Gilderfluke&Co Br-miniBrick8 User Manual

Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]

Br-miniBrick8

ServoMotor & Digital Output Show Control System

The Br-miniBrick8 is a complete, stand-alone Show Control System. It features

Eight Digital (on/off) outputs, two model airplane-style ServoMotor outputs, and two
trigger inputs. It can run from onboard nonvolatile memory, RS-232 serial port, or
industry-standard DMX-512 input. All you need to add is a 9-24 VDC power supply and
whatever you want to control.

The Br-miniBrick8 is programmed using the buttons on its top or our PC•MACs
Show Control software. Once a program is ʻdrawnʼ using the PC•MACs software, data
is sent to the Br-miniBrick8 through the PCʼs standard RS-232 serial port. The Br-
miniBrick8 can then be disconnected from the PC, and it will run all by itself.

Br-miniBrick8 v3.+ Manual / 8/17/12

Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]

Safety Disclaimer: Any electronic or mechanical sys-
tem has a potential to fail. Certain applications using
Gilderfluke & Company equipment may involve potential
risks of death, personal injury, or severe property, or en-
vironmental damage (“Critical Application”). Gilderfluke
& Company equipment is not designed, intended,
authorized, or warranted to be suitable in life support
applications, devices, or systems, or other critical appli-
cations. Inclusion of Gilderfluke & Company products in
such applications is understood to be fully at the risk of
the customer. In order to minimize risks associated with
the customer's applications, adequate design and oper-
ating safeguards should be provided by the customer to
minimize inherent or procedural hazards.

Gilderfluke & Company assumes no liability for appli-
cations assistance, customer produced design, software
performance, or infringement of patents or copyrights.
Nor does Gilderfluke & Company warrant or represent
that any license, either express, or implied, is granted
under any patent right, copyright, mask work right, or
other intellectual property right of Gilderfluke & Com-
pany covering or relating to any combination, machine,
or process in which Gilderfluke & Company products or
services might be or are used.

Br-miniBrick8 v3.+ Manual / 8/17/12

Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]

Br-miniBrick8 Overview! 1

Br-miniBrick8 LEDs, Switches and Connections! 4

LEDs:! 4
Red ʻRecordʼ button:! 4
Green ʻGoʼ button:! 5
Blue ʻDataʼ button:! 5
RS-232 Serial Port:! 5
DMX-512 Input/Output:! 5
ʻAʼ & ʻBʼ Trigger Inputs:! 6
Power Supply:! 7
ServoMotor Power Supply:! 7
ServoMotor Outputs:! 7
Digital Outputs:! 8

Configuration Menu! 11

Set DMX-512 Address! 11
Set ServoMotor Endpoints! 12
DMX-512! 13
Exit Configuration! 13

Br-miniBrick8 Serial Port Commands! 14

Reset ʻj5AA5ʼ! 14
Status ʻiʼ! 14
AutoDownload ʻsA5A5ʼ nn! 14
Start Global ʻuʼ! 15
Stop Global ʻyʼ! 15
Loop Global ʻ”ʼ! 15
Select Show Global ʻ*ʼ [nn] (show#)! 15
Pause Show ʻ<00ʼ! 16
Continue Show ʻ>00ʼ! 16

Programming the Br-miniBrick8 without a Computer! 17

To enter programming mode:! 17
ʻClear Allʼ mode:! 17
ʻRecord Oneʼ mode:! 17
Setting Operating Modes:! 18

Programming the Br-miniBrick8 with a Computer! 19

Install the Software........! 19

Getting started........! 19

Select the serial port........! 20

Starting a new show........! 20

Creating some figures........! 20

Creating some output channels........! 21

Name those channels........! 21

Saving your show........! 21

Editing your show........! 21

Moving channels to the OffLine Editing window........! 22

Where in the show are we?........! 22

Change the amount of show you see.........! 22

Which channel is which?........! 22

Rules to remember........! 23

Selecting one or more channels for modification........! 23

Br-miniBrick8 v3.+ Manual / 8/17/12

Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]

