uSD, and a programming cable is definitely required for downloading compiled code and PmmC/Firmware updates.

What is also interesting, so for a programming layman like me:

ViSi-Genie is a breakthrough in the way 4D Systems’ graphic display modules are programmed. It is an environment like no other, a code-less programming environment that provides the user with a rapid visual experience, enabling a simple GUI application to be ‘written’ from scratch in literally seconds.
ViSi-Genie does all the background coding, no 4DGL to learn, it does it all for you.
Pick and choose the relevant objects to place on the display, much like the ViSi Environment yet without having to write a single line of code. Each object has parameters which can be set, and configurable events to animate and drive other objects or communicate with external devices.
Simply place an object on the screen, position and size it to suit, set the parameters such as colour, range, text, and finally select the event you wish the object to be associated with, it is that simple.
In seconds you can transform a blank display into a fully animated GUI with moving sliders, animated press and release buttons, and much more. All without writing a single line of code!

 

[KungFuJosh]

I think it will be pretty cool if we can easily customize the interface. However, he already made graphics for it, so it seems like the programming was done already, and it just needs to be copied over? I guess we'll find out eventually.

I'd still bet a serial to USB cable or adapter is all that's needed for the programming cable. I have real programmers too, but I don't know if they'd work with that or not.

[Martin72]

I'd still bet a serial to USB cable or adapter is all that's needed for the programming cable.

It is    :

https://docs.rs-online.com/d92d/0900766b815118a7.pdf

However, he already made graphics for it, so it seems like the programming was done already, and it just needs to be copied over?

All we need is already there. 

[KungFuJosh]

That's what I thought. So it seems the extent of "programming" is just copying his files over. I may have a look at them with that utility and see what kind of customization can be done.

[Martin72]

I´ll check this in the next week I guess - Ordered the "right" display today and somewhere I must have a USB to serial adaptor lying around.

[Martin72]

Stop - Hammertime ! Ehhh...Mousertime.

[Martin72]

Comparing the BOM (original) with the schematic....
R21(10R) is missed in the BOM but in the schematic avaible and must be there because it´s the output resistor.
Then it´s getting "wilder"...
2µ2 tantalum are only mentioned as C9,C10 in the BOM but also avaible as C30,C33,C36 in the schematic..
According to the datsheet of the MAX6350 (U9) C30 and C36 are right with 2µ2 (and wrong in the BOM), for C33 (100nF in the BOM) the datasheet recommending 1µF, in the schematic it´s 2µ2.
And another thing:
C28 is 10µF in the schematic (and right), but 100nF in the BOM....
I´ll continue checking BOM vs schematic.

[KungFuJosh]

Your BOM must be outdated. I have a new BOM I verified with the schematic. Try the attached BOM instead. I don't remember if I updated my project yet. I got sidetracked with...work. 😉