Editing Big LED Screen
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=== Programming the xbee === | === Programming the xbee === | ||
To control the sign wirelessly, you will want to program an xbee chip to interface with it. I recommend the "xbee explorer" from sparkfun. To program your new xbee, you will need to make sure your xbee has a recent enough firmware (10A5 is recommended). Unfortunately firmware upgrade must be done using Digi/MaxStream's "X-CTU" application which runs under windows. This can be performed with wine and linux. See [http://paparazzi.enac.fr/wiki/XBee_configuration paparazzi's]xbee config page and [http://www. | To control the sign wirelessly, you will want to program an xbee chip to interface with it. I recommend the "xbee explorer" from sparkfun. To program your new xbee, you will need to make sure your xbee has a recent enough firmware (10A5 is recommended). Unfortunately firmware upgrade must be done using Digi/MaxStream's "X-CTU" application which runs under windows. This can be performed with wine and linux. See [http://paparazzi.enac.fr/wiki/XBee_configuration paparazzi's]xbee config page and [http://www.digi.com/support/kbase/kbaseresultdetl.jsp?id=2182 digi's xbee support page] for information about using x-ctu or minicom with your xbee. | ||
The Xbee on the computer side needs to have a small hardware modification to work: pins AD0 and AD1 need to be shorted, and pins AD2 and AD3 need to be shorted. This is because the xbee connected to your computer toggles pins 0 and 2 to control the state of pins 1 and 3, and pins 1 and 3 are mirrored by the xbee connected to the sign. If you use a stock xbee, you'll still be able to talk to the sign with it but you won't be able to flash new firmware. | The Xbee on the computer side needs to have a small hardware modification to work: pins AD0 and AD1 need to be shorted, and pins AD2 and AD3 need to be shorted. This is because the xbee connected to your computer toggles pins 0 and 2 to control the state of pins 1 and 3, and pins 1 and 3 are mirrored by the xbee connected to the sign. If you use a stock xbee, you'll still be able to talk to the sign with it but you won't be able to flash new firmware. |