| Project: Twitter Telex | |
|---|---|
  Twitter Telex | |
| Naam | Twitter Telex |
| Door | BugBlue, Stoneshop, eightdot |
| Status | Uitvoer |
| Madskillz | Electronics, Telex protocol, Baudot Code, Programming, Soldering, Mad ideas |
| Doel / Omschrijving | |
| Connecting the Siemens Fernschreiber Telex to Twitter and paypal | |
| Alle Projecten - Project Toevoegen | |
noezBackground
Our telex is a late 1970's model connecting via the telex current loop (which is a 1930's interface with a big magnet inside the telex). Since USB to serial does not talk 50 baud we made a 'soft' version of this implementation using a standard USB-to-Serial adapter. We use a lot of pins (see drawings) except the TX and RX pin, there are just way too fast for our nice telex.
The code is written in python, for no other reason than google giving [pyserial.sourceforge.net/pyserial_api.html pySerial] as first result while searching for "serial set dsr"
Step 1: Find the telex
We just happened to have a telex standing somewhere in the space doing nothing. If this is not the case some radio markets or website might help you.
- Found it
Step 2: Test if it works
Check if all the keys work and behave like they should. Also test the internal interfaces, the punch tape writer, punch tape reader etc etc etc.
- Creative people do creative tests.
Step 3: Build a circuit
For this step you need some knowledge about electronics, optocouplers, voltages, power supplies, resistors and more stuff BugBlue didn't know.
- However some smarter people do know this stuff.
Step 4: Build a nice box to house the electronics
Since having 220Volt open on the table is not really on everyones wishlist a nice housing is a big +1
- The result of eightdots work
Step 5: Write some code
A little bit of understanding about timings (50 baud, 1 bit is 20ms) and some coding skills do work very well.
Step 6: Test the code (and tweet it)
- Tweeting pictures is a lame hack, but the code wasn't ready yet. Link to real tweets very soon.
Step 7: Finish and polish it
This needs to be done.
Done
Todo
- Create PCB and solder components
- Change software to interface with paypal
- Order paper and inkt
Later
- Create coin collector to interface with computer
- Change software to interface with coin collector
- Find a nice 'who are you' line
- Change the 'Here-is' identity to 'Hack42'