• Registered: 2016-06-09
  • Posts: 19

Topic: Ask for new feature about relay output

Hi Stefan,

I recently purchased a FIS-control for my Audi S4 (B6). Installation was very easy and it works flawlessly !
Before my questions, I just want to thank you for your work ! And also thanks to Turbozentrum : fast delivery (1 week) despite the "out of stock" state when I purchased it.

On my S4, I installed 2 electrical exhaust valves just before the two mufflers. Very nice sound when they're open, otherwise, I barely hear the V8 (that's too bad...).

Before having the FIS-control, I was opening/closing the valves with the 2 buttons of the wiper stalk, using the CAN bus (Arduino + CAN-bus shield from Watterott.com, listening the data sended when pressing one of those buttons).

It is not anymore a good solution because FIS-control use those 2 buttons also. Now I would like to use the relays output, using the menu of the FIS-control.

So now is my first question : is it possible to rename the labels in the menu ? ("Relay 1", "Relay 2", ...)

The perfect solution would be a new option in the main menu, something like "Exhaust valves" (and maybe a french translation because I'm French smile ) and then a screen to select "Open" or "Close".
(it would still command a relay output, connected to my Arduino - with a voltage divider - which command the stepper motors of the valves)

I know for that solution, only you can do that and make a new firmware, so I don't know if you have time to do that (or simply want it).
I would be happy to do it myself, but I don't think you want to share the source code. If so, I would be happy to help you for anything on this project (I'm a professionnal developper, C# essentially, not really the same thing than making a firmware for microcontrolers, but I already developped some personnal programs on Atmega microcontrollers).


Thank you by advance for your reponse.

Best regards,

Benoit

  • From: Hessen / Germany
  • Registered: 2015-01-01
  • Posts: 2,071

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

Hi Benoit,

nice to hear that you like the FIS-Control.

The FIS-Control has an I2C interface to connect to other microcontrollers. You can find the SDA and SCL connectors on the screw terminal of the box.
This might be an option for you to connect your Arduino board to the FIS-Control. I did something similar with an Atmel controller to switch some relays in my Audi A4.
The FIS-Control is the I2C master and the attached microcontroller is the slave. The FIS-Control can ask how many relays are available and then asks for the labels of these relays. When the slave answers, the FIS-Control will list these new relays below the four onboard relay drivers in the menu.

I specified a simple protocol:
The FIS-Control always sends two bytes and receives 32 bytes.
The two bytes are:
"##" to ask for the number of connected relays
"?x" to request the state of relay x (x is an unsigned byte in the range between 1 and 255)
"!x" to toggle relay x
The slave has to answer with "0" or "1" depending on the new state of the relay and with the label.


Stefan

stefan@fis-control's Website

3 Reply by Kenny (edited by Kenny 2016-06-09 23:04:54)

  • Registered: 2016-06-09
  • Posts: 19

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

Hi Stefan,

Thanks for your fast answer !

I'll try to use I2C, I'll give you some news tomorrow. If I did understand what you said, I'll have "Relay 1", "Relay 2", ... then my custom labels in the "Relays" menu ?

Another question about I2C : which address number use the FIS on the I2C bus ?

Benoit

  • From: Hessen / Germany
  • Registered: 2015-01-01
  • Posts: 2,071

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

When you enter the relay menu of the FIS-Control, the FIS-Control will send a request to the slave and ask for the number of additional relays. If there are new relays, there will be a next page in the relay menu.
So you will have the internal relay drivers "Relay 1" to "Relay 4" on the first page of the menu and the relays with your own labes on the following pages.

The I2C slave address is 0x40. The bitrate is 400000.

stefan@fis-control's Website

  • Registered: 2016-06-09
  • Posts: 19

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

Hi Stefan,

I tried to connect my Arduino with I2C, but unsuccessfully. I used the "Wire" library, on address 0x40 (64 in decimal).
That's not a big deal, for the moment I'm using "Relay 1" to toggle the exhaust valves (with a voltage divider between FIS-control and the Arduino). It works flawlessly !

