The ISAA is dedicated to setting Professonal Standards for Irish Aerial and Dish Installations from the simple to complex distribution for Apartments and Hotels with Satellite, Terrestrial and Broadband. Only Professionals that are proficient in Aerial and Dish Install (Irish Terrestrial and UK Freesat TV) with proper Public Liability Insurance and adequate Health & Safety Training/Procedures are certified as members.

The aerial installation trade in Ireland is unregulated at present.  SAORVIEW is not in a position to establish the competence of any aerial installer.  However, SAORVIEW is working with a number of trade bodies with competence in this area who undertake vetting and registration of their members.

See Saorview.ie official Website

BBC Radio 4 drew a record average weekly audience of 10.83m, from January to March, with its Today programme breaking 7m for the first time.

Maybe it’s time RTE ditched the advertising, drastically reduced the music and have some more decent Programming on RTE Radio one instead of Personalities.

Driver’s window smashed and head stolen

Icom IC-2800H Two way radio head unit/Display pulled from the Dashboard

About 12:45am 25th January 2011. Snatched from Driveway by two men or youths in a Saloon Car or hatchback.

The main radio under the seat wasn’t touched, as no doubt they thought it was a GPS. These radio sets are very rare in Ireland, as very few ever imported. They have not been made for some years. Replace Head/Display units are not available. This may even be the only one in all of Munster.

Closer view showing Model number on top edge
(Only this display part taken)

It’s an Amateur Band two way radio for 430MHz and 145MHz.

If you have any information, please contact Roxboro Garda Station in Limerick City or use the Contact form here if you wish be anonymous.

Argos at page 320 start of Guide to Televisions have
Digital switchover
The Digital switchover is coming to Ireland see page 373

Actually page 373 is an Advert, but page 374 has:
When is this happening
At the moment there is no confirmed date for the old analogue signal to be switched off. All we know is that it will definitely happen before the end of 2012,
so it is worth considering your options and preparing for the digital signal during 2011

I think this is a bit weaselish. But it’s clearly in the catalogue. Also EVERY TV in catalogue appears to have:
Irish digital compatible
or
Will not work with Irish Digital signals
you will require a digital set top box or
satellite source.

No confusing nonsense purely about Freeview as Tesco have!

Note that the TV licence is not about a TV per-se, but about an overall apparatus that can be more than one box (i.e. tuner box + monitor box), but since 1936 or so the universally accepted definition of a Television is display of video and Sound sound via demodulation of an RF Signal from an aerial using an integral tuner. Since about the same time the universal definition of a “Monitor” is a display (sound is optional connection) that takes un-modulated “baseband” video without any RF tuner, directly.

No need to confuse TV sets with TV licences. Not the same thing.

A Digital TV is designed that the aerial receives a Terrestrial signal feeds an RF tuner, the analogue output (baseband) from the tuner is digitised and decoded to give the video display and sound output. The only difference from Analogue TV to Digital TV is that the Analogue Modulation and the Terrestrial Radio signal represents digital data and not analogue brightness levels.

Analogue

There are basically two main incompatible types of SECAM, Two main kinds of PAL (sub types of PAL have incompatible sound), and one main kind of NTSC. All of these use a separated added Colour analogue signal to what was originally a 625 line (576 digital is same visible lines) or a 525 line (480 visible) Monochrome signal.

Only TVs compatible with PAL-I where sold in Ireland via Retail. Later some added extra compatibility such as NTSC, SECAM or PAL B/G. No one would have expected to sell a TV set without PAL-I, as that is implied by selling a TV set in Ireland. Note that NO monitor uses PAL-I, even if it’s PAL Composite. Some unscrupulous retailers in Ireland did sell some UK market PAL-I sets which had no UHF tuner. They always refunded/replaced if there was a complaint. Originally Argos would not sell UHF only TVs or Aerials here.

Sale of Goods Act and Common sense applied.

Totally Defunct TV Analogue signals are:
405 line, 441 line, 819 line monochrome (NTSC 405 was tested though!)
The Hybrid Analogue Digital never used Terrestrially, only on Satellite.
625 line hybrid Digital (Satellite only, DMAC, D2MAC)
1125 line Hybrid. (1080 visible NHK HD )

ASO (Analogue Switch off) Q4 2012

So what does that mean (link)? It means your TV needs to be a Digital TV. For a while most Digital TVs will also have Analogue Tuners. It doesn’t need to have a Satellite or Cable Tuner. These are regarded as extra services, not part of basic definition of a TV, which is moving picture (video) and sound (audio) received via an Aerial.

Already all of Netherlands, Berlin, Main USA NTSC, all Wales and I.O.M. and other places have turned off Analogue Terrestrial TV.

Digital

There many  Incompatible Terrestrial (via Aerial ) Digital Systems

• DVB-T Originally MPEG2 (Now also backward compatible DVB-T, and MPEG4 versions)
• ATSC (North America Compromise Modulation similar to Analogue Spectrum)
• ISD-T  Japan
• ISDB-T  South America based on ISD-T
• DMB-T China

Just like there were different PAL versions (one totally incompatible and the rest incompatible on Sound) but PAL-I was for UK, Ireland and a few other places, but Ireland needed a VHF tuner a Digital TV sold Retail in Ireland implies:

1. Signal is received via the Aerial and integral RF tuner. Just like Analogue.
2. Must be DVB-T (just like Analogue Must be PAL)
3. The DVB-T flavour must include MPEG4, not just MPEG2 video and AAC+, not just MP2 audio and MHEG5, not just basic DVB information. Just like PAL-I and a VHF /UHF tuner was implied by an Analogue TV sale.

UK Digital TV Imports

The UK market packaging always has Freeview Logo and/or word. This is separate from Digital. This is one of two UK services. This means it has the MHEG5 needed for Ireland.
Digital tick logo or Digital wording. This indicates it’s DVB-T and since for UK market, not ATSC, ISDB-T or DMB-T
Additional descriptive text about Digital
Occasionally DVB/T
Very occasionally mentions MPEG2. Rarely mentions MPEG4 even if the TV does it.

