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Putting it together . . .
DIGITAL
LIGHTING
CONTROLLER
Part 2 – by
Nicholas Vinen
and Jim Rowe
Everyone who has seen this has been pretty impressed . . . and no
wonder! While we originally intended it to make your Christmas
Lights display the best in your suburb, with up to 32 channels
and total power limited only by your power outlets, it’s capable
of controlling just about any lighting sequencing task you want to
throw at it. Now we get on with the good stuff: putting it all together!
W
e introduced this new Digital Lighting Sequencer last
month and already it’s created quite a stir. So how many budding
Chevy Chase wannabes are there out
there, anyway?
This month we’ll go through the
relatively simple construction of both
master and slave units, testing them
and then how to use them. We’ll start
with the smaller of the two “boxes”,
the Master Unit which has all the
“smarts”.
Master board construction
Before assembly, check the copper
side of the PC board for defects and
that the holes are drilled correctly. Test
the connectors for fit. If your board is
not provided with the corners cut out
to suit the case, you will need to file
it to shape.
First install the SD/MMC card
socket, which goes on the copper side.
Remove the dummy plastic “memory”
card, then place the socket over the
pads. Check that they all line up, then
apply some solder to the two larger
mounting pads. Ensure it is aligned
and that it is sitting flat on the board
– if required, re-melt the solder joints
and adjust its position.
Once it is in place, apply solder to
the 13 remaining pads, ensuring that
the solder flows properly onto both the
Above is the master unit with a 128MB SD card in its
reader. This is connected via a suitable length Cat5 cable . . .
26 Silicon Chip
siliconchip.com.au
pins and the pads. In the case of the
Altronics socket, one of the mounting
pads has two pins (one is ground) so
make sure that the solder covers both.
After that, install the wire links using either tinned copper wire or 0Ω
resistors. Follow with the resistors
as shown on the overlay, checking
each value with a multimeter before
installation. Then fit the four diodes,
taking care with their polarity.
Next is the 28 pin socket for IC1 with
the notch orientated as shown on the
overlay. Solder two diagonally opposite pins and then check that the socket
is sitting flat on the PC board before
soldering the rest. Then straighten the
pins of the TL072 IC and solder it in
place, oriented as shown.
Using small pliers, bend the legs of
the LM3940 regulator down at right
angles 6mm from the tab. Attach it to
the board using a 6mm M3 machine
screw, shakeproof washer and nut.
Once it is firmly mounted, solder the
leads and then trim them.
After that, mount the 3.5mm stereo
socket. Ensure its pins are straight before inserting it and check that it sits
flat before soldering them.
Fit the MKT and ceramic capacitors
next. Polarity does not matter but the
values do, so check the overlay diagram as you go. Follow with the single
tantalum capacitor. The positive lead
is normally marked with an inked “+”
on the plastic body, which lines up
with the “+” on the overlay.
Now install all the electrolytic capacitors except the largest (2200F).
The 4.7F non-polarised capacitor can
go in either way but the rest must have
their longer leads (+) through the hole
marked “+” on the overlay.
Install the 7806 regulator next, using
the same procedure as for the LM3940
but before you insert the M3 machine
screw, slip the small heatsink between
the regulator and the PC board. Thermal grease is not required. Make sure
it stays straight as you tighten the
bolt, otherwise it may touch the large
capacitor which will be adjacent to it.
Unless the 2200F capacitor lies
flat it is too tall to fit in the box. Bend
its leads down about 2.5mm from its
base, keeping in mind its final orientation (as shown by the + symbol on the
overlay). Push it flat against the board,
solder it in, then run a thin bead of
neutral-cure silicone sealant or hotmelt glue along the side closest to the
board edge to hold it in place.
Now fit the crystal adjacent to IC1.
Its orientation does not matter but
avoid heating its leads too much.
Next install the DC socket, ensuring
that it is flush against the PC board and
is at right angles with the board edge
in both planes. Follow with the RJ-45
socket – push its plastic posts into their
holes, then carefully solder the eight
pins without bridging them. If you do
manage to create a solder bridge, it can
be cleaned up with solder wick.
The green LED is installed at rightangles to the PC board and in line with
the edge. Bend its leads 6mm from the
body, using the overlay as a guide as
to the final orientation – the flat side
should be lined up as shown. Solder it
so it sits 7mm above the board surface.
The infrared receiver needs its leads
bent twice. With the dome of the lens
at the front, bend the leads 90° backwards 1mm from the component body,
then back in the opposite direction
7mm from the first bend, forming a
“Z”-shape. Push the remaining leads
all the way through the PC board before
soldering them so that the 7mm section
rests on the top.
