Modernization of RS485 scoreboard remote to Ethernet/WiFi/Webpage - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: jpmakesstuff
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 22, 2025, 10:36:24 pm
content: I have a working remote which controls an old scoreboard, over a 5pin DIN style cable, I've determined the pinout, and think it's RS485 based on the connection to a chip on the receiver (scoreboard) side.It's not a 1-way communication however, if the remote is disconnected or batteries run out you have to "reset" the game to start at 00 again, so they must be "talking" to one another, heartbeat? or confirmation signal?Seems like the two data pins #4 and #5 go parallel with a resistor then to a chip " TI VP12 " googling gets me this...https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/sn65hvd10.pdf?ts=1745198696192Pin 2 is 12VDC (powers the remote)Pin 1 and 3 are shorted together, assuming GNDSo, I got myself a USB to RS485 adapter (waveshare) and am attempting to capture the data using PuTTy or Serial Port Monitor, but it looks "not clean"In the example below, pushing the button "Home score +1" results in the 42 42 42 42 repeating command, but if I send that same string back it has no affect on the score (original remote keeps working however)Any suggestions/help you can offer?My end-goal is an open-source thing that will plug into the 5PIN din connector, in place of the manufacture's remote, and *** create it's own WiFi hotspot for you to connect with your phone, visit a webpage and control the scoreboard.Everything after the *** I have done before and am confident in designing/coding, but this serial/RS485 stuff is not my area of expertise (yet)

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2025, 10:43:47 pm
content: Do you have a scope to compare the signal you are sending vs what is received? and to verify the baud rate?The fact that the original remote still works is a good sign, your USB to 485 adapter is not affecting the communication bus.

author: jpmakesstuff
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 22, 2025, 10:56:58 pm
content: I don't have a "real" scopeSomewhere around here I might be able to find an old USB scope, vaguely remember having one at one point.Is this something I can verify with an Arduino and the serial port monitor, or a second waveshare USB to 485 box? You're thinking the signal at the other end (scoreboard control box) is not what I'm sending? due to a termination resistor or something somewhere?Note the factory remote's two 5pin DIN connectors (not even marked in/out, but all pins parellel together) as if you could daisy chain multiple remotes? Manufacture says remote can be 80ft away using twisted pair cable, I am using a ~6ft MIDI cable.Picture of the receiving end (scoreboard control box) included for posterity's sake.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2025, 11:33:10 pm
content: If you are sending exactly what the remote is sending and nothing happens then either:- signal level is incorrect- baud incorrect (unlikely)- maybe some end or start condition is being missedWhat is the "7F" being sent, is that the keep alive you are talking about? Or could that be coming from the remote?Is screen shot shown of the remote? Maybe show some more logging and just show the data being read. Maybe try pushing a few other buttons and list what commands they use here.

author: jpmakesstuff
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 22, 2025, 11:52:21 pm
content: I have baud set at 9600, no idea if that is "correct" but I tried several.While I am doing the capture I have the remote and the scoreboard connected together, the USB to RS485 box is simply inline, so I can verify the digits move up/down. Attached capture (it's an HTML export in the .zip) is the result of pressing "home score +1 six times" followed by "home score -1 six times" I can't make much sense of it.If I press nothing, yes there are constant commands flying by (which I guess I will also have to emulate) and I assume that is some "the remote is still here" (heartbeat) signal. If you unplug the remote and plug it back in, the scoreboard is upset, you loose all current scores, and must press "select game" for 3 seconds, followed by "baseball" button for 3 seconds, before you can start to use any of the other control buttons again.

author: jpmakesstuff
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 23, 2025, 12:01:09 am
content: I just had a thought, perhaps I am going about this the wrong way:Original idea was emulate the factory remote, so anyone could potentially plug my WiFi device into any of these stock scoreboards and thereby replace their aging/ancient $500 (yeah really) remote with any cell phone/browser.Maybe what's better is to just replace the whole control module in the scoreboard, and drive the digits directly. I started down the rabbit hole of reverse engineering the digits and dots but was initially discouraged. Maybe that is easier? See attached picture.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2025, 12:48:01 am
content: In the log you attached there is no all 42 command, but maybe it was a different button.Some messages:Code:004b 4e 7a01 00ff 4242 42 42 42 42 f2 42 42 42 42 42 42 12Code:004f 4e 7a00 00ff 4242 42 42 42 42 f2 42 42 42 42 42 42 02Code:004f 4e 7a01 006700ff 42So try sending that entire command and see what it does. The last digit of the 42 42 might be the button pressed or might be a checksum.I could have something in the wrong order, I'm assuming the first transmit is 00 but it could be another order.

author: jpmakesstuff
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 03, 2025, 02:58:26 am
content: I appreciate the help, but was never able to get anywhere with the RS-485 control,so in the end decided to just do the shift register thing and connect to the digits directly...and I got it working!As promised, the open-source version of my Arduino code can be found here:https://github.com/JPMakesStuff/ScoreboardWiFiControlHere is a picture of the replacement control box I built.....not shown is the output of the POE injector which goes to an outdoor rated AP mounted to the side of the scoreboard.You'll see I'm using a little travel router there just to provide a default gateway and DHCP server as I demonstrate this to others, but eventually that will disappear when the installation gets Internet access

author: ledtester
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2025, 03:12:49 am
content: Quote from: jpmakesstuff on May 03, 2025, 02:58:26 amThat's an interesting breadboard. Is it and the brackets 3d printable?

author: jpmakesstuff
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 03, 2025, 03:34:15 am
content: The "back" with all the squares comes with the weatherproof box...https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFPXDN8MI did 3D print the various mounts to screw into the "back"

author: Terry Bites
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2025, 06:56:04 pm
content: Sounds like a job for one of the plethora of LAN to serial boxes out there. POE?