I have another issue. In my S4, I've got a radio/navi RNS-E (OEM) and if it is ON, I can't use the FIS-control. When pressing the UP button to activate it, only "FIS CONTROL" is display on the two upper lines of the cluster.
If I switch OFF the RNS-E, the FIS menu appear and I can use it.
If I switch ON the RNS-E, it's still OK, I can use the FIS-control.

But if I exit from the menu, when I want to go back in, only "FIS-control" appear on the upper lines and I have to switch OFF the RNS-E, etc.

It's like the RNS-E is more prioritary than the FIS-control.

Did I did something wrong with VCDS or in the FIS-control setings ?

  • From: Hessen / Germany
  • Registered: 2015-01-01
  • Posts: 2,071

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

Can you please go to the ABOUT menu of the FIS-Control and tell me what protocol ("IF:") is active.

stefan@fis-control's Website

  • Registered: 2016-06-09
  • Posts: 19

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

Here is what I have in the About menu :
HW: 2.X
FW: 2016-05-01
IF: COLOR TELE

  • From: Hessen / Germany
  • Registered: 2015-01-01
  • Posts: 2,071

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

On some cars the RNS-E has higher priority as the telematic channel that the FIS-Control is using.
Does the RNS-E show something on the cluster display when it is on, but without active route guidance?

stefan@fis-control's Website

  • Registered: 2016-06-09
  • Posts: 19

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

The RNS-E always display the current song/radio on the first upper line.

Otherwise, it display the GPS direction ("N", "S", "SW", ...) in the middle part of the screen, event with no active route guidance.
It display this if I select the "third screen" of the ODB (which I select via the button under the wiper stalk), first one is the ODB "memory 1" and second one the ODB "memory 2". There's also a 4th "screen" where nothing is display (except the selected gear on the bottom line, because I've go a Tiptronic gearbox).

If the RNS-E is off, everything is OK. If it is ON, there's the issue I tell you above and if I display something of the FIS-control with the ODB, sometimes I can't do anything back in the FIS-control.
Ex. : current speed displayed on the 2 upper lines by the FIS-control, middle of the screen is the ODB. Sometimes, I can't go back in the FIS menu, UP and DOWN button changed the ODB infos while current speed is still on the upper lines.
Only solution : switch ignition OFF then ON.

  • From: Hessen / Germany
  • Registered: 2015-01-01
  • Posts: 2,071

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

If you don't need the GPS direction, then disable it. This will solve the problem.

Edit: You can disable the compass in the setup menu of the RNS-E

stefan@fis-control's Website

  • Registered: 2016-06-09
  • Posts: 19

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

I don't think I can disable it. I have no option in the RNS-E to disable this feature. It always send data to the cluster, as soon it is ON. Even if I'm not in NAV mode, like RADIO or CD/MP3.

Even if in the cluster I don't show the GPS screen, I've got the issues I tell you. That's not a big issue, but a few features of the FIS-control doesn't work flawlessly if my RNS-E is ON (which is always the case).

  • Registered: 2016-06-09
  • Posts: 19

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

stefan@fis-control wrote:

Edit: You can disable the compass in the setup menu of the RNS-E

So I'll try it ! Thanks !

  • Registered: 2016-06-09
  • Posts: 19

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

I disabled the compass and now it works flawlessly !

Last "issue" I have, it's "hard" to activate the FIS-control. I switch the ignition ON and I can't activate the FIS-control, I have to switch OFF then ON again (several times sometimes).
The custom logo is always displaying when switching ON the ignition, so the FIS-control is working. It's like it doesn't "see" I press the UP button to activate it.

When I succeed to activate the FIS-control, I can exit it and activate it again without any problem.

