Interface between X50 & PC

[jamesd]

Does anyone know anywhere to start for developing an interface between the X50 and a PC?

If you could just feed the PC the type of alert and strength of alerts there is alot you could do in the way of mapping, especially with GPS, time, and the internet.

:lol:

The only purpose of this post is to get a discussion fired up.

[kai445]

Start with stripping the wires that power the detector (leaving them intact, but accessable by probe).

This is where I get muddy. I believe an oscilloscope would be what you require, as it would display volts over time on its little graph. Simply prod the wire, figure out what its doing at any given moment.

http://www.doctronics.co.uk/scope.htm

Anyhoo... I dont think they send any interesting data over the wire besides a pulse to make the light flicker on the smartcord. You wont be able to get a specific "X" or "K" or "Ka" alert out of it, or so I've heard.

I think jim will be able to respond more competantly than I have.

[sethy]

Jim did this with the v1, heck he even wrote his own software for it. Im sure he can answer this question

[jamesd]

It would definitly involve opening up the detector to get information on the strength and type of alerts. I'm not even sure where to start other than to discuss how different alerts are triggered inside the unit.

Another idea would be to incorporate GPS and a clock into the detector itself and have it record on some type of small media. This way the datalogging wouldn't be limited to people with laptops or CarPCs. However, that is really out of our reach.

I remember reading something on mp3car.com where they were discussing developing a USB / serial interface for the V1 and that the V1 and X50 architectures were very different.

[jimbonzzz]

I was thinking about writing software for the BEL/Escort like I did for the Valentine, so I've probed around some on the RX-65. It really doesn't send any detailed information out the RJ-11. All it sends out are pulses that light up the LED in the smartcord. So, you could tell that an alert was in progress, but not the band, strength etc etc. So yeah, unfortunately to glean any other useful information from the X50, one would have to pop it open and interface with it inside somehow.


I remember reading something on mp3car.com where they were discussing developing a USB / serial interface for the V1 and that the V1 and X50 architectures were very different.

My software has a USB interface available, if you are unfamiliar with my software see the link in my signature.
There's a thread on mp3car.com concerning my software too. However, after I released mine, it inspired zpilott to release his V1 software that he had been working on for quite some time, so there is his project now as well.

Jim

[jamesd]

I was under the impression that the V1's design (which I am completely unfamiliar with at the time) is more friendly to developing this sort of thing.

Would there be anyone specific to talk to who would be able to provide somewhere to start inside the X50? It would be a while before I can get my hands on some time and a scope to go poke around in it. If there is no information coming out of the RJ11 it isn't going to be easy.

[jimbonzzz]

I was under the impression that the V1's design (which I am completely unfamiliar with at the time) is more friendly to developing this sort of thing.

Yes, that is definitely true.... :D

[stealthJamal]

There must be some way a PC can interface with the X50. The ZR3 can interface, maybe some way like that the PC could interface.

[jimbonzzz]

There must be some way a PC can interface with the X50. The ZR3 can interface, maybe some way like that the PC could interface.

Maybe...wish I had an X-50 and ZR3 so I could check it out.

[jamesd]

What exactly is communicated between the ZR3 and the X50?

[sethy]

When the zr3 shifter is hit, it will display ZR3 Shift on the 8500

[jimbonzzz]

Also I read in some other posts that if the X50 detects laser, it supposably acts as an extra sensor and will activate the ZR3.

[T-T]

I have seen BEL/Target Euro550 linked to a laptop. There was an extra opening on the side of the detector where the cable goes in. The detector sent out all infos about its DSP status and detected frequencies if any. The software seems to be a kind of Hyper Terminal.

[jamesd]

Also I read in some other posts that if the X50 detects laser, it supposably acts as an extra sensor and will activate the ZR3.

If that's the case than there should be a way to at least distinguish a laser alert from the X50. I really hope laser becomes widely adopted because the countermeasures are so much better, on our side, than things like POP and instant on.

Does anyone have any contacts inside Bel / Escort?

[compu44]

I was thinking about writing software for the BEL/Escort like I did for the Valentine, so I've probed around some on the RX-65. It really doesn't send any detailed information out the RJ-11. All it sends out are pulses that light up the LED in the smartcord. So, you could tell that an alert was in progress, but not the band, strength etc etc. So yeah, unfortunately to glean any other useful information from the X50, one would have to pop it open and interface with it inside somehow.


I remember reading something on mp3car.com where they were discussing developing a USB / serial interface for the V1 and that the V1 and X50 architectures were very different.

My software has a USB interface available, if you are unfamiliar with my software see the link in my signature.
There's a thread on mp3car.com concerning my software too. However, after I released mine, it inspired zpilott to release his V1 software that he had been working on for quite some time, so there is his project now as well.

Jim

I just went out and verified that the light on the smartcord does flash at a faster rate with a stronger signal, but it seems to have only three flash rates, as close as I could tell (it was hard to pay attention while driving, lighter placement in my car was an afterthought.) So in theory, a person could at least be able to determine a high-medium-low type of signal strength, and I would also think with an audio output, the different frequencies of audio output could be converted into a PC band ID.

A couple thoughts for you to play with.

[jamesd]

The audio would be a good place to start. The only way to know is to pull it apart and start poking around with an oscilloscope.