Certification Marks and what they mean

These TVs are fully or nearly fully Irish Compatible, Some may not display traditional Teletext. All will do MHEG5

UK Digital Compatible Mark. Products might or might not be compatible with Irish Digital

Non-HD UK Freeview Digital. Most Products are not compatible, but some are (list at your own risk).

Certified compatible with Irish Digital TV.

Non-certified TVs might be 100% compatible, even some Freeview ones, but how can ordinary consumer know?

Labelling Issues

Suggested Scheme for retailers and sample label designs to use is here (link)

The government warned people and CEDA warned Retailer and Manufacturers in February 2008 about labelling.

After March 2008 and Before October 2009
1) Simply putting a label Analogue Only in Ireland is fine.
2) Labelling it Incompatible with Irish Digital is fine.
3) Labelling it May be compatible with Irish Digital (because it has MPEG4) is fine.
4) Leaving the labelling on packaging “as is” implies it’s a Digital TV for Ireland. Because unless there is a disclaimer that it has no MPEG4, then “freeview” (indicates needed MHEG5), Digital tick (Indicated correct tuner) etc are correct and sale in Irish Retail implies MPEG4, like Analogue PAL sales in Ireland implied PAL-I.

In the Sale of Goods Act, there is clear Refund, Repair or Replacement if the unit is not fit for use or of merchantable quality. The Package Description specifically is mentioned in the act as defining the Contract between Retailer and Customer as to the Use, so as warned by Government and CEDA the Retailers needed to amend the labelling.

There was no onus to sell compatible TVs. Only to not mislead about what they actually selling.

Why did no retailer anywhere to my knowledge amend the labelling? A phone call or fax quickly establishes which (ever increasing from late 2008) Models are compatible or not to slap appropriate labels.

Could it be that the Retail trade assumed that would hurt sales of incompatible models and they thought they would get less than 10% complaints/returns anyway due to 80% used as Monitors and few people knowing consumer rights?

They didn’t break the law. As long as they sort out people that are firm about replacement/refund they are not breaking any law.

But it’s a travesty to suggest this is not covered by the Act and it shows how poor Consumer protection and Publicity is that nothing whatsoever was done or is being done about the labelling of Retail stock in Ireland.

It’s a separate bizarre issue as to why the “public” information campaign didn’t start in Mid 2008 and is only due to start end of February 2011, elections permitting.  See Saortv.info news. Partly that is due to DCNER/Government/BCI/BAI wanting to “hold back” Public Service DTT information and Rollout till search for someone to take up Pay DTT licence was exhausted.

No one is claiming the Retailers had to sell compatible TVs in 2008 to 2010.
No one is claiming the Retailers broke any law then or now.
But if they ARE selling a TV that says Digital on it, they are obliged to sort out complaining customers if the “Digital” doesn’t work. A “no Freeview” disclaimer is irrelevant as that is just one of two UK services on DVB-T (Digital) and wasn’t even on UK DTT originally. Saorview is even really the same name!

Again the Government has fallen down on the job. Minister Ryan should have signed an SI or whatever as provisioned by the Broadcasting Act to set the ASO date back probably in August 2010. RTE assumes, and Ryan has said (but not signed to law) Q4 2012. November 2012 has been Mentioned. N.I. ASO plan has not been published because they want / need to co-ordinate with Ireland. But Ireland despite “mentioning” November 2012 and q4 2012 has not signed anything. The UK in previous ASO by area avoids a switch off between November and January, so 31th October/1st November 2012 makes sense.

Any Retailer with any sense ought since December (before Christmas rush) have had prominent notices warning that all Analogue Only TVs will only be SCART or HDMI monitors (no Aerial signal) after Q4 2012. Argos are verbally warning customers.

Why is no Retailer doing this yet? Too many incompatible Digital TVs they hope to get less than 10% returns on?

Meanwhile my recommendation stands. Print pages from the Sale of Goods Act. If you didn’t buy the TV in last month or so have a good explanation as to why you left it so long to complain. (didn’t know service had started, so had not done a Digital Scan would be true for most. After all the Publicity doesn’t start for over a month yet!) print RTE Saorview pages and saortv.info pages. Be firm and polite. You need proof of purchase but not package.

The retailer will likely refund or replace. It’s worth going to Small Claims Court if they don’t.

Known reports of Replace/Refund of TVs labelled Digital, but incompatible

* DID electrical – Replace TV bought several months ago this week. Unusually Video Worked, but no MHEG5. MHEG5 unlike Teletext isn’t optional for compatibility. All “Freeview” and “Freeview HD” sets do MHEG5.
* Argos – many refunds since November 2010
* M&S – obtained replacement model not even in store. Prior Nov 2010
* Aldi – 3rd Nov 2010: Refund on 2009 sale.
* Tesco: After 28 days they never replace/refund without call to HQ. HQ usually authorise refund. You need to insist that they ask HQ.
* Power City: yes
* Lidl: Replacements (when they had them) and Refunds
* PCWorld/Currys: Yes

The longer you leave it past November 2010, the harder it will be to explain your case, even though the time limitations for “Damages” under the Sale of Goods Act is 6 years. The NCA site explains this too.

As well as TVs, there are VERY incompatible Set-box adaptors sold in Ireland and also online with False Claims:

A Black List of known “bad” boxes. If you bought any of these online advertised for “Irish Digital”, or in Ireland (without a disclaimer that it’s incompatible) , then you have a very good chance of  refund. You are entitled to it.

Link to Saorview Resource site with links to other important Saorview sites.

Repeaters are not meant to be used WHATSOEVER in weak signal (which is likely where channels from different masts overlap).

Repeaters are ONLY meant to be used where the indoor part doesn’t leak RF to outdoors and indoors can’t pickup outdoor signals (like tunnels, Metal buildings with no windows and underground car parks).

Three are irresponsible using repeaters rather than a Router (which costs less) on Doemestic houses. It will almost always damage reception in the immediate area if the indoor part signal leaks out.

Why do they use Repeaters rather than Routers?

* On Repeater each user needs a Three account and Dongle, but on a Router only one Dongle/Account is needed
* Routers don’t work with phones for 3G voice calls, ever. Repeaters work with phones.
* Three make no money from Data. They hope to make money from 3G voice.

