Does anyone know if there is a power supply which can power an SA RiscPC?
I am intending to convert an SA RiscPC into a car entertainment unit.
I have started writing a piece of software with a decent GUI for use with an LCD which sits in place of the usual Head unit (I have a remote Keyboard and mouse to use with this).
On Thu, 22 Feb 2007 12:01:45 +0000, Michael Emerton wrote: > I have started writing a piece of software with a decent GUI for use > with an LCD which sits in place of the usual Head unit (I have a remote > Keyboard and mouse to use with this).
Obvious question, but how do you intend to make the device usable (and safe) at road speeds? Or is the intention to only control it whilst stopped? Having to use a full keyboard whilst driving sounds like a good way of ending up dead :(
Seems to be one of those problems with having lots of music instantly on tap within a car: controlling four or five CDs with ten or so tracks each is do-able without taking too much concentration away from the driver (as they can remember CD order and which track is where) - but it really doesn't scale to thousands on songs.
> but I need the a PSU for a 12 DC Source?
Initially a mains inverter may be an option, depending on how much power you need. I know Wal-Mart in the US do (or did) a 75W one for something like the equivalent of £10. Tesco etc. may offer something similar. Perhaps easier than trying to get regulated 12VDC out of something that might be anywhere between 11-14VDC and prone to all sorts of spikes.
> Obvious question, but how do you intend to make the device usable (and > safe) at road speeds? Or is the intention to only control it whilst > stopped? Having to use a full keyboard whilst driving sounds like a good > way of ending up dead :(
> Seems to be one of those problems with having lots of music instantly on > tap within a car: controlling four or five CDs with ten or so tracks each > is do-able without taking too much concentration away from the driver (as > they can remember CD order and which track is where) - but it really > doesn't scale to thousands on songs.
Ah! its called a modified keyboard, (and full one) as a uni project, we managed to munge a keyboard, into some touch-plates which you could attach to the steering wheel!
so stuff like Left and Right arrow keys = previous / next tracks,
up/down = volume
and Space as Pause/Start
They attempted to use Windows, but on average by the time they booted it up, short journeys were over!
Hence RISC OS, oh and the fact I have 3 SAs laying around :@P
The full (wireless) keyboard was for searching / setting up playlists whilst not moving.
Tis a shame it cannot play video well, as it would also be used for films for my kid on the way :@)
>> but I need the a PSU for a 12 DC Source?
> Initially a mains inverter may be an option, depending on how much power > you need. I know Wal-Mart in the US do (or did) a 75W one for something > like the equivalent of £10. Tesco etc. may offer something similar. > Perhaps easier than trying to get regulated 12VDC out of something that > might be anywhere between 11-14VDC and prone to all sorts of spikes.
Any idea of model numbers?
+ is there a wiring diagram of the RPC power input to the MB? I would love to get this going asap! :@)
On Thu, 22 Feb 2007 16:55:01 +0000, Michael Emerton wrote: > <snip> >> <ditto>
> Ah! its called a modified keyboard, (and full one) as a uni project, we > managed to munge a keyboard, into some touch-plates which you could > attach to the steering wheel!
Aha - interesting. I had a plan once to do this kind of thing, but couldn't figure out the UI side of it properly - mainly because I tend to choose my music according to mood, and even with some sort of collection-based system I still couldn't work out a way of managing what might be hundreds of different collections whilst on the move. Maybe that's atypical though and most people have no real preference as to what song / genre comes up next.
> They attempted to use Windows, but on average by the time they booted it > up, short journeys were over!
:-)
I was hacking around with a Linux system and diskless booting - I suppose I could have looked into a board compatible with the Linux BIOS project to get startup times even quicker (probably in the order of what can be done with a SARPC)
Eventually that morphed into using the guts of a laptop and a power inverter - the laptop innards were a lot smaller and meant that the laptop was a lot less picky about the quality of the input voltage from the inverter (particularly as the inverter might give up completely during the couple of seconds whilst the car's started). Not suitable for production, but a possibility for a "one-off".
