Fibre optic communications, how, where ???

[D n T]

I searched the forums and found 1 mention, this fizzled out.

With the huge use of fibre optics in the data transfer field I though I might have a look into a communication project using some, I thought that instead of using a length of CAT 5 or CAT 6, I might be able to use a length of optic fibre.

Has anyone done it?
I am going to trawl the net and try to learn about it and apply it?
It would really top of a submersible project and EOD robots often have fibre optic umbilicals as an alternate to radio remotes in some applications.

 

[hippy]

Should be fairly easy in principle, it is after all just an enhancement of IR LED to IR Receiver.

 

[westaust55]

You would likely need something like these:

http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=Z1601
http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=Z1602

for the electrical signal (TTL level) to fibre interface

 

[papaof2]

Just remember that light has frequency (visible, IR, UV) and the fiber, emitter, and detector must be matched for optimum performance.

John

 

[Michael 2727]

I managed to program an 08M via an IR Link only -
http://www.picaxeforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7346&highlight=program
Unfortunately the ASCII circuit did not survive the formatting in the web shift to here.
( I may still have the original somewhere )

Obviously you would want to send data on the run and not for reprogramming a
device so this should/may even be simpler setup.

Just about every CD/DVD (shelf unit) player ever made has a builtin optical port,
to this day I have never seen one actually used by a consumer, here's your big
chance to recycle and save the planet

 

[boriz]

I would have thought that with the quite low AXE frequencies, any old fibre would do. And any old LED + phototransistor too. But that’s just guesswork.

 

[Andrew Cowan]

I have used it with no problems - just using a potential divider and digital input as the input.

Andrew

 

[ValueAdd]

I have used it with no problems - just using a potential divider and digital input as the input.

Andrew

What is "it"?

what type of light did you use - laser, ir, visible ?

what sort of electric to light converters?

years ago I saw kits for experimenting with fibre optics but a seach of electronic shops on the net found no such kits available these days

 

[papaof2]

Do a Google search for
fiber optic kit
(yes, the US spelling ;-)

This link has several:
http://www.omnitronelectronics.net/phpstore/html/Category-16-0.html

John

 

[Andrew Cowan]

I used IR LEDs and phototransistors.

However, I found that super bright red LEDs made more of a reading on the phototransistors than standard IR LEDs.

I found I could easily send slow serial signals across a few metres.

Andrew

 

[eclectic]

This forum is costing me a fortune.

DnT.

I've just received the cable, emitter and the phototransistor receiver,
SFH756V and SFH350V from Rapid.
(They look similar to Jaycar offerings).

http://www.rapidonline.com/Electronic-Components/Optoelectronics/Fibre-Optics/Fibre-optic-emitters-and-detectors/29414

http://www.rapidonline.com/productinfo.aspx?&tier1=Electronic+Components&tier2=Optoelectronics&tier3=Fibre+Optics&tier4=Polymer+fibre+optic+cable&moduleno=29413&catref=58-0710


Transmitter wired as a simple LED with a 300 ohm resistor.
Current ~ 8mA.

Receiver wired as figure 2 in this datasheet
http://www.fairchildsemi.com/an/AN/AN-3005.pdf

Program(s)

' Receiver circuit
#picaxe 28x1
main:
serin 0, n2400,b0
sertxd (#b0,cr,lf)

goto main

#rem
'transmitter
#picaxe 08m
main:
for b0 = 0 to 255
serout 1,n2400,(b0)
pause 500
next
goto main

It's working over the full 20 metres of cable.

I'll polish the ends of the cables (2000 W/D) later,
but, it's a start.

e.

More useful references.
http://www.avagotech.com/docs/AV01-0745EN

http://www.avagotech.com/docs/AV01-0746EN

 

[Michael 2727]

Eclectic the Forum is free, it's the tinkering that gets you.
Lucky you didn't have to fork out for the trans-Pacific link, US to AUS & NZ
Only a short run of 30,500 km and in real Glass not plastic.

Old PC Mouses (Ball types) have 2 sets of infrared RX TX components
inside them, a good starting point if you want to save a few bucks.

 

[Grant Fleming]

Old PC Mouses (Ball types) have 2 sets of infrared RX TX components
inside them...

Shouldn't that be ...old PC 'Mice' ? Nah, still doesn't sound quite right!

 

[boriz]

I bought a bunch of new PS2 mice for £1 each. Great for hacking. In addition to being able to control your PC from a PICAXE through the mouse circuit, each contains:

3 Microswitches
Two IR LEDs
Two quadrature IR receivers. (Each receiver contains 2 IR sensors)
A cool ‘clicky’ rotary encoder.

I particularly like the rotary encoder. I’m thinking of using one on a variable PSU project.