Three don’t have enough voice customers due to the agressive mis-selling of Mobile Internet as Fixed Broadband. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt…p?t=2056080309

Three have ONLY 3 x 5Mhz channels for all mast sectors in the entire Country.

You will ALWAYS get much better performance putting dongle where repeater outdoor part/Aerial/Pickup part is and turning off Repeater
You will ALWAYS get very much better performance and have more flexibility and a firewall if you use a decent router and turn off the Repeater.

Repeaters can only be installed by 3G licence holder, but their licence ought to forbid misuse of them. Infact if the Repeater interferes with the other 3 phone companies it is illegal.

Is it the first ever fine issued by Comreg?

Though for 3 it's small change. €1.5M might be a more reasonable fine for an International Telecom Company based in Hong Kong. Hutchison Whampoa. It's hardly Petty Cash.

How many years has 3 over stated 3G coverage or been mis-selling Mobile Internet as Broadband to home users, at a cross subsidy by voice?

30Mbps available in many areas. More upgrades to come adding Broadband to TV only areas.

120Mbps DOCSIS 3 on the way.

UPC bought a pile of junk from NTL and Chorus. But it should not have been like that.

NTL and Chorus had no money eventually. They both did minimal investment. What UPC is doing could have been done 8 years ago.

Chorus and NTL could have had Broadband on Cable before eircom or Esat launched DSL.
Chorus had Fixed Wireless Broadband (I think in 2000 or 2002) but lost licence due to lack of rollout.
Chorus and NTL could have had Digital on MMDS and Cable before Sky Digital launched.

See  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_television_in_Ireland

From http://archives.tcm.ie/waterfordnews…story12080.asp October 2003

Goverment did belatedly make it a condition of cable TV licence to provide Broadband but it was years too late and they kept the bar too low and also were not perpared to withdraw licence so kept extending compliance dates.

Eircom privatisation was exactly at wrong time and with no enforceable conditions and without prior separation of Network and Retail.

Ultimately lack of enforcement of regulations and lack of will of Government to implement their own recommendations was at fault. Not the companies.
The Oireachtas 24th March 2004:

http://broadband.oireachtas.ie/Chapter02.htm
and
http://broadband.oireachtas.ie/Chairmans_Preface.htm

We are sadly  at about 1/2 the speed of the 2006 recommendation.

The spectrum to give everyone even 10Mbps Broadband via wireless doesn't exist unless there is a Wireless base station in every street.

Or if they are part of the iPhad cult, how do they think Apple TV will work without FTTH.?

Have they been mesmerised by Intel's buy out of Infineon's Wireless to have GSM/3G/LTE tech?

Do these guys have ANYONE on staff that actually understands Mobile Wireless technology and performance issues or do they just analyse share prices?

Operators should trial fibre to the home (FTTH) while also focusing on less expensive copper-based technologies

Operators should reconsider costly plans for fibre to the home (FTTH) and focus on copper-based technologies, according to global telecoms, media and IT adviser Analysys Mason’s latest report FTTx roll-out and capex in developed economies: forecasts 2010–2015.

Wireless devices and services will continue to capture new consumer telecoms spend (whether this is incremental or substitutive) because this area has the greatest rate of innovation. This growth makes it more difficult for fixed operators because overall consumer spend on telecoms has long since ceased to grow in developed economies. Many cable operators have been offering superfast fixed broadband connectivity for some time in Europe and North America, but take-up remains troublingly low.

“FTTH is often said to be ‘future-proof’, but the future appears to have veered off in a different direction,” says Rupert Wood, Principal Analyst at Analysys Mason and author of the report.

Press release on Analysys Mason

Comment

It's true that operators (ISPs) don't want to make the mistake that 3G operators made. They dreamed of all kinds of services. There turned out to be only three:

1. Voice calls.
2. SMS.
3. Pipe for Data.

There is of course VOD / IPTV which is possible on Fibre. That however is really being a Cable TV company (with all the costs) on fibre instead of Coax. You compete with existing Pay TV.

What people want is a connection. No cap or FUP. Reliability. TV is a service that has to be provided separately and most people that want pay-Tv already have it. It's not possible to provide free TV or free VOD on fibre, the costs are higher than a connection only broadband subscription.

It's also true that if the cabinet or curb is near your house or business then VDSL2 or even 1G CAT5e Ethernet (copper) from the fibre fed cabinet can deliver 20Mbps to 100Mbps on Cat3 and 100Mbps to 1Gbps on Cat5e up to 100m. But is that much of roll out saving?

None are contention or congestion free.

1. UPC can have very low contention depending how many are on the cable. Upstream congestion and Contention is inherently poorer than DSL (Eircom), but less people upload, so there appears to be less upload congestion.
2. Digiweb Metro is essentially UPC's technology over a very high capacity Microwave link instead of coax cable. So similar constraints but less capacity hence lower rolling cap to ensure low congestion.
3. Eircom could have no contention or very low contention depending on backhaul. There is no inherent contention or congestion in the technology.

1. UPC 8 meg €25.00 + 7.75("line rental*") + 6(Phone**) = €38.75

• 8Mb downstream; 1Mb upstream
• Typical Speed for 90% of users is more than 7.5Mbps
• No telephone line required. Needs UPC TV cable very close to Premises
• 120GB usage limit
• Phone Service extra €6 a month included in headline above. Cheaper calls than eircom? http://www.upc.ie/phone/tariffs/
• Very Low latency < 15ms

2. Digiweb 8M Metro €39.95

• 8Mb downstream; 1Mb upstream
• Typical Speed for 90% of users is more than 7.5Mbps
• No telephone line required. Needs LOS radio link to Mast < 15km
• 30GB usage limit (no excess charges, just throttle)
• Phone Service free 1st line. 2nd line extra. Cheaper calls than eircom. Free calls to other Metro users. http://www.digiweb.ie/home/bundles/metro-bundle/CallCharges27-11-08.pdf
• Low latency < 25ms

3. Eircom 8 meg NGB €29.99 + 25.36 = €55.35

• Download speeds of up to 8Mbps (10% of Users)
• Typical Speed is 3Mbps. 10% to 20% of users get 1Mbps
• Needs phone line installed.
• Usage allowance of 30GB
• Phone service included, calls cheaper than Mobile Prices? http://www.eircom.ie/About/Activities/VOP1_eircom_Value_Business_Multi_Line_Plans.pdf
• Medium Latency < 50ms

Hard to find non-bundle prices to compare call costs.