Testing the master board
Before installing IC1, check that the
power supply is working. Temporarily
connect a 9V AC plugpack to the power
socket and measure the output (rightmost pin) of both regulators relative
to the tabs – they should be close to
6V and 3.3V. Assuming they are OK,
remove the power supply and wait a
few seconds, then install the microcontroller (IC1), being careful to line
up its notch with that on the socket.
Re-apply power and the green LED
should flash twice then continually
ramp its brightness up and down. This
tells you that the microcontroller and
its zero crossing detection circuitry
are working.
If the LED does not flash, check that
IC1 has been programmed correctly
and the crystal is correctly installed.
If it does not pulsate, check the passive components in the zero crossing
detection circuit.
Assuming all is OK, place a WAV
file (in the standard PCM format, eg,
from a CD) on an otherwise blank
. . . to the slave unit,
which contains the drive circuitry for the
lights. Up to four slave units can be connected in series, giving
a total of 32 channels. For a full explanation, see last month’s intro.
siliconchip.com.au
November 2010 27
Digital
gnithgiLighting
L latigiD
rSequencer
ecneuqeS
012010
02 ©
©
10101161
16110101
10k
10F
CON1
LED1
9V AC IN
(RJ45
TYPE II)
TO SLAVE MODULE(S)
memory card and plug it in. The green
LED should go out (it may flash twice
first) and after a few seconds it should
turn on fully.
If so, connect the audio output socket to an amplifier (eg, using a 3.5mm
to RCA cable) with the volume turned
down then slowly turn the volume up.
If you hear the audio being played then
the card, socket and audio output are
all operating correctly.
If the LED is on but there is no
sound, check the audio output circuitry. If the LED does not turn on as
described then there may be a problem
with the soldering on the card socket.
28 Silicon Chip
(UNDER)
15nF
IRD1
CON4
SD/MMC
SOCKET
If LED flashes repetitively in a pattern,
this indicates that the software has
encountered an error – see the table
of error codes towards the end of the
article.
Completing the master module
Snap the front panel off the box and
cut and drill it as shown in Fig.5. A
photocopy or print-out of this template
can be temporarily glued onto the
panel as a drilling aid.
For the round holes, drill a small pilot hole in the centre and then expand
it using a series of larger drill bits, then
de-burr it using a larger drill bit. This
10k
13k
10k
R
T
CON2
S
AUDIO OUT
150pF
15nF
10k
100
100
100
CON3
13k
10k
150pF
NP
4.7F
3.0k
220
10k
10k
10k
D1
D2
4004
27k
+
10F 10F
4004
100nF
100nF
100
+
4004
10k
IC2
TL072
+
D3
100
10k
10F
10F
100nF
100
D4
10k
13k
47k
100nF
4004
10k
X1
33pF
24.576MHz
13k
33pF
10k
100
+
+
470F
100F
IC1 dsPIC33FJ64GP802
+
470F
100F
+
1nF
+
2200F
(LAID OVER)
+
REG1
7805
CS
SC
100nF
REG2
LM3940
-3.3
Fig.4: here’s the
component overlay
for the master unit,
with a matching
photo underneath.
Two points to note:
(a) the SD card
socket is mounted
on the underside
of the PC board,
and (b) the 2200F
capacitor is
mounted lying
down on the PC
board, with some
hot melt glue or
silicone sealant
to hold it in place
(after soldering!).
We strongly
suggest you use
a socket for the
microcontroller
at least – it makes
testing and
trouble-shooting
a whole lot
easier. Note that
there are some
minor differences
between the early
prototype PC
board at left and
the component
overlay above.
ensures that the holes remain round
and clean.
For the larger rectangular hole, mark
the outline using a sharp knife and
then drill a series of closely spaced
3mm holes around the inside of the
outline, then cut the remaining plastic
to knock out the centre section.
Use a needle file to clean up the
edges and slowly expand the opening
until the connector fits neatly.
The card slot can be made using a
similar technique but the holes must
be small (eg, 1.5-2mm) to avoid going
outside the outline. Once the slot has
been filed to a rectangular shape you
siliconchip.com.au
Fig.5: samesize diagram
showing the
holes and
cut-outs for
the master
unit. The
photo below
shows the
same thing,
this time
assembled.
20
19
A
13.5
26
5.75
15.5
3.5
11.25
17
B
C
B
15.5
15.75
ALL DIMENSIONS IN MILLIMETRES
may need to slightly elongate it in one
direction or the other after the case is
assembled to suit the alignment of the
card socket.
