HELIX V3 Assembly And Setup Manual

Copyright 2012 Gregory Bartlett
11/10/2014

Helix Light Controller

Helix V3 Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Table of Contents

Overview .................................................................................................................................................... 2

Helix Main Board Bill Of Materials (BOM) ................................................................................................... 3

Helix Main BOM Continued .................................................................................................................... 4

Initial Assembly of the Main Board ............................................................................................................. 5

Step-by-Step Instructions (Table 1 of 3) .................................................................................................. 5

Step-by-Step Instructions (Table 2 of 3) .................................................................................................. 6

Step-by-Step Instructions (Table 3 of 3) .................................................................................................. 7

Pictorial Assembly (1 of 7): RTC Crystal and Resistors (Steps 1-13) ......................................................... 8

Pictorial Assembly (2 of 7): Resistors, Diodes, Crystal and Sockets (Steps 14-30) .................................... 9

Pictorial Assembly (3 of 7): LEDs (Steps 31-45) ..................................................................................... 10

Pictorial Assembly (4 of 7): SIP Resistors and Bypass Caps (Steps 46-61) .............................................. 11

Pictorial Assembly (5 of 7): IC Sockets, Switch and MOSFET (Steps 62-73) ............................................ 12

Pictorial Assembly (6 of 7): Headers, MP3 Sockets and Fuse Clips (Steps 74-86) ................................... 13

Pictorial Assembly (7 of 7): Remaining Components (Steps 87-110) ..................................................... 14

Assembly Notes .................................................................................................................................... 15

Assembly Pictures ................................................................................................................................. 17

Initial Power Up of the Main Board ........................................................................................................... 18

Assembly of the MP3 Board...................................................................................................................... 19

Final Assembly of the Main Board............................................................................................................. 20

Final Assembly Steps ............................................................................................................................ 20

Configuration of the MicroSD Card ........................................................................................................... 21

Initial Testing of the Main Board ............................................................................................................... 23

Final Testing of the Helix Network Controller Board.................................................................................. 24

MicroSD Card and MP3 Player Test ....................................................................................................... 24

Test and Setup of the Real Time Clock .................................................................................................. 24

Helix Network Controller Calibration .................................................................................................... 27

Final Testing of the Network Node Board ................................................................................................. 28

XBee Configuration and MicroSD Card Test........................................................................................... 28

Setup of the Helix Main Board .................................................................................................................. 29

Custom Cable Pin-outs ............................................................................................................................. 30

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

1

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Overview

This is the basic assembly and setup instructions for the Helix Main Board v2. It is not the purpose of this document
to teach soldering techniques or basic electronics. If you need assistance in this area there are several other sources
on the internet for this type of information.

The Helix Main Board can be assembled in two different configurations. The first configuration is as the Helix
Network Controller. There is only one Helix Network Controller in a Helix Network. The Network Controller is
responsible for starting/stopping the show, playing the MP3 songs and providing the synchronization pulses to the
other controllers.

The second configuration is the Helix Network Node. All Helix Main Boards that are not the Helix Network Controller
are Helix Network Nodes. The Network Node doesn’t have the Real Time Clock (RTC) or the MP3 player. In the
assembly notes the parts that are not needed in a Network Node are identified.

The assembly and setup will follow these steps:

1) Initial assembly of the main board

2) Initial power up of the main board

3) Assembly of the MP3 player

4) Final assembly of the main board

5) Configuration of the MicroSD Card

6) Initial testing of the main board

7) Final testing of the Helix Network Controller or Helix Network Node

The Helix Main Board is fairly complicated to assemble. If you have little experience with PCB assembly you may

want to consider assembling the Helix Daughter Board first.

If you have any suggestions or problems with this manual or assembly of the Helix Main Board please
email the developer at: [e-mail]

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

2

Helix Main Board Bill Of Materials (BOM)

Part

Description

Supplier

Part#

Qty

Notes

AJ1

3.5 mm Vertical Jack

Mouser

161-0352-EX

1

AJ1 Not needed on HNN

B1

Battery Holder

Mouser

614-VBH2032-1

1

B1 is not needed on Helix
Network Node (HNN)

C1, C2, C3, C4, C5,
C6, C7, C8, C9, C10,
C11

0.1 uF Bypass Cap

Mouser

75-1C10Z5U104M050B

11

C1 and C11 are not
needed on a HNN
C12

33pF Timing Cap

Mouser

80-C323C330K2G

1 C13

4700 uF Filter Cap

Mouser

647-UVZ1C472MHD

1

C14, C15

100 uF Filter Cap

Mouser

647-UVR1E101MED1TD

2

D1, D2, D3, D4, D5

1N5817

Mouser

821-1N5817

5

D3, D4 not needed HNN

D6, D8, D10, D13

RED LED

Mouser

859-LTL42EKEKNN

4

D7, D12, D15, D16,
D17, D18, D19

GREEN LED

Mouser

859-LTL-4236N

7

D9, D11, D14

YELLOW LED

Mouser

859-LTL1CHKYKNN

3

F1

FUSE Horizontal

Mouser

534-3517

2

H1, H2, H3, H4, H7,
H8, H9

0.1" Pin Strip Header 40
Pin

Mouser

517-6111TG

1

H5, H6

0.1" Pin Strip Header 5
Pin

Mouser

517-929834-01-05-RK

1

H5, H6 not needed on
HNN

IC1

DS1337

Mouser

700-DS1337

1

IC1 not needed on HNN

IC2

24LC256

Provided with the PCB

IC3

H11AA1-M

Mouser

512-H11AA1M

1 IC4, IC5, IC6, IC7

SN75174NE4

Mouser

595-SN75174NE4

4

IC8

Propeller

Mouser

619-P8X32A-D40

1 IC9

MCP23016

Mouser

579-MCP23016-I/SP

1 IC10

ST485

Provided with the PCB

J1, J2, J3, J4, J5, J6

RJ45

Mouser

571-5556416-1

6

MP3

MP3 Breakout Board

SparkFun

BOB-09943

1

MP3 not needed on HNN

NE1

NE-2 Neon Lamp

Mouser

606-A9A

1 Q1

TN0702N3-G

Mouser

689-TN0702N3-G

1

Q1 not needed on HNN

R1, R2, R3, R4, R5,
R6, R7

220 ohm Resistor

Mouser

291-220-RC

7

R8

100 ohm Resistor

Mouser

291-100-RC

1 R9, R10

510 ohm Resistor

Mouser

291-510-RC

2 R11, R12

1K ohm Resistor

Mouser

291-1K-RC

2

R13

3.9K ohm Resistor

Mouser

291-3.9K-RC

1

R14, R15, R16, R17,
R18, R19, R20

10K ohm Resistor

Mouser

291-10K-RC

7

R19 not needed on HNN
R21

100K ohm Resistor

Mouser

291-100K-RC

1

330K ohm for 220VAC

RA1

10K ohm SIP Resistor (8)

