TashIO: Clone of BeeHive Technologies's ADB I/O

Tashtari

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Oct 13, 2022
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Just a little Saturday project. Introducing: TashIO!

Elevator Pitch​

It's a clone of BeeHive Technologies's ADB I/O, a device with analog and digital I/Os for automation, control, and interfacing to sensors and other devices. It has existing software support in C, RealBASIC, Fourth Dimension, and HyperCard, to name just a few.

Project Status​

Firmware is nascent but feature-complete and passing tests.

Caveats​

Somewhat more than my other projects, this really wants a full-blown PCB with relays, protection circuitry, &c., and this goes a bit beyond my skill set. Any volunteers?

Code​

 

retr01

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Cool. :) Is that what it looks like?

1668299526770.png
 

JDW

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Would be great if it was compatible with LabView software.


Labview primarily controls National Instruments hardware, but I don't see why a third party hardware tool couldn't be made to work with it. Software is key to making good and useful data acquisitions.

 
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retr01

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Yes, and I see it's as expensive as ever. That's why the Macintosh Garden version is a much better deal, if you don't need the manuals. :)

Yeah. :) National Instruments archived the user manual from January 1989 to work with that version of LabView. The Macintosh Garden appears to have version 2 from 1991, whereas this physical copy and manuals appears to be from 1989 version 1. Hmmm. Right around the time of the SE/30.

 
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retr01

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I have not yet verified compatibility of the Beehive ADB I/O as a qualified DAQ for the LabVIEW. I suspect LabVIEW expects serial connection or one of the boards (such as a NuBUS card or a PCI card in the later PPC Macs) where as the newer LabVIEW versions probably after 1991 may be able to use ADB I/O for Data Acquisition (DAQ).

That is something we will need to find out down the road. :)
 

Melkhior

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Jan 9, 2022
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Somewhat more than my other projects, this really wants a full-blown PCB with relays, protection circuitry, &c., and this goes a bit beyond my skill set. Any volunteers?

The manual comes with schematics for the I/O part, and that doesn't seem overly complex. Doing it in all-THT and with the sockets to switch between relays and optocouplers takes space, though.

To cut costs, I would suggest getting rid of the UnitSelect part entirely (can probably be hardwired in the firmware, putting the PIC into another socket would enable 'updating' the Unit number by changing the firmware, I guess); using SMD; and hardwiring the choice of relay/optocoupler to avoid all the extra pins of the two form factors. Depending on the size of the 'external' connectors (here I just used regular 2.54mm header), you could probably go down to 60mmx60mm or even less.

TashIO.jpg
 
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Tashtari

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Oct 13, 2022
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Another ADB tool for your tooling pleasure:


This allows the user to prototype the behavior of an ADB device in Python (or other language on a host system) or imitate the behavior of an ADB device in order to stimulate a driver on the Mac.

EDIT: Just realized I posted this in the wrong thread. Oops. Well, it's there if it interests anyone. =D
 
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Melkhior

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Jan 9, 2022
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@Tashtari Files on GitHub: https://github.com/rdolbeau/tashio/tree/kicad_pcb/KicadPCB. Quick implementation, the connector are all 2.54mm headers as they are easy to use for a first draft. Also, missing a polyfuse on the ADB 5V line (a very good point made on 68kmla). The schematics are hierachical, as I prefer that to make sure all replicated bits are identical - but some will find that less readable than having everything on one sheet.