Now mount the PC board in the
case. It is attached to the lid’s integral
plastic stand-offs with nylon washers
between them, so that the memory
card can clear the lip on the lid. Place
the Nylon washers atop the standoffs then lower the PC board on top
without knocking them off. Attach the
board using the specified self-tapping
screws.
If you can’t get the board on with
the washers staying in place, you
can glue them to the underside of the
board with a dab of hot-melt glue or
other adhesive. They must be slightly
offset from the centre of the holes so
they do not extend out past the board’s
corner cut-outs.
With the board installed, one further
cut-out must be made to the base lip.
The specified RJ45 socket is quite tall
and requires a notch, as shown in the
close-up photo. Gently trim away the
plastic using side-cutters and clean it
up using a file. Care must be taken to
avoid cracking the case or scratching
the panel – the lip itself is hidden by
the front panel when it is installed.
At this point, with the lid in place,
the front and rear panels can be
snapped on and the master module is
complete. Note that when attaching
the front panel you will need to lever
it in place – clip on the edge with the
RJ45 cut-out first.
In doing so be careful that the LED
fits through the hole, otherwise its
leads will be bent. Also check that the
infrared receiver sits properly behind
siliconchip.com.au
13.25
10
20
14.5
HOLE A: 6.0mm DIA. HOLES B: 5.0mm DIA. HOLE C: 5.5mm DIA.
its hole with the front panel is in place.
Once you have confirmed that all
the cut-outs are correct and the front
panel fits properly you can stick the
label in place. If it is not adhesive (eg,
if you have printed and laminated it)
it can be attached with a thin smear
of silicone sealant.
Slave board construction
Again, check the copper side of
the board, then install the wire links.
There are ten in the low voltage (bottom) section and these can be made
from tinned copper wire or 0 resistors.
The eight links near the Triacs are
at mains potential, so they must be
insulated. Cut eight 11mm lengths of
the 2.5mm or 3mm fibreglass sleeving
and slip each over a 20mm length of
tinned copper wire. Bend the ends of
the wire to form 11.5mm wire jumpers
and then solder them in place. When
that is finished, install all the resistors.
Use the colour code table provided
and/or check each with a multimeter
before installation to be sure that they
are the correct value.
Next fit the three ICs and eight optocouplers. The ICs all have different
pin counts so it is hard to mix them
up but be careful with their orientation
(see the overlay diagram). Straighten
the leads and press each IC down as
far as it will go before soldering it.
The orientation of the optocouplers is
critical so be sure to install them with
the notch towards the left side of the
board, as shown on the overlay.
Now solder the two low-voltage
MKT capacitors (at the bottom left)
and the two electrolytic capacitors.
The longer lead of each electro goes
into one of the two holes near the “+”
symbol.
After that you can install the terminal blocks, with the openings facing
towards the nearest edge of the board.
Follow with the X2 capacitors, then
the two RJ45 connectors. They are installed in the same manner as with the
master board. Ensure they are pressed
down fully before soldering them.
The eight red LEDs are next but
first their leads must be bent at right
angles 7mm from the lens. The anode
(the longer lead) must go towards the
right edge of the board, so bend them
in the correct direction to achieve this.
The horizontal portion of the leads
go 16mm above the board surface. A
16mm-wide strip of cardboard can be
cut to assist in positioning them.
Fit the Triacs to the heatsinks in
pairs – one on either side. Insert a
10mm x M3 screw through one tab,
then the heat sink, then the other tab
and secured with a shakeproof washer
and M3 nut. Do them up tightly. As
before thermal grease is not necessary
This notch needs to be cut in the case
to accommodate the RJ-45 socket. Cut
it as neatly as you can but don’t worry
too much if your skills aren’t up to
scratch: it’s hidden by the front panel.
November 2010 29
The assembled slave unit, ready to be
wired (as shown later) and fitted to its case.
Never be tempted to work on the PC board with power
applied – always have the lid on the case.
At right is Fig.6, the component overlay for the slave unit.
but may be used if desired. Note that
the tabs on these devices are insulated
– do not substitute other Triacs!
Once each Triac/heatsink assembly
is complete, push the leads through the
holes in the PC board until the heatsinks are right against the board, then
flip it over and solder the two thick
posts to hold the assembly in place.
Because the heatsinks are quite
large you will need to use a large tip
and/or high temperature for this job.
When the heatsinks are in place you
can then solder and trim the Triac
leads.
Now fit the toroidal inductors. Push
each pair of leads through the board
as far as they will go then solder and
trim them.
Finally, install the earth lug. If
you spade terminal is double-ended,
cut one end off first with a pair of
sturdy side-cutters. Place a shakeproof
washer over an M3 x 10mm machine
screw and insert it through the earth
mounting hole from the copper side.