Changing the channels you selected........! 23

Another way to change the channels you selected........! 23

Changing the amount of time selected........! 23

Modifying digitals with a right mouse click........! 23

Modifying analogs with a right mouse click........! 24

Cut, Copy and Paste, just like a word processor........! 24

Paste something a bunch of times........! 24

Cut, Copy and Paste to a file........! 24

Reverse events in time........! 24

Stretch and compress time........! 25

Adding and subtracting time........! 25

Generating a ramp between two points........! 25

More ways to modify a digital channel........! 25

More ways to modify an analog channel........! 25

Save your show (again)........! 26

AutoDownload your show........! 26

Programming a Br-miniBrick8 with a RealTime License! 27

Register your PC•MACs Software........! 27

Install MACs USB RealTime Dongle........! 27

Select the serial port........! 28

Plug in the Bricks........! 28

Assigning programming console inputs........! 28

Trying out your outputs........! 29

Saving console presets........! 29

Recording in RealTime........! 29

Playing it back........! 29

Saving your show (again)........! 30

One step forward, three steps back........! 30

Editing your show........! 30

Reviewing the changes you have made........! 30

Changing the playback start point........! 30

Single Step Playback........! 31

Save your show (again)........! 31

AutoDownload your show........! 31

AutoDownloading Your Shows to your Br-miniBrick8! 32

Select the serial port........! 32

Downloading to the Bricks........! 32

Plug in the Bricks........! 32

Reset the Br-miniBrick8........! 32

Choose the shows to go into the Br-miniBrick8........! 32

How many channels to send to the Bricks?........! 33

Where to send the file........! 33

What will happen when the Brick is powered up?........! 33

What will happen on each Brick input?........! 33

What will happen at the end of each show?........! 34

Do the deed........! 34

Enjoy the results........! 34

Did it all fit?........! 34

Rinse and repeat........! 34

FCC and CE Compliance:! 35

Br-miniBrick8 v3.+ Manual / 8/17/12

Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]

EC DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY! 35
HEXadecimal to Decimal to ASCII to Percentage! 36

Br-miniBrick8 v3.+ Manual / 8/17/12

Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]

A note about this manual:

This manual covers the specifics of the Br-

miniBrick8. To program the Br-miniBrick8 you

will also want to refer to the PC•MACs manual
sections that cover the PC•MACs software.

The Br-miniBrick8 is typically programmed in

ʻSoftware-onlyʼ or ʻHardwareless Realtimeʼ mode.
If you are using the PC•MACs MACs-USB for pro-
gramming your Br-miniBrick8 through the DMX-
512 inputs, please refer to the PC•MACs ʻUnlim-
itedʼ mode.

The full PC•MACs manual can be downloaded

from our web site at:

http:/ /www.gilderfluke.com

Br-miniBrick8 v3.+ Manual / 8/17/12

Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]

2.75"

2.00"

0+1 2 3

+ +

4 5 6 7

+

+

-

S

Record

RS-232

1/4 J6

Go Data

TriggerATrigger

B

DMX-512

- in +

Servo

Power

Ground

9-24
vdc

9–24 vdc

1 2

Servos

Outputs

Br-miniBrick8

Gilderfluke & Company

Burbank, California

.75"

Br-miniBrick8 Overview

The Br-miniBrick8 can be used to control animated shows and displays, fountains,

fireworks, lighting, sound systems, simulators, slide and movie projectors, fiber optics,
window displays, motors, pneumatic and hydraulic systems, special effects, signs, ma­chines and machine tools in process control, or anything else that can be controlled by
an electrical signal.

The Br-miniBrick8 is a complete stand-alone Show Control System. It can be used
singly, or in combination with additional Br-miniBrick8s, Smart Bricks, Dumb Bricks or
Digital Audio Repeaters. To add sound, use a Sd-10 or Sd-25 Audio Repeaters. If you
need fewer outputs, consider our Br-miniBrick4.
For more i/o, use the Br-MultiBrick32. For built
in animation and lighting control, audio repeaters,
and amplification, use our Sd-50 series of con­trollers. The Sd-50s are even available with
ʻAtomicʼ clock or GPS-based triggering based
upon time or position on the globe.

You can program the digital outputs of a Br-
miniBrick8 without a computer. Press and hold
the red ʻRecordʼ button until the first output
flashes. Press again to step to the output you
want to record. When you are ready to record,
press the green ʻGoʼ button. While you press
(and hold!) the red ʻRecordʼ button, anything you
do on the blue ʻDataʼ button is recorded on this
one output. Anything previously recorded on the
other outputs will play back as you record this
output. The Br-miniBrick8 will remember exactly
what you do and precisely when you did it. You repeat this until you have all eight out­puts programmed just the way you want them.

