Bank stick addon

[Sasha]

I made a wire loop on my bankstick and I added indication LED so it looks cooler.

[stryd_one]

Carry your patches with your keys, cute :)

[pay_c]

Is the indication LED between +5/GND or something more like data line? So: DOES IT FLASH?!? ;D ;D ;D

[Sasha]

It is just between +5/GND. I didn`t wanted to mess around with data lines in case it could influence on signals or something. It also doesn`t flash.

[pay_c]

Anyway some very cool idea! Some USB-Stick feeling! Like it!!!  8)

[SLP]

what about a super-small circut with  a SMD NE555 , 2 SMD resistors and a small capacitor?

this would make the LED flash.  :D

as the chip has only got 8 pins there would be no need for a PCB.

[Sasha]

what about a super-small circut with  a SMD NE555 , 2 SMD resistors and a small capacitor?

this would make the LED flash.  :D

as the chip has only got 8 pins there would be no need for a PCB.

I think this is not good idea since you already have flashing LEDs. I dont belive you want to alterate flashing speed.

[SLP]

It also doesn`t flash.

I think this is not good idea since you already have flashing LEDs.

???

[Sasha]

My sticks LED doesn`t flash but you can buy flashing LED for your stick if you want to. Besides, I dont see the point of flashing stick. Flashing should be used to signalise something is going on in the moment but not something is povered on. Am I right?

[SLP]

1. those flashing LEDs have usually a frequency of ~1,5 Hz that's quite slow

2.

Flashing should be used to signalise something is going on in the moment but not something is povered on. Am I right?

ok. you're right.  but fast-flashing LEDs are more impressing  ;D

[tos]

Let's cut the small-talk and consider the ways of making a something's-going-on indicator.

I can imagine one TR(used for switching), R and LED. Anyone that can design this?

[SLP]

TR=Transistor, right?

shouldn't be very difficult.

the signal to/from the eeprom is going from B to E

the R-LED-stuff should go like

+5V-LED-R-Collector-Emitter

but i have no idea about influencing the signal and

how many current the PIC/EEPROM can bear  :-\

but please hurry with the schematic.

I want to start with my SID soon and

this would be a real cool feature  :)

[tos]

Pepole, anybodey, F1!

[c0nsumer]

I'm curious, what is everyone's reason for wanting LEDs on their banksticks, in particular, blinky ones?

Is it to see if they are being accessed at a particular time, or just for the blinkyness in and of itself?

[SLP]

both!  ;D

[audiocommander]

if you're really keen on flashing lights and are able to change the source-code of your application, just connect a DOUT-line to your bankstick (when using the default sub-d-pin, there are some lines left), and switch it on by code if a function is accessed that is using the bankstick. then you could add a cap to smooth the signal, because otherwise it wouldn't be visible.

I can imagine it would be too much hassle to integrate it directly to the SD/SC lines and - most important - this would probably disturb the dataflow (cool,  :o have a blink but no more data)... functionality is more important than design and good design is supporting functionality by increasing efficiency and not fighting against it... ;)

therefore I like the idea of a constantly illuminated LED much more, because this way you see if your bankstick is attached correctly and should work. if it's not blinking you'll never know if it's not connected properly or just not being accessed......

cheers,

ac

[c0nsumer]

While poking around, I came across this article which describes how to make a blinking LED to indicate the status of a DMA line on an IDE controller. Looks to me to be usable on the data line for the BankStick. If I'm reading right, I2C (IIC) runs at a max of 3.4MHz, and this should be plenty safe to use on there.

The only problem I can see is that all the 2N7002 parts I'm finding are in packages like SOT-23, SOT-223, or SOT-563.  If I get some time, maybe I'll make up a little board layout for one (or more) banksticks, this package, and an LED. Or I guess you could point-to-point it and then just pot it all in some hot melt glue or something.

-Steve

[c0nsumer]

I got a bit bored and threw this together quickly. It hasn't been tested yet, but it should work. If you build it, or breadboard it and test it, please let me know how it goes. I can't get any of the needed FETs locally and I'm not placing another Mouser order for a while. (I checked... RS only has the wrong type.)

It's a 1.5" x .5" (stick of gum sized, or so) BankStick with LED indicator on a single-sided PCB.

The indicator is triggered by activity on the IIC Data line, so it'll blink every time anything happens via IIC. No real way around that. If you want something to blink only when reads/writes from the EEPROM happen, use a DOUT and change MIOS or whatever. I'd personally prefer this because it's done in hardware and will work regardless of changes to the Core or MIOS or whatever app.

Parts are as follows:

D1: 1N4148 -- 512-1N4148

IC1: Microchip 24LC256 / 24LC512 in socket. -- 579-24LC256-I/P - 575-193308

T1: 2N3820 (TO-92) -- 512-2N3820

LED1: 3mm LED -- 638-204HD

R1: 220? (Change based on the requirements of your LED.) -- 291-220-RC

JP1: 1x4 .100" header of whatever style you prefer. -- 571-1032394

.brd, .sch, and .pdf and .ps exposure masks are available here: http://www.nuxx.net/files/bankstick_activity_led.zip

-Steve