Subject: From: Date:

Digital input problem Mark Sekelsky Sun, 2 May 1999 17:05:27 -0500

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I am using a digital input on my redac to determine whether or not my
receiver is on or off. I do this because this particular receiver's IR is
finicky and only "gets" the IR signal from ECS about 80% of the time.  I
have a relay plugged into the back of the receiver.  The outlet is only
powered if the receiver is powered.  I have an appliance item (A4) in ECS so
that I can turn the receiver on/off.  When I turn the receiver ON I also set
a true/false item to true.  If ECS ever detects that A4 is ON, the
true/false item is TRUE and the digital input is HIGH, it resend the IR
signal since the receiver should be on (there is a 6" delay built into all
of this).  Same process for having the receiver off.

I am having a problem where the digital input item is toggling back and
forth between low and high when I first turn the receiver on. This does not
always happen, and the number of times it will happen varies.  I created an
event to log what is going on.  It will typically look something like this:

05/01/99  2:05 PM MSG: Receiver ON    A4 is now ON
05/01/99  2:05 PM MSG: IR Signal      IR Signal sent
05/01/99  2:06 PM MSG: Receiver Low   The receiver is ON (low)
05/01/99  2:06 PM MSG: Receiver High  The receiver is OFF (high)
05/01/99  2:06 PM MSG: Receiver Low   The receiver is ON (low)
05/01/99  2:06 PM MSG: Receiver High  The receiver is OFF (high)
05/01/99  2:06 PM MSG: Receiver Low   The receiver is ON (low)
05/01/99  2:07 PM MSG: Receiver High  The receiver is OFF (high)
05/01/99  2:07 PM MSG: Receiver Low   The receiver is ON (low)
05/01/99  2:07 PM MSG: Receiver High  The receiver is OFF (high)
05/01/99  2:07 PM MSG: Receiver Low   The receiver is ON (low)

If I monitor the group editor screen on ECS I do NOT see the digital input
item fluctuating back and forth as the log indicates.  Also, you can see
that the IR signal is NOT being resent as per the event.  I conclude then
that the fluctuation is probably too fast to be seen in the group window or
the ECS event that resend the signal(?).

None of this would normally be much of a problem except that occasionally
the IR signal DOES get resent and this is rather annoying.

I assume that the problem is with:

The redac
The relay
The power from the receiver
The power to the digital input (6 volt regulated wart)

I have tried switching to a different digital input with no change.  Other
"facts:"

I NEVER have any problem shutting the receiver OFF.
It does not always happen when I turn the receiver ON.  If the receiver has
recently been on it is less likely to happen.

Anybody have any idea what the culprit is??

Mark S

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