Roku Brightsign Serial Interface

Preliminary!

For Brightsign Compact HD410, 810 & 1010

16 Input, 16 Output with High Current Driver Board (Port 3)

The C-16-HCA Driver Board Stacks Under this board and can drive eight circuits at 12 volts, 6 amps!

RBGW board shown, Will update Mid March

C-16-HC8 (Interface Board) w/C-16-HC Board

or, C-8-HC8 (Interface Board) w/C-16-HC Board

Features:

Footprint (4.8 x 2.8 inches) (the RGBW board is 4.8 x 3.5 inches and stacks under this board)
Utilizes the 5V TTL Serial Port (.9 meter cable included).
16 Output Drivers for Lamps or Relays (.3 ampere each driver)
8 High Current Outputs 6 amps each driver (see limitation below)
Terminal blocks for all I/O connections
Diagnostic Mode and Options selectable on board
Requires 12V External Power Supply (use 2.1mm jack or Terminal Block connections), and C-16_HC board requires External 12V Supply
On board LED's to indicate Roku Power, 5Volts Power and Processor running.
5VTTL Serial Setup: 38400 baud, N,8,1
3.3 Volts available on 'Input Terminal Strip' for PIR connections.

Note: If you have a C-8-HC8 board then output port2 data (outputs 8-15) and inputs 8-15 are of not utilized. No data will be returned to the 5VTTL serial port of the BrightSign. I.E. the Serial Transmission Protocol does not change with the exception that no data is returned to the BrightSign.

Recommended: Use the RS232-TTL 'Roku Adapter Board' to use your computer to test your strings to the C-16 and C8 boards prior to testing with the BrightSign. Trial and error using the BrightSign to 'debug' strings will take hours or days troubleshoot. With the RS232-TTL board it will take minutes to verify your command strings.

Description of Operation:
This board is used to interface to a BrightSign 'Compact'. The first 8 inputs (inputs 0-7) pass directly to the BrightSign GPIO connections (Btn0-Btn7). The BrightSign uses the 5V TTL serial port to input 8 bits of data (inputs 8-15) from this board. The BrightSign controls the 16 Outputs via the 5V TTL Serial Port. The 8 inputs (inputs 8-15) are transmitted to the Brightsign dependent on option 5.

Serial Transmission 'Break' Protocol: The BrightSign has to allow 10 milliseconds to elapse between serial data 'bursts' going out. This 10 millisecond 'rest' time is interpreted by the HMS board as a 'Break' in serial transmission. This 'Break' condition synchronizes the HMS board to the serial transmissions from the BrightSign.

New Command Selection Protocol: The first byte received by the HMS board (after 'break condition') sets the receive protocol command. The 'Command Strings' are enclosed in brackets [ ].

Command0: Send the input Status byte (inputs 8-15 if C-16 board) if polling required option. Note: A zero byte is returned for C-8 boards.
[0] *1 End Command
Command1: Set Output Ports (Port1, Port2 and Port3 values), (next Command may follow)
C-16 [1, Port1 Value, Port2 Value,Port3 Value] *1 End Command
C-8 [1, Port1 Value, Port3 Value] *1 End Command

Note: RBGW Command Strings are ignored
Note: DMX Command Strings are ignored
Note: *1 'End Command' means the Command is executed and the next command can follow without a break. Likely not utilized for this configuration (not RGBW and not DMX)

Note: Any 'Command' followed by a 'break condition' terminates the command. So, if zero bytes follow command=1, command 1 will simply be terminated at the break condition. Any bytes that came in prior to the 'break' will not be saved.

To Send Multiple protocols Send 1 protocol, then pause for 10 milliseconds, then send the next protocol and pause and so on except where designated above with 'End Command'

Link: Setting up the Serial Port and Sending Bytes with 'BrightAuthor'.

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Diagnostics:

Option 6 Selects a 'multiple diagnostic' feature. With Switch 1, slider 6 (SW1-6) on, the board is in a diagnostic mode. The three 8 bit ports are cycled one bit at a time to on (changes every second). The 5V TTL driver sends decimal 170 (0xAA) to the BrightSign. This diagnostic allows for a visual on all output drivers, verified connection and baud settings to the BrightSign 5VTTL serial port.

Options:

Option6 Diagnostic (see description above)
Option5 Polling NOT Required to get the Status of the Inputs. Any change in inputs is immediately transmitted to the BrightSign (C-16 boards only)
Option4 N/A
Option3 N/A
Option2 N/A
Option1 N/A

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Here is a table of 'bit' control and the decimal values to control that bit.

Bit Binary Decimal
0 00000001b 1d
1 00000010b 2d
2 00000100b 4d
3 00001000b 8d
4 00010000b 16d
5 00100000b 32d
6 01000000b 64d
7 10000000b 128d

Just add the decimal numbers together to get the bits set that you want. Setting all bits on is 255d (decimal). Setting bits 0 and 7 on is 128+1 or 129 decimal

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Note: External Supply Voltage: An External Power Supply is needed to power the loads on the output connector. Do not connect any loads that have their own power that exceeds the power as applied to the board using the 'Ext. Power Connector'. Doing so may result in damage to the board. I.E. Suppose that 12 volts is supplied to this board and you have a relay board with it's own power of 24Volts DC that powers the relays. The 24VDC will feed back into the board via the foldback diodes. Note: Foldback diodes are required for inductive loads such as relays or small motors. Use the 'relay' board (accessories) for isolated contacts to drive other devices.

Page Updated 03/01/2011