To program the Br-miniBrick8 using a computer, you can ʻdrawʼ the sequence you
need on the screen of your computer using our included PC•MACs software. When
you have all of your shows completed (or just want to take a look at them), you can
download them to a Br-miniBrick8 in about twenty seconds through the standard RS-
232 serial port on your PC. You can then make additional changes and download again
and again until you are completely satisfied with your show. Once your show is perfect,
the PC can then go away. The Br-miniBrick8 will run by itself.

With the optional PC•MACs ʻRealTimeʼ license or PC•MACs hardware (MACs-USB
Smpte Card and a programming console), you can program in RealTime. PC•MACs
will remember exactly what you do and precisely when you did it. You can then use

Br-miniBrick8 v3.+ Manual / 8/17/12 / page 1 of 36

Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]

PC•MACsʼ editing tools to perfect the sequences you have programmed in RealTime.
When you have all of your shows completed, you can download them to a Br-
miniBrick8 through the standard RS-232 serial port on your PC. You can then make
additional changes and download again and again until your show is perfect. The PC
can then go away. The Br-miniBrick8 will run by itself.

Features of the Br-miniBrick8 include:

Automatic ʻprogram in placeʼ download through the standard serial port on your

•
PC. It takes about twenty seconds to download a fifteen minute show.

Digital outputs can be programmed without any computer using the three but-

•
tons on the front of the Br-miniBrick8.

Eight digital outputs rated for a continuous load of 150 ma., or 500 ma. peak.

•
This is enough to drive small solenoid valves, relays, LEDs and similar loads.

LEDs show all output activity. If more than eight outputs are needed, additional
Br-miniBrick8s can be stacked to give you as many outputs as you need.
Two outputs for controlling airplane-style ServoMotors. Endpoints are adjust-

•
able through the serial port. This allows up to 180º rotation on a standard Ser-

voMotor.
Input for standard DMX-512 data from light boards, Br-SmartMedia, MACs-

•
USB, Sd-50s, or any other source of standard DMX-512. DMX-512 is the stan-

dard protocol used for controlling all theatrical lighting equipment.
ʻRecordʼ, ʻgoʼ and ʻdataʼ buttons for programming digital data in RealTime with-

•
out any computer at all.

Each Br-miniBrick8 comes with a minimum of sixty-four KBytes of nonvolatile

•
memory. This gives a single channel show capacity of over thirty-six minutes at

thirty Frames Per Second! With eight digitals and one servo, you get more than
eighteen minutesʼ capacity. With eight digitals and both servos, you get about
twelve minutes of capacity at 30 Frames Per Second.
Once downloaded, show data is retained for approximately forty years, with or

•
without power applied.

You can rewrite the memory approximately fifty thousand times.

•
Two non-polarized optoisolated inputs to synchronize Br-miniBrick8s with

•
pushbuttons or other real-time events.

Multiple Br-miniBrick8s can be triggered simultaneously or sequentially.

•
Each Br-miniBrick8 input can be set to start, stop, pause, continue, or directly

•
select a specific show. LEDs show all input activity.

Two hundred fifty-five shows can be loaded onto a Br-miniBrick8 at one time

•
when using the PC•MACs software.

Shows can be accessed sequentially or directly using the two optoisolated in-

•
puts. Supports foreground/background shows.

The ʻnextʼ show can be set for the end of any show, allowing you to loop a sin-

•
gle show or build ʻchainsʼ of shows.

Br-miniBrick8 v3.+ Manual / 8/17/12 / page 2 of 36

Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]

The Br-miniBrick8 supports update rates from one frame per second to a

•
maximum of one hundred frames per second when using the PC•MACs soft-

ware. Different shows can each be programmed at different frame rates. This
allows you to program a ʻdelayʼ show that ticks along at a low frame rate be­tween your main shows.
The eight digital outputs from a single Br-miniBrick8 can be fed to a Digital to

•
Analog converter (like our DAC-08) wherever you need a programmable 0-10

volt analog control signal.
The Br-miniBrick8 runs on anything from 9-24 VDC . Br-miniBrick8s can

•
even be run from batteries or solar cells.

Sturdy 2.75” x 2” x .75” aluminum case.

•
Br-miniBrick8s mount in standard Augat 2.75” ʻSnap Trackʼ, velcro, or using a

•
pair of screws.