Mouser

858-L091S103LF

1

RA1 not needed on HNN

RA2

1K ohm SIP Resistor (8)

Mouser

858-L091S102LF

1

RA2 not needed on HNN

RA3

220 ohm SIP Resistor (7)

Mouser

858-L081S221LF

1 RA4

47K ohm SIP Resistor (5)

Mouser

858-L061S473LF

1 S1

MicroSD Socket

Provided with the PCB

SW1

Tactile Switch

Mouser

611-PTS645SL702

1 T1

6.3V 1A Transformer

Mouser

838-3FD-412

1

TB1, TB2, TB3, TB4,
TB5, TB6, TB7, TB8,
TB9

2 POS 5mm Terminal
Block

Mouser

651-1935161 or 571­2828372

9

TB2, TB3, TB4, TB5, TB6,
TB7, TB8 and TB9 not
needed on HNN

U1

5V Regulator

Mouser

511-LD1085V50

1 U2

3.3V Regulator

Mouser

926-LMS1585ACT33NOPB

1 U3

DB101

Mouser

583-DB101

1

XTAL1

32.768KHz Crystal

Mouser

695-CFS206-327KB-U

1

XTAL1 not needed HNN

XTAL2

5MHz Crystal

Mouser

520-HCU500-20X

1

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

3

Helix Main Board

Part

Description

Supplier

Part#

Qty

Notes

B1

CR2032 Lithium Coin Cell

Mouser

614-CR2032-MFR

1

B1 not needed on HNN

IC4, IC5, IC6, IC7

16p DIP Socket

Mouser

571-1-2199298-4

4 IC8

40p DIP Socket

Mouser

571-1-2199299-5

1

IC1, IC2, IC10

8p DIP Socket

Mouser

571-1-2199298-2

3

IC1 not needed on HNN

IC3

6p DIP Socket

Mouser

571-1-2199298-1

1 IC9

28p DIP Socket

Mouser

571-1-2199298-9

1

F1

1A 5x20mm Fast Blow
Fuse

Mouser

576-0217001.MXP

1

F1

Fuse Cover

Mouser

534-3527C

1

H1^2, H3, H4, H7,
H8, H9

0.1" Shunt 1A

Mouser

151-8010-E

7

MP3

0.1" PCB Mount Socket
20 Position

Mouser

517-929850-01-20-RB

1

MP3 not needed on HNN
U1, U2

TO-220 Heatsink

Mouser

532-579302B00

2

Recommended Spacers

Mouser

561-KSP117

4

Part

Description

Supplier

Part#

Qty

Notes

RS1

USB to RS485

SparkFun

BOB-09822

1

Not needed on HNN

USB miniB Cable

SparkFun

CAB-00598

1

Not needed on HNN

J7

RJ45

Mouser

571-5556416-1

1

Not needed on HNN

Part

Description

Supplier

Part#

Qty

Notes

RF1

XBEE PRO

Mouser

888-XBP24-AWI-001

2

Only 1 needed on HNN

RF1

2mm Pitch SIP Socket
10p

SparkFun

PRT-08272

2

XBee Explorer USB

SparkFun

WRL-11812

1

Not needed on HNN

USB miniB Cable

SparkFun

CAB-00598

1

Not needed on HNN

Assembly and Setup Manual

Helix Main BOM Continued

Misc Other Parts

USB to RS485 Option

If you plan to use the board in a wired configuration only then you will need one set of the following parts.

XBee Wireless Option

If you plan to use the board in a wireless configuration then you will need one set of the following parts.

If you have any questions about the wired or wireless options please contact the developer at

[e-mail] before you place your order.