Other Differences

1. UPC can only economically service high density areas. They can't easily have zero congestion, just very low.  It's inherently asymmetric. The 30Mbps and 100Mbps services can't do very much faster upload.
2. Digiweb Metro can't realistically offer more than 12Mbps due to limitations of Radio spectrum. If Comreg licence and costs allowed and Line Of Sight possible it can do 30km range. If the 800MHz "Digital Dividend" band was used Metro like technology could offer 30km without line of sight using a TV aerial for radio link. It can't offer higher caps without a bad effect on congestion without a lot extra Spectrum from Comreg.
3. Eircom can only fix congestion not speed. In theory Eircom could offer slower symmetrical up to 4Mbps + 4Mbps, typically 1.5Mbps + 1.5Mbps. Eircom has the most variable speed. It's physics. They can't fix it: http://www.techtir.ie/comms/dsl-limits

    

Imagine WiMax (Nomadic/Mobile) and Mobile (O2, vodafone, 3 Ireland and Meteor/Eircom Mobile) are not broadband. They can't compete at all on reliability  latency, connectivity or speed with these packages.

* No UPC "Line Rental" if Digital TV ordered

** Phone is option on UPC, mandatory line rental on Eircom.

Best effort at comparison 2nd September 2010

<< On 16 June a unanimous parliament voted in favour of the Icelandic Modern Media Initiative, a resolution aimed at protecting investigative journalists and their sources.

'We took all the best laws from around the world and pulled them together, just like tax havens do, in order to create freedom of information and expression, a transparency haven >>

Ireland has quite difficult Slander and Libel laws. Also discussion of various topics can be deemed "illegal" or "criminal".

There is fibre from Iceland to Europe and USA. They also have cheap electricity. Atmosphere cooling of data centres is viable too. So a good place to have your hosted virtual server or build your next Data Centre?

The channels are part of UKTV, which is jointly owned by the BBC.

With the sale of UKTV, Virgin Media will become a pure play telecoms company, straddling cable TV and landlines, broadband and mobile.

Sky will be a potential customer and BBC has first refusal rights. But arguably Sky should be either a Platform or a Broadcaster, not both.

http://www.three.ie/terms/customer_notification.htm

and

Boards Midband

Ireland Offline

Multitasking and other fun on the PIC.

By Michael Watterson © 2010. All rights reserved. May be copied or printed for personal use only.

Embedded applications usually have some form of Real Time Operating system or Multitasking. We examine why the Microchip PIC microcomputer is ill-suited to this approach and an alternate methodology for Real Time Systems when programming the PIC with JAL. In passing various techniques of embedded programming using JAL will be illustrated and some suggestions regarding selection of PIC or if an alternate CPU should be used.

Which PIC and Why is Multitasking difficult?

There are a confusing variety of PIC Micro. 10F, 12F, 16F, 17F, 18F, dspPIC, PIC32. Initially we consider only the 8bit PIC family (see Choosing a PIC in appendix) as it has JAL (Just Another Language) and an architecture difficult for traditional Multi-tasking solutions.

The architecture is basically Harvard type, with Program in Flash and really all the RAM is the same address as the Registers. Microchip actually calls the RAM the “register file” and the operand mnemonic is “f”. Less than 18F version (10F, 12F, 16F) only small values for f with bank switching flags even on 256 RAM parts. The 18F series can have 8 bit or 12 bit address sizes for f. This means even the large 18F (80pins) can only really use external RAM for table operations, not general register instructions as it is in the same bus/ address space as the Program Instructions, not the register file. Also these PIC have almost all 4096 bytes of “register file” address space in use as the specific function registers are in the same address space as the 3905 bytes RAM.

The most serious issue is Stack. Stack is usually a block of RAM used to save and restore existing address, CPU state, parameters for Procedure, Function and Interrupt calls. Since the PIC doesn’t really have RAM in the conventional sense (only Register File), the Stack is implemented with dedicated RAM and pointer. The lowest spec PIC have only 1 or 2 levels for Return from Interrupt. The 16F series has 3 levels to 8 depending on part. The 18F has the most at 32 levels. Also only the 18F has Push and Pop instructions to manipulate the stack. Even the 18F stack is not enough for traditional Task Switching as you can only have one stack.  There are of course awkward "work-arounds" which are slow and use a lot of scarce RAM.

If this seems strange, it’s because in 1977 the General Instruments PIC 1650 was a Programmable Interface Computer for their 16 bit part which had poor I/O features. This part “lives on” as the PIC16F54, which is an almost identical Flash version. The 17F was the first attempt to really enhance the architecture. The 18F is the successful 2^nd attempt at that!

Review of Basic Multitasking concepts.

Even in the earliest days of microprocessors in mid 1970s it was realised that eventually a plateau of performance would be reached for a single CPU. Also there was 30 years experience of High Level language programming. UNIX was new and shiny and Batch Time Sharing Mainframe OSes looking a bit tired. But Fortran, C, Pascal, BASIC (originally a cut down ForTran) and Cobol (the main stream languages by late 1970s) had no “built in” concepts of multi-threading, multitasking, concurrency and such even though Multi-User operating systems with live terminals rather than batch card/Tape jobs appearing.

Analysing systems using Data Flow Diagrams (DFD) and also Digital Signal Processing (DSP) naturally lead to solutions that are more obvious to implement as Parallel Tasks or Processes. Industrial control and other embedded applications naturally are thought of as “real time systems” with known response times, by parallel tasks. In contrast UNIX was not (and even Linux today still is not) a “Real Time System”. This is nothing to do with how fast your CPU is. Even 2ms tasks requiring only us to execute can’t be reliably executed in a timely fashion on OS X, Linux, or NT (aka Win2000, XP, Vista, Win7) no matter how fast the CPU is or how little else the user is doing, without writing a hardware level device driver. Writing a Device driver is not trivial, and on some OS, may require “signing”, expensive tools, SDK, Non-Disclosure Agreements and much study.