Br-miniBrick8 v3.+ Manual / 8/17/12 / page 3 of 36

Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]

Br-miniBrick8 LEDs, Switches and Connections

There are only a small number of connections on each Br-miniBrick8. You will

need to attach a power supply, whatever you are controlling, and (optionally) a switch
(or two) to start the Br-miniBrick8:

LEDs:

1. Eight red LEDs show the status of the eight outputs. They also flash in a fast, very
bright ʻdouble flashʼ to indicate that an individual channel is enabled for programming
using the buttons on the Br-miniBrick8. These eight LEDs flash in a back-and-forth
chase to indicate that the Br-miniBrick8 is in the ʻclear allʼ mode, and that the but­tons will be used to clear the memory of the Br-miniBrick8. During serial down­loads, these eight LEDs will chase in a sequential pattern.

2. Two green LEDs show the status of the two optically isolated inputs. These LEDs
are located on the ʻinsideʼ of the optical isolators. They will operate if the input is re­ceiving a signal, and it is getting to the Br-miniBrick8ʼs microprocessor. While set­ting the ʻoperating modeʼ for the Br-miniBrick8 using the buttons on its front, these
LEDs will flash in the same quick double-flash pattern as the red ʻoutputʼ LEDs.
When receiving DMX-512 or serial RealTime data, the Br-miniBrick8 no longer
needs the two trigger inputs or their indicator LEDs:

a. The ʻAʼ inputʼs LED is borrowed to toggle on each frame received. If receiving

DMX-512 data at 30 FPS, the LED will be flashing at 15 Hz.

b. The ʻBʼ inputʼs LED is borrowed to flash each time there is an error in the re-

ceived DMX-512 or Serial RealTime data. If you see this flashing any more
than occasionally, check your DMX-512 wiring. You may need to terminate
the DMX-512 data lines with a 120Ω resistor.

3. One LED is attached to the serial data transmission line on the Br-miniBrick8. The
Tx LED is used as a ʻheartbeatʼ so that you can see that the Br-miniBrick8 is alive.
If the RS-232 serial port is attached to a PC, then the flash will be very short and
quick, as the Br-miniBrick8 sends out a ʻfʼ to mark a frame, or a ʻ.ʼ if it is not cur­rently running a show. When the RS-232 cable is disconnected, then this LED will
flash with a 50%/50% duty cycle. If this LED doesnʼt flash at least once per second,
you should power down the Br-miniBrick8 and check the power supply and connec-
tions to the Br-miniBrick8.

4. One LED is attached to the serial data received line on the Br-miniBrick8. If the RS­232 serial port is attached to a PC, you will see this LED flash each time a data is
received through the serial port. If the RS-232 serial cable is disconnected, then the
LED will flash at a high rate of speed as DMX-512 data is being received.

Red ʻRecordʼ button:

The red ʻrecordʼ button is used for programming the Br-miniBrick8 without a com-

puter. See the ʻProgramming without a Computerʼ section of the manual for details on
the use of this button. The red ʻRecordʼ button electronically locks the Br-miniBrick8ʼs
nonvolatile EEprom memory whenever it is released. Nothing in the programming can
change unless this button is being held down. With the memory write protected, it
should retain whatever has been programmed into the Br-miniBrick8 for at least forty
years.

Br-miniBrick8 v3.+ Manual / 8/17/12 / page 4 of 36

Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]

Green ʻGoʼ button:

The green ʻgoʼ button is used for programming the Br-miniBrick8 without a com-

puter. See the ʻProgramming without a Computerʼ section of the manual for details on
the use of this button. The green ʻgoʼ button will start the Br-miniBrick8 as though the
trigger input ʻaʼ had been activated. Typically, this will start the first show playing.

Blue ʻDataʼ button:

The blue ʻdataʼ button is used for programming the Br-miniBrick8 without a com-

puter. See the ʻProgramming without a Computerʼ section of the manual for details on
the use of this button. If not actually recording a show using the buttons on the Br-
miniBrick8, this button can be used to cancel ʻrecordʼ mode, or to stop a show which is
playing by pressing it three times quickly.

RS-232 Serial Port:

This is a standard nine position PC-AT serial port connection. A nine pin male to nine

pin female serial cable (with ʻstraight throughʼ wiring!) should be used to connect the Br-
miniBrick8 to your PC. The only pins that the Br-miniBrick8 actually uses are the Txd,
Rxd and ground (pins #2, #3 and #5). This connection is used to download data to the
Br-miniBrick8. It can also be used with any GilderTerm or any standard modem pro­gram to talk to the Br-miniBrick8.