30 Silicon Chip
Place the lug over the shaft, then an M3
nut. Tighten it, with the lug orientated
so that the cable won’t interfere with
any components. Add a second nut
on top (to act as a locknut) and do it
up firmly too.
Testing the slave module
Test the low voltage section of the
slave module before installing it in the
case. Download the test data from the
SILICON CHIP website (1611010T.zip)
and extract it into the root directory
of a blank memory card.
With the master module power disconnected, connect the slave board to
it using a short Cat5 cable. Make sure
the slave board is resting on a nonconductive surface and check that you
have plugged the cable into the correct
(control input) connector.
Plug the card into the master module
and apply power – do not connect the
slave module to mains!
After a brief delay, you should see
the LEDs on the slave module light
up in turn for two seconds each. This
repeats, then after a ten second delay,
it goes into a loop where each LED
fades in and out in turn.
If some of the LEDs do not light,
check the corresponding LED, optocoupler and current limiting resistor
for errors. If none of the LEDs light
then there is a problem around one of
the digital logic ICs or one of the RJ45
connectors.
Slave module assembly
Now prepare the front panel, using
Fig.9 as a guide. As with the master
module, the round holes can be drilled
while the others can be made by drilling a series of holes within the outline,
knocking the centre out and filing them
to shape.
Be careful to make the IEC connector cut-out accurately as a tight fit will
ensure that it can’t come loose.
After that, attach the front panel
label. For maximum protection from
grubby fingers, we suggest it be lamisiliconchip.com.au
100nF
10k
10k
470
360
47nF
275VAC
100nF
275VAC
39
+
IC2
TRIAC8
BTA41
74HC04
IN
47
Aout8
Aout7
OPTO7
MOC3021
TRIAC7
BTA41
10k
(RJ45
TYPE II)
CON2
100
360
47
100
47nF
275VAC
470
100
OUT
100
100nF
LED1
A
IC1 74HC595
470
360
47nF
275VAC
10nF
275VAC
100nF
275VAC
100nF
275VAC
39
LED2
A
Aout6
Aout5
OPTO5
MOC3021
LED4
A
47nF
275VAC
470
LED5
A
470
360
47nF
275VAC
39
10nF
275VAC
10nF
275VAC
39
100nF
275VAC
100nF
275VAC
LED6
A
L4
100 H 5A
OPTO4
MOC3021
L5
100 H 5A
LED3
A
TRIAC5
BTA41
360
47
TRIAC4
BTA41
47
LED7
A
Aout4
Aout3
OPTO3
MOC3021
360
10nF
275VAC
100nF
275VAC
470
10nF
275VAC
100nF
275VAC
47nF
275VAC
TRIAC2
47
39
470
39
L2
100 H 5A
20101161
0102 ©
L ORT N O C G NIT H GIL
DRA O B H CTI WS
OPTO2
MOC3021
47nF
275VAC
L3
100 H 5A
LED8
A
TRIAC3
BTA41
360
47
BTA41
NOTE:
ALL TRACKS AND
COMPONENTS IN
THE PINK SHADED
AREA OPERATE AT
MAINS POTENTIAL.
CONTACT
COULD
BE FATAL!
Aout2
Aout1
TRIAC1
EARTH
360
BTA41
47nF
275VAC
470
L1
100 H 5A
OPTO1
MOC3021
47
10nF
275VAC
TRIAC6
BTA41
47
ULN2803
39
L6
100 H 5A
OPTO6
MOC3021
10k
L7
100 H 5A
10k
IC3
10nF
275VAC
L8
100 H 5A
100 F
100 F
CON1
(RJ45
TYPE II)
+
OPTO8
MOC3021
39
10nF
275VAC
100nF
275VAC
ACTIVE
INPUT
nated and glued on using a thin layer
of silicone sealant – or it can be printed
on adhesive-backed paper.
With the label in place, the IEC
connector can be snapped in. Make
sure it is the correct type, designed for
mounting on a 1.5mm panel, or else
siliconchip.com.au
it will not be secure. If is it all sloppy
in the cutout, we suggest a couple of
dobs of suitable glue around the edges
(inside) to keep it tight.
Then push the LEDs and RJ45 connectors on the main board through
the front panel and lower the whole
assembly into the plastic case, with
the front panel in its recess.
If your case has a vent in the bottom,
orient the board so that this vent is
towards the front (low voltage) end.
Screw the board onto the plastic risers
using self-tapping screws.
