Need to write drivers for a Entec Open DMX USB interface, how to start?

Plugins & Plugin Development General Plugin Discussion
1

I’d like to write a set of drivers so be could control DMX lighting from Vera but I’m having a hard time finding good information on writing them. Vera should not hav a problem talking to the DMX dongle since is looks like a USB serial device it already supports. I’ve pick the Entec Open DMX because you don’t have to keep continuos serial data which unloads Vera.

The problem is that I can’t fine good documention on how to write lighting drivers. Can someone point me to some good documention and examples?

Thanks
John

2

Is there not someone that can point me in the right direction on writing drivers.

3

There is a recent post for an DALI serial interface to Vera. See
http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php/topic,9677.0.html

4

I wrote the DALI SC driver and not happy with it so I am going to begin rewriting from scratch.

One of the first things I want to do is write a “State Engine” it might be better to wait for that and lever off it. Hopefully will have something usable next week.

regards

Zoot

5

One thing about the Entec is that it keeps the 250kbps data stream active without putting a load on the processor. You just need to update the dongle when there is a change and maybe every minute or so just to refresh it.

My idea would be to keep a 512 byte table, one universe, which contains the DMX data one byte per DMX address. Anytime a change was made to the table that entry would be sent to the Entec. This should make for a fairly simple device.