DMX-512 Input/Output:

The DMX-512 input/output on the Br-miniBrick8 is active ONLY when the RS-232

serial cable is not connected.

Note that DMX-512 output is available only on hardware versions 3.1 or greater and

firmware revisions 3.07 and later of the Br-miniBrick8. Version 3.0 Br-miniBrick8s can
be modified to output DMX at the Gilderfluke factory by updating the firmware and add­ing two wire jumpers.

DMX-512 is the serial data standard used to control ALL professional theatrical light-

ing equipment.

When used as an input, The DMX-512 terminals accept standard DMX-512 data

from any source of DMX-512 data. This DMX-512 can come from a lighting control
board, Br-SmartMedia, Br-Brain4, Sd-50, or any other source of DMX-512. The Br-
miniBrick8 will accept data with or without GilderChecksums. If receiving GidlerCheck­sums, the Br-miniBrick8 will not update its outputs on any DMX-512 packet that con­tains an error.

When used as an output, the Br-miniBrick8 can send up to sixty-four channels

worth of DMX-512 data to control dimmers, wiggle lights, smog machines, strobe lights,
or any other devices which accept DMX-512 data.

If used to send DMX-512 data to any Gilderfluke devices (other Br-miniBrick8s,

SER-DMX, etc.), the GilderChecksums can be enabled to assure that the data is re­ceived perfectly before it is used.

When GilderChecksums are not enabled, DMX-packets will be 512 channels in

length. This will allow frame rates up to about 40 FPS. If GilderChecksums are enabled,
the the DMX-512 packets will normally be limited to 256 channels (plus two channels for
the GilderChecksums) unless the data stored on the eeprom extends past the 256th
channel. This will cause the packets to be 512 channels in length.

To connect the Br-miniBrick8 to another DMX-512 device, wire the screw terminals

as follows:

Br-miniBrick8 v3.+ Manual / 8/17/12 / page 5 of 36

Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]

0+1 2 3

+ +

4 5 6 7

+

+

-

S

Record

RS-232

1/4 J6

Go Data

TriggerATrigger

B

DMX-512

- in +

Servo

Power

Ground

9-24
vdc

9–24 vdc

1 2

Servos

Outputs

Br-miniBrick8

Gilderfluke & Company

Burbank, California

Switch

Switch

Battery or Power Supply

MiniBrick8

Input 'A'
or 'B'

2.2 KΩ

Switch or Button

+ -

9 to 24 VDC

-

+

OptoIsolator

1. Connect the DMX-512 shield to the Br-miniBrick8 power supply ʻgroundʼ. This sig-
nal is normally found on pin #1 of a standard DMX-512 XLR-5 connector.

2. Connect the DMX-512 negative data to the DMX-512 ʻ-ʼ input. This signal is normally
found on pin #2 of a standard DMX-512 XLR-5 connector.

3. Connect the DMX-512 positive data to the DMX-512 ʻ+ʼ input. This signal is normally
found on pin #3 of a standard DMX-512 XLR-5 connector.

The Br-miniBrick8 uses a maximum of three data channels from the DMX-512. The

first channel is used for the eight digital outputs. The next consecutive DMX-512 chan­nel is used for the first ServoMotor output. The next consecutive output is used for the
second ServoMotor output. The base address used for the DMX-512 and serial Real­Time data is set using the configuration menu, or by sending an AutoDownload file to
the Br-miniBrick8 with the desired base address offset.

When receiving DMX-512 data, the Br-miniBrick8 no longer needs the two trigger

inputs or their indicator LEDs. They are used as follows:

a. The ʻAʼ inputʼs LED is borrowed to toggle on each frame received. If receiving

DMX-512 data at 30 FPS, the LED will be flashing at 15 Hz.

b. The ʻBʼ inputʼs LED is borrowed to flash each time there is an error in the re-

ceived DMX-512 or Serial RealTime data. If you see this flashing any more
than occasionally, check your DMX-512 wiring. You may need to terminate
the DMX-512 data lines with a 120Ω resistor.

If the Br-MiniBrick8 receives a DMX-512 signal on this input, or even spurious noise

that sounds to it a lot like DMX-512, it will stop running any animation sequence and
stop to listen for valid DMX-512 data. If no DMX-512 is received, then the animation se­quence can be restarted by whatever means it has been configured to use (trigger or
power-up).

