Morning all,
Does anyone know if there is a physical difference between the 2 Zigbee products that Matrix offers, ie, EB051C and EB051R being the coordinator and router/end_node boards?
As Zigbee is a software standard, I cant see why there would be a difference, physically, in the boards and if this is the case why would Matrix offer 2 boards with different product codes. The only difference I can imagine is the silk screen printing to show that one is a coordinator and the other a router/end_node.
Many thanks
Sefi
Zigbee Module
Moderator: Benj
-
JohnCrow
- Valued Contributor
- Posts: 1367
- Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2007 1:21 pm
- Location: Lincolnshire
- Has thanked: 364 times
- Been thanked: 716 times
Re: Zigbee Module
Hi Sefi
The actual boards are almost identical, except for the xbee module that is plugged into them.
That is what makes the board a router or co-ordinator.
The function is programmed in the xbee device.
i.e a co-ordinator board cannot be used as a router or visa versa.
Only 1 co-ordinator can be active on a network.
The actual boards are almost identical, except for the xbee module that is plugged into them.
That is what makes the board a router or co-ordinator.
The function is programmed in the xbee device.
i.e a co-ordinator board cannot be used as a router or visa versa.
Only 1 co-ordinator can be active on a network.
1 in 10 people understand binary, the other one doesn't !
Re: Zigbee Module
Thank John for your response.
I may be totally wrong on this but my understanding is that Zigbee is a software standard and as such sits above the communications layer which is what the Zigbee chip provides. The MCU through the initialisation phase then programs the chip to behave in a certain way, be it a coordinator, router (which effectively is only a repeater) or an end_node. When these boards are shipped they do not have any software loaded and when the MCU is programmed, it is that which determines how the Zigbee module should behave.
Anyway I am in the process of producing some prototype Zigbee boards for my specific application and will report back. I would imagine that it is purely for ease of identification purposes that Matrix produces 2 different boards.
many thanks
Sefi
I may be totally wrong on this but my understanding is that Zigbee is a software standard and as such sits above the communications layer which is what the Zigbee chip provides. The MCU through the initialisation phase then programs the chip to behave in a certain way, be it a coordinator, router (which effectively is only a repeater) or an end_node. When these boards are shipped they do not have any software loaded and when the MCU is programmed, it is that which determines how the Zigbee module should behave.
Anyway I am in the process of producing some prototype Zigbee boards for my specific application and will report back. I would imagine that it is purely for ease of identification purposes that Matrix produces 2 different boards.
many thanks
Sefi
-
JohnCrow
- Valued Contributor
- Posts: 1367
- Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2007 1:21 pm
- Location: Lincolnshire
- Has thanked: 364 times
- Been thanked: 716 times
Re: Zigbee Module
Hi Sefi
Im sure Matrix will clarify this, but the 2 boards are not interchangable between Router/End and Co-Ordinator.
I would think the x-bee module on the is programmed at manufacture to act as the co-ordinator or router.
I have experimented a bit with zigbee using the matix boards, but Im no expert on the protocol
But they work very well with flowcode.
Im sure Matrix will clarify this, but the 2 boards are not interchangable between Router/End and Co-Ordinator.
I would think the x-bee module on the is programmed at manufacture to act as the co-ordinator or router.
I have experimented a bit with zigbee using the matix boards, but Im no expert on the protocol
But they work very well with flowcode.1 in 10 people understand binary, the other one doesn't !
-
DavidA
- Matrix Staff
- Posts: 1076
- Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 2:18 pm
- Location: Matrix Multimedia Ltd
- Has thanked: 58 times
- Been thanked: 258 times
- Contact:
Re: Zigbee Module
Hi guys,
ill clarify this, technically you can change them between each other, but only if you have a way to reflash the firmware on the xbee boards, which is done with a specific programmer. There is no simple way to do this and we certainly arent able to provide that functionality in Flowcode.
So in terms of general usage of the boards they are locked and there is no software switch to chose router or co-ordinator.
ill clarify this, technically you can change them between each other, but only if you have a way to reflash the firmware on the xbee boards, which is done with a specific programmer. There is no simple way to do this and we certainly arent able to provide that functionality in Flowcode.
So in terms of general usage of the boards they are locked and there is no software switch to chose router or co-ordinator.