/tags/micropython/Recent content in MicroPython on JKTDEV.CO.UKHugoen-usWed, 24 Jun 2026 22:09:37 +0100/posts/buildingblockspt23/Wed, 24 Jun 2026 22:09:37 +0100/posts/buildingblockspt23/<h2 id="improving-the-ec11-encoder-and-rs485-test-setup">Improving the EC11 Encoder and RS485 Test Setup</h2> <p>Today I mainly concentrated on improving the transmitter-side and receiver-side software for the EC11 rotary encoder test setup.</p> <p>The setup uses the Digital IO Expander board to read the rotary encoder and push button, sends events over RS485, and displays the result on a Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W receiver with an OLED display.</p> <figure><a href="testsetupdisplay.jpg"><img src="/posts/buildingblockspt23/testsetupdisplay.jpg" alt="Test Setup with OLED Display"></a><figcaption> <h4>Test Setup with OLED Display</h4> </figcaption> </figure> <p>The aim was not to build a complete production-ready control system, but to validate the hardware and prove that the boards could work together in a simple but realistic integration test.</p>/posts/buildingblockspt20/Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:22:19 +0100/posts/buildingblockspt20/<h2 id="testing-the-rs485-building-block-board">Testing the RS485 Building Block Board</h2> <p>Today I tested the simplified RS485 Building Block Board, which was derived from the original RS485 + 48 V Passthrough Board.</p> <p>The standalone RS485 circuit had already been designed as part of the earlier combined board, so creating this version was fairly straightforward. This board removes the 48 V passthrough, voltage regulators, and additional protection circuitry from the previous design, leaving a smaller board focused purely on RS485 communication.</p>/posts/buildingblockspt19/Wed, 17 Jun 2026 20:09:47 +0100/posts/buildingblockspt19/<h2 id="digital-io-expander-testing-inputs">Digital I/O Expander Testing: Inputs</h2> <p>Today I continued the testing I started yesterday, this time looking at the input side of the Digital I/O Expander building block board.</p> <p>The first test was a basic input check. I wrote a small script to read the input pins and print the result to the serial console. The plan was simple: set each input high one by one, then check that the board was reading the input correctly.</p>/posts/buildingblockspt18/Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:55:59 +0100/posts/buildingblockspt18/<h2 id="digital-io-expander-and-rs485-building-block-boards">Digital IO Expander and RS485 Building Block Boards</h2> <p>Today I received the Rev A versions of the Digital IO Expander and RS485 building block boards from the PCB manufacturer.</p> <p>After a brief visual inspection, both boards look good. Of course, the real answer only comes once they are on the bench and tested properly.</p> <figure><a href="rs485-standalone.jpg"><img src="/posts/buildingblockspt18/rs485-standalone.jpg" alt="RS485 physical board"></a><figcaption> <h4>RS485 Physical Board</h4> </figcaption> </figure> <figure><a href="digitalioexpansion.jpg"><img src="/posts/buildingblockspt18/digitalioexpansion.jpg" alt="Digital IO Expander physical board"></a><figcaption> <h4>Digital IO Expander Physical Board</h4> </figcaption> </figure> <p>As I am already in familiar territory with the RS485 building block board, having tested its predecessor, the RS485 + 48 V building block board, I decided to test the Digital IO Expander first.</p>