DVR Firmware

[DLB]

I was fumbling around on the Teknatool/Nova site for some unrelated chuck/jaw information when I noticed that their Striatech DVR based tools appear to be, unlike PowerPro as far as I know, upgradeable in a firmware/software sense. https://www.teknatool.com/upgrade-your-firmware/ I don't understand...

- David

[RFGuy]

David,

Yeah, the StriaTech DVR motor has a serial interface, I believe, for computer interfacing and is much more upgradeable/changeable than the PowerPro is by the owner...even though they are the same. Remember that dvrplus company that was trying to sell PowerPro competing kits (before Shopsmith shut him down)? See old thread below. That was one of the key features he was trumpeting about the product before. His website is shutdown now and the YT videos are gone for it.

viewtopic.php?p=254957#p254957

[bainin]

Sure without an external plug in...doin firmware upgrades are more difficult...but aren't those things usually on a ROM that if socketed...could be replaced?

I never looked closely at the stuff on the powerpro driver board...next time its open !

[RFGuy]

Sure without an external plug in...doin firmware upgrades are more difficult...but aren't those things usually on a ROM that if socketed...could be replaced?

I never looked closely at the stuff on the powerpro driver board...next time its open !

Not typically these days unless it is more of an old school board designer. Sockets cost money and consumer electronics is all about lowest cost. May not be a concern for the PowerPro or StriaTech products, but sockets also add significant height. Most electronics today are driving towards thinner and smaller form factors so the added height of a socket is a problem often times. Since the move to EEPROM, no need to remove PROM's and the firmware can be flashed over a serial link typically.

P.S. Swapping the PROM out sure did look cool though in the movie Real Genius with Val Kilmer.

[DLB]

I didn't see any socketed parts. I think the PowerPro has a serial interface like the other Striatech products. To my understanding the PowerPro is just repackaged to fit in the headstock. I believe the cable between the 'power supply' (not my favorite name) and the display/control panel includes a serial interface. (It would almost have to, as it is only ten lines/pins). Access isn't great. Would need an adapter. Most of all would need firmware updates, maybe with hardware compatibility.(?) Something I read somewhere led me to think this is a RS-232 on a non-standard (or at least not DB-9) connector.

- David

[RFGuy]

I didn't see any socketed parts. I think the PowerPro has a serial interface like the other Striatech products. To my understanding the PowerPro is just repackaged to fit in the headstock. I believe the cable between the 'power supply' (not my favorite name) and the display/control panel includes a serial interface. (It would almost have to, as it is only ten lines/pins). Access isn't great. Would need an adapter. Most of all would need firmware updates, maybe with hardware compatibility.(?) Something I read somewhere led me to think this is a RS-232 on a non-standard (or at least not DB-9) connector.

- David

David,

Unfortunately, the dvrplus info is all gone so I can't reference it. It had more info on the DIY StriaTech kit, but I will see if I can find it elsewhere online since these DIY versions are still sold by them. I stumbled upon it a few years ago, but it was not obvious how to get to from menu navigation on their website. What I was referencing is an additional serial interface. I believe it was RS-232 communication over a DB-9, but in addition to the DB-9 connector you are thinking of on the PowerPro that connects to the motor. My understanding is the PowerPro has a 6 connector Molex that provides the drive current to each stator of the switched reluctance motor. I can't say for certain, but I believe the PowerPro motor itself likely has a small microcontroller in it that measures the stator position as well as current feedback from each stator for hysteresis control. Not positive, but I believe this is right...so the DB-9 likely has an RS-232 interface to communicate between the small microcontroller in the motor housing and the ASIC (big micro) in the LCD control module that controls everything. Of course, just because it is DB-9 doesn't necessarily mean it is a serial interface as often this standard (cheap) connector is reused for conveying other signals than a serial interface. FYI...the DIY-like kits, e.g. the StriaTech upgrade motor for the Rikon bandsaws talk about the firmware upgrade and on their platform it is done over USB (also a serial interface). However, I remember the dvrplus version has a DB-9 serial interface for this from what I remember and I think the e-stop he advertised worked through it as well. Harder to say now since all of the dvrplus/dvrplus+ info was taken down from the internet and Google sites, like he used, aren't web archived that I know of like actual websites are.

https://www.rikontools.com/manuals/13-926.pdf

P.S. Interestingly the Teknatool version does show an exploded diagram of the motor and there is no microcontroller inside (or at least they are not showing it perhaps for simplicity). IF I am wrong, then what are those DB-9 lines going into in this exploded parts diagram because the terminal block is likely just for the stator current connections.

https://www.teknatool.com/wp-content/up ... 170215.pdf

TeknatoolMotor.jpg (101.57 KiB) Viewed 734 times

TeknatoolMotorPartsList.jpg (190.02 KiB) Viewed 732 times

[DLB]

That's a good drawing for reference, the PowerPro is very similar. The PowerPro has a total of 11 wires between motor and controller. Mechanically, the biggest difference with the drawing is Item 11, Terminal Box, replaced by the 6 pin molex for drive current. The other five wires go to Item 24, Position Sensor on the drawing, usually referred to as RPS in SS documentation. That small RPS circuit board is physically outside the motor housing and in my estimation of how things work picks up positional information from mechanical features on the non-fan side of the fan (six features, IIRC, and three electro-optical pickups). Since there is no stepper motor function on the SS, I presume it is used for high resolution RPM feedback and (probably?) drive pulse timing. I've done nothing that would confirm or deny, but I theorize the five pins are power, return, and data streams from the three pickups.

I agree other versions might need serial data streams, either due to packaging or functionality differences. I've considered picking up a DIY Striatech kit for a non-SS application but never pulled the trigger. I would hope you would get a lot more technical information.

- David