November 2010 31
55mm
55mm
LINK BETWEEN N TAG ON IEC
MALE CONNECTOR & SWITCH TAG S1
45mm
45mm
LINK BETWEEN FUSE TAG F2 ON IEC
MALE CONNECTOR & SWITCH TAG S2
90mm
90mm
90mm
120mm
90mm
90mm
90mm
200mm
BLUE SPADE CONNECTORS ARE LARGER TYPES TO ALLOW TWO WIRES TO BE INSERTED
150mm
WIRE BETWEEN SWITCH TAG S4 ON
IEC MALE CONNECTOR & 'ACTIVE INPUT'
TERMINAL BLOCK ON PC BOARD
90mm
90mm
90mm
120mm
90mm
90mm
90mm
80mm
80mm
170mm
E ON IEC
OUTPUT
1
E ON IEC
OUTPUT
3
E ON IEC E ON IEC
OUTPUT OUTPUT
5
7
E ON IEC
OUTPUT
8
E ON IEC
OUTPUT
6
E ON IEC E ON IEC EARTH LUG
OUTPUT OUTPUT FOR REAR
2
PANEL
4
E TAG ON
IEC MALE
(MATES WITH SPADE
LUG ON PC BOARD)
80mm
TO Aout7, Aout5,
Aout3 & Aout1
TERM BLOCKS
ON PC BOARD
FOUR OF THESE LEADS, TO CONNECT TO
'A' LUG OF IEC OUTPUT 7, IEC OUTPUT 5,
IEC OUTPUT 3 AND IEC OUTPUT 1
FOUR OF THESE LEADS, TO CONNECT TO
'A' LUG OF IEC OUTPUT 8, IEC OUTPUT 6,
IEC OUTPUT 4 AND IEC OUTPUT 2
45mm
TO Aout8, Aout6,Aout4 & Aout2
TERM BLOCKS ON PC BOARD
NOTE: ALL FEMALE SPADE CONNECTORS HAVE INSULATION SLEEVES
Fig.7: you’ll need to make up a set of cables with spade connectors, as shown,
to complete wiring the slave unit. Both the cables and spade connector sleeves
should be the same colours as shown here to ensure there are no mixups
between active, neutral and earth wires. (The blue sleeves allow for two wires).
Now prepare the rear panel. If you
are building the module from a kit, the
rear panel may be supplied pre-cut.
Otherwise, cut a piece of 2mm thick
aluminium (or 1mm steel) to shape as
shown in Fig.9. The eight cut-outs are
best made using a nibbling tool.
To accurately nibble the cut-outs,
print or photocopy the template, glue
it to the panel (spray glue is ideal) and
nibble out the holes to the lines on the
template. Use a file to clean up the
holes and remove any burrs. At the
same time, drill the seventeen holes
and de-burr them with a larger drill.
Once everything fits, peel off the
temporary label and clean with solvent (metho) if necessary. Then install
the eight connectors using 10mm M3
machine screws, shakeproof washers
and nuts.
You may have noticed that we used
snap-in female IEC connectors in our
prototype but specified screw-mount
types in the part list.
This is because the snap-in connectors can easily fall out when used
on a panel this thick (necessary due
to the amount of metal removed for
the connectors). Screw-mounted IEC
connectors are much safer in this application.
Now cut 250VAC-rated wire to
length and attach crimp connectors
as shown in Fig.7. To ensure the wires
can not come loose, you must use a
ratchet-type crimping tool.
Be sure to use the connectors with
the correct colour, as shown, since
they are designed for different thicknesses of wire (the blue connectors are
designed for thicker wire so are suitable for joining two smaller diameter
wires).
Complete the slave module wiring
using Fig.8 as a guide.
You may need to bend some of the
spade terminals on the IEC connectors upwards to get the wires past the
inductors. If so, bend them carefully
using pliers, to the minimum extent
possible, so that the insulated connectors still cover the exposed metal. Be
sure to plug the connectors in all the
way so they can’t come loose.
The rear panel earth lug is attached using a 10mm M3 screw. Pass
it through from the rear then place a
shakeproof washer on the shaft, then
the eyelet lug, another shakeproof
washer and two nuts which are tightened very firmly.
If there is any coating on the rear
panel, it must be scraped away around
Notes and Errata from Part 1:
We have produced an alternative PC board for the master
module to suit the Jaycar PS0024 surface mount memory
card socket, coded 16110103. It can be downloaded from
the SILICON CHIP web site.
Also, the parts list published last month omitted the
following parts:
1
1
2
2
2
28-pin DIP socket
mini TO-220 heatsink (Jaycar HH8502, Altronics H0630)
6mm M3 machine screws
M3 shakeproof washers
M3 nuts
32 Silicon Chip
It is a good idea to use a socket for the microcontroller in case it needs to be removed for re-programming.
