EEVBlog 121GW Programming support? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Decee1
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2017, 05:59:12 pm
content: Hello fellow nerdsI've backed up the 121GW so hopefully i will receive an 121GW next year. But while waiting it got me wondering about programming capability.Is there any described way to do example Visa Read functions for making Python scripts using PyVisa. Could be really handy to have!Maybe i'll make a lib. for Python when i get my unit. Didn't realize it existed until a few days ago so it might take awhile. Anyways hopefully anyone or the man himself knows the answer.Update:Python support for measuring using Bluetooth -> On Windows <- is on it's way and is really close to be ready for usage. I will keep giving small updates on it. Github is private until now but will release a first version soonThanks,Stefan

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2017, 06:21:38 pm
content: I would be very interested in support for LabVIEW as well. An open API or at least well documented one would be great.

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 10, 2017, 06:25:45 pm
content: You don't actually need bloated VISA for creating simple little apps to talk to an LXI device. For example:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/bench-psu-remote-control-application-for-tti-pl-p-series-(winlinuxmac)/Edit: Heads up: This is just a little python GUI app that talks to a TTi LXI PSU over ethernet without using pyVISA. It could easily be modded for USB/Serial.

author: Decee1
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2017, 06:29:27 pm
content: The problem with that is it won't work with python. The smart idea is creating automatic Python scripts to automatically measure and writing things into an Excel document which was what i've done, then i've made one that gives you an Frequency response of an audio amplifier and a few others. Really useful for automatic testing

author: Decee1
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2017, 06:31:16 pm
content: Haha amazing to see you here, saw you testing the meter today,It must be possible as the Android app is already on it's way and also on the Play Store already so it shouldn't that hard making.

author: ChunkyPastaSauce
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 10, 2017, 06:32:34 pm
content: For bluetooth interface code seehttps://gitlab.com/Sepps/app-121gw

author: Decee1
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2018, 06:48:59 pm
content: Hello out thereSo has anyone had any success? I thought of getting it to work as i now got myself a meter yet there is one little problem.. Which is how to do itI am using windows which means no bluez(the Python low power Bluetooth lib) because it is not supported in Windows and i don't want to sit down playing around in Linux where i don't want to use it in anywaysSo. I installed pygatt which is supportedI currently got 2 lines of code..import pygattdevice = pygatt.BLEDevice("XXXXXXXXXXX")What is next? How do i know the commands and everything i need to send? I have never played around with bluetooth..Is there like a programming documentation list for the 121GW? Or are we just sitting here waiting for it?

author: Decee1
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2018, 10:16:09 am
content: I thought i would throw out an update on the Python supportI found an app on Windows called "Bluetooth LE explorer" that Microsoft has developed which was able to receive the dataAnd then i found the documentation about the bits that are sent:https://www.eevblog.com/wp-content/plugins/download-attachments/includes/download.php?id=13664Now i only got a single problem which is what Bluetooth library that supports Bluetooth Low Power for Python. If anyone can provide a plugin that can receive the data i would be really close to release a Python supported library for the EEVBlog 121GW!

author: Decee1
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2019, 10:40:50 am
content: Status update..I am currently working with creator of Python Bleak library to make it support work with the 121GW. Status is it can connect to the meter, read it's name but not receive the values.I am hoping that soon i am able to deliver some Windows support for the 121GW. Apperently it is too easy on Linux.. Refer to "121GW bluetooth protocol"I am also working on creating a very simple script that just reads a single measurement on Linux and returning it in volts on Linux, something tells me i get that one done before the Windows support..Link to library:https://github.com/hbldh/bleak

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2019, 11:10:42 am
content: I did get Labview working with the 121GW. A few growing pains. I'm not real impressed with their sending out a 1 byte BT message. The communications was slow. Maybe they will improve it as part of the next version of the hardware.https://youtu.be/e_YzwO62feQ

author: Decee1
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2019, 11:14:28 am
content: Awesome, was actually reading your posts on "121gw bluetooth protocol" just a few minutes ago. Annoys me how easy this is using Linux. I have even considered creating a simple program that just passes it though a Linux machine and then sends it back to my Windows pc. It is almost easier than programming it to windows.. What a pain in the butt..

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2019, 11:47:08 am
content: Quote from: Decee1 on March 25, 2019, 11:14:28 amI had made a BIG mistake when I was posting that information. I had discovered what I thought was a bug with the communications and it turned out to be on my end of things. I may have removed some of those posts to avoid confusion and wanting to clean things up a bit to help Dave. So if you find references to problems, in the end the only real problems I see are the ones I mentioned in that video.They did make the Windows source available but I really wanted to use Labview. I am far too lazy to use anything else.Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 25, 2019, 12:05:25 pm
content: For those interested the 121GW is supported by Sigrockhttps://sigrok.org/wiki/EEVBlog_121GW

author: Decee1
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2019, 12:55:55 pm
content: Quote from: joeqsmith on March 25, 2019, 11:47:08 amI know the feeling. I am just beginning to understand all this wireless stuff so trying to sit down and program some application that just receives x amount of bytes is hardThe Bleak library for Python is actually really simple to use.. But as it doesn't support indicate which is the protocol The 121GW uses it requires me to sit down and understand the code he wrote which he also told me is a waste of time BUT i don't see any other way to learn it

author: Decee1
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2019, 11:41:40 am
content: Small status update: I am now receiving Data on Windows, and is almost done with the decoder of the received data!There is a bit of work to do with the data that i am receiving, example making it faster than it is currently which will be done at some point because it takes too long to sample a voltage, a goal is to be able to samples in less than 1 second