In this discussion we don’t consider the different levels of concurrency on Intel CPU, Java or Windows. We will use Task, Process and Thread as synonymous descriptions of parallel execution, with inter-task communication via signal or other shared memory. Generally we will use the more Generic “Task”. A Signal is assumed to be “atomic”, i.e. no matter when an Interrupt occurs the Signal is either set or not. Larger area of shared memory is not Atomic and requires a Signal setup as a Mutex (Mutual Exclusion). A bit or Boolean variable may not be “Atomic”. What kind of variable is suitable to use as a signal is Compiler and Target dependant. Signals are required to allow inter-task communication and synchronisation safely.

How we got where we are?

Early solutions were Co-operative Multitasking using Co-Routines as implemented by Modula-2 (1978, PIM2 in 1983, ISO version 1996) and also Occam (released 1983) based on David May’s work on “Experimental Language for Distributed Computing” aka EPL and Tony Hoare's (Communicating Sequential Processes) aka CSP started in the late 1970s.

Both have a similar concept of process synchronisation, the Signal. Occam goes much further being a fully concurrent language.

However it’s implemented, or the syntax of language or library lets you program it, the underlying assumption is usually that each task (thread, process) has its own separate memory area, especially the Stack (used for calls and parameters) and Heap (used for temporary variables). With a conventional CPU (i.e. not a PIC) we can have a scheduler that has a table of Stack pointers. Switching task is as simple as saving current Program Counter, Heap Pointer, CPU state on the Stack, save Stack pointer in the table for that task, and restore a previously saved Stack pointer, then restore CPU state, heap pointer and Program counter from that stack.

Each Task (aka process, thread, co-routine) thus has its own non-overlapping block of memory, except perhaps for Signal (Mutex) protected communications / Message or other shared memory.

Each Task runs until it sends or awaits a signal. If no task awaits the signal, the sending task is suspended till one is awaiting it. If a task Awaits a signal, it’s suspended till the signal is received. This is task synchronisation by semaphore

A Mutex is simply created by using a signal. A task would initialise the resource and “send” the signal, that task can then waits for a signal when the first user consumes the signal. Each task that requires the resource Awaits the signal before use and Sends the signal after completion. The Resource task eats that and sends a new signal so that the task using the resource does not wait till someone else needs the task.

Depending on Signal/Semaphore implementation and the language or library, a mutex may be differently implemented.

Penalties on a regular CPU

1. Compared with a purely sequential program, a parallelised program may use much more RAM.

2. On a CPU without Virtual Memory and a MMU, the programmer may have to decide how much memory to allocate to a task at creation. It may be difficult without MMU/Virtual Memory to change the allocation at run time.

3. Without VM/MMU, ensuring that array bound violation, Stack or Heap overflow don’t destroy more than one process is nearly impossible.

4. Deadlock is possible in any parallelised system. This requires different programming skills to avoid.

5. Any Shared resources must have Mutual Exclusion (Mutex) so only one process at a time has access. Like a toilet cubical.

6. Any shared code must be “re-entrant”. If it uses a global value to hold state (static variable), this needs to somehow be unique to each process.

Advantages

1. Digital Signal Processing (DSP) much simpler to implement.

2. Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) especially based on realtime sampling of I/O is much easier to implement.

3. A delay “loop” (or While Busy do Nothing) does not “waste” CPU or block other tasks. It takes a fixed overhead no matter how long the delay.

4. Real-time response / Embedded control is much easier to write.

5. Even interrupts could become unnecessary, implemented by Signals instead.

6. If you have unknown number of cores or distributed CPUs and this is more than one, then a well designed parallelised Program with a suitable Real Time Operating system can map different Tasks

Problems with Multitasking on PIC.

1. There is simply not the RAM for the conventional model.

2. No RAM based Stack. It’s a Hardware stack, you can only have one of it. You would have to empty and fill the entire stack on a task switch. On less than 18F (10, 12, 16) you can’t Push and Pop items on Stack at all. It’s only for the Interrupt return.

3. Even on 18F, you could only task easily on main level of a “task” not within a procedure/Function call.

Looks bad? Take a break from Multitasking for a moment and consider JAL.

JAL

Why “Just Another Language” (JAL) rather than C, Basic, Forth or even Pascal or Modula-2?

The design of these languages assumes ample RAM, an accessible Stack and such that “regular” CPUs have. C, Basic and Forth do exist for the 16F and 18F. Forth obviously uses a fabricated software stack rather than the real Stack pointer. Parameter passing and Function returns are normally on the Stack. But on the PIC they have to be RAM based, i.e. “general purpose register file”. JAL and the JAL compiler in contrast was especially designed for the quirky architecture of the 16F. JAL also has some features not part of standard C, Basic or Forth for embedded programming:

1) The ChipDef / Chip Include. This allows JAL compiler and JAL programmer to use the hundreds of different PIC, some 10F, 12F, most 16F and most 18F. This is currently about 345 cpu models. There is now an automated process to create these from new Microchip datasheets.

2) ALIAS <some Identifier> IS <some existing variable> This allows pins, ports and registers to be given meaningful application dependent names

3) AT, a variable declaration can be “at” a Register file “location”, or another variable. AT connects a variable name to particular pin, port or register address. Or “AT” can act like a “union”.

var dword fred

var byte bill[4] at fred

This means bill[0] is 1^st byte of fred and bill[3] is last byte of fred, dword is always 32 bits.

if you need a 64 bit variable you can

var byte[8] bill

There oddly is NO main program, in sense of main() in C. The logic is that when you declare a variable that is a port you may want to set it up with a value or a direction.

var byte bill[4] = “Hello”

alias GLCD_LED is pin_E1

alias GLCD_LED_direction is pin_E1_direction

GLCD_LED = on

Typically, textually the last part of your file of JAL will be

forever loop

– do stuff

– do more stuff

end loop

All embedded programs generally have this in the last part of the main program or else the CPU would either halt, or do nops (no operation) instructions till program counter wrapped around to reboot.

if you had a Real Time Operating system or Scheduler, it might be started here, or the loop might just have “suspend” in it.

