# 1. Hardware Requirements
The transmitter requires a Pyboard 1.x (not Lite), a Pyboard D or an ESP32.
-Output is via an IR LED which will need a transistor to provide sufficient
+Output is via an IR LED which needs a simple circuit to provide sufficient
current. Typically these need 50-100mA of drive to achieve reasonable range and
data integrity. A suitable 940nm LED is [this one](https://www.adafruit.com/product/387).
be changed, but it must support Timer 2 channel 1. Pins for pushbutton inputs
are arbitrary: X3 and X4 are used. The driver uses timers 2 and 5.
-On ESP32 pin 23 is used for IR output and pins 18 and 19 for pushbuttons. The
-ESP32 solution has limitations discussed in [section 5.2](./TRANSMITTER.md#52-esp32).
+On ESP32 the demo uses pins 21 and 23 for IR output and pins 18 and 19 for
+pushbuttons. These pins may be changed.
-## 1.1 Wiring
+## 1.1 Pyboard Wiring
I use the following circuit which delivers just under 40mA to the diode. R2 may
be reduced for higher current.
The driver assumes circuits as shown. Here the carrier "off" state is 0V,
which is the driver default. If using a circuit where "off" is required to be
-3.3V, the constant `_SPACE` in `ir_tx.__init__.py` should be changed to 100.
+3.3V, the class variable `active_high` should be set `False`.
-# 2. Installation
+## 1.2 ESP32 Wiring
-The transmitter is a Python package. This minimises RAM usage: applications
-only import the device driver for the protocol in use.
+The ESP32 RMT device does not currently support the carrier option. A simple
+hardware gate is required to turn the IR LED on when both the carrier pin and
+the RMT pin are high. A suitable circuit is below; the transistor type is not
+critical.
+
-Copy the following to the target filesystem:
- 1. `ir_tx` Directory and contents.
+This simpler alternative uses MOSFETS, but the device type needs attention. The
+chosen type has a low gate-source threshold voltage and low Rdson.
+
+
+# 2. Dependencies and installation
+
+## 2.1 Dependencies
The device driver has no dependencies.
+On ESP32 a firmware version >= V1.12 is required. The Loboris port is not
+supported owing to the need for the RMT device.
+
The demo program requires `uasyncio` from the official library and `aswitch.py`
-from [this repo](https://github.com/peterhinch/micropython-async). The demo is
-of a 2-button remote controller with auto-repeat. It may be run by issuing:
+from [this repo](https://github.com/peterhinch/micropython-async).
+
+## 2.2 Installation
+
+The transmitter is a Python package. This minimises RAM usage: applications
+only import the device driver for the protocol in use. Clone the repository to
+the current directory of your PC with:
+```bash
+$ git clone https://github.com/peterhinch/micropython_ir
+```
+Copy the following to the target filesystem:
+ 1. `ir_tx` Directory and contents.
+
+The demo is of a 2-button remote controller with auto-repeat. It may be run by
+issuing:
```python
from ir_tx.test import test
```
common abstract base class in `__init__.py`. The application instantiates the
appropriate class and calls the `transmit` method to send data.
-The ESP32 platform is marginal in this application because of imprecision in
-its timing. The Philips protocols are unsupported as they require unachievable
-levels of precision. Test results are discussed [here](./TRANSMITTER.md#52-esp32).
-
#### Common to all classes
Constructor args:
Execution times on a Pyboard 1.1 were 3.3ms for NEC, 1.5ms for RC5 and 2ms
for RC6.
+Class variable:
+ 1. `active_high=True` Normally the IR LED drive circuit turns the LED on if
+ the pin goes high. If it works with the opposite polarity the variable should
+ be set `False` before instantiating.
+
#### NEC class
+Class `NEC`. Example invocation:
+```python
+from ir_tx.nec import NEC
+```
+
This has an additional method `.repeat` (no args). This causes a repeat code to
be transmitted. Should be called every 108ms if a button is held down.
#### Sony classes
+Classes `SONY_12`, `SONY_15` and `SONY_20`. Example invocation:
+```python
+from ir_tx.sony import SONY_15
+```
+
The SIRC protocol supports three sizes, supported by the following classes:
1. 12 bit (7 data, 5 address) `SONY_12`
2. 15 bit (7 data, 8 address) `SONY_15`
#### Philips classes
-These are only supported on Pyboard hosts. An `RuntimeError` will be thrown on
-an attempt to instantiate a Philips class on an ESP32.
+Classes `RC5` and `RC6_M0`. Example invocation:
+```python
+from ir_tx.philips import RC5
+```
The RC-5 protocol supports a 5 bit address and 6 or 7 bit (RC5X) data. The
driver uses the appropriate mode depending on the `data` value provided.
changes when the button is released. The application should implement this
behaviour, setting the `toggle` arg of `.transmit` to 0 or 1 as required.