I seem to recall pondering on an RPC as an option, but I've got zero clue as to how to program the buggers :-)
>>> but I need the a PSU for a 12 DC Source?
>> Initially a mains inverter may be an option, depending on how much >> power you need. I know Wal-Mart in the US do (or did) a 75W one for >> something like the equivalent of £10. Tesco etc. may offer something >> similar. Perhaps easier than trying to get regulated 12VDC out of >> something that might be anywhere between 11-14VDC and prone to all >> sorts of spikes.
... which works out at about a tenner and gives you 100W at 110VAC. Unless the SARPC PSU is jumper (or automatically) selectable for 110V operation though you'll need 220VAC for a UK PSU (and I suppose a similarly-sized inverter will give you 50W to play with rather than 100W)
Maybe the company making the above also produces equivalents for the UK market, though.
I'm in the US right now and might be heading to WalMart this evening, so if I get the chance I'll have a quick look on the shelves to see what other goodies they might have.
In message <bc3244b94e.dr...@druck.freeuk.net> druck <n...@druck.freeuk.com> wrote:
> On 22 Feb 2007 Michael Emerton <MichaelREmer...@hotmail.com> wrote: > > Does anyone know if there is a power supply which can power an SA RiscPC?
> > I am intending to convert an SA RiscPC into a car entertainment unit.
> A Risc PC? In a car or hummvee? Why not an A9, its ideally sized for such an > application.
1) A RiscPC you already have is free, you don't need to worry about warrantly claims should you break it?
2) Still apparently some stability and support issues with the A9home OS (please feel free to correct me if my perceptions are wrong)?
3) Fitting a larger hard drive in a RiscPC is easier than fitting one in an A9Home.
The A9home does have a size advantage and is already neatly packaged up.
On the other hand using a RiscPC as a prototype makes a lot of sense. If the software/hardware is usable on a RiscPC it should be fine on a faster A9home.
Out of curiousuty is there an approved PSU that allows the A9home to run off a 12v supply as in a car?
On 22 Feb 2007 Paul Vigay <invalid-email-addr...@invalid-domain.co.uk> wrote:
> In article <bc3244b94e.dr...@druck.freeuk.net>, > druck <n...@druck.freeuk.com> wrote: > > A Risc PC? In a car or hummvee? Why not an A9, its ideally sized for such > > an application.
> If, as he said, he's got 3 RPCs lying around then it might work out > slightly cheaper than an A9....
But you'll be laughed at for using something the size of a Risc PC.
In article <pan.2007.02.22.18.04.42.458...@remove.this.yahoo.co.uk>, Jules <julesrichardso...@remove.this.yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> I suspect it may have been replaced by this: > http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4891078 > ... which works out at about a tenner and gives you 100W at 110VAC. > Unless the SARPC PSU is jumper (or automatically) selectable for 110V > operation though you'll need 220VAC for a UK PSU (and I suppose a > similarly-sized inverter will give you 50W to play with rather than 100W)
druck wrote: > On 22 Feb 2007 Paul Vigay <invalid-email-addr...@invalid-domain.co.uk> wrote: >> In article <bc3244b94e.dr...@druck.freeuk.net>, >> druck <n...@druck.freeuk.com> wrote: >>> A Risc PC? In a car or hummvee? Why not an A9, its ideally sized for such >>> an application. >> If, as he said, he's got 3 RPCs lying around then it might work out >> slightly cheaper than an A9....
> But you'll be laughed at for using something the size of a Risc PC.
> ---druck
at the end of the day, I have sourced a case, and it's functional..hence why I have a Peugeot 106 Diesel!
In message <JCfDh.29909$Da4.11...@newsfe6-gui.ntli.net> Michael Emerton <MichaelREmer...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Does anyone know if there is a power supply which can power an SA RiscPC?
> I am intending to convert an SA RiscPC into a car entertainment unit.