Basics of Real Time

An embedded system or Real Time system is not about speed, per se, but about timely response. It is best to consider it in terms of data flow and sampling. The inputs read, outputs must be updated at a certain rate and processing between have a maximum latency.

1. Timing and Sampling.

Not all tasks need the same time constraints. Not all inputs or outputs require the same response time. First identify the highest speed input. If it must be polled rather than generating an interrupt, the sample clock must be at least twice as fast (Nyquist). This is the minimum speed then of the master Real Time Clock Interrupt. There may be a limited number of Hardware counters / Interrupts. But really we only need one, and that is more efficient than several in use of Stack, as otherwise they may need to overlap.

Identify all the slower events, sampling and timing required. See if there is a simple common denominator as a faster, but still reasonable clock interrupt. It may be that some intervals required are not an exact integer multiple of this Master Interrupt. In this case the ISR (Interrupt Service Routine) will use two software counters to achieve fractional multiplication. All the higher speed events should be an exact integer multiple. In some cases an inexact multiple is fine.

Example

We need to sample 1200Hz external clock on a pin and read a data pin, but 2400Hz is 416.666..7 micro seconds. Our clock is 64us. In this case simply over-sample faster at 256us, thus 4 counts in software of interrupt. This is 3906.25 Hz which is about 3.25 times, exceeding the minimum x2. Counting 5 ticks would be 320us which would also work and also 6 at 384us. But x7 at 448us is too slow, the 1200Hz is not maybe exactly 1200Hz and not synchronized to the CPU clock. Also the CPU clock may not be exactly as expected. So over-sampling at higher speed reduces jitter and increases margin if the remote system is in error. USART (PC serial Ports) typically over-sample at x4 to x 16.

For a non-integer multiplication we need to periodically change the software counter that counts the “ticks” between two values such that the average count is correct. This does introduce some jitter, equivalent to the (difference in counts) x (tick rate).

When the software counter/multiplier has counted.

Then the counter is reloaded with default value. The nature of the task decides what happens next. If you have an 18F, then you can call a procedure or function that takes longer than tick time but less than the (tick time) x (software count) period as the HW stack is 31 deep. If it is 10F, 12F, 16F, then due to lack of HW stack (1 to 3 only), the task is ideally inline and must be completed before next tick. If the task repetition time is longer than time to execute the main “forever loop” then you increment a semaphore. A section in the main loop skips if the semaphore is zero, otherwise executes extra code and decrements the semaphore (Must be a single byte on 8 bit PIC).

2. Functions that wait internally

This also includes Procedures that must wait for external event or have “out” parameters.

We are essentially implementing Data Flow architecture. So everything is in the main forever loop or repeatedly called by an Interrupt. The solution is for the routine (function, procedure) to either use a shared (“private”global”) variable if several use the same resource (say Serial I/O) or a non-shared routine specific “private” global. The first action then is for the semaphore or mutex variable to be tested. If it is not in use, we set it and do the first part of the task. If it is in use we check is it “our” value and if the resource required (time, serial port, whatever) is ready. If it it’s ready then we service it and set the semaphore/Mutex back to “empty”. If it is for “us” but the resource isn’t ready we return.

All data return has to be via “out” parameters. The Function return is always false if the function only did first part of “task” or the “resource” to complete the task was busy, or some other function has the “resource”. The Function only returns true when the resource was accessed and the Function reset the “semaphore/Mutex” to “empty”.

Thus in our procedures called by the main “forever loop” the code after the Function call is repeatedly skipped till there is valid data in the “out” parameters.

This method makes “blocking” I/O non-blocking for the main “forever loop” and makes “While busy do nothing” and “delay (xxx)” take almost no overhead in the main loop. We have turned the main “forever loop” into a basic round robin scheduler without the overhead of multiple stacks and a RTOS kernel.

example Function:

function CAT_FreqBCDRd(byte out ModMode, byte out bcdfreq[4]) return bit is

var bit status = false

var byte digit

bcdfreq[0] =0

bcdfreq[1] =1

bcdfreq[2] =0

bcdfreq[3] =0

modMode = 16

if ( _CAT_QueuedCmd == CMD_NONE ) then

CAT_SendCmd(CAT_NO_PARAM, CMD_FreqRd, true)

status = false

--suspend

elsif (_CAT_QueuedCmd == CMD_FreqRd) then

if (serial_hw_data_available) then

digit = 0 -- get back the frequency

bcdfreq[digit]= serial_hw_data

for 3 loop

digit = digit +1

if RigResponds() then

bcdfreq[digit]= serial_hw_data

else

exit loop

end if

end loop

if RigResponds() then -- read the Mode

modMode = serial_hw_data

status = true

end if

_CAT_QueuedCmd = CMD_NONE

elsif ( _CAT_retryCount < 1) then

_CAT_QueuedCmd = CMD_NONE

else

_CAT_retryCount = _CAT_retryCount -1

end if

end if

return (status)

end function

In this case ( _CAT_QueuedCmd == CMD_NONE ) is testing the shared Mutex /semaphore to see if the resource is free (it’s a serial port). The Function has to send 5 bytes via serial and wait up to 350ms for the remote device to return 5 bytes. Once the remote responds, the 5 returned bytes come in a block, but we have tests in case the communication link is lost or remote is turned off in the middle of transmission.

The CAT_FreqBCDRd thus could be called many times before it does anything. Since we know there is no point in interrogating the remote device more than 3 or 4 times a second, we have a timer that sends a “signal” to part of our main loop, so many times this part of main loop (shown below) is skipped:

part of main loop

– loop

if CheckRadio > 0 then

case rigModeNow of

RIGMODE_RX: block

if !(rigModeNow == rigModeOld) then

if ! clock_on then

DrawClockFace(19,35,17, on, off)

clock_on = true

DisplayWait()

DrawMeterFace(42, 16, S_METER_HEIGHT,S_METER_SCALE, on)

end if

pttStatus = off

if CAT_PTT(pttStatus) then

rigModeOld = rigModeNow

linkFailTime = LINK_RETRIES

end if

else

RIG_RxPoll()

end if

end block

CheckRadio is incremented by the Timer ISR.