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

4

Helix Main Board

Step

Done

Ref Number

Value

Note

1 XTAL1

32.768 KHz

See Note 1; RTC Crystal; Not needed on Network Node

2 R1

220 

Red, Red, Brn

3 R2

220 

Red, Red, Brn

4 R3

220 

Red, Red, Brn

5 R4

220 

Red, Red, Brn

6 R5

220 

Red, Red, Brn

7 R6

220 

Red, Red, Brn

8 R7

220 

Red, Red, Brn

9 R8

100 

Brn, Blk, Brn

10 R9

510 

Grn, Brn, Brn

11 R10

510 

Grn, Brn, Brn

12 R11

1 K

Brn, Blk, Red

13 R12

1 K

Brn, Blk, Red

14 R13

3.9 K

Orn, Wht, Red

15 R14

10 K

Brn, Blk, Orn

16 R15

10 K

Brn, Blk, Orn

17 R16

10 K

Brn, Blk, Orn

18 R17

10 K

Brn, Blk, Orn

19 R18

10 K

Brn, Blk, Orn

20 R19

10 K

Brn, Blk, Orn; Not needed on Network Node

21 R20

10 K

Brn, Blk, Orn

22 R21

100 K

Brn, Blk, Yel

23 D1

1N5817

See Note 2

24 D2

1N5817

See Note 2

25 D3

1N5817

See Note 2; Not needed on Network Node

26 D4

1N5817

See Note 2; Not needed on Network Node

27 D5

1N5817

See Note 2

28 XTAL2

5 MHz

See Note 3; Propeller Chip Crystal

29 U3

DB101

See Note 4

30 RF1 Left Socket

10p SIP Socket

See Note 5; 2mm Pitch

31 RF1 Right Socket

10p SIP Socket

See Note 5; 2mm Pitch

32 D6

Red T-1 (3mm) LED

See Note 6

33 D8

Red T-1 (3mm) LED

See Note 6

34 D10

Red T-1 (3mm) LED

See Note 6

35 D13

Red T-1 (3mm) LED

See Note 6

36 D7

Grn T-1 (3mm) LED

See Note 6

37 D12

Grn T-1 (3mm) LED

See Note 6

38 D15

Grn T-1 (3mm) LED

See Note 6

39 D16

Grn T-1 (3mm) LED

See Note 6

40 D17

Grn T-1 (3mm) LED

See Note 6

Assembly and Setup Manual

Initial Assembly of the Main Board

The initial assembly of the main board will consist of soldering all of the major components to the PCB, starting with
the components that have the lowest profile and finishing with the ones with the highest profile. Two methods of
assembly are presented in this manual. This first is a table with the step-by-step instructions and associated notes.
The second is a series of pictures of the main board’s silk screen with arrows and notes pointing to each step. Each
method shares the same notes and pictures. Use whichever method works best for you.

Step-by-Step Instructions (Table 1 of 3)

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

5

Step-by-Step Instructions (Table 2 of 3)

Step

Done

Ref Number

Value

Note

41 D18

Grn T-1 (3mm) LED

See Note 6

42 D19

Grn T-1 (3mm) LED

See Note 6

43 D9

Yel T-1 (3mm) LED

See Note 6

44 D11

Yel T-1 (3mm) LED

See Note 6

45 D14

Yel T-1 (3mm) LED

See Note 6

46 RA1

10 K SIP Resistor

See Note 7; Not needed on Network Node

47 RA2

1 K SIP Resistor

See Note 7; Not needed on Network Node

48 RA3

220  SIP Resistor

See Note 7

49 RA4

47 K SIP Resistor

See Note 7

50 C1

0.1 F

Not needed on Network Node

51 C2

0.1 F

52 C3

0.1 F

53 C4

0.1 F

54 C5

0.1 F

55 C6

0.1 F

56 C7

0.1 F

57 C8

0.1 F

58 C9

0.1 F

59 C10

0.1 F

60 C11

0.1 F

Not needed on Network Node

61 C12

33 pF

62 IC1 Socket

8p DIP Socket

See Note 8; Not needed on Network Node

63 IC2 Socket

8p DIP Socket

See Note 8

64 IC10 Socket

8p DIP Socket

See Note 8

65 IC3 Socket

6p DIP Socket

See Note 8

66 IC4 Socket

16p DIP Socket

See Note 8

67 IC5 Socket

16p DIP Socket

See Note 8

68 IC6 Socket

16p DIP Socket

See Note 8

69 IC7 Socket

16p DIP Socket

See Note 8

70 IC8 Socket

40p DIP Socket

See Note 8

71 IC9 Socket

28p DIP Socket

See Note 8

72 SW1

Tactile Switch

73 Q1

MOSFET

See Note 9; Not needed on Network Node

74 H1

4p Header

See Note 10

75 H2

4p Header

See Note 10

76 H3

3p Header

See Note 10

77 H4

3p Header

See Note 10

78 H5

3p Header

See Note 11; Not needed on Network Node

79 H6

2p Header

See Note 11; Not needed on Network Node

80 H7

2p Header

See Note 11

81 H8

2p Header

See Note 11

82 H9

2p Header

See Note 11

83 MP3 Left Socket

10p SIP Socket

See Note 12; 0.1” Pitch; Not needed on Network Node

84 MP3 Right Socket

10p SIP Socket

See Note 12; 0.1” Pitch; Not needed on Network Node

85 F1A

Fuse Clip

See Note 13

86 F1B

Fuse Clip

See Note 13

87 TB1

2p Terminal Block

AC Input; 0.2” Pitch

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

6

Step-by-Step Instructions (Table 3 of 3)

Step

Done

Ref Number

Value

Note

88 TB2

2p Terminal Block

See Note 14; Not needed on Network Node

89 TB3

2p Terminal Block

See Note 14; Not needed on Network Node

90 TB4

2p Terminal Block

See Note 14; Not needed on Network Node

91 TB5

2p Terminal Block

See Note 14; Not needed on Network Node

92 TB6

2p Terminal Block

See Note 14; Not needed on Network Node

93 TB7

2p Terminal Block

See Note 14; Not needed on Network Node

94 TB8

2p Terminal Block

See Note 14; Not needed on Network Node

95 TB9

2p Terminal Block

See Note 14; Not needed on Network Node

96 C14

100 F

See Note 15

97 C15

100 F

See Note 15

98 J1

RJ45 Jack

Cat 5 Jack

99 J2

RJ45 Jack

Cat 5 Jack

100 J3

RJ45 Jack

Cat 5 Jack

101 J4

RJ45 Jack

Cat 5 Jack

102 J5

RJ45 Jack

Cat 5 Jack

103 J6

RJ45 Jack

Cat 5 Jack

104 AJ1

Audio Jack

Stereo Audio Jack; Not needed on Network Node

105 NE1

Neon Bulb

106 U1

LD1085V50

See Note 16; 5V Regulator

107 U2

AP1084T33L

See Note 16; 3.3V Regulator

108 B1 Socket

Coin Cell Socket

Socket for 3V Coin Cell; Not needed on Network Node

109 C13

4700 F

See Note 15

110 T1

3FD-412

See Note 17; 6.3V Center Tap 1A Transformer

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

7

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Pictorial Assembly (1 of 7): RTC Crystal and Resistors (Steps 1-13)

11 [ ] R10 10 [ ] R9
510  510 
Grn, Brn, Brn Grn, Brn, Brn

7 [ ] R6 9 [ ] R8
220  100 
Red, Red, Brn Brn, Blk, Brn

1 [ ] XTAL1* 8 [ ] R7

32.768 KHz 220 
See Note 1 Red, Red, Brn

4 [ ] R3 13 [ ] R12

220  1 K
Red, Red, Brn Brn, Blk, Red

6 [ ] R5 5 [ ] R4

220  220 
Red, Red, Brn Red, Red, Brn

3 [ ] R2

220 
Red, Red, Brn

2 [ ] R1

220 
Red, Red, Brn

12 [ ] R11

1 K 
Brn, Blk, Red

* These parts are not needed on a Network Node Main Board

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

8

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Pictorial Assembly (2 of 7): Resistors, Diodes, Crystal and Sockets (Steps 14-30)