> I have started writing a piece of software with a decent GUI for use > with an LCD which sits in place of the usual Head unit (I have a remote > Keyboard and mouse to use with this).
> but I need the a PSU for a 12 DC Source?
> Cheers in advance!
I have just changed the harddrive for a 1 GB compactflash on my RiscPC using this very cheap item from ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150086370137 It would help drop the power requirements. The RiscPC powersupply is noisy even after removing the fan. (buzzes). My approach would be to use DC power and bypass the psu. I'm not sure what chips use the -12 and -5V lines but they may be OK with batterys and an alternative charger or solar panel. The other thing that springs to mind is the use of alternating current from the car alternator to drive a +/- psu. Just a few ideas... Cheers -Ron
On 22 Feb 2007 News poster <mistymorni...@casema.nl> wrote:
> 1) A RiscPC you already have is free, you don't need to worry about > warrantly claims should you break it?
> 2) Still apparently some stability and support issues with the A9home OS > (please feel free to correct me if my perceptions are wrong)?
> 3) Fitting a larger hard drive in a RiscPC is easier than fitting one in > an A9Home.
> The A9home does have a size advantage and is already neatly packaged up.
> On the other hand using a RiscPC as a prototype makes a lot of sense. If > the software/hardware is usable on a RiscPC it should be fine on a > faster A9home.
But if someone comes up with useful and good looking in car system based around and A9 and a small LCD display, they might be able to make quite a few pennies by selling it to others. Its something I've considered.
On Thu, 22 Feb 2007 23:04:13 +0000, druck wrote: >> On the other hand using a RiscPC as a prototype makes a lot of sense. If >> the software/hardware is usable on a RiscPC it should be fine on a >> faster A9home.
> But if someone comes up with useful and good looking in car system based > around and A9 and a small LCD display, they might be able to make quite a > few pennies by selling it to others. Its something I've considered.
You might want to talk to Advantage Six directly on that one: I seem to recall that the SM501 video chip-set has an LCD controller built-in, and you may be better off using that output rather than then VGA. (I'm assuming that the LVDS is sent to a pin-out somewhere.) Thus, you'd want A6 to make you A9s with this exposed on the casework to avoid voiding any warranties.
I've looked into it too; although only really as a mechanism to dump photos off my camera while away from home, and provide some interface for viewing/deleting/etc them. Alas, I think the CPU might be a little too puny for doing RAW conversions for this.
If you make any progress on this - I'm interested.
In article <4eb9592fafinvalid-email-addr...@invalid-domain.co.uk>, Paul Vigay <invalid-email-addr...@invalid-domain.co.uk> wrote:
> Or even off six volts - I'm thinking of four AA batteries (or possibly 3 or > 4 sets of four in parallel)
Not a good idea to parallel batteries, you can get circulating currents and they are unlikely to share the load equally. You can get round the first problem by paralleling each set through a diode (since you have 6V and want 5V this is not a bad thing as it will drop the voltage) but not the latter
-- Stuart Winsor
From is valid but subject to change without notice if it gets spammed.
Ron wrote: > In message <JCfDh.29909$Da4.11...@newsfe6-gui.ntli.net> > Michael Emerton <MichaelREmer...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> Does anyone know if there is a power supply which can power an SA RiscPC?
>> I am intending to convert an SA RiscPC into a car entertainment unit.
>> I have started writing a piece of software with a decent GUI for use >> with an LCD which sits in place of the usual Head unit (I have a remote >> Keyboard and mouse to use with this).
>> but I need the a PSU for a 12 DC Source?
>> Cheers in advance! > I have just changed the harddrive for a 1 GB compactflash on my RiscPC > using this very cheap item from ebay. > http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150086370137 > It would help drop the power requirements. > The RiscPC powersupply is noisy even after removing the fan. (buzzes). > My approach would be to use DC power and bypass the psu. I'm not sure > what chips use the -12 and -5V lines but they may be OK with batterys > and an alternative charger or solar panel. > The other thing that springs to mind is the use of alternating current > from the car alternator to drive a +/- psu. Just a few ideas... > Cheers -Ron
Cheers.