  • From: Hessen / Germany
  • Registered: 2015-01-01
  • Posts: 2,071

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

Could you please test, if the FIS-Control starts up more reliable when the startlogo feature is disabled?

stefan@fis-control's Website

  • Registered: 2016-06-09
  • Posts: 19

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

I disabled the startlogo and I tried a few hours later and that's not better. I had to switch OFF/ON the ignition 5-6 times.

  • From: Hessen / Germany
  • Registered: 2015-01-01
  • Posts: 2,071

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

Do you have a laptop with RS-232 interface? I could provide a FIS-Control firmware that outputs some status messages during startup. So that we can see at which point the communication to the cluster blocks.

stefan@fis-control's Website

  • Registered: 2016-06-09
  • Posts: 19

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

I did have a laptop with RS-232 interface.

I remember the first time I tried to activate the FIS-control, just after I configured the cluster with VCDS and it didn't work instantly, I thought the cluster wasn't well configured. But it did as now FIS-control works with that config.

  • From: Hessen / Germany
  • Registered: 2015-01-01
  • Posts: 2,071

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

If you want, I can send you a firmware that outpusts status messages and CAN-Bus messages.
When you record this data witth the laptop, I might find a way to solve the problem.

stefan@fis-control's Website

  • Registered: 2016-06-09
  • Posts: 19

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

Ok. You can send me a firmware by email if you want.

Thank you very much for your help !

  • From: Hessen / Germany
  • Registered: 2015-01-01
  • Posts: 2,071

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

I won't have time to prepare the firmware fpr you today. Will send it when ready.

stefan@fis-control's Website

  • Registered: 2016-06-09
  • Posts: 19

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

No problem. Take your time wink

  • Registered: 2015-01-19
  • Posts: 64

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

Kenny wrote:

I had to switch OFF/ON the ignition 5-6 times.

@Stefan, selbes Problem in meinem ehemaligen S4 B6 zur Zeit. Da scheint was nicht zu passen.

  • Registered: 2016-06-09
  • Posts: 19

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

Maybe it will help, but it seems there's a conflict with my RNS-E.
I noticed that when the RNS-E is already OFF since a "long" time before switching ON the ignition, I can activate the FIS-control on the first time.

I think it's because the RNS-E is sending data on the CAN bus before than the FIS-control is powered.
Switching ON/OFF the ignition several times then trying to activate the FIS-control is just matter of chance ?

I think that the RNS-E is still sending data on the CAN bus a few minutes after switching it OFF.
It should explain why the FIS-control works well on the first time only when the RNS-E is OFF since a moment.

  • From: Hessen / Germany
  • Registered: 2015-01-01
  • Posts: 2,071

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

I introduced a new "feature" with the current firmware. The FIS-Control can use either the "navigation channel" or the "telematics channel" to communicate with the instrument cluster.
After turning on the ignition, the FIS-Control tries to detect, which method to use. But this may fail sometimes, so that the FIS-Control won't show up.
There is a simple way to disable this "auto-detection": When the ignition was turned on and the FIS-Control is working, go to SETTINGS and press SAVE SETTINGS. The FIS-Control will remember the current communication channel and will not try to auto-detect anymore.
Info: To see the current communication channel go to ABOUT in the main menu and see the line "IF:".

Please tell me if this helps.

stefan@fis-control's Website

  • Registered: 2016-06-09
  • Posts: 19

Re: Ask for new feature about relay output

I just did what you say, I'll see tomorow if it works.
In the "About" menu, I have "IF: COLOR TELE".

Does that "auto-detection" mode correspond to the "CAN bus channel" option in the online configurator (http://www.fis-control.de/config_en.html) ?

If I transfer a new config. file to the FIS-control (via bluetooth), will the "auto-dectection" mode be enabled again (and then will I have to do this "trick" again) ? That's just to know, that's absolutely doesn't matter if I have to do this "trick" everytime I send a new config.

Thanks again for your help. wink