26 [ ] D4* 21 [ ] R20 27 [ ] D5 19 [ ] R18
1N5817 10 K 1N5817 10 K
See Note 2 Brn, Blk, Orn See Note 2 Brn, Blk, Orn

14 [ ] R13

3.9 K
Orn, Wht, Red
20 [ ] R19*
10 K
Brn, Blk, Orn

25 [ ] D3* 17 [ ] R16

1N5817 10 K
See Note 2 Brn, Blk, Orn

30 [ ] RF1 L Socket 18 [ ] R17

10p SIP 2mm Pitch 10 K
See Note 5 Brn, Blk, Orn

31 [ ] RF2 R Socket 15 [ ] R14
10p SIP 2mm Pitch 10 K
See Note 5 Brn, Blk, Orn

28[ ] XTAL2
5 MHz
See Note 3

24 [ ] D2
1N5817
See Note 2
16 [ ] R15

10 K           23 [ ] D1
Brn, Blk, Orn 1N5817
See Note 2

29 [ ] U3 22 [ ] R21

DB101 100 K
See Note 4 Brn, Blk, Yel

* These parts are not needed on a Network Node Main Board

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

9

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Pictorial Assembly (3 of 7): LEDs (Steps 31-45)

35 [ ] D13 45 [ ] D14 38[ ] D15
Red LED Yellow LED Green LED
See Note 6 See Note 6 See Note 6
39 [ ] D16
Green LED
See Note 6
44 [ ] D11
40 [ ] D17 Yellow LED
Green LED See Note 6
See Note 6
37 [ ] D12
41 [ ] D18 Green LED
Green LED See Note 6
See Note 6
36 [ ] D7
42 [ ] D19 Green LED
Green LED See Note 6
See Note 6
43 [ ] D9
Yellow LED
See Note 6

33[ ] D8
Red LED
See Note 6

34 [ ] D10
Red LED
See Note 6
32 [ ] D6
Red LED         
See Note 6

* These parts are not needed on a Network Node Main Board

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

10

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Pictorial Assembly (4 of 7): SIP Resistors and Bypass Caps (Steps 46-61)

46 [ ] RA1* 47 [ ] RA2* 48 [ ] RA3 59[ ] C10
10 KSIP Res. 1 KSIP Res. 220 SIP Res. 0.1 F
See Note 7 See Note 7 See Note 7

51 [ ] C2

61 [ ] C12 0.1 F
33 pF

58 [ ] C9

0.1 F

50 [ ] C1 * 52 [ ] C3

0.1 F 0.1 F

53 [ ] C4

0.1 F 57 [ ] C8

0.1 F
54 [ ] C5

0.1 F
49 [ ] RA4

55 [ ] C6 47 KSIP Res.

0.1 F See Note 7

56 [ ] C7 60 [ ] C11*

0.1 F 0.1 F

         

* These parts are not needed on a Network Node Main Board

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

11

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Pictorial Assembly (5 of 7): IC Sockets, Switch and MOSFET (Steps 62-73)

73 [ ] Q1*
MOSFET
See Note 9

64 [ ] IC10 Socket
71 [ ] IC 9 Socket 8p See Note 8
28p See Note 8

62 [ ] IC1 Socket* 72 [ ] SW1
8p See Note 8 Tactile Switch

66 [ ] IC4 Socket 63 [ ] IC2 Socket
16p See Note 8 8p See Note 8

67 [ ] IC5 Socket
16p See Note 8 70 [ ] IC8 Socket
40p See Note 8
68 [ ] IC6 Socket
16p See Note 8

69 [ ] IC7 Socket
16p See Note 8

         

65 [ ] IC3 Socket
6p See Note 8

* These parts are not needed on a Network Node Main Board

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

12

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Pictorial Assembly (6 of 7): Headers, MP3 Sockets and Fuse Clips (Steps 74-86)

82 [ ] H9 81 [ ] H8 80 [ ] H7
2p Header 0.1" 2p Header 0.1" 2p Header 0.1"
See Note 10 See Note 10 See Note 10

78 [ ] H5*
3p Header 0.1"
See Note 11

79 [ ] H6*
2p Header 0.1"
See Note 11

76 [ ] H3
77 [ ] H4 3p Header 0.1"
3p Header 0.1" See Note 10
See Note 10

75 [ ] H2
4p Header 0.1"
See Note 10

83 [ ] MP3 L Socket*
10p SIP 0.1” Pitch
See Note 12

84 [ ] MP3 R Socket*
10p SIP 0.1” Pitch
See Note 12
         

85 [ ] F1A 74 [ ] H1 86 [ ] F1B
Fuse Clip 4p Header 0.1" Fuse Clip
See Note 13 See Note 10 See Note 13

* These parts are not needed on a Network Node Main Board

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

13

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Pictorial Assembly (7 of 7): Remaining Components (Steps 87-110)

88-95 [ ] TB2-TB9*
2p 0.2" Pitch
See Note 14

108 [ ] B1 Socket* 102 [ ] J5
Coin Cell Socket RJ45 Jack

98 [ ] J1 103 [ ] J6
RJ45 Jack RJ45 Jack

99 [ ] J2
RJ45 Jack

100 [ ] J3
RJ 45 Jack

96 [ ] C14
101 [ ] J4 100 F
RJ45 Jack See Note 15

104 [ ] AJ1*
97 [ ] C15 Stereo Audio Jack

100 F         
See Note 15 109 [ ] C13
4700 F
107 [ ] U2 See Note 15

3.3V Regulator
See Note 16 105 [ ] NE1
Neon Bulb

110 [ ] T1 106 [ ] U1 87 [ ] TB1
3FD-412 5V Regulator 2p 0.2" Pitch
See Note 17 See Note 16

* These parts are not needed on a Network Node Main Board

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

14

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Assembly Notes

1. The leads on the crystal are very fine, so be careful during installation to make sure they are not twisted or

bent. Insert the leads through the holes in the pads, orientation does not matter. Once it is almost fully
inserted bend the crystal over so that it is laying flush with the board in the area outlined by the solder
mask. Carefully solder the leads in place on the bottom side of the board. See Picture 1 for an example of a
correctly installed RTC crystal.

