RE: [bascom] Bascom 8051 carrier communication

From Steve Miller <stevem@tanisys.com>
Date Thu, 12 Feb 2004 13:04:28 -0600
 
    Jainir,
 
    Take a look at Ido Bartana's Home Automation Site.   If you dig around you will find the schematics of a PIC unit that has an AGC module.  The AGC module is made from a bunch of descrete transistors.   You may have to try this site several times, as it is very busy and has a bandwidth limit on data transfer.  (It is a personal site, not a commerical one.)   Some what hard to get to, but some of the best X-10 info out there.
   
 
http://www.geocities.com/ido_bartana/
 
--- Steve
 
-----Original Message-----
From: jainir [mailto:jainir@vsnl.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2004 8:31 AM
To: bascom@grote.net
Subject: Re: [bascom] Bascom 8051 carrier communication

You have hit the nail on the head Steve! It's everything to do with AGC. I was toying with the idea of using the ZN414 type receiver so that all that pain of designing an AGC is eliminated. However the lower limit of this IC is 150 KHz (also its costly and maybe obsolete) and my carrier is 110KHz. Just scratching my head to make something simple (actually looking for something ready on the web!). That's why I was interested in the 78560 IC which seems to have the AGC feature. Any other thoughts on a simple 110KHz receiver with AGC would be most welcome!
Thanks for the pointers.
J S Nirody
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2004 7:13 PM
Subject: RE: [bascom] Bascom 8051 carrier communication

FYI, I think the majority of these coils are made by TOKO.   If you can figure out the electrical properties, ie inductance, # taps, # windings, then look at TOKO.COM to find their part number.   Digikey sells TOKO coils.
As for the receiver chip,  there used to be a design on the web doing all of this in a PIC microcontroller.   It was an older series PIC and it did not seem to be too difficult.   The major challenge for robust, long range communication is AGC control at the receiving end.
 
---- Steve
 
-----Original Message-----
From: jainir [mailto:jainir@vsnl.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2004 6:01 AM
To: bascom@grote.net
Subject: Re: [bascom] Bascom 8051 carrier communication

Thanks David,
            Yes Radio Shack does list it and it seems to be the same. Unfortunately I am in India so I will have to check if they can ship a few pairs to India. Thanks anyway for the info.
J S Nirody
----- Original Message -----
From: Public1
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2004 1:29 PM
Subject: Re: [bascom] Bascom 8051 carrier communication

Dear Jainir
 
Are you in the USA?  The Radio Shack parts list at the following link refer to the transformers you seek.
 
 
Regards
David
----- Original Message -----
From: jainir
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2004 7:03 AM
Subject: [bascom] Bascom 8051 carrier communication

Hi!
    For communication between  2 uCs with Bascom, I am using carrier
communication on power line. I have something going but to improve the range
(and reduce the errors) I need some better coupling transformers (presently
using modified AM receiver IF transformers). Most of the web searches lead
to the X-10 system which uses the PSC05 or TW523 interfaces. The schematics
of these units show a standard transformer KC1047 for transmitter and KC1042
for receiver and also a dedicated receiver chip 78560.  Can anyone help me
locating where these parts will be available individually or atleast where I
can get some data on these devices (or any better alternatives)?

Thanks in advance,
J S Nirody