Re: [Fwd: Re: [avr-chat] AVR and Hardware For Reading Automotive On-Board Diagnostics Connector?]

[Vincent Trouilliez]

On Thu, 05 Mar 2009 06:35:15 -0500
Robert L Cochran <address@hidden> wrote:
> Thanks for the photos, they are very much appreciated. I'm so curious to
> see your project specifically and get a sense of how you European folks
> do electronics projects more generally.

> I'm surprised the LCD displays and some labels are in English instead of your 
> native language.
> If you changed them to English just for me -- thank you very much for the
> courtesy since I don't know much French or German.

I didn't chang ethe strings, it's jsut that for anything technical,
English is more practical. All the datasheet are in English, you need
English to get technical support from companies or from international
mailing lists of all kinds, so doing everyting in English is just
natural. Plus, the Esprit is a British car, so 99.9 of the people I
know who have one, are in an Enlish speaking country, and those who are
not... well since we are all gathered on the British mailing list, we
all must speka English anyway. So it only makes sense to sue English
strings for my reader, 'cause when I get to show it to toehr Esprit
fans.. none of them is French !
Also, there is this on-going problem that a one line English sentence
translates into for 4 lines in French ! So the English language is
ideal to describe things with very few words and characters, which is
ideal when using text LCD's which have very limited space !

> The scope looks like a Tektronix clone but I can't quite read the brand or 
> model.

A TEk clone ?! lol ! ;-) 
It's hardly a clone. It's an old Hameg, and Hameg have always had a
looks of their own. Model is "HM 604", it's an analog 2x60MHz wih
delayed time base and numerous triggering options. Sadly I don't find
it very practical for embedded work, plus it seem sto behave strangely
sometimes, so I am would like to replace it, when money allows.

I ma dreaming of an old Tektronix DSO, the 2430/A:

http://www.valuetronics.com/Details.aspx?Model=Tektronix_2430A&ProdID=6999

But despite the fact that they are very old, 10 years or so, used ones
still cost significant money for an hobbyst like me. Next year maybe...

> The function generator has English labels - very interesting.

What do you mean ? As I said, with anything technical, espcially
non-consumers items, most products always have english labels. I can't
recall seeing an instrument that didn't have English labels anyway.
Even modern digital scope who let you select the language for their
on-screen menus, still use English lables on their fascia.

> Tektronix 454A which is old but don't understand how to use it

Yes it's old indeed, but all scopes are the same ! The basic features
are always the same.

My Dad, when he was young in the early 1960's, bought his oscilloscope
in kit form.. it was all made of tubes ! Still, all the controls and
features were exactly the same as any more modern scope...
It's like cars, they evolve a bit, but decades after decades, they
still have 4 wheels, and engine and steering wheel at the end of the
day ! ;-)


> Also a function generator that is brand new and still in its original shipping
> bag.

I very much need a new function generator, mine is really on it's last
leg ! Unfortunately the models I fancy cost around 400/500 Euros
and I lost my job last month so it's gonna have to wait, just like the
Tek scope !

> I need a class on how to use an oscilloscope.

I am sure there is plenty of on-line resources for hobbysts. You could
also spend a little money and buy a printed book on the subject, it
exists..

> I worked with matrix keypads briefly at one time. Ron Hackett had
> published an article discussing how to use one for a Picaxe project,

"Published an article", wow, sounds like overkill for a keypad !
I simply downloaded a brief Application note from Atmel, to get some
inspiration, and 20 lines of code later it was working... they aren't
rocket science ;-)

Just look at the numerous application notes Atmel published for the
AVR, and search for those that make use of a keypad, or whatever you
need to use.

I found that the AVR232 was useful. Got me going anyway.



--
Vince