2. Orientation matters with diodes. The diode has a light band marked on one end; this is the cathode. The

diode needs to be inserted in the PCB with this light band oriented with the band mark on the PCB (the
square pad). See Picture 2 for an example of a correctly installed diode.

3. This crystal needs to be inserted until its base is flush with the PCB and soldered on the bottom side of the

PCB. Orientation of the crystal does not matter. See Picture 3 for an example of a correctly installed crystal.

4. This is a full wave bridge rectifier, orientation matters. Align the markings on top of the chip with the

markings on the PCB. I.e. the pin with "+" inserted in the hole marked "+". Solder on the bottom side of the
PCB.

5. These sockets need to be inserted until they are flush with the PCB. Solder one of the pins. Check to make

sure the socket is flush and perpendicular to the PCB, reheat the pin and reposition as necessary. If the
socket is not perpendicular then the XBee Radio will not plug into them properly. After verifying that the
socket is installed correctly, solder all of the other pins. See Picture 4 for an example of correctly installed
RF1 sockets.

6. Orientation matters with LEDs. The LED has one pin longer than the other; this is the anode. The LED needs

to be inserted in the PCB with the anode lead in the round pad.

7. Orientation matters with bussed SIP resistors. This resistor has multiple resistors connected together by

one of their leads. This is the common lead; it is marked on the package with a dot. The other lead of each
resistor is brought out to a pin on the package. The SIP resistor needs to be oriented on the PCB with the
common lead inserted in the square pad.

8. When installing DIP sockets ensure that the notch in the socket is aligned with the notch on the silkscreen.

Also make sure the sockets are flush with the PCB.

9. Orientation matters with the MOSFET. Carefully bend the leads so they match the layout on the PCB. The

outline of the case needs to match the outline on the silk screen.

10. Carefully break off the appropriate number of pins off of the 40 pin 0.1” pitch strip header (Mouser Part#

517-6111TG). Solder this section on to the PCB with the longer leads facing up. Make sure the header is
perpendicular to the PCB. See Picture 5 for an example of a correctly installed header.

11. Carefully break the 5 pin 0.1” pitch strip header (Mouser Part# 517-929834-01-05-RK) into a two pin and three

pin headers. Solder these headers on to the PCB with the longer leads facing up. Make sure the header is
perpendicular to the PCB. See Picture 5 for an example of a correctly installed header.

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

15

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

12. Solder one pin of this 10 pin socket on to the PCB. Make sure the socket is flush and perpendicular with the

PCB, reheating/repositioning it as necessary. If these sockets are not perpendicular to the PCB then the
MP3 player will not properly plug into the PCB. After verifying proper installation then solder all of the
other pins. See Picture 6 for an example of correctly installed MP3 sockets.

13. Orientation matters with the fuse clips. Make sure to install them in the correct orientation so they will

hold the fuse.

14. Connect the eight terminal blocks together by sliding the tab on the side of one into the socket on the side

of the next one. Insert all eight terminal blocks into the PCB and solder from the bottom.

15. This is an electrolytic capacitor, orientation matters. One side of the capacitor is marked as negative. The

pin on this side needs to be inserted in the round pad. Make sure the capacitor is flush with the PCB.

16. This is a TO-220 package voltage regulator, orientation matters. Install this component so that it matches

the silkscreen layout, i.e. the tab is aligned with the smaller rectangle on the silkscreen (closest to the
transformer). The large silkscreen box around this component is the outline for the heat sink. Do not install
the heat sink at this time.

17. Insert the transformer such that the pin numbers on top of the transformer are aligned with the pad

numbers on the PCB. The transformer has small standoff pins. Make sure these standoff pins are flush with
the PCB.

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

16

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Assembly Pictures

Square Pad

Light Band

Picture 1 Picture 2

RTC Crystal Diodes

XBee Sockets

Picture 3 Picture 4

Propeller Crystal XBee Sockets

MP3 Sockets

Picture 5

4 Pin Header
Picture 6
MP3 Sockets

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

17

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Initial Power Up of the Main Board

Before powering up the main board for the first time, perform these checks:

 Do NOT install any of the ICs, MP3 Player, XBee radio or the battery for the RTC at this time
 Do NOT install the heat sinks on the voltage regulators at this time
 Verify that all diodes, LEDs, electrolytic capacitors, voltage regulators, IC sockets are aligned properly
 Verify that all components are properly soldered and there are no solder bridges or cold joints

Next perform these steps

1. Install a 1A fuse in the fuse holder F1

2. Install the shunts (jumpers), Mouser part #151-8010-E, on Header 1 in the correct configuration for your line

voltage. See Picture 7 for 120 VAC and Picture 8 for 240 VAC.

3. Install a power cord on TB1, being careful to properly align the Hot and Neutral leads. The Neutral wire is

the one connected to the wide blade on the plug and is usually white or has ribs or dashes on the wire.

4. Place the main board on a non-conductive surface

5. Plug in the power cord

6. The Power LED (D6) should be illuminated, if not then unplug the power cord and troubleshoot the power

supply section of the board. The Power LED is powered by the 3.3VDC regulator which in turn is powered by
the 5VDC regulator which is connected to the transformer via the full wave rectifier and filter capacitors.

7. With the main board plugged in, carefully touch the heat sink tabs on the two voltage regulators. They

should be cool to the touch or slightly warm at most. If they are hot then you have a short circuit
somewhere on the board. Unplug the board, find the short circuit and repair.

