PC Software in Zip files:
Install MailboxPC first. Extract the files from MBTest and RoboControl into the same directory where you had installed MailboxPC.
MailboxPC - Windows app to microcontroller serial interface software with lots of features. Standalone monitor program plus, as an ActiveX server, can easily exchange data with other Windows applications. This is a major upgrade to the version released with the Temperature Transmitter article.
MBTest - A Visual Basic test program that interfaces to MailboxPC. Includes executable and source. Also included is an Excel spreadsheet showing interfacing to Mailbox PC as an ActiveX server.
RoboControl - A C++ Builder application that uses MailboxPC as an ActiveX server to read and write data to/from my robot. Includes executable and source code for Borland C++ Builder 3.0.
Mailbox PC Control Panel
Atmel AVR Microcontroller RF drivers
Programmed in AVR GCC 3.2
Zip files including all source code and executables.
RF Test - Sets up a Mailbox RAM on an ATEMGA8 and provides RF 5050 interface routines allowing the PC to read from and write to the Mailbox RAM over a wireless RF link. Start your testing with this uC direct connected to the PC.
PC to RF Interface - RF interface that connects directly to the PC RS-232 port and handles interface between radio modules and PC. PC ports are often unable to handle the radio noise that comes from the RF modules. A uC with this software filters out that noise and has a clean interface with the PC. Not always needed, but I've found 50% of PC ports won't handle the RF noise.
RF to SPI Interface - RF to SPI interface. This uC exists at the opposite end of the PC to RF Interface and again filters out the RF noise, interfacing with a slave Mailbox RAM uC via the SPI port. Again this device is not essential but it screens out a large volume of RF noise that will appear as interrupts every couple milliseconds on your host uC.