ʻAʼ & ʻBʼ Trigger Inputs:

The trigger inputs can be used to start, stop, pause or

select specific show sequences to play from any switch.
This can be a pushbutton, motion detector, IR beam, step
mat, or anything else that will give you a ʻswitch closureʼ.
The trigger input is non-polarized and optoisolated. You

must feed a voltage in to trigger it. You can ʻborrowʼ power
that is running the Br-MiniBrick8. The green LED lights
when a trigger input is active.

Any event can be triggered on either the

ʻclosingʼ or ʻopeningʼ edge of either input. A
ʻclosingʼ is when you apply a voltage to an in-

put. An ʻopeningʼ is when that voltage is re­moved. The inputs can be triggered on any
voltage from 9 to 24 VDC. If you donʼt have an

Br-miniBrick8 v3.+ Manual / 8/17/12 / page 6 of 36

Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]

0+1 2 3

+ +

4 5 6 7

+

+

-

S

Record

RS-232

1/4 J6

Go Data

TriggerATrigger

B

DMX-512

- in +

Servo

Power

Ground

9-24
vdc

9–24 vdc

1 2

Servos

Outputs

Br-miniBrick8

Gilderfluke & Company

Burbank, California

Servo Power Supply

(5 volts typically)

Main Power Supply

(9 to 24 volts)

or

external source of power for these two inputs, you can ʻstealʼ some juice from the Br­miniBrick8ʼs power supply connections.

Power Supply:

The Br-MiniBrick8 will run on any voltage from 9 through 24 VDC. Whatever volt-

age you use will also be used to run the relays, valves and whatever you will be control­ling. If you are controlling 24 VDC loads, you will want to use a 24 VDC power supply.
For 12 volt loads, use a 12 VDC supply. The Br-MiniBrick8 itself uses very little current.
Size your power supply so it will provide enough current to run all of your loads.

You can supply the power to the Br-miniBrick8 through

the 2.1 mm power jack, or through the screw terminals.
These connections are paralleled internally.

The power supply connection is protected from re-

verse polarity connections. An idle Br-miniBrick8 draws
only about twenty-five milliamperes. It can run for up to a
day on just a single nine volt battery even when it is run­ning. The loads that the Br-miniBrick8 is controlling will
usually draw far more current than the Br-miniBrick8 it­self.

ServoMotor Power Supply:

If you are using airplane-style ServoMotors with the

Br-MiniBrick8, you will need to provide a separate power
supply for your ServoMotors. Most ServoMotors will need
a power supply with a voltage rating of somewhere be­tween four and six volts DC. Five volts DC is typical. You
should allow about an amp of current supply for each
typical ServoMotor motor being controlled. Larger Ser­voMotors may need a larger power supply.

The ServoMotor power input will accept any voltage up to 24 vdc, but this would fry

most ServoMotors. The ServoMotor power is attached directly to the two ServoMotor
connectors on the Br-miniBrick8. The Br-miniBrick8 makes no other use of the Ser­voMotor power.

ServoMotor Outputs:

Each Br-miniBrick8 has two outputs which can be used to control up to two model

airplane-style ServoMotors. To use these outputs, just plug in the ServoMotors and ap­ply the appropriate voltage to the ServoMotor Power input (typically 5 vdc at 2 amps).

The two ServoMotors will be addressed with with the second and third channels of

data that the Br-miniBrick8 receives. With a typical base address of ʻ0ʼ, the first Ser-
voMotor will be addressed at ʻ1ʼ, and the second ServoMotor will be addressed at ʻ2ʼ.

The default pulse width on the Br-miniBrick8 is 1 to 2 ms. With most servoMotors,

this will rotate the shaft about 90º. The retract position and fully extended (maximum)
can be adjusted on the Br-miniBrick8 to give most ServoMotors the ability to rotate ap­proximately 180º. See the Configuration Menu for instructions on adjusting the retract
position and fully extended (maximum) position of the ServoMotor outputs. Each Ser­voMotor output can be adjusted individually.

The Br-miniBrick8ʼs case will make it difficult to plug in most ServoMotors back-

wards, but not all brands of ServoMotors use the same polarization ʻbumpsʼ on their
connectors. If your ServoMotors donʼt have polarizing ʻbumpsʼ, then use the color code

Br-miniBrick8 v3.+ Manual / 8/17/12 / page 7 of 36