8. With the main board plugged in, use a voltage meter to check the voltage between +5V and GND on the test

points. This voltage should be a solid 5VDC. If it seems to be excessively low or high then unplug the main
board and troubleshoot the 5VDC section of the power supply

9. With the main board plugged in, use a voltage meter to check the voltage between +3.3V and GND on the

test points. This voltage should be a solid 3.3VDC. If it seems to be excessively low or high then unplug the
main board and troubleshoot the 3.3VDC section of the power supply

10. Once the board passes all of these tests then you are finished with the initial testing.

Picture 7 Picture 8

120 VAC 240 VAC

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

18

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Assembly of the MP3 Board

The MP3 break out board from SparkFun doesn’t have any connector pins installed. In order to be able to connect
this board to the main board these pins must be installed following these steps:

 The MP3 board has pads along three sides of the board. There are 10 pads on each of the long sides and six

pads along the bottom. The Helix only uses the two sets of 10 pads. Do not install headers in third set.

 Carefully break off two 10 pin headers off of the 40 pin 0.1” pitch strip header (Mouser Part# 517-6111TG).
 Insert the shorter pins of one of the 10 pin header through the bottom side of the break out board.
 Solder one of the pins in place on the top of the break out board.
 Make sure the header is flush with the bottom of the board and perpendicular to the board. Reheat and

reposition the header as necessary.

 Solder all of the pins on the header on the top side of the board. See Picture 9 for an example of a correctly

installed header.

 Repeat the same steps with the other header.

Do not install a header in these holes

Picture 9

Headers Installed on the MP3 Board

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

19

Helix Main Board

Step

Done

Ref #

Value

Orientation

1 IC1

DS1337+ (RTC)

Notch Up (Not needed on a Network Node MB)

2 IC2

24LC256-I/P 32kx8 bit I2C

Notch Up (Supplied with board but not installed)

3 IC3

H11AA1M AC Optocoupler

Notch to the Left

4 IC4

SN75174NE4 Quad
RS422/RS485 Driver

Notch to the Right

5 IC5

SN75174NE4 Quad
RS422/RS485 Driver

Notch to the Right

6 IC6

SN75174NE4 Quad
RS422/RS485 Driver

Notch to the Right

7 IC7

SN75174NE4 Quad
RS422/RS485 Driver

Notch to the Right

8 IC8

Propeller 32 bit
Microcontroller

Notch Up
9 IC9

MCP23016 I/O Port Expander

Notch to the Right

10 IC10

ST485 RS485 TX/RX Port

Notch Up

13 RF1

XBee Pro Radio

Outline of the radio should match the outline on the
silkscreen

14 MP3

MP3 Player

If this is a Network Node MB then skip this step. Align Vin
and GND markings on the MP3 player with Vin and GND
markings on the silkscreen. See Picture 10.

15

Heat Sink for 5V Regulator

Apply a little heat sink compound to the back side of the
TO-220. The heat sink slips on the TO-220 package very
snugly. Should be inside of the outline on the silkscreen

16

Heat Sink for the 3.3V
Regulator

Apply a little heat sink compound to the back side of the
TO-220. The heat sink slips on the TO-220 package very
snugly. Should be inside of the outline on the silkscreen

17

Battery for RTC

If this is a Network Node Board then skip this step. Install
the CR2032 coin cell in the RTC battery holder. The + side
of the battery should face toward the top of the board.

18

Headers 3 and 4

Install the shunts (jumpers), Mouser part #151-8010-E, on
Headers 3 and 4 between the top two pins on each
header. See Picture 11.

19

Header 7 RS485 Termination
Resistor

If this will be the first board (a Helix Network Controller)
or the last board in an RS485 network then install a shunt
on Header 7

Headers 8 and 9 RS485 Fail
Safe Termination Resistors

If this is a Helix Network Controller then install shunts on
Headers 8 and 9

Assembly and Setup Manual

Final Assembly of the Main Board

It is time to install all of the ICs and other components. Make sure they are installed in the correct orientation and
that all of the pins are firmly seated in the sockets. There is a dot next to pin 1 or an indention at the top of the IC
chip that identifies orientation. This dot or indention needs to be aligned with the indention on the socket. It often
helps to lay the chip on its side on a table and carefully bend all of the pins in toward the center of the chip before
trying to insert it into the socket.

Final Assembly Steps

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

20

Helix Main Board

File

Size

Helix Firmware

32 kB

Helix Configuration File

<10 kB

Helix Show File

<10 kB

Helix Playlist File

<10 kB

Helix Schedule

<10 kB

MP3 File

~1 MB/Minute

Helix Sequence File at max
channel cnt (1,568 ch)

~1.8 MB/Minute at 50
mS event period

Assembly and Setup Manual

Note: Unused holes to the left (ignore the Audio Jack)

Picture 10
MP3 Orientation

Configuration of the MicroSD Card

The Helix requires a MicroSD card. It must be formatted with either FAT16 or FAT32. However the card does not
need to be very large at all. The approximate size of the different files is:

Therefore for a 20 minute show the total memory required is approximately: 72 kB + 20 * 1 MB + 20 * 1.8MB = 56
MB. Even if there are two hours of MP3s for the Playlist the total size would only be 176 MB. So any MicroSD card
>= 256 MB that you can get will work.

The MicroSD card needs to be preloaded with several files in order for the Helix to operate properly. At a minimum
every Main Board needs:

 Helix Firmware (FIRMWARE.BIN)
 Helix Configuration File (CONFIG.HLX)
 Helix Sequence File(s) (*.SEQ)

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

21

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

The Helix Network Controller also needs:

 Helix Schedule File (SCHEDULE.SCH)
 Helix Show File(s) (*.SHW)
 Helix Playlist File(s) (*.PLY) (if used)
 Helix Trigger File(s) (*.TRG) (if used
 MP3 File(s) (*.MP3)
 CALIBRAT.MP3
 CALIBRAT.SEQ

For testing, download the file at: http://www.helixlightcontroller.com/downloads/SetupTest.zip

Unzip the file to your hard drive.

If you are testing a Helix Network Controller then copy the contents of the Helix 1 directory to the microSD card.

If you are testing a Helix Network Node then copy the contents of the Helix 2 directory to the microSD card.

If you are testing more than one Helix Network Node at a time then copy the contents of the Helix 3, Helix 4 or Helix
5 directory to the microSD card.

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

22

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Initial Testing of the Main Board

To perform the following test you will need at least one standard 4-channel SSR board, a two Cat 5e cables, a Helix
Daughter Board and four strings of lights. If you have eight 4-channel SSR boards, nine Cat 5e cables, a Helix
Daughter Board (or a Helix SSR Daughter Board) and 32 strings of lights even better.

