From: jlb31348@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Jim Brain)
Subject: TECH: U of I PowerGlove Box Update
Date: Fri, 22 May 1992 21:31:08 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana


Well, school is out, and I am back again at work on the PG box.  In the past
two days, I have implemented interrupt routines in the PGSA II so that the 
highest throughput can be realized.  I am now in the process of getting all
the bugs out of the serial routines.  They work in a stand alone program, but
they mess up the data a bit, so I am looking for the prob. (Aside, Interrupt
code SUCKS if you do not have a good debugger.  The BUFFALO debugger on the 
68HC11EVB hangs if you try to trace interrupt code, so I had to spend A LOT
more time than thought to get it working at all.)  I will make one addendum to
the post about commands.  I am going to try and implement Glen Harris's SEGA
support now, as his circuit will control each lens separately.  Glen, can you
contact me?  I am going to have the commands available to flip the glasses, but
one more will be added and the support through the DTR and CTS will also be 
available through a switch.  The cost for this kind of stuff is high.  I 
have a quote of $71.00 for 50 units not including case and shipping packaging,
and manual, but I have tried to get the costs down.  Here's how:

I am going to design the Circuit Board myself using a commercial program 
donated by a company.

I am getting boards made for $100 startup fee and $1.51 a board for 100 boards.

I am sending all those boards to the guy who will make me the product.  

I am putting together the manual myself and will ship in nondescript package.

I still require $3000 to get 50 boards made.  My finances are not that great
(I'm a college student, so I am going to try prepaid orders.  Tell me what
you think.  I have about 20 people ready to buy one so far, but I need 50 to
get the ball rolling.  The man will want his money 30 days after he delivers
the boxes to me, so I guess all I need is 50 confirmations to pay.  What's the
consensus?  I will not ask for actual confirmations until I have all the pre-
work done.  I still need to fix the code up, draw the circuit board.  It takes
6-8 weeks to make a product like this, so that is my plight.  I am still 
reading my mail, but I am not responding as often as I like to.  I will try
to get everyone answered by Tuesday, and to Ron Minelli, I will send you code
as soon as I get this @#$%^$&^ interrupt routine to stop screwing up my data
every once in a while.  To those who have 6811EVB's, consider the code coming
as soon as I can get it ready to go.  To that guy that is needing it speedily,
I will send out the old version (I can't think of your name offhand, but you
were going to release support for it in some product.  I can send out a half
working piece that does all the basic command perfectly, but does not have the
new SEGA support of the advanced commands if everyone is that anxious.  Please
tell me.  What I am going to do for code distribution at this point if
POST OFFICE MAIL a release form that people will sign telling me that they will
not duplicate or distribute the code.  Upon receipt of this paper, I will mail
them the source code as it stands now, and any dox.  But you must send me a 
address to mail to in your letter.  I think this is OK.

I gotta go, so chomp on that

Jim Brain

your feelings are.  I have about 20 people so far who expresses
-- 
Nothing is better than Eternal Happiness.             jlb31348@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu
A ham sandwich is better than nothing.                                Jim Brain
Therefore, a ham sandwich is better than eternal happiness.