How to make Generic Whelen Transporter for B-Link & Smart Messenger

n4rpd

New Member
Jul 6, 2019
6
Colorado
This thread is fantastic! I spent maybe $25 for the parts on eBay, got the software CD from Whelen, then using only the info from this thread, was able to program the two MPC01's that have been setting in my storage shed for the past two years. Plugging them into the two Edge Ultra SC strobe bars that have also been setting in there and they worked! I have now been playing around with all kinds of configurations on the programming, just amazing that this thread provided all the info. Thanks Seth.
- Rob
 

thatoneiowan

Member
May 23, 2016
44
Central Iowa
I figured I'd drop on here too just to share a bit of info. I bought a RS485 to USB dongle and it worked just fine on a Windows 7 laptop. I used the included CD to install the driver the computer needed, which was kind of a clunky process, but it worked. The company just threw all of the driver installers onto the CD in a folder, so you have to open the CD like a folder and find the subfolder for Windows operating systems. Blue wire to tx+, grey wire to tx-, and 12v- to the usb's ground. FWIW, I have not tried it on a Windows 10 laptop, but I would expect it to work fine. The only problem is I have two serial bars and only one MPC01... :confused: lol
 
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RS485

Supporting Donor
Aug 5, 2019
369
Central MA
I've used a FTDI USB-RS485-WE-1800-BT I got from Digi-key without any problems (on Windows 7) I've had it talk successfully to MPC01s, BL10000, ULTRA and even a UB412 PS (Windows machine acting like the SC board feeding the UB412 its flash timings).

I think the neat thing about C17LVFD's converter is that it keeps Windows drivers out of the picture. The Windows machine sees just a straight RS232 serial port (and uses a simple serial port driver) leaving the signal conversion to hardware-only.
 
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Nolines

Member
Apr 5, 2018
1,678
Margate, FL
What we need is someone to make a program to run the bar and siren on a laptop maybe a touchscreen or a tablet that can act like a mpc01 or 02, 03 that would be cool. A simple plug in and go... Well maybe a tablets a bit much but you get the idea
 

RS485

Supporting Donor
Aug 5, 2019
369
Central MA
Depends on how many "C" programmers are in the room.
I'm familiar with Microsoft's Visual Studio platform, Microchip's MPLAB-X/XC8, Ardiuno's dev platform (also Mac OS Xcode but not aimed at Whelen exploration) and have used these to poke and prod Whelen's strobe stuff. Anyone else???
This would be a great place to explore the file formats and wire formats to do what you're describing :)
That said, practially speaking, Whelen's SC programmer has a "simulator" mode that, based on the devices you've configured into it, lets you exercise specific device functionality. Does that not work for your use-case? If not, why not?
 

Nolines

Member
Apr 5, 2018
1,678
Margate, FL
Well as I can't use my setup anymore till I can wire up the backup car since my main car was totaled by a drunk driver I won't be able to see how that works, I don't think I ever used that cause I only had reprogrammed my mpc days before it was totaled.
 

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five0fan

Member
Oct 27, 2015
34
New York
Can anyone please advise if I’m doing something wrong? I was able to pick up an old Dell desktop with Windows 7 on it and a true serial port. I was using a different PC up until today and I was getting the dreaded Communications Failure message, but I figured my issue was that I had a serial/USB dongle. Buuuut I’m still getting the same message.
 

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Nolines

Member
Apr 5, 2018
1,678
Margate, FL
And you set the port correctly? Your using power wires as well?? I don't remember using anything but the communication cable alone... Scratches head.. I think one of the more senior operators of this setup should comment when they see it.
 
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five0fan

Member
Oct 27, 2015
34
New York
And you set the port correctly? Your using power wires as well?? I don't remember using anything but the communication cable alone... Scratches head.. I think one of the more senior operators of this setup should comment when they see it.


I only have two comm ports that show up on SC programmer. I’ve tried with each. I just tried removing the power wire from the data converter, but still no luck.
 

C17LVFD

Member
May 21, 2010
1,537
Harrisburg, PA
If I’m understanding properly... you used the rs232 to rs485 up until recently... then got a comm failure so swapped to another machine that had a true serial port with the same comm failure?

Sounds to me like your converter is dead. For 5 bucks, I think it would be worthwhile to buy another.

Respectfully,
Seth
 

Nolines

Member
Apr 5, 2018
1,678
Margate, FL
Wait he said serial USB dongle... Could that be the issue that the USB port power was turned off by power management... That's been know to cause communication errors.
Go into the device manager and every USB root hub, make sure under power management allow the computer to turn off this device to save power is not checked and the reboot and retry the com ports.
 
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five0fan

Member
Oct 27, 2015
34
New York
If I’m understanding properly... you used the rs232 to rs485 up until recently... then got a comm failure so swapped to another machine that had a true serial port with the same comm failure?

Sounds to me like your converter is dead. For 5 bucks, I think it would be worthwhile to buy another.

Respectfully,
Seth

Hi Seth, no I never successfully used a converter. I had a USB dongle that I tried using since the computer I had lacked a serial port.

Jump forward to yesterday- I got an old Dell off Craigslist for dirt cheap with a serial port. I thought that would solve the issue. But I’m still getting the same error as when I tried the previous method of using a USB dongle-to-serial.

I’m doubtful that it’s the converter as I’ve bought three so far, and none of them work.
 

five0fan

Member
Oct 27, 2015
34
New York
Wait he said serial USB dongle... Could that be the issue that the USB port power was turned off by power management... That's been know to cause communication errors.
Go into the device manager and every USB root hub, make sure under power management allow the computer to turn off this device to save power is not checked and the reboot and retry the com ports.


The USB dongle was the old method I was using since I had a computer without a serial port. I have a different computer now with a real serial port, but I’m still getting the same error as I had with the first computer.
 

Nolines

Member
Apr 5, 2018
1,678
Margate, FL
on another related serial data project
I'm currently experimenting using a programmable touch screen to replace the MPC01 for b-link data, I made a simple screen layout for testing and can output the commands directly using its tx/rx pins

the software allows for custom command output values on touch/release events

Bringing the B-link series into the future!
Any updates on this??? Really interested in this idea....
 

RS485

Supporting Donor
Aug 5, 2019
369
Central MA
Any updates on this??? Really interested in this idea....

shows my attempt at this idea.

irun4fundotca described a "nextion screen" in the oh-so-cool "B-link serial thread". He didn't mention specially which device he chose.
It seems like he got it working but I _wish_ the dude was back around here so we could dig deeper!
 

RS485

Supporting Donor
Aug 5, 2019
369
Central MA
Attached is the code running on the arduino. Most of it was a "Cell phone" example provided by the TFT vendor. Lines 124, 125, 126 comprise the specific sequences sent to the 9U.
The 9U needs a constant stream presented otherwise (to the 9U), such an absence looks like a power-off/disconnect. Pressing a button just merges in specific bits to affect specific functionality.
 

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RS485

Supporting Donor
Aug 5, 2019
369
Central MA
@five0fan - can you provide the exact device model number? I see its made by dtech but it looks like the model-specific info is on printed on a label on the side. I'm wondering what its power requirements are...i.e. does it need +5V but you're powering it with +12?
The serial line (two wires) won't provide any power; so I'm wondering if we have a power-related problem here????
 

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