1. Do NOT insert the MicroSD card yet.

2. Connect the lights to the SSR board.

3. Plug the SSR board/s into an electrical outlet.

4. Place the Main Board on a non-conductive surface.

5. Plug the Main Board into an electrical outlet.

Expected Results:

1. The power LED should illuminate immediately.

2. The light strings may flash on for about 10 seconds then turn off, this is normal.

3. The Heartbeat LED should come on for about 1 second then start flashing in a repeating “SOS” pattern

(three short flashes, three long flashes, three short flashes then a pause).

4. After about 10 seconds, if you have all 32 channels of lights connected to the Main Board then they should

flash on sequentially for about one second each. If you only have four channels of lights connected then
Channels 1-4 should flash on sequentially for about 1 second each. After the Channel 4 light goes out it will
take about 28 seconds before Channel 1 will start to flash again. You should move the single SSR to each of
the Channel output jacks to verify that all of the channels are operating correctly.

5. This test shows the EEPROM, Propeller chip, 74HC4094 chips and RJ-45 jacks are all operating as required. If

the above expected actions do not occur then you need to troubleshoot these chips and jacks.

Next repeat the test three times with the Helix Daughter Board connected to each of the Channel Banks on the Helix
Main Board and the SSR board(s) connected to the Helix Daughter Board. The Helix Daughter Board will need to be
powered by the 5VDC wall wart power supply. You should expect to get the same results. This test shows the RS­485 chips and Helix Daughter Board are all operating as required. If the above expected actions do not occur then
you need to troubleshoot the RS-485 chips, RJ45 jacks and the Helix Daughter Board.

Unplug the Main Board before starting the next test.

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

23

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Final Testing of the Helix Network Controller Board

If you will be testing a Helix Network Node then please proceed to the next section.

MicroSD Card and MP3 Player Test

You will need either a set of amplified speakers or a pair of headphones. Plug these into the audio output jack in the
top right corner of the Main Board.

1. Now insert the MicroSD card into the MicroSD socket. It should click into place.

2. Connect the SSR board to Channels 1-4 again (or optionally leave all 32 channels connected) and plug it in.

3. Plug the Network Controller Board into an electrical outlet

Expected Results:

1. Once again the power LED should illuminate immediately.

2. The light strings may flash on briefly then turn off, this is normal.

3. The Heartbeat LED should come on solid for about 8-10 seconds while the board boots up and configures

the XBee Pro radio. During this time the XBee TX LED should flash on and off several times.

4. The Heartbeat LED should start flashing on and off about every second.

5. About 20 seconds later the MP3 player should start playing a 5 minute song and the lights should flash in

sequence to the song. The song should repeat over and over until the Main Board is unplugged. Don’t

worry if the lights don’t flash in exact synchronization with the song at this time. You will be running a

calibration routine in a later step which should sync them up.

6. This test shows the MicroSD card is functioning properly and to a lesser extent shows that the Propeller Chip

is communicating with the XBee Pro radio. It also shows the MP3 player is operating correctly. If the above
actions do not occur then troubleshoot these areas.

Unplug the Helix Network Controller Board before starting the next test.

Test and Setup of the Real Time Clock

For the next phase of testing install the Helix Network Supervisor software from:

http://helixlightcontroller.com/downloads/HNS_INSTALL.HTM

Remove the MicroSD Card from the Helix Network Controller Board. Connect the MicroSD Card to your PC and edit
the SCHEDULE.SCH file using any text editor such as Notepad. The file before editing is shown in Listing 1.

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

24

Sunday

1
1
0000
2359
S
SETUPT~1.SHW
2
1
0000
2359
S
SETUPT~1.SHW
3
1
0000
2359
S
SETUPT~1.SHW
4
1
0000
2359
S
SETUPT~1.SHW
5
1
0000
2359
S
SETUPT~1.SHW
6
1
0000
2359
S
SETUPT~1.SHW
7
1

0000
2359
S
SETUPT~1.SHW

1 Entry for the day

Start Time (midnight)
End Time (11:59 PM)
Entry is a Show
Show File Name

Monday

Start Time (midnight)

Tuesday

Start Time (midnight)

Wednesday

Start Time (midnight)

Thursday

Start Time (midnight)

Friday

Start Time (midnight)

Saturday

Start Time (midnight)

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Listing 1

Original SCHEDULE.SCH

25

Helix Main Board

…
4
1

2358
2359
S
SETUPT~1.SHW
…

Assembly and Setup Manual

The schedule has the same entry for every day of the week. The first line, “1”, signifies that this is the schedule for
Sunday. In the schedule Sunday is represented by 1, Monday by 2, …, Saturday by 7. The second line, also “1”,
signifies that there is 1 schedule entry for the day. The next line, “0000”, is the start time for the entry in military
time (midnight). The next line, “2359”, is the end time for the entry in military time (11:59 PM). The next line, “S”,
signifies that the entry is a show. If it was a playlist then it would have been a “P”. The last line in the series,
“120BEA~1.SHW”, is the file name of the show to play.

The reason that the Helix starts playing the song immediately after boot up is the start time is midnight and the stop
time is 11:59 PM. The system must be idle in order to set the time and calibrate it. The start time needs to be
modified to start at 11:58 PM. In order to make this change you need to change the entry that corresponds to the
start time for each day. Change the third line in each day to look like Listing 2.

Only change this value
For each day

Listing 2

Edited SCHEDULE.SCH to start at 9:07 AM on Wednesday

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

26

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Save the SCHEDULE.SCH back to the MicroSD Card and insert it back into the Helix Network Controller Board.

1. Connect an XBee Pro Radio to your PC using the XBee USB Carrier Board and USB cable.

2. Start the Helix Network Supervisor application. There should be a shortcut in the Start menu.

3. Select the COM Port that the XBee Pro Radio is connected to from the “COM Port” drop-down list.

4. Press the “Configure XBee” button. After a short pause you should get a notification window that the XBee

is now configured.

5. Plug the Helix Main Board into an outlet. It should boot up just like the last test except it shouldn’t start

playing the song immediately.