Then in Rig_RXPoll() we interrogate the Remote Radio :

Procedure DisplayFrequency() is

var volatile byte rigFreq[4]

var byte rigFreqText[10] = "430.125,00"

var byte modmodeText[3]

var byte newMode

if CAT_FreqBCDRd(newMode, rigfreq) then

if BCD4toString10 (rigFreq, rigFreqText) then

timedOut = false

if newMode < 15 then

modMode = newMode

end if

ScreenCharXY(0,0)

CharStyleDouble = on

print_string(ScreenChar,rigFreqText)

CharStyleDouble = off

ScreenCharXY(20,1)

CharStyleBold = on

ScreenChar ="0"

CharStyleBold = off

end if

ScreenCharXY(15,7)

if RIG_ModeText(modMode,modmodeText) then

ScreenChar = "n"

else

ScreenChar = " "

end if

print_string(ScreenChar,modmodeText)

linkFailTime = LINK_RETRIES

elsif (linkFailTime < 1) then

if ! timedOut then

DisplayWait()

timedOut = true

end if

else

linkfailtime = linkfailtime -1

end if

end procedure

If after a reasonable time the CAT_FreqBCDRd doesn’t return “true” we assume the communications link is broken or the Remote unit is turned off.

To Be Continued! …

Appendix

Complete “Blink LEDs”

for the 18F4550.   Always four parts at least:

1) RTC ISR

2) Low level routines that "multitask"  using dataflow sampling

3) The Tasks

4) The main forever loop calls the tasks.

include 18f4550

– even though the external crystal is 20 MHz, the configuration is such that

– the CPU clock is derived from the 96 Mhz PLL clock (div2), therefore set

– target frequency to 48 MHz

pragma target clock 48_000_000

– fuses

pragma target PLLDIV P5 — divide by 5 – 20MHZ_INPUT

pragma target CPUDIV P2 — OSC1_OSC2_SRC_1_96MHZ_PLL_SRC_2

pragma target USBPLL F48MHZ — CLOCK_SRC_FROM_96MHZ_PLL_2

pragma target OSC HS_PLL

pragma target FCMEN DISABLED

pragma target IESO DISABLED

pragma target PWRTE ENABLED — power up timer

pragma target VREGEN ENABLED — USB voltage regulator

pragma target VOLTAGE V20 — brown out voltage

pragma target BROWNOUT DISABLED — no brownout detection

pragma target WDTPS P32K — watch dog saler setting

pragma target WDT DISABLED — no watchdog

pragma target CCP2MUX pin_C1 — CCP2 pin

pragma target PBADEN DIGITAL — digital input port<0..4>

pragma target LPT1OSC LOW_POWER — low power timer 1

pragma target MCLR EXTERNAL — master reset on RE3

pragma target STVR DISABLED — reset on stack over/under flow

pragma target LVP DISABLED — no low-voltage programming

pragma target XINST ENABLED — extended instruction set

pragma target DEBUG DISABLED — background debugging

pragma target CP0 DISABLED — code block 0 not protected

pragma target CP1 DISABLED — code block 1 not protected

pragma target CP2 DISABLED — code block 2 not protected

pragma target CP3 DISABLED — code block 3 not protected

pragma target CPB DISABLED — bootblock code not write protected

pragma target CPD DISABLED — eeprom code not write protected

pragma target WRT0 DISABLED — table writeblock 0 not protected

pragma target WRT1 DISABLED — table write block 1 not protected

pragma target WRT2 DISABLED — table write block 2 not protected

pragma target WRT3 DISABLED — table write block 3 not protected

pragma target WRTB DISABLED — bootblock not write protected

pragma target WRTD DISABLED — eeprom not write protected

pragma target WRTC DISABLED — config not write protected

pragma target EBTR0 DISABLED — table read block 0 not protected

pragma target EBTR1 DISABLED — table read block 1 not protected

pragma target EBTR2 DISABLED — table read block 2 not protected

pragma target EBTR3 DISABLED — table read block 3 not protected

pragma target EBTRB DISABLED — boot block not protected

enable_digital_io()

– ——————— Main Program ———————-

alias led1 is pin_b1

pin_b1_direction = output

alias led2 is pin_b2

pin_b2_direction = output

alias led3 is pin_b2

pin_b3_direction = output

; private variables for the low level procedures


const byte NUM_DELAYS = 3

var byte CheckDelay[NUM_DELAYS] = {0, 0, 0} — semaphores

var byte timer[NUM_DELAYS] = {0, 0, 0} –internal delay timer

– 1 to 255 x the RTC tick of 1024 usec.

function Delay(byte in instance, byte in ms) return bit is

var bit timedout = false

if instance < Count (CheckDelay) then — only bother if it exists

if CheckDelay[instance] > 0 then

if timer[instance] < 1 then — 1st time ever call

timer[instance] = ms +1

elsif timer[instance] ==1 then — timeout

timer[instance] = ms +1

timedout = true

else

timer[instance] = timer[instance] -1

end if

CheckDelay[instance] = checkDelay[instance] -1

end if

end if

return (timedout)

end function

; the tasks.

procedure BlinkLed1() is

If Delay(0, 100) then  — delay in 1.024ms steps

led1 = ! Led1

end if

end procedure

procedure BlinkLed2() is

If Delay(1,120) then

led2 = ! Led2

end if

end procedure

procedure BlinkLed3() is

If Delay(2,200) then

led3 = ! Led3

end if

end procedure

– The RTC always increments a Semaphore by 1 if it's time to do a task

– The Task always decrements the Semaphore by 1 when it has completed.

const TICK_INIT = 48 — 1024us = 1.024ms

var byte ticks = TICK_INIT — timer

procedure RTC() is

pragma interrupt

var byte instance

if INTCON_TMR0IF then

INTCON_TMR0IF = off — clear the timer 0 interrupt flag

ticks = ticks -1 — 256us counter

if (ticks < 1) then

ticks = TICK_INIT

for Count (CheckDelay) using instance loop

CheckDelay[instance] = CheckDelay[instance] +1

end loop

end if

end if

end procedure — end of ISR

– Main Program

block

–RTC setup

T0CON_T0CS =0 — TMR0 on internal clock

T0CON_PSA = 1 — prescaler

– so no prescaler for TMR0 (= default)

INTCON_TMR0IE = on — if your PIC freezes, move these lines

INTCON_GIE = on — to see if the ISR causes trouble

forever loop  ;round robin tasks! 

