Whats a PCE or PCU?

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  • jpdw
    Automated Home Guru
    • Oct 2007
    • 169

    Whats a PCE or PCU?

    I've not been doing much HA-related stuff recently so I might have missed some Idratek related info...

    The "RS232 Communications Ports" dialog has a new "Interface type" option to choose "PCE or PCU" instead of the PCA/PCD.

    Hm... is these some new stuff that Idratek are cooking?


    ... now, the reason I was looking at this is because I wanted to try a new USB<->Serial that I've got. But it doesn't work... unless I select "PCE/PCU"...
    Jon
  • Gumby
    Moderator
    • May 2004
    • 437

    #2
    Are you saying it does work with the PCU option?
    ----------------------
    www.gumbrell.com

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    • jpdw
      Automated Home Guru
      • Oct 2007
      • 169

      #3
      It was late, so minimal testing, but Cortex started up and seemed to be getting temps back from the various DTSs -- whereas with the USB<->serial it wouldn't even start up with the "normal" PCA/PCD option selected.
      Jon

      Comment

      • jpdw
        Automated Home Guru
        • Oct 2007
        • 169

        #4
        Update:
        I've spent a couple of hours testing & taking this a bit further, and my conclusion is that PCE/PCU does indeed seem to work with the USB-Serial converter that I have got.

        The testing is still limited but my whole (small) idratek network seems to respond to cortex both on network start and status updates while running.

        The reason I was trying this was because I still hadn't sorted out this problem with running my Mini-itx board on a low-power PSU. General consensus on that thread was it was probably voltage level related so I figured as a USB converter is built to work on just the single 5v from the USB bus it might work where the onboard serial wont. Whilst it still wouldn't work by just switch the COM port in Cortex, spotting the new mystery PCE/PCU option seems to do the trick.

        Anyway, it seems to work for me, at the moment at least, so I'm happy that I can rebuild the server with a smaller enclosure and the low power PSU ready for the winter months - bringing the server consumption down from ~30w to ~20w. (and as my Idratek install is currently just heating control, it'll be switched off till September... = 0w).


        For info, the USB-Serial I'm using is based around the FTDI chipset (in my experience, the best around) and the actual unit was this one from usbnow.co.uk (no connection etc,.) I actually bought this one for work use to replace a Prolific based device that was bugging me by always being a different COM port #, but I guess I'm gonna have to get another one now :-)

        (Cortex ver = 23.4.14)
        Last edited by jpdw; 12 July 2009, 10:28 PM.
        Jon

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        • Karam
          Automated Home Legend
          • Mar 2005
          • 863

          #5
          Indeed , the PCU is a forthcoming FTDI based IDRATEK USB interface. You'll likely find that an off the shelf USB/RS232 convertor works to some extent with the Cortex PCU option but not do so reliably e.g. during high traffic or recovery after a fault condition - such as if you plug/unplug the PCA or USB interface. (I hasten to add that this is not me trying to encourage sales of the IDRATEK unit)

          Comment

          • Kevin
            Moderator
            • Jan 2004
            • 558

            #6
            I'm thinking I like the sound of "PCE"

            K
            Last edited by Kevin; 13 July 2009, 12:39 PM.

            Comment

            • Paul_B
              Automated Home Legend
              • Jul 2006
              • 608

              #7
              What were you thinking Ethernet?

              Comment

              • Karam
                Automated Home Legend
                • Mar 2005
                • 863

                #8
                And to think we thought the TLAs were indecipherable ... PCU first

                Comment

                • jpdw
                  Automated Home Guru
                  • Oct 2007
                  • 169

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Karam View Post
                  And to think we thought the TLAs were indecipherable ... PCU first
                  Any other TLAs in the pipeline that we could start guessing at?
                  Jon

                  Comment

                  • chris_j_hunter
                    Automated Home Legend
                    • Dec 2007
                    • 1713

                    #10
                    in case anyone else was wondering :

                    Our self-build - going further with HA...

                    Comment

                    • Paul_B
                      Automated Home Legend
                      • Jul 2006
                      • 608

                      #11
                      A very useful site is www.acronymfinder.com

                      Comment

                      • Karam
                        Automated Home Legend
                        • Mar 2005
                        • 863

                        #12
                        Originally posted by jpdw View Post
                        Any other TLAs in the pipeline that we could start guessing at?
                        Well I guess a couple of them are not particularly hidden in the Cortex network object list, though final spec. may slightly differ. Also in immediate pipeline is AUI-001, and 4WS-001, 8WS-001 (not too much guessing for latter two - distribution boards/boxes with provision for shield connections). Also likely XRM-002. Details will obviously be released when ready. And who knows what else might be lurking a bit further out ...

                        Comment

                        • Paul_B
                          Automated Home Legend
                          • Jul 2006
                          • 608

                          #13
                          Ohhh the suspense!!

                          Comment

                          • jpdw
                            Automated Home Guru
                            • Oct 2007
                            • 169

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Karam View Post
                            AUI-001
                            10base5? Retro!
                            Jon

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                            • Gumby
                              Moderator
                              • May 2004
                              • 437

                              #15
                              Audio User Interface ?
                              ----------------------
                              www.gumbrell.com

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