The Ware for July 2008 is shown below. Click on the image for a much larger version.
This is just one board out of a couple in the system, but I figure this should be enough for people to nail it, given the quick success rate of past competitions.
This is again a user-submitted ware, this time from an anonymous reader of the blog! It’s pretty cool actually to be getting ware submissions now, because I get to play the game a bit myself while reviewing and preparing the photos for posting :-).
Well, does obviously include a HV backlight driver for a LCD, as well as a port labelled such (and a SED1335 LCD controller). Said LCD probably has a touch layer too, hence the left connector – however, it’s a bit odd that it’s a 2-pin connector, it should be 4-pin. Maybe some touch switch somewhere.
It’s also obviously related to networking in some manner, with the Echelon FTT-10A Free Topology TP transciever.
On further inspection, said LCD is probably similar to the 640×200 one I have lying around (128kB RAM on this controller, same SED controller as my LCD).
As for what it _does_, I’m stumped. ;)
Blue Raven MediaMate 7080 ?
Nope.. Too quick on the trigger there.. The 7080 came out in 2007, while this board is from 2000
It’s a 4770715abb2a85c0fc9e85a21b933d7e
I’m going to guess that it’s the guts of an Echelon smart single-phase electricity meter. There’s a Toshiba Neuron micro (TMPN3150B1AFG); Echelon is a Toshiba partner. There’s the LCD controller, obviously req’d for the watthour display. And there’s the highly suspicious “HV” connector going straight into an isolation xformer.
http://www.echelon.com/metering/datasheets/EM-502xx-ANSI.pdf
It looks like there could be an IR LED and detector attached to the FFT-10A. Together with the LCD connectors this suggests a multifunction remote control. The label “UEI” points to Universal Electronics Inc, which owns One For All and other brands (and appears to be an ODM for Radio Shack). The number 7080 doesn’t appear to match any released product but it might have been released under a different number or not at all.
Also UEI uses “One Touch” as a brand name for some of its touch-screen remotes. I’m going to guess at the URC-9990, but I’m not sure it’s quite old enough.
I don’t think it’s UEI the remote control manufacturer; it’s unlikely their boards would sport “Made in the USA”.
Well theres the EPSON SED LCD controller in the top right, with a couple of static RAM chips along the top, the Toshiba/Echelon chip and “Free Topology Twisted Pair Transceiver”, and then 3 what are probable microcontrollers or flash/EEPROMs across the centre (two have close by crystals and almost direct connections to the static RAM and LCD controller which microcontrollers might need). The HV component in the bottom right with an lt1184 contrast control switching regulator (all for the LCD back light). So looks like a LonTalk network device with a small graphics LCD on the other side. As to what its all for, well I’d guess some sort of HVAC control/display board. Looks quite custom with the 3 socketed devices, that makes it a bit pricier, and suggests they want to be able to reflash the devices easily. As to what its all for, well I’d guess some sort of HVAC control/display board, all based around the LonTalk network, may also support data over powerlines too.
All the thermostat I’ve seen uses EL/LED for backlight, thats a royer CCFL inverter on the board. That and the fact that they used a SED1335 would point to a higher end monochrome graphic LCD.
And there is the FPC connector, sitting right next to a uC, probably going to some sort of breakout or I/O board.
The one-touch 2 pin connector is interesting, got and LED right next to it, too.
got me thinking printers for a while. But then what kind of printer would have Lonworks for internal networking?
Something along the line of home/commercial automation is my guess.
Reflective thing on the right is probably a hybrid circuit, either a SIP SSR or DC/DC converter.
It’s a sound card.
Soundblaster circa 1990.
Sorry guys, you snooze you lose! :)
I’m guessing it is an Epson NS-7080 High Speed IC Handler – http://www.epson.jp/fa/e/handler/products/ns7000.htm – well at least the board that controls the LCD and communicates back to some centralised computer
Here is my reasoning:
– The board clearly has an LCD attached to it – “LCD Mount on Rear” text, Epson SED LCD controller chip and what looks like something to drive the LCD backlight
– The custom micros give the impression that these things can be upgraded by yanking out the chips and reprogramming/replacing – this makes me think that this is not mass produced or that they are not selling millions of these. The serial number of the board is quite low so maybe it’s a prototype, but I dont think so
– Bunnie says that the boar is part of a larger system so suggestions of a TV remote control are out
The echelon chip may sound like home automation, but in this case I think it is used to communicate the stats back to some central repository
The “Made in the U.S.A” bit gets me though – I would have thought if my guess was right they would have designed/made these in Japan?
http://www.etcconnect.com/docs/docs_downloads/datashts/Unison_LCD_Station_vD.pdf
Unison (etc) LCD touchscreen interface for architectural lighting systems.
Here are my clues:
– Echelon network interface
– EL backlight power supply (product has a blue backlight)
– Graphic LCD controller (SED1335)
– Unison has a unique labeling style (everything has a ‘Tested By’ sticker, every programmable chip has a thermal label with version and checksum)
– Low serial number
Other info:
– J3 is the network connection
– J4? AUX is a 12V input (some button only interfaces are powered over the network connection, but this draws too much power)
Thanks for this. Just subscribed.
LED TVs have much better contrast and color compared to traditional LCDs :;: