Frequency counter recommendation
A much simpler solution is to dedicate a $20 "obsolete" laptop to the Tbolt. I use a 200 MHz Compaq Armada with 1024x768 screen. I have also run Heather on a 90 MHz Fujitsu Milan with a 640x480 passive matrix screen.
For bonus points, tap off the internal laptop CDROM power connections (and possibly an internal -12V line) and power the Tbolt from that (you may want to filter the wazoo out of it). Voila, battery backed up Tbolt. I know of one person who has an ancient, steam powered laptop that had enough room inside it to mount the Tbolt circuit board totally inside the machine.
-----------------Just as an example, in my spare time I'm trying to port the great Lady
Heather to the "mini STM32":
<
http://www.micro4you.com/store/Mini-STM32-STM32F103-TFT-LCD-Board/prod_129.html>
so my thunderbolts will not be more depending on an always turned-on PC.
Mark,
You might look at this hardware:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Insignia%26%23153%3B+-+Infocast+3.5%22+Internet+Media+Display/1152881.p?skuId=1152881&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=1152881&ref=06&cmp=RMX&loc=01&id=1218226456157
It is based on the Chumby One design and Best Buy has had it on sale
for $50 for Xmas. You get an ARM processor, USB ports, a 3.5 inch
touch screen, a WiFi dongle and lots more. There are also pads for a
serial port, some GPIO, an I2C and another USB. Here is a link showing
the hardware: http://www.bunniestudios.com/blog/?p=1435
This is a lot of nice hardware for the money. The design, schematics
and the software are Open Source, so it is eminently hackable. It
boots from a MicroSD card, which makes it easy to change the software.
Details, Wiki, Forum, etc. at: http://www.chumby.com/
Joe Gray
W5JG
On Sun, Dec 19, 2010 at 3:41 PM, Mark Sims holrum@hotmail.com wrote:
-----------------Just as an example, in my spare time I'm trying to port the great Lady
Heather to the "mini STM32":
<
http://www.micro4you.com/store/Mini-STM32-STM32F103-TFT-LCD-Board/prod_129.html>
so my thunderbolts will not be more depending on an always turned-on PC.
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.
One more link that shows the teardown of a Chumby One:
http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/chumby-one-Teardown/1614/1
As I mentioned, the Insignia circuit board is slightly different. The
overall configuration of the unit is very similar. The Insignia is
actually easier to open than the Chumby.
Joe Gray
W5JG
On Sun, Dec 19, 2010 at 7:28 PM, Joseph Gray jgray@zianet.com wrote:
Mark,
You might look at this hardware:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Insignia%26%23153%3B+-+Infocast+3.5%22+Internet+Media+Display/1152881.p?skuId=1152881&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=1152881&ref=06&cmp=RMX&loc=01&id=1218226456157
It is based on the Chumby One design and Best Buy has had it on sale
for $50 for Xmas. You get an ARM processor, USB ports, a 3.5 inch
touch screen, a WiFi dongle and lots more. There are also pads for a
serial port, some GPIO, an I2C and another USB. Here is a link showing
the hardware: http://www.bunniestudios.com/blog/?p=1435
This is a lot of nice hardware for the money. The design, schematics
and the software are Open Source, so it is eminently hackable. It
boots from a MicroSD card, which makes it easy to change the software.
Details, Wiki, Forum, etc. at: http://www.chumby.com/
Joe Gray
W5JG
On Sun, Dec 19, 2010 at 3:41 PM, Mark Sims holrum@hotmail.com wrote:
-----------------Just as an example, in my spare time I'm trying to port the great Lady
Heather to the "mini STM32":
<
http://www.micro4you.com/store/Mini-STM32-STM32F103-TFT-LCD-Board/prod_129.html>
so my thunderbolts will not be more depending on an always turned-on PC.
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.
I'm shopping for a solution right now. I had several ideas both
discussed on this thread: Using an old notebook and an ARM based
appliance re-flashed to run Linux but neither would work well. So I'm
buying this tiny new motherboard from Intel with an Atom CPU on it.
Sells for $70 with the soldered down CPU chip. It is about 6.5 inches
square and uses so little power that there is no fan on the CPU heat
sink.
This computer will run an NTP server and therefor needs a "real"
serial port for the 1PPS signal from the GPS (USB will not work) I
do't need much else. The server does nt need a CDROM or even a hard
drive. It can run on a RAM disk and boot off a USB memory stick. It
does not need a monitor or keyboard either. When you add it all up
this machine will cost about $100 and burn only 1/4 the power of the
old 200Mhz notebook PC. Intel's "Atom" is very good with power. ARM
uses even less power but I could not figure out how to get the 1PPS
signal to NTPd in any of the ARM platforms I have plans to also
connect a WWV receiver to the same computer and decode WWV's time
code. This means a fair bit of processing and an audio interface.
THat is one way to solve the "how to interface you project to a
computer" -- you put the computer inside your project. A $70 and 6.5
inch square motherborad makes that a reasonable plan.
=====
Chris Albertson
Redondo Beach, California