BlinkLed1()

BlinkLed2()

BlinkLed3()

end loop

end block

Choosing a PIC

10F, 12F, 16F or 18F?

Less than the 18F series has only 1 to 8 entries possible in Stack and only up to 350byte approximately of RAM. The 18F series has up to 31 stack levels (still a fixed Hardware stack, i.e. you can’t change the Stack Pointer to relocate it elsewhere in RAM).

There are about 10 models each of 6, 8 and 14 pin PIC in the 10F, 12F and 16F series.

The 18F series is not available in less than an 18 pin package. The lesser 10, 12 and 16 series are available in as little as 6 pins but no 8 bit HW multiply, no PUSH/POP and only 1 to 3 stack levels and less than 350 byte RAM. Most are 2K words to 4K words. The 18F are typically 8K words to 64k words. Because an instruction “word” is more than 8 bits but less than 16bits the PIC 10, 12, 16 series don’t store lookup tables efficiently. Most lookup tables use 8 bit or 16 bit values. The 18F uses a 16bit word so lookup tables are more efficient.  There are hundreds of 18F models

JAL currently supports over 350 PIC from 10F, 12F, 16F and 18F family, including 18FxxJxx and 18FxxKxx devices

We don’t consider here the 17F as it’s obsolete version of the 18F. Nor do we consider the higher end dspPIC or 24F series as the ARM or PIC32 (really a MIPS core) is a better choice. Some people mistakenly think the 18F is a 16 bit cpu as Microchip refers to it as 16 bit core, but they do group it as an 8bit cpu. It’s less 16 bit than an 8bit Z80! The 16 bits is only the instruction size. All the PIC 10, 12, 16, 17 and 18 are 8bit CPU slightly similar to 8051 rather than 8080, Z80 or even 6502/6800 type family.

For 18 pins or more only consider the 18F family
http://www.microchip.com/ParamChartSearch/chart.aspx?branchID=1004&mid=10&lang=en&pageId=74

Selection and Parametric search of all 8bit PIC
http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=2696&param=en537796

Get JAL  here     http://code.google.com/p/jallib/   (Downloads on Right of page)
see also
http://groups.google.com/group/jallib
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/jallist/
http://www.casadeyork.com/jalv2/
http://groups.google.com/group/jaledit
http://groups.google.com/group/jaluino
http://justanotherlanguage.org/

See also here http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2010/01/26/how-online-card-security-fails/

I'll be using this in a few projects. Pinout is different from usual KS0107 GLCDs:

HQM1286404 / JE-AN 1286404 LCD Pin connections:

1: VDD is connected to +5V

2: VSS is connected to OV /GND

3: V0 – LCD operating voltage is connected from a 10K or 20k Ohm POT (Between OV and -5V from pin 18)

4 .. 11: Data Bus 0 to 7 is connected to port d

12: Chip Select 1

13: Chip Select 2

14: Reset  (hold at +5V for normal operation)

15: R/W – Read=1 or Write =0

16: D/I aka RS – Data or Instruction (Registers)

17: EN Enable is connected to B5 18: Negative voltage out to feed 20k Ohm POT for view angle

19: Positive voltage for LED backlight is connected to +5V

20: Negative voltage for LED backlight is connected to GND. On my pre-wired panel this is red wire! (feed LED backlight via 47 Ohms in series with + or – pin.)

I had to reverse CS1 and CS2 in the JAL library, but the wiring above works with LCDStudio for PC parallel Port (RW = 0V and RESET aka RES = +5V, connect Power first! I used USB for +5V) More details with projects, schematics etc on http://www.techtir.ie soon

Tested on PIC16F877A 20MHz using JAL. Same SW should work on 16F887 (replacement) and others with enough pins.

Other models of GLCD that are compatible may have different pin layout and even +5V and 0V reversed (even on similar model names of same make!)

This shocking report is a result of a myriad of policy failings over the medium term since around 2001, not only in the lack of an overall balanced National Broadband policy but also because our only energy policy is to have the most expensive electricity in Europe, by design. Data Centres are the very heart of any functioning knowledge economy, they are where knowledge and data is stored and and from which the kowledge underpinning the economy is distributed.

Pricing Irish business out of these Datacentres may seem smart and green to some but this smart green policy will have disastrous consequences over the medium term out to 2015, not least to our GDP. Ireland Offline calls on Minister Ryan to address these deficiencies as a matter of extreme urgency. Only 2 data centres have opened in Ireland in the past 8 years, one in Cork and one in Dublin. No more are planned.

### ENDS

——————

1) Tariff Consultancy Website http://www.telecomspricing.com/ 2)

http://www.telecomspricing.com/news_detail.cfm?item=2592 “The most expensive average Data Centre countries in our survey are Denmark, Switzerland & Ireland (with rates per rack from 1,300 Euro to 1,050 Euro per month), with cage and 50 KVA pricing being significantly less (in Euro per square metre terms).” Ireland led Europe in the quality price and availability of its Data Centres in 2001. We have built only 2 since, one in Cork and one in Dublin. Data centres are huge computer warehouses where ones data is stored, even though we are supposedly a “leader” in the knowledge economy stakes.

ABOUT IRELANDOFFLINE

———————–

Campaigning For Affordable, Unmetered And Broadband Internet Access In Ireland IrelandOffline is a voluntary organisation consisting of home and business Internet users. Its brief is to campaign for the development of high-speed Internet access services and to promote innovation and competition in the Irish Internet marketplace. For more information on the organisation, please visit the IrelandOffline website at http://www.irelandoffline.org or contact us at info@irelandoffline.org. For urgent media enquiries, contact spokesperson Eamonn Wallace at 086 250 6350.

When eircom was privatised 82% had landlines. Now in 2009 66% have landlines in Ireland and 1/3rd of those are paid for by Social Welfare.

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