I/O Card or Cards

[davemckee]

OK guys...I am getting ready to install an interface module to run a Poldragonet Master Caution, Fire Warning, and Sixpack. The unit is mounted on a PCB board with an output consisting of 16 pins.I have purchased the connectors and ribbon cable. Now I need to know what type of I/O unit I need. I want oviously to get something that works, BUT is lthe lowest price. This unit of course has leds, and switches. What voltage the leds are is anyones guess as NO instructions came with the unit. I can only assume it's (hopefully) 5 dc volts or less. I've had this unit for well over a year and never had the courage to tackle it. Anyone use the Pol unit?, and if so what card do I need? Thanks Again for any suggestions. Dave

[mefiu]

Now I need to know what type of I/O unit I need.How about asking the producer?

[metamarty]

If you don't yet have a led controller card, you might as well go for a phidgets led64 card. It contains the internal resistors needed for leds. It's safe to use with any led and has 64 outputs, so there's room for expansion. For input of the switches, phidets has input cards, but you might as well get a more economical joystick card like a bodnar card.

[davemckee]

Trying to get an answer from POLDRAGONET is like trying to milk a male goat. They hardly ever respond if not at all. Regards Dave

[mpl330]

Hi Dave,

I had this working through the Poldragonet FSBus cards but I'm know swapping over to Opencockpits Master Cards. When I tested the right & left sides I identified pins 1 - 8 as the LED's, 9 is gnd for LED's, pins 11,12 & 14 are the button inputs with pin 13 gnd. Will just connect these pins to the OC master card...

Cheers
Mike

[davemckee]

Mike: Thanks for the info but I'm confused. I am using a 16 pin ribbon connector. If I look at the back of the POL unit which is number 1 pin, left side or right side, also since I have 16 holes on the connector for the pins which is number 1 hole. The reason I'm asking is I thought I had set it up correctly, and after conecting the leds to my phidgets64 board everything wnet haywire and none of the POL leds lit up, plus the leds that were working before started lighting up 2 sometimes 3 at a time, and the bodnar card did NOT recognize the switches. Since the connections (grnd)for the leds to the phidgets card are on leach led connection, I just connected all the ground wires together and assigned them to one ground slot on the Phidgets board. Answer when you get a chance...I have had this nit for a year so I can wait until you have a chance to reply. Regards Dave

[ANDYSMITH]

Hi, I think the led's are backwards on the phidgets cards. The grounds are seperate and the positive are ganged together.

Andy

[davemckee]

Well I took your advice and that didn'nt work either...and I broke the plastic connector to the ribbon cable to boot. I am too old and have no patience anymore. Here's what I did. Obviously the 16 pin connector was attached to the pins, and on the other end I inserted wires into each (hole) opening in the connector, then attached the wires to the Phidget LED64 card connectors. I can't find any 16pin ribbon and conectors pre made so I had to buy the ribbon cable, and connectors seperately. Does it sound like I was doing the right thing? Regards Dave

[mpl330]

Hi Dave,

Not sure if you still need this info but on the GLAR_L circuit board the number 1 pin is the pin with the little triangle next to it > When looking at the circuit board with the lettering the correct way up it is the top left pin...

Hope that helps
Cheers
Mike

[davemckee]

Thanks Mike for the reply. I will try that as I had the pins backwords. I don't know if you looked at my other reply, but am I installing it correctly to the Phidgets and Bodnar boards? This part of the sim has been a real pain in the ***. Too bad Pol does not supply any instructions or answer emails. They make a good product but I guess it's a one man operation. Thaks Again Dave

[mpl330]

Hi Dave,

Not sure about phidgets cards as I don't use them but i guess as long as you can control separate outputs it will be ok...
If you have a test meter you should be able to check the inputs and switches work the same as mine, even with my test meter it was making the led's light up so will have to get some resistors in use for these leds. I took the original cable with connector and then split the other end into the separate strands to connect to the OC card. With the bodnar board you can either use it for inputs in a matrix style or have a simpler 12 inputs (depending on which card you have) - Leo's site has more information about how to connect them.
Yes Pol are a real pain on support and even sales is not good as I was going to buy another item but have not had a response as usual!

Cheers
Mike