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| Adding a Serial Port to the Make Controller |
Adding a Serial Port to the Make Controller
 05-21-2008 02:06 AM
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| Difficulty: | Moderate | ||||||
| Estimated Time: | 30 minutes | ||||||
| Skills Required: | Basic Soldering | ||||||
| Parts Required: | SparkFun TTL/RS232 Converter
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Warning: This project requires soldering on your Make Controller Interface! You can fry the controller, your fingers, your toes, or your dog. If you are not comfortable with soldering or don't have a decent light soldering iron, please don't attempt this mod. The author accepts no responsibility and grants no warranty, expressed or implied.
In this mod, we will expose the serial connectivity on the Make Controller. In a future segment, we'll expose the I2C on the processor, losing the USB auto-detect (not all that important and a fair trade, imho.  )If we look at the Make Controller interface, near the CAN connector, we can see some suspiciously labeled pads. 3.3v, 0v, TX, RX, CTS, RTS. Gosh, what are those there for? They look like TTL serial. Once we put it on the oscilloscope, we see that they are, indeed, TTL serial. All we need is a header to expose them.  Start off by removing the processor daughter card - the card on the top of the board - and exposing the Make Application Board. Be careful not to bend the pins, it's pretty snug. I used a plastic screwdriver and carefully pried each opposing corner up a teeny bit at a time. It's best we get this out of the way, and there's no reason we should be putting heat stress on the processor for this mod...   The serial header is highlighted in yellow in this photo. Onward and upward!
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| Tags: | None | ||||||
| Replies to Tutorial: Adding a Serial Port to the Make Controller |
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#1
05-21-2008
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Re: Adding a Serial Port to the Make Controller
WOW Adrenalynn, excellent job
 Now, if somebody could only put up a "getting started with the Make controller" tutorial, hehe
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#2
05-21-2008
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Re: Adding a Serial Port to the Make Controller
Hope it was worth the wait...
I'll document the testing and interface this afternoon.There are a lot of "getting started" tutorials on the makingthings website. I could knock off something a little more creative, perhaps, a little more robotics-centric maybe. Let me give it some thought. The "problem" with something like the Make Controller is that I spin my wheels a lot. Too many opportunities, not enough hours (or boards...). |
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#3
05-21-2008
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Re: Adding a Serial Port to the Make Controller
Quote:
Quote:
 This is the type of controller I could just tinker with for hours on end, because it can do so many different things, even with the stock software. Then, with custom software, ummm, oh, wait, I don't have one of these yet.Quote:
8-Dale
__________________
I can handle complexity. It's the simple things that confound me. Do everything in moderation, ESPECIALLY, moderation.. Sometimes the only way to win, is not to play.. -- Stephen Falken |
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#4
05-21-2008
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Re: Adding a Serial Port to the Make Controller
Heck, I'd be happy to mod it for you. Let me figure out what other mods make sense first. Just parts cost, no problems. I did the serial mod, including all the photo-taking, in ten minutes. The I2C mod in 15 mins including photos, most of that under the microscope which slowed it down. I could mod another board with both mods in sub ten minutes tops now.
When you're ready, let me know and we'll set it up. Just a make controller+app board and a level converter, which is like $12+ship. |
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#5
05-21-2008
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Re: Adding a Serial Port to the Make Controller
Quote:
All that's required for the serial port mod is installing a header. I can do that one.  It's the I2C and similar mods I would not want to attempt myself - better to have somebody who can do it better do it instead. Now I just have to get a Make Controller - other things have priority right now though, like unburying my finances. Cost of parts + s&h is more than reasonable. I'd just want TTL level on the serial port though - no need for RS-232 there. I wish I had your abilities in this stuff.8-Dale
__________________
I can handle complexity. It's the simple things that confound me. Do everything in moderation, ESPECIALLY, moderation.. Sometimes the only way to win, is not to play.. -- Stephen Falken |
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#6
05-22-2008
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Re: Adding a Serial Port to the Make Controller
Thank you for the compliments! Soldering is just practice and technique. Having good tools doesn't hurt, but really it comes down to practice and developing what works best for you. I was born with a soldering-iron in my hand - I've been soldering since I was 6. When SMT came to pass, everyone said "oh woe is us! That's the end of hand soldering!" - and then we all learned to do it. I reworked the first SMD I ever saw in the wild.
I would still be happy to do any of the rework when you're ready. Just let me know and I'll pick up a board, rework it, and send it off to you. I'd personally still get the RS-232 just to future-proof yourself. It's dirt cheap and then you can swap back and forth whenever you want. |
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#7
05-23-2008
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Re: Adding a Serial Port to the Make Controller
Ok - who didn't like my photos? 'Fess Up! :P
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#8
06-01-2008
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Re: Adding a Serial Port to the Make Controller
I just went to read this today... and um, yeah, Who stole Adrenalynn's piccies!!!
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#9
06-01-2008
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Re: Adding a Serial Port to the Make Controller
Sorry, Sienna. A huge transformer exploded in the DC that I have my servers in, knocked down some walls, and damaged the grid switches. When the generators kicked in with the damaged grid switches - they started more fires.
Upshot is: No pics from me for a day or two! |
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