Regarding the RJ45 sockets specified, there are
several sockets with similar pin configurations that
should theoretically work but we have not tested them.
While the ones we specified are “Type II” (ie, the
pins are at the top), “Type I” (with the pins at the bottom) should also work as long as you use the same
type on all the modules.
We have only tested the connectors specified in the
parts list so if in doubt, stick with those.
siliconchip.com.au
REAR PANEL
OUTPUT 5
OUTPUT 3
E
E
E
A
A
N
A
N
IEC FEMALE
CONNECTORS
OUTPUT 1
E
A
N
N
OUTPUT 8
OUTPUT 6
OUTPUT 4
OUTPUT 2
E
E
E
E
A
N
+
WARNING!
This is a mains-operated device.
Construction should not be attempted unless
you have knowledge of and experience in
building mains-powered projects.
The slave unit has areas of the PC board where
components and tracks are at mains potential.
Contact with live wiring could prove fatal.
Aout1
N
Aout2
Aout6
Aout7
Aout8
A
N
Aout3
A
N
Aout4
A
Aout5
CABLE
TIES
ACTIVE
INPUT
OUTPUT 7
+
EARTH
CON1
LED1
(RJ45
TYPE II)
INPUT FROM
CONTROLLER
20101161
0102 ©
L ORS4
T NO C G
IL
S3NIT H GF2
DRA O B H CTI WS
CON2
LED2
LED3
LED4
LED5
LED6
LED7
LED8
(RJ45
TYPE II)
S2
THROUGH TO
OTHER SWITCH BOXES
S1
N
E
IEC MALE CONNECTOR
WITH FUSE & DPST SWITCH
Fig.8: using the cables made up to suit (see Fig.7) here’s how to wire the slave unit. It’s easy if you make the cables the
right lengths and terminate them with spade lugs, as shown.
the earth lug hole to ensure a good
electrical contact.
Use cable ties to secure the wires so
that they are held away from the components on the board and to prevent
any wires from moving around and
working their way loose. The lid can
then be installed using the supplied
machine screws.
Finally, insert the two 10A fuses
into the mains input connector (15A
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for 115V mains). One is a spare.
Final test
First, a warning. Never plug the
slave module into the mains without
the lid in place.
If you ever need to remove the lid,
unplug the module first and before
re-installing it, check that the mains
wiring is secure and safe.
The whole project can now be test-
ed. Use the same files on the memory
card and the same set-up as previously
but this time connect some lights.
For testing (which involves phase
control), use 230V incandescent lamps
only, not LEDs with a switch-mode
supply. While it is unlikely that a
switch-mode supply would be damaged by a brief period of phase control,
it certainly won’t like it!
Later, in use, LEDs with switchNovember 2010 33
Error flash codes
Remote control
The default remote control codes for the
master unit are set up initially for a Jaycar
AR1726 (TV code 102) or Altronics A1012 (TV
code 156) universal remote. We explain later how to
customise the codes for other remotes.
These are the available functions:
Button Command Description
Play
play
Starts or resumes playback.
Stop
stop
Stops playback. Pressing it twice
will go back to the first file.
Pause
pause
Pauses or resumes playback.
Channel +
next
Goes to the next sequence/WAV
file.
Channel prev
Goes to the previous sequence/
WAV file.
Volume +
volup
Increase audio volume.
Volume voldn
Decrease audio volume.
Fast forward forward Skip ahead 10 seconds.
Rewind
back
Skip backwards 10 seconds.
1-9, 0
1, 2,…10 Jumps to the first, second, third
etc sequence/WAV file on the card
and starts it immediately.
Playback will stop when it finishes.
Power
reset
Stops playback and goes back to
the first file.
Record
order
Changes the playback order in
this sequence: sorted, shuffle,
directory, sorted. . .
See “Configuration” for more details.
mode supplies may be switched on
and off using this sequencer but should
never be dimmed or faded.
Join the master and slave modules
together, plug the slave module into
mains and switch it on. Then apply
power to the master module and check
that the lights operate as expected.
Using the controller
While the photo last month shows
the master module sitting on top of
the slave module, in practice it is a
good idea to separate them by at least
50cm and if possible, run them from
separate mains outlets.
The reason is that the 100Hz/120Hz
Triac switching generates a fairly significant amount of EMI (electromagnetic interference).
The LC filter at each output reduces
but does not eliminate the radiation.
Most of the emissions are from the
cabling between the controller and
the lights.