There are PSUs for PCs, for use in cars available, but of course do not have the PSU block that the RPC requires.
have thought about munging one of these into the RPC, but alas no idea what the pin in's are on the board?
Or is there an ATX > RPC converter? I have seen many RPC case mods using standard ATX PSUs?
I have a compact flash converter, but alas my new camera uses the buggers now (old one used SD)
In message <pan.2007.02.22.23.41.25.580...@rjek.com> Rob Kendrick <n...@rjek.com> wrote:
> You might want to talk to Advantage Six directly on that one: I seem to > recall that the SM501 video chip-set has an LCD controller built-in, and > you may be better off using that output rather than then VGA. (I'm > assuming that the LVDS is sent to a pin-out somewhere.) Thus, you'd want > A6 to make you A9s with this exposed on the casework to avoid voiding any > warranties.
> I've looked into it too; although only really as a mechanism to dump > photos off my camera while away from home, and provide some interface for > viewing/deleting/etc them.
This latter idea has been at the back of my mind ever since the A9 was first announced, so I certainly might be interested. More expensive than the Epson photo viewers but you do get a full RO computer thrown in.
In message <qKyDh.14135$Zl6.10...@newsfe3-win.ntli.net> Michael Emerton <MichaelREmer...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Cheers.
> There are PSUs for PCs, for use in cars available, but of course do not > have the PSU block that the RPC requires.
> have thought about munging one of these into the RPC, but alas no idea > what the pin in's are on the board?
> Or is there an ATX > RPC converter? I have seen many RPC case mods > using standard ATX PSUs?
> I have a compact flash converter, but alas my new camera uses the > buggers now (old one used SD)
Ok, it sounds like you dont have a multimeter either, which may make it difficult to check your work when making the new connections.
The RiscPC connector is: Red +5v Red +5v Black 0v Black 0v Yellow +12v Blue -12v
There are standard colours on most ATX psu's but it would pay to check at least the +12v and -12v lines. From memory, the purple wire somewhere near the center of the atx connector gets grounded to turn the psu on. So it would be possible, and probably much more efficient than using an inverter. If it is only a temporary project you might not feel like hacking up a good Acorn psu, I dont know. Cheers _Ron
> The RiscPC connector is: Red +5v > Red +5v > Black 0v > Black 0v > Yellow +12v > Blue -12v
> There are standard colours on most ATX psu's but it would pay to check > at least the +12v and -12v lines. From memory, the purple wire somewhere > near the center of the atx connector gets grounded to turn the psu on. > So it would be possible, and probably much more efficient than using an > inverter. If it is only a temporary project you might not feel like > hacking up a good Acorn psu, I dont know. > Cheers _Ron
Ron <b...@woosh.co.nz> wrote: > The RiscPC powersupply is noisy even after removing the fan. (buzzes). > My approach would be to use DC power and bypass the psu. I'm not sure > what chips use the -12 and -5V lines but they may be OK with batterys > and an alternative charger or solar panel.
Being lazy and not digging out the circuits, IIRC the -12V is used for the serial port and the -5V for audio. So if you're not bothered about those you could decide not to provide them. +12V is required for video output, so you will need that. Otherwise they take relatively little current so a DC-DC converter may be sufficient (but an ICL7660 isn't enough).
> The other thing that springs to mind is the use of alternating current > from the car alternator to drive a +/- psu. Just a few ideas...
Sounds nasty... lots of noise from sparkplugs etc around there, and it's not going to be 50Hz. Probably better to go the DC-DC converter route from the battery.
In message <EEj*eH...@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk> Theo Markettos <theom+n...@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
> Ron <b...@woosh.co.nz> wrote: > > The RiscPC powersupply is noisy even after removing the fan. (buzzes). > > My approach would be to use DC power and bypass the psu. I'm not sure > > what chips use the -12 and -5V lines but they may be OK with batterys > > and an alternative charger or solar panel.
