Hello,
I'm not sure that thing will hook up to a real RS-232. I looked at the
schematic and it talked about 3.3 v, which would not drive the RS-232 lines.
Not sure how you would connect it. But maybe there is a level shifter in it.
I've found that a lot of things talk about RS 232 but it is things like 0 to
3.3 or 0 to 5 volts, and not even close to real RS 232. I know the M100
doesn't actually get there either, but I know 0 to 5 volts doesn't make it on
my M100.
I had been looking at this device, in part for a Psion 5 MX but it also for my
M100 as well. A 'hat' stuck on top of a Raspberry Pi zero W, plus a power
supply. Admittedly most of the work would be done by the Pi (the tcp/ip stack
etc.) but you could use a terminal program to access a little linux box. It
was self-contained, even with a battery!! I still have to figure out where to
buy that level-shifter (the SP3232EEP) but most hats I've looked at for the pi
zero w don't have hardware handshaking.
https://www.kianryan.co.uk/2022-11-28-psion-sidecar-ppp-modem-and-terminal/
Admittedly, this is probably to big to fit in an M100 but I am pretty sure it
would work. Increase the size of the battery and power the M100 with it!!
Jonathan
----Original Message----
>From : hira...@hotmail.com
Date : 2022-12-17 - 15:16 (CEST)
To : m100@lists.bitchin100.com
Subject : [M100] Pinenut Wifi / BLE
I came across this tiny little board on the Pine64 site, and I wonder...
PineNut Wifi/BLE board
this thing is about 1" by 2/3" (25 x 14mm), and as I understand it provides
wifi and bluetooth, via serial (TTL or UART, I think).
I think it could be mounted internally to the M100 (dunno about M102). Maybe a
200, too.
IF one could connect it to the modem serial connection, one could then
theoretically use it to connect via wifi/bluetooth, and switch to the external
rs232 port, keeping its functionality, with a minimum of "destruction" to the
M100.
Or maybe, connect it to the barcode scanner, which, if possible for regular
comms with the module, would leave you able to use the rs232 and the wifi at
the same time.
I'm interested in any opinions on this, because imo it could massively improve
the functionality of the M100 (yes, I know the same essential thing is possible
with some of the wifi-capable arduino boards, but all I've seen of them are
much larger than this).