As a result, if the master module
34 Silicon Chip
If something goes wrong, the master module flashes its LED
in a pattern. This pattern involves a specific number of slow
and fast flashes which repeat after a delay. To determine what
has gone wrong, count the flashes and then look them up in
the following tables:
No of
When error occurred
Slow flashes
1
2
3
No of
Fast flashes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
While re-programming the main program
While re-programming the bootloader
During operation (in the main program)
Meaning
Failed to initialise memory card after 3 attempts
FAT file system not recognised
Could not find root directory
Re-programming completed but verify failed
HEX file read error
HEX file format invalid
Failed to detect valid mains frequency
Unexpected error while re-flashing bootloader
Memory card indicates wrong supply voltage
Memory card command time out
Configuration file contains invalid line(s)
No sequences found on memory card
Invalid WAV file on memory card
Unsupported WAV file format detected
Memory card file read error
is too close to a slave module then a
buzzing sound can be coupled into the
audio output. By keeping the modules
physically separated and also separating the mains wiring this effect is
minimised.
Creating sequences
In order to create a truly spectacular
light show you need to make a sequence for each piece of music.
We have supplied a sample sequence along with a public domain
Christmas song which you can download from the SILICON CHIP website.
To create your own sequence you
will need to download and install our
Windows sequencing software.
The first step in creating a sequence
is to open a WAV file. Select the
File->New command and you will be
prompted to select the WAV file. At
this point blank sequence is created.
From top to bottom, the application
window is separated into the following
sections: menu, toolbar, audio display,
sequence display and light status
bar. The menus give you access to all
functions while the toolbar provides
more convenient access to the most
commonly used function.
Move the mouse over a toolbar
button and leave it there to display
a “tooltip” which explains what that
button does. Buttons which can not
be used are “greyed out” and in this
case the tooltip will explain why. The
tooltips also indicate the shortcut key
combination (if available) to activate
that function.
Below the toolbar is a representation of the WAV audio data, shown
as it would be on an oscilloscope. If
you place the mouse cursor over that
section, the scroll wheel (or menu/
toolbar functions) can zoom in and
out. Right-clicking or right-dragging
the mouse will scroll the display, as
will moving the scrollbar at the bottom
of the window.
You can get a feel for how the audio
display works by pressing the “play
siliconchip.com.au
siliconchip.com.au
B
B
FRONT PANEL
REAR PANEL
38
10
B
12
12
24
24
18
18
6
6
B
B
10
15.5
10.5
16
17.5
HOLES B: 3.0mm DIAMETER
32
40
32
40
28
45
12
12
24
24
32
40
32
40
18
18
15.5
A
10
A
6
6
A
10
45
HOLES A: 5.0mm DIAMETER
B
B
Fig.9:
same-size
diagrams
show the
cutouts
and holes
required
for the rear
panel (left)
– all IEC
connectors,
and the
front panel
(right) with
cutouts for
the RJ45
plugs, the
IEC mains
connector/
fuseholder/
switch and
holes for
eight LEDs.
November 2010 35
10
A
B
14
B
5
CL
A
5
A
10
B
14
B
A
10
12
12
24
24
A
10
61
32
40
32
40
18
18
25.5
6
6
B
B
24.5
45
10
B
12
12
24
24
32
40
32
18
18
27
46
6
6
ALL DIMENSIONS IN MILLIMETRES
28
B
40
6
6
6
B
B
Configuration
The master module’s default behaviour should be adequate for most users. You just need to load your music and sequence files
onto the memory card, plug it in and switch it on.
However, some users may want to alter the master unit’s behaviour. To do so, place a text file in the root directory of the memory
card and rename it to “Light Controller.cfg”. In Windows, it can be edited by opening Notepad and dragging this file into the main
window.
In this file, each option is written on a separate line, with the option name on the left, then an equals sign (“=”), then the value for
that option. The possible options are as follows, with the default shown in bold italics:
start playback automatically = yes, no
If yes, the first file on the card is played immediately.
Otherwise playback must be started via the remote control.
start file = “filename”
If set, the file of the name specified will be the first played.
Otherwise the first file found is used.
default file order = sorted, shuffle, directory
If set to sorted, files will be played in alphabetical order.
If set to shuffle, files will be played in a randomised order.
Otherwise, files will be played in the order that they are stored.
default volume = 100%
Allows you to reduce the initial volume.
It is better to use an external volume control if possible.
default repeat all = yes, no
If set to yes, when the last file finishes playback will start again
at the first. Otherwise playback will stop.
filament preheat amount = 20
The fraction of full power to use for the filament preheat.
It is a number between 0 and 255, where 255 means full power.
The default should suit most incandescent lamps.
filament preheat <slave> = yes, no
Controls filament preheating on a per-slave basis.