> Being lazy and not digging out the circuits, IIRC the -12V is used for the > serial port and the -5V for audio. So if you're not bothered about those > you could decide not to provide them.
If you decide not to provide them, I'd recommend that you short those lines to 0V rather than leaving them open. Any devices connected to the lines would otherwise possibly draw current through paths that weren't designed to permit that on a continuous basis. Their long term reliability might be affected. Simply shorting the lines to 0V is a simple way of avoiding any possible such problem.
Otherwise they take relatively little current so a
> DC-DC converter may be sufficient (but an ICL7660 isn't enough).
>> The other thing that springs to mind is the use of alternating current >> from the car alternator to drive a +/- psu. Just a few ideas...
> Sounds nasty... lots of noise from sparkplugs etc around there, and it's not > going to be 50Hz. Probably better to go the DC-DC converter route from the > battery.
good I have a Diesel then ;@)
should this be ok, If i Munge the connections into a RPC one?
That should be OK... provides +5, +12, -12. No -5 but that's not a big deal unless you want audio. It's designed for car use, which is good. It doesn't say what the minimum current draw it can cope with is, but given it talks about standby modes they've hopefully thought of that.
> That should be OK... provides +5, +12, -12. No -5 but that's not a big deal > unless you want audio. It's designed for car use, which is good. It > doesn't say what the minimum current draw it can cope with is, but given it > talks about standby modes they've hopefully thought of that.
The RiscPC connector doesn't have -5v anyway, there must be an onboard regulator that gets it from the -12v. So no problem.
> That doesn't give many details. If it's free then give it a try and it'll > probably be OK, but otherwise go for the other one.
> Theo
The pin size of the mainboard power connector seesms to be around between 2-2.3mm maybe 3/32 inch. There may be individual dc power plugs (the type with the hole) that would work, otherwise its cut the wires and use a connector. The round automotive crimp type connectors are quite firm and would allow you to reconnect the original power supply for indoor use. The hold the crimp fitting gets on the insulation is sometimes wobbly but if it is not a good fit you could beef it up with some glue. I'm assumimg here that the original 6 pin plug is not available. I have an old Farnell catalogue, and I'll have a look later. Cheers -Ron
On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 16:00:18 +0000, Theo Markettos wrote: > Ron <b...@woosh.co.nz> wrote: >> The RiscPC powersupply is noisy even after removing the fan. (buzzes). >> My approach would be to use DC power and bypass the psu. I'm not sure >> what chips use the -12 and -5V lines but they may be OK with batterys >> and an alternative charger or solar panel.
> Being lazy and not digging out the circuits, IIRC the -12V is used for the > serial port and the -5V for audio. So if you're not bothered about those > you could decide not to provide them. +12V is required for video output, so > you will need that.
Hmm. For a car system with an LCD (presumably run via a serial or parallel port?) as the main display, there's no *need* for normal graphical video output either. Whether the system would power up and initialise without any video is another matter.
Of course maybe the "correct" way of doing this is to ditch the OS ROMs altogether and roll your own bespoke app which talks to the bare hardware and lives in the normal ROM sockets - any attached disks are then purely for entertainment data.
In message <cd99e9ba4e.b...@Iyonix.woosh.co.nz> b...@woosh.co.nz (Ron) wrote: <snip other method>
> I'm assumimg here that the original 6 pin plug is not available. > I have an old Farnell catalogue, and I'll have a look later. > Cheers -Ron
Ok, I've looked and there is a plug that looks too close to be anything else. It has the same hole spacing and the two keying holes with flats.
AMP 1-480704-0 Farnell Order code: .285-183
Alternatively, I bought six inserts that are a good fit, they will need a bit of insulation slipped over the protuding ends and will need extra caution for correct positioning. The description for them is:
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