6. After the Main Board has booted up (the Heartbeat LED is flashing slowly for about 30 seconds) press the

“Update RTC” button on the Helix Network Supervisor application. You should get a notification window
that the RTC has been updated. To check the current time on the Helix Main Board you can press the
“Check Time” button anytime there isn’t a show playing.

Unplug the Helix Network Controller Board before starting the next test.

Helix Network Controller Calibration

Remove the MicroSD Card from the Helix Network Controller Board. Connect the MicroSD Card to your PC and edit
the SCHEDULE.SCH file using any text editor such as Notepad. Change the start time for the current day to about 30
minutes from the current time. Save the file back to the MicroSD card and insert it back into the Helix Network
Controller Board.

1. Connect an XBee Pro Radio to your PC using the XBee USB Carrier Board and USB cable.

2. Start the Helix Network Supervisor application. There should be a shortcut in the Start menu.

3. Select the COM Port that the XBee Pro Radio is connected to from the “COM Port” drop-down list.

4. Plug the Helix Main Board into an outlet.

5. After the Main Board has booted up (the Heartbeat LED is flashing slowly for about 30 seconds) press the

“Check Time” button on the Helix Network Supervisor application. You should get a notification window

that the shows the current time on the RTC and your PC. This confirms that the HNS application is
communicating with the Main Board.

6. Next press the “Calibrate” button.

7. A pop up window will display the basic instructions.

8. Click OK and wait approximately 5 minutes for the calibration sequence to run. Do not use the PC while the

calibration routine is running. Doing so may corrupt the calibration results.

9. When it is finished another pop up window will display with the results. The bottom result is the most

important. It can be positive or negative but the absolute value should be relatively small (<1500). If so,

then select the “Yes” button. If the bottom result is very large then select the “No” button and run the

calibration routine again.

10. If after running the calibration routine a couple of times and still getting a large offset value then contact the

developer at [e-mail] for further assistance.

Your Helix Network Controller is now ready for use.

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

27

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Final Testing of the Network Node Board

XBee Configuration and MicroSD Card Test

Load the Helix System 2 files to the MicroSD card and insert it into the Helix Network Node Board. You will

need a functioning Helix Network Controller to complete these tests.

1. Leave the Helix Network Controller unplugged for now.

2. Make sure the Helix Network Node Board is on a non-conductive surface.

3. Plug the Helix Network Node Board into an electrical outlet.

Expected Results:

1. The power LED should illuminate immediately.

2. The light strings may flash on briefly then turn off, this is normal.

3. The Heartbeat LED should start flashing with two short flashes followed by a longer pause. This is the

Network Node Heartbeat.

4. The Heartbeat LED should continue flashing for about 3 seconds then go on solid. The operating system is

now configuring the XBee radio.

5. After about 8-10 seconds the Heartbeat LED should start to flash very fast, almost a shimmer. The AI and RX

LEDs should be off. This shows the XBee radio is properly configured but hasn’t joined a Helix Network yet.

At this point the Helix Network Node is properly configured and ready to join a Helix Network.

1. Edit the SCHEDULE.SCH file on the Helix Network Controller MicroSD card to have the show start

immediately. The easiest way to do this is to set the start time to 0000 and the end time to 2359. Save the
SCHEDULE.SCH file back to the MicroSD card.

2. Insert the MicroSD card into the Helix Network Controller.

3. Leaving the Helix Network Node plugged in, now plug in the Helix Network Controller.

Expected Results:

1. The Helix Network Controller will boot up as normal.

2. After about 8-10 seconds the AI LED on the Helix Network Node should start flashing. This shows the Helix

Network Node has joined the Helix Network.

3. After about another 3-5 seconds the RX LED on the Helix Network Node should start flashing once per

second. This shows that the Helix Network Node is receiving beacon messages from the Helix Network
Controller. At this time the Helix Network Node Heartbeat LED should start flashing with two short flashes
followed by a longer pause.

4. After about another 20 seconds the Helix Network Controller should start playing the sequence and the

lights connected to the Helix Network Node should start flashing in synch with the song.

This concludes the tests of the Helix Main Board.

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

28

Helix Main Board

Assembly and Setup Manual

Setup of the Helix Main Board

After the Helix Main Board is assembled and tested it needs to be mounted in a weather proof enclosure
such as the CG-1500 from http://radiant-holidays.com/. It is recommended that a wooden back panel,

made out of ¼” Luan plywood or other suitable material, be installed in the enclosure using #8 x ¾” pan

head sheet metal screws. The Main Board can then be mounted to it using #6 x 1” pan head sheet metal
screws and nylon spacers such as Mouser Part# 561-KSP117. When mounting the Main Board to the back
panel be sure it is positioned with plenty of room at the top of the board for easy access to the MicroSD
card and Audio Jack. It is recommended that the power cord be secured to the back panel using tie wraps
and tie wrap mounts. See Pictures 12 and 13 for examples of a mounted Main Board.

Plenty of room
at the top of the
board for access
to the MicroSD Card
and Audio Out Jack

Picture 12

Helix Main Board Mounted in a CG-1500 Enclosure

Tie Wraps and Tie Wrap
Mount for Power Cord
Strain Relief

Picture 13

Power Cord Strain Relief

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

29

Helix Main Board

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

Assembly and Setup Manual

Custom Cable Pin-outs

The Helix can control other DIY controllers and DMX controllers; however, most will require custom Cat5 cables. This
section shows the pin-outs of these custom cables. Connect only the pins shown, leave all of the other pins open.

RPM’s DMX SSRs will operate using standard Cat5 patch cords.

The Renard series of controllers require a cable with the pin out shown in Figure 1

Helix Channel Bank Renard Input
Figure 1
Helix to Renard Pin-out

LOR controllers require a cable with the pin out shown in Figure 2

Helix Channel Bank LOR Input
Figure 2
Helix to LOR Pin-out

DMX controllers with standard DMX RJ45 wiring require a cable with the pin out shown in Figure 3

Helix Channel Bank DMX Input
Figure 3
Helix to DMX Pin-out

Comments, Questions or Concerns contact the developer at: [e-mail]

30