<slave> is replaced with the slave number between 1 and 4.
Slave 1 is the slave closest to the master module.
filament preheat <slave>:<channel> = yes, no
Controls filament preheating on a per-light basis.
<channel> is replaced with the channel number between 1 and 8.
triac turnoff <slave> = immediate, delayed
If set to delayed, the trigger pulses for the specified slave will be
held until the end of each mains half cycle.
Read the section on delayed turnoff before using this option.
triac turnoff <slave>:<channel> = immediate, delayed
As above but allows control on a per-channel basis.
remote code <command> = RC5(0x????) or NEC(0x????)
Allows the unit to be configured for different remote controls.
See “remote control configuration” for more information.
infrared logging = off, on
If set to on, the unit will log all infrared activity to a file.
This assists with reconfiguring the codes.
Here is an example configuration file:
default file order = shuffle
filament preheat 1:7 = off
filament preheat 1:8 = off
triac turnoff 1:3 = delayed
triac turnoff 1:4 = delayed
file” button with speakers or headphones connected to the computer.
Below the audio data display are the
sequencer light states, which scroll
together with it.
The brightness of each horizontal
strip represents the brightness of the
light as time passes. By clicking on a
portion of the audio data, you can see
state of the lights at that point in the
sequence on the light status bar, at the
bottom of the window.
This bar is also active during
36 Silicon Chip
playback to provide a preview of the
sequence.
Manipulating the sequence
Click and drag the mouse within
the sequence area to select a portion,
which will turn blue. You can move
the start and end of the selection by
dragging them. It is also possible to
select from the audio display.
Which lights are selected can be
changed by clicking on the light names
at the left of the window. Control-click
and shift-click allow you to select
multiple lights.
Once a selection has been made,
you can manipulate that portion of the
sequence using the functions towards
the right-hand side of the toolbar (or
from the Lights menu).
These include turning the light(s) on
or off for that period, setting them to an
intermediate brightness, ramping the
brightness up or down or performing a
“cascade” where the lights are turned
on in sequence.
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Inside the completed slave unit – this shows push-fit IEC connectors on the rear panel but with 20:20 hindsight, we
now recommend captive types (with screws and nuts). For safety, follow our wiring diagrams and photos exactly!
The best way to understand how
these functions work is to experiment with them. After changing the
sequence, you can play it (or a section of it) to get an idea of what it will
look like.
The easiest way to do this is to
select the section of the file you are
working on and press the “set play
region” button on the toolbar. You can
then use the “Play region” function to
play this section at any time as you are
working on it.
If you make a change that you are
not happy with, simply use the “undo”
function to revert it.
Auto sequencing
For automated sequence creation
there is the “beat detection” function
which pulses one or more lights in
time with the beat, the “spectrum
analysis” function which behaves
like a “Musicolour” and even an “automatic sequencing” function which
can generate a complete sequence with
just a few mouse clicks.
The GUI (Graphical User Interface)
is designed to be easy to learn so with
a little experimentation you should be
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able to figure out most of its functions.
We don’t have enough room for a more
detailed explanation this month but
we will provide more information
next month.
Delayed turnoff
The delayed turnoff option should
only be used in two situations – either
during testing, to allow the slave indicator LEDs to vary their brightness
or else for channels with lights that
have insufficient current to properly
latch the Triacs (<25W or so). If the
brightness of your lights is not being
properly controlled, you may need to
use this option.
In the latter case, only enable delayed turnoff for the affected channels.
It is not a good idea to have more than
a few such channels as this results
in higher current drain on the 6V
line. This can cause excessive heat
generation in the 7806 regulator and
higher voltage drops across long Cat5
cables, possibly resulting in incorrect
operation.
Ideally, use lights with a high
enough power to allow the Triacs to
latch.
Remote control configuration
Up to three remote control codes can
be assigned to each command. These
can be Philips RC5 12-bit codes or NEC
16-bit codes (used by some Digitech
remote controls). Either way, the code
is specified as a 4-digit hexadecimal
number.
Do not worry about what this means
as the infrared logging feature can tell
you what codes your remote control
uses. Simply enable the feature, turn
the unit on and press the buttons you
are interested in. All you then need
to do then is open the log file on your
computer, copy the codes into the
configuration file as appropriate, and
disable the logging feature.
The format for an RC5 code is
“RC5(0x1234)” and for an NEC code it
is “NEC(0x1234)”. For example, to configure the master module so that RC5
code 0x0020 triggers the “next” command (which is the default), add the
following line to the configuration file:
remote code next = RC5(0x0020)
To add two to four possible remote
codes for a given command, separate
SC
them with commas.
November 2010 37
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