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Help: multi-purpose controller

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Q__Hybrid

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Alright, here goes:

I have absolutely no familiarity with electronics whatsoever, but I have a project that I need to finish despite my lack of knowledge. Basically what I need is someone willing to help me out with this thing. I'll do all of the physical construction, testing, etc, but I need a guide to point the way.

A while ago, I found someone that was willing to help me and we got within sight of the project's final form, and then I lost communication with him. There are professional cad schematic layouts for most of the system, but some things need to be changed. I can explain what the circuits are supposed to do, everything else depends on my lucky partner's insight.

What is this "concept," exactly? It's official purpose is a home-made alternative to a professional grade virtual camera system (bullet time, flowmo, etc.) You may have heard of this elsewhere, if not, don't blame ya. The system utilizes top of the line parts that I purchased with part of an inheritance to the tune of around $2,500 USD.

The basic synopsis of the system's structure is as follows:
An OOPic 2+ S-Type module is used to access patterns that are stored in AM29F010 plastic dips (1Mx8 Flash SRAMs). The OOPic 2+ is interfaced with a VK204-25 vacuum flourescent display and a 1K160103 vandal-proof keypad. The main circuitry of the system is nothing more than 128 outputs that are controlled by the onboard memory whose Q lines are fed to RFP12N10L power mosfets. The mosfets allow a 12 Vdc voltage to be sent out of their corresponding outputs when tripped. The output states are held for specific lengths of time by way of a comparitor that checks the value of a resettable counter with a binary word in memory that represents the hold time of the current output state. Locations in systemwide memory that are of equal index all work together as a single whole. Two AM29F010 chips are used to create 16bit chunks of data on 8 identical driver cards. The contiguous output yields 8 x 16 or 128 outputs. The hold time is stored in a 16bit chunk of memory that resides on the mainboard. In any given memory pattern, there are a maximum of 128 indexed locations that are accessed.

The system was conceived as a pseudo "console," where the vfd and keypad are inserted into their own case and serve as a "game pad" of sorts, while the actual brains and circuitry of the system are in their own seperate case. The two are connected via fully thru-wired DB-25 cable.

The "game pad" has an input port that can connect to a laptop so that the micro can be remote controlled manually. The system is lifeless and tedious without the possession of a custom PC-based GUI that I am programming meticulously myself. The program calculates alot of data based on Bezier curves, etc, and collates it into the corresponding binary words that are to be stored. All memory in the system is on a common bus with flow control that relies on latches (74HC273, 74HC373). Only one AM29F010 chip is successfully accessed at a time and only one byte of data is loaded into said chip during a single load. This means the load algorithm must be enacted 128 times to store the full pattern. Not a problem, but not fast either.

Data is strictly limited to being loaded off of a computer, but it would be nice to replace this with a Compact Flash drive or something similar. This would create a radical shift in the approach to this project and would set back its completion by a sizable margin, so I would rather just stick to the boundary of the current design instead of adding any frills.
Besides, CompactFlash drives aren't water-proof. This system is intended for all-weather conditions and is intended to be housed in water-tight aluminum cases from Cutler-Hammer. Fancy, yes. Superfluously and gratuitously fancy, you bet!

To sum everything up:
I have almost all of the parts, I have schematics for nearly all of the system's design, It's ready to get started as soon as the schematics are complete.

I have a full parts list for the brave soul that signs-on, and schematics.
Most of the system is already conceptualized, I just need someone to figure out where decoupling caps should go, whether or not smaller caps can be used in series on the driver boards, and, last but not least, design the power regulator and any other critical components of the design that have not been accounted for yet.

So, rest easy, most of the work is done. All you have to do is step in and tighten it a little, then finish it schematically so I can build and test it.

I've spent a small fortune and over a year's worth of time (cumulative) on this, so any help to finally put this thing to bed is very appreciated.

+Q__
 
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