-# 4. Test results
+#### Microsoft MCE class
+
+Class `MCE`. Example invocation:
+```python
+from ir_tx.mce import MCE
+# MCE.init_cs = 3
+```
+There is a separate demo for the `MCE` class because of the need to send a
+message on key release. It is run by issuing:
+```python
+from ir_tx.mcetest import test
+```
+Instructions will be displayed at the REPL.
+
+I have been unable to locate a definitive specification: the protocol was
+analysed by a mixture of googling and experiment. Behaviour may change if I
+acquire new information. The protocol is known as OrtekMCE and the remote
+control is sold on eBay as VRC-1100.
-# 5. Principle of operation
+The remote was designed for Microsoft Media Center and is used to control Kodi
+on boxes such as the Raspberry Pi. With a suitable PC driver it can emulate a
+PC keyboard and mouse. The mouse emulation uses a different protocol: the class
+does not currently support it. Pressing mouse buttons and pad will cause the
+error function (if provided) to be called.
-## 5.1 Pyboard
+This supports a 4 bit address, 6 bit data and 2 bit toggle. The latter should
+have a value of 0 for the first message, 1 for repeat messages, and 2 for a
+final message sent on button release.
+
+The remaining four bits are a checksum which the driver creates. The algorithm
+requires an initial 'seed' value which my testing proved to be 4. However the
+only [documentation](http://www.hifi-remote.com/johnsfine/DecodeIR.html#OrtekMCE)
+I could find stated that the value should be 3. I implemented this as a class
+variable `MCE.init_cs=4`. This enables it to be changed if some receivers
+require 3.
+
+# 4. Principle of operation
+
+## 4.1 Pyboard
The classes inherit from the abstract base class `IR`. This has an array `.arr`
to contain the duration (in μs) of each carrier on or off period. The
`transmit` method calls a `tx` method of the subclass which populates this
array. This is done by two methods of the base class, `.append` and `.add`. The
-former takes a list of times (in μs) and appends them to the array. A bound
+former takes a list of times (in ) and appends them to the array. A bound
variable `.carrier` keeps track of the notional on/off state of the carrier:
this is required for bi-phase (manchester) codings.
channel 1 is used to configure the output pin as a PWM channel. Its frequency
is set in the constructor. The OOK is performed by dynamically changing the
duty ratio using the timer channel's `pulse_width_percent` method: this varies
-the pulse width from 0 to a duty ratio passed to the constructor. The NEC
-protocol defaults to 50%, the Sony and Philips ones to 30%.
+the pulse width from 0 to a duty ratio passed to the constructor.
The duty ratio is changed by the Timer 5 callback `._cb`. This retrieves the
next duration from the array. If it is not `STOP` it toggles the duty cycle
and re-initialises T5 for the new duration.
-## 5.2 ESP32
-
-This is something of a hack because my drivers work with standard firmware.
-
-A much better solution will be possible when the `esp32.RMT` class supports the
-`carrier` option. A fork supporting this is
-[here](https://github.com/mattytrentini/micropython). You may want to adapt the
-base class to use this fork: it should be easy and would produce a solution
-capable of handling all protocols.
-
-A consequence of this hack is that timing is imprecise. In testing NEC
-protocols were reliable. Sony delivered some erroneous bitsreams but may be
-usable. Philips protocols require timing precision which is unachievable; these
-are unsupported.
-
-The ABC stores durations in Hz rather than in μs. This is because the `period`
-arg of `Timer.init` expects an integer number of ms. Passing a `freq` value
-enables slightly higher resolution timing. In practice timing lacks precision
-with the code having a hack which subtracts a nominal amount from each value to
-compensate for the typical level of overrun.
-
-The carrier is generated by PWM instance `.pwm` with its duty cycle controlled
-by software timer `._tim` in a similar way to the Pyboard Timer 5 described
-above. The ESP32 duty value is in range 0-1023 as against 0-100 on the Pyboard.
-
-# 6. References
+## 4.2 ESP32
-[General information about IR](https://www.sbprojects.net/knowledge/ir/)
+The carrier is output continuously at the specified duty ratio. A pulse train
+generated by the RMT instance drives a hardware gate such that the IR LED is
+lit only when both carrier and RMT are high.
-The NEC protocol:
-[altium](http://techdocs.altium.com/display/FPGA/NEC+Infrared+Transmission+Protocol)
-[circuitvalley](http://www.circuitvalley.com/2013/09/nec-protocol-ir-infrared-remote-control.html)
+The carrier is generated by PWM instance `.pwm` running continuously. The ABC
+constructor converts the 0-100 duty ratio specified by the subclass to the
+0-1023 range used by ESP32.
-Philips protocols:
-[RC5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RC-5)
-[RC5](https://www.sbprojects.net/knowledge/ir/rc5.php)
-[RC6](https://www.sbprojects.net/knowledge/ir/rc6.php)
+## 4.3 Duty ratio
-Sony protocol:
-[SIRC](https://www.sbprojects.net/knowledge/ir/sirc.php)
+In every case where I could find a specified figure it was 30%. I measured
+that from a variety of remotes, and in every case it was close to that figure.
projects / micorpython_ir.git / blobdiff