1. Home
  2. Embedded Programming
  3. Help wih design

Help wih design

Hi everyone I'm upgrading an existing embedded system. This system has 1 serial port and DOS is runnig on it. But customers wanted this device to talk with other 8 devices over RS232(new requirement)

First idea i came up with is ; finding a new card with 8 serial ports on it and integrate it to the former system.So that it would be the interface between existing system and other devices. But it costs too much(almost ~200$).

Another idea , maybe a fantasy , is finding a RS232RS485 converter .Then plug it to the output of other devices .So i can build a network . Then my application can successfully talk to others with just some software upgrade.

Any ideas ? Best Regards.

Reply to
tguclu
Loading thread data ...

Good idea, but only half thought thru.

How would one of the external devices know you are talking to it ?

Each of the eight devices would need an address and someway to toggle the direction of the RS485 line.

A small micro board with two serial ports attached to each device ( total of eight) would work.

One serial port talks to the local device and the other serial port talking RS485 and handleing the addressing of the eight devices.

$200 / 8 = $25 per device and a RS485/RS232 comverter for the master DOS system.

It might be cheaper and less programming to use the $200 solution.

Unless you can convince your customers to pay for the programming involved.

My $.02

donald

Reply to
Donald

ElectronDepot website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.