Unknown Brose control unit, 12 Nov. 2016 02:13

Some days ago I got a "new" piece of equipment from the scrapyard: a Brose control unit with analog number selectors

I pulled it from a bus which has rollsigns.

But is this control unit also usable with digital signs (like flip-dot)? Is it IBIS at all, or is it something completely different?

I‘ve already tested it with a LAWO sign... when pressing "Start" the receive-light on the LAWO sign flash once but following with flashing the error-light. So it‘s definitely not Ds1/Ds3

The front of the unit:

The unit in it‘s "backplane" which has a normal T-style power connector and CPC-4 for data:

The unit out of it‘s "backplane"... it‘s from 9/1988... meaning this unit is older then me :-o

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MagnusMagus

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RE: Unknown Brose control unit, 12 Nov. 2016 08:36

Hi,

I was once told that it‘s called "BROSE MINI ZENTRALE‘.

It sends DS001(l000), DS003(z000) and DS010C(x000).

It was designed to be used with old BROSE Rollbandnzeigen.

It does not work with others because the firmware calculates the checksum incorrectly.

When decompiling the firmware it can be seen that there are two issues:
- the checksum variable it not initialized with "7F"
- the checksum variable is XORed with the Telegram letter(l,z,x), but this result is not saved in the CPU register.

There are two workarounds:
- disable checksum testing, on LAWO that can be done on the older FW with a setting, not sure about the never ones.
- burn my fixed firmware for this unit.

If you do not have a programming unit to burn a 8048 CPU -> PM.

View my english website about IBIS devices IBIS-INFO.

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Fien1989

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RE: Unknown Brose control unit, 12 Nov. 2016 22:29

I‘m interested in your fixed firmware to make this control unit work with other signs too like LAWO, Gorba or Brose flip-dot

I do have a Willem Programmer for EPROM‘s, but it looks like I have to order a adapter like this to burn that type of CPU.

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MagnusMagus

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RE: Unknown Brose control unit, 12 Nov. 2016 22:41

This adapter will not work with Willem unless you modify the power circuit on the Willem to support up to 300mA current on flashing(or get one of the very rare 8048 late CPUs that had a low write current).

Brose installed NEC 8048 versions and those use a high write current.

I used this adapter with a stock Willem unit and it‘s a pain...to write one CPU over 3000 cycles are necessary and it takes up to 20 hours, sometimes the bit‘s flip and it all go to waste. I now use the Spirit 48 Plus...<1m and it"s done. Always 100%.

View my english website about IBIS devices IBIS-INFO.

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Fien1989

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