STC1000 Hacking

[Grumpydev]

I'm a bit late to this, I just got one delivered yesterday. I keep reading back and fourth, I can't follow this.

It looks really different layout and has WR-032, 2014/12/10 on the main board. although it does have those 5 holes for progaming
I can post a pic or 2 if anyone can help me suss it out

Thanks
Wonky

You don't want 5 holes you want 5 solder pads - chances are if it has holes it's not flashable - pics would help though.

[AnthonyUK]

I also have one of those STC-1000's with the Holtek HT66F40.

It isn't compatible - http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.ph ... count=1240

[Wonkydonkey]

The pic
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[Andy]

Doesn't look like a goer to me.

[carlmarxman]

Obviously the current stc-1000+ software isn't compatible with the holtek chip. They have very different architectures and the DIO are connected differently. I'm just saying that the chip should be relatively easy to flash if someone ports the software for holtek. I started looking into the documentation, it's pretty sparse and mostly in engrish. If I can find the standard libraries for the chip, it shouldn't be horribly difficult. The C compiler for holtek is apparently just a small fork of gcc, so it should be easy to work with. I haven't written C since college, and haven't worked on low level architecture since my time a Digi International quite some time back.

[f00b4r]

Just noticed on the github page for the third party firmware that they have tracked down the original manufacturer, who has a store on AliExpress, so you can now order a guaranteed flashable device (see hardware section).

https://github.com/matsstaff/stc1000p

[Andy]

As an update: Soldered a header strip into the 5 programming pins on a couple of STC's last night, fiddly stuff but makes the programming so much easier!

[AnthonyUK]

As an update: Soldered a header strip into the 5 programming pins on a couple of STC's last night, fiddly stuff but makes the programming so much easier!

That's what I do too. The strips cost pennies and make it so much easier than holding the pins on.

[Fil]

if you want an RF transmitter to plug onto the headerpins and a corresponding rf receiver board to pick up the temps pm me

[Andy]

Taking that a step further......

How about hooking up a small ESP8266 module inside the STC with the fine offset protocol firmware installed (on the STC). Get the ESP8266 to read the FOP data and make the readings available over Wifi.

The hassle would be the voltage levels, STC is +5v, ESP8266 is +3.3v so a voltage reg (for the ESP8266 Vcc) and level shifter (for the ESP8266 data in) would be required.


An embedded ESP8266 could also be used to perform OTA firmware updates on the STC


Hmmmm....

[chris2012]

Interesting idea, although i wonder if it's worth the hassle, maybe it'd be better just using a MCU+ESP8266 (or even possibly the ESP8266 by itself)+SSRs in that
case, so then you can program more complex temp curves.

[themadhippy]

The hassle would be the voltage levels, STC is +5v, ESP8266 is +3.3v so a voltage reg (for the ESP8266 Vcc) and level shifter (for the ESP8266 data in) would be required.

No hassle, http://www.hobbytronics.co.uk/logic-level-4-v2 although if its like the earlier model a good magnifying glass is handy to read the markings as there tiny

[chris2012]

Sure I've got bi-directional logic shifters, but i think you just might as well just DIY it with your own SSRs etc, when it gets to that point

[Fil]

Taking that a step further......

How about hooking up a small ESP8266 module inside the STC with the fine offset protocol firmware installed (on the STC). Get the ESP8266 to read the FOP data and make the readings available over Wifi.

The hassle would be the voltage levels, STC is +5v, ESP8266 is +3.3v so a voltage reg (for the ESP8266 Vcc) and level shifter (for the ESP8266 data in) would be required.


An embedded ESP8266 could also be used to perform OTA firmware updates on the STC


Hmmmm....

pm me for prototype code doing this.. cateracts in my eyes have halted my progress with my own lil project but i have a code framework to port to the esp286 chip, from the arduino h/w needed is a 433 htz rf rx/tx board pair, (hook the TX board upto the program header in a flashed stc1000 (v1.08+)) and the Rx board to the 286 board on the com port via a logic level converter using a breadboard psu to supply the rx board /level converter 5v supply and esp 3.3v supply..
i have a few spare rf rx/tx board pairs if needed too, I can get on with the project when ive had the eye op and i can again see well enough to wite up the dupont cables..

[alphaomega]

Hi guys!
I just want to let you know, that I actually *have* paired the STC-1000+ with the ESP-8266 at one point. I used a framework called Sming [URL]https://github.com/SmingHub/Sming[/URL] that made the process pretty easy.
Proof-of-concept: [URL]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6baOAZxDJU[/URL]
Also, regarding the 5v - 3.3v difference. The STC has a 5v regulated rail and a 12V unregulated rail. Only the MCU and LED display run off the 5v rail, and the MCU is more than happy to run off 3.3v. So the simplest solution is to just replace the 5v regulator with a 3.3v one. Finding a 3.3v regulator that can supply enough current on 3.3v (from ~12v) without burning up is a bit harder. Also, the transformer will probably run warm.
However, I never got it working very reliably. It would drop connection and the ESP would frequently reset (I've tried a few ESP's and used external 3.3v). After a while I just lost interest. I figured this was something that just would be cool, but not really make the beer better. Still, it bugs me. A lot of people seem to have better success with their ESP projects.