Next Gen DGT Wireless eBoard

[Brian Erdelyi]

Does anyone know how to determine the difference between the next gen DGT wireless board released in Oct. 2020 with an older DGT wireless board?

[Scally]

Hi Brian,

Hopefully Lucas of DGT can answer your query, he monitors this Forum ...

Al.

[Lucas van der Ploeg | DGT]

Hi,

The new wooden e-Board replaces both the old USB and Serial (tournament) e-Boards. It is not a wireless e-Board, but it is compatible with a wireless system that is under development. The Smartboards are also compatible with this wireless system. To connect to the boards using the new wireless system some modifications are needed to Picochess as it uses Bluetooth Low Energy instead of classic Bluetooth like used in the current Bluetooth e-Boards and Revelation II.

You can recognize the new e-Boards by the USB-C port and the different look of the side plate:

More information on:

http://dgt.nl/index.php/news/607-say-goodbye-to-old-serial-connections

kind regards
Lucas van der Ploeg | DGT

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From: pico...@googlegroups.com <pico...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Scally <scall...@gmail.com>
Sent: 15 December 2020 18:50:45
To: PicoChess
Subject: Re: Next Gen DGT Wireless eBoard

 

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[Brian Erdelyi]

Thanks for the detail.  PicoChess on Raspberry Pi can connect USB or Bluetooth to the next generation board?

Brian

[Brian Erdelyi]

Lucas: Do you know where I can get documentation regarding APIs or interfaces with the DGT board and the DGT3000 connected to a DGT board?

Brian

[RandyR]

Brian, here is some info you may be interested in:

picochess/dgtbrd-ruud.h at master · jromang/picochess (github.com) 

Randy 

[Brian Erdelyi]

Thanks RanyR.  I'm looking through it now.  I haven't been able to find documentation from DGT on this communication protocol yet.

[Dirk]

Hi Brain - I don't know when&where I got this from but here is the official API documentation...

Dirk

[RandyR]

That's from DGT:

DGT Software - Digital Game Technology 

Randy 

[Dirk]

There you go.  ;-)

Thanks for the link,  Randy.

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[Brian Erdelyi]

REALLY appreciate all your help and patience.  I found d the Rabbit Plugin document.  What I'm curious about is if a device connects to the board (USB or B Bluetooth) how does an app communicate with the board?

[Brian Erdelyi]

This document describes a limited control of messages that can be displayed on the DGT3000.  "1A:BC 1D:EF".  I thought larger messages could be sent to the DGT3000.  Is there something I'm missing?

[Kiko Gomez]

Hi, DGT3000 has 8 chars avaliabe if is conected to the DGT e-board and 11 if is directly connected to the Raspberry pi like DGTPi, longer messages will need to program some kind of scroll.

BR

Kiko

[Brian Erdelyi]

I think I understand why some people connect the DGT3000 directly to the Raspberry Pi now :). 

[Dirk]

Especially when using V3 ;-)

Am 16.12.2020 um 21:08 schrieb Brian Erdelyi <brian....@gmail.com>:

I think I understand why some people connect the DGT3000 directly to the Raspberry Pi now :). 

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[RandyR]

Is this a software limitation of the DGT board when sending info to the clock via the clock cable? Maybe DGT could update the firmware to support 11 characters. Or maybe it's in the clock?

Randy

[Brian Erdelyi]

Randy: I expect the clock is the same in the DGT Pi and DGT3000.  I expect it's a limitation of communicating with the clock through the DGT board.

Dirk: What did PicoChess v3 do regarding DGT3000 or DGT Pi?  Do you have screenshots of the DGT3000 or DGT Pi displays showing some of the new features?

[Dirk]

Hi Brian.

I did no expect that my v3 threads are so well hidden so fast ;-) - but google groups is really not the best forum software for such things…

I use a DGTPI as well as a RPI4 connected to a Revelation II which is the best possible set up for picochess because of the LEDs and the integrated DGT3000 with 11 chars and enhanced readability (no segments)- but unfortunately not the cheapest one even when you buy a used revelation like me).

You can find more information in these follwong threads:

1. The hardware I use: https://groups.google.com/g/picochess/c/jC-EEwEd15M

2. More about the features of the PicoChess V3 software: https://groups.google.com/g/picochess/c/HM2Dtzt6gic

3. More about my „enhanced uci engine“ concept which allows to easily integrate my PGN replay engine and online engines: https://groups.google.com/g/picochess/c/czHRxH9HLw4

4. The thread for the V3 image for the Raspebrry Pi (DGTPI and nonDGTPI versions):https://groups.google.com/g/picochess/c/SpNFpp2Scw4

Dirk

Am 16.12.2020 um 21:20 schrieb Brian Erdelyi <brian....@gmail.com>:

Randy: I expect the clock is the same in the DGT Pi and DGT3000.  I expect it's a limitation of communicating with the clock through the DGT board.

Dirk: What did PicoChess v3 do regarding DGT3000 or DGT Pi?  Do you have screenshots of the DGT3000 or DGT Pi displays showing some of the new features?

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[RandyR]

Brian, I think it IS the same. I'm just not sure where the limitation is. I guess I really don't know if the pi is wired into the same place as the clock cable goes to. I assumed it wasn't but never really looked into it as I own the DGTPi and wasn't interested in the hardware mod. But, it would be nice to have the 11 characters even when using the clock cable. I suppose at some point the clock could become redundant and just have a tablet showing the times and providing the interface. Of course, it starts to become no different than hooking up your laptop to the DGT board. Using the pi and a clock is a nice minimalist solution.

Randy

[Brian Erdelyi]

Dirk and Randy: makes me think we can 3D print a clock and use out own display. Let’s dream a bit...

What kinda simplified display do we want? What do we want displayed on it? I’ll help mock up a new display.

Brian

[Lucas van der Ploeg | DGT]

Actually this is one of the advantages of the new e-Board and the Smartboard, they support the new protocol (I²C) instead of the old one (SBI). This means you can use the full functionality of the DGT3000 from these chess boards. You can put 11 characters on the screen, you can program the clock and you can get much more information out of it. Also the communication to the clock is much faster.

Unfortunately all the old board cannot support this (including Bluetooth e-Bard) and they would need new electronics to get these functionality.

 

There are new commands to use these features. Do not send these commands to the old boards, so if you want to implement this you have to make sure you are talking to a board with version number higher than or equal to 4.0.

 

#define DGT_SEND_I2C_CLOCK       0x56

/* Results in a DGT_MSG_I2C message

*/

 

#define DGT_SEND_UPDATE_I2C      0x57

/* Results in DGT_MSG_FIELD_UPDATE messages and DGT_MSG_I2C messages

*/

 

#define DGT_SEND_UPDATE_I2C_NICE 0x58

/* results in DGT_MSG_FIELD_UPDATE messages and DGT_MSG_I2C messages,

* the latter only at time changes,

* as long as the board is in UPDATE_NICE mode*/

 

#define DGT_I2C_CLOCK_MESSAGE    0x2c

/* This message contains a command for the clock. There are clock commands

* for showing text, displaying icons, setting beep, clearing display,

* and for setting clock times. All these clock commands are wrapped

* within the DGT_I2C_CLOCK_MESSAGE command.

*

* byte 1 - DGT_CLOCK_MESSAGE (= 0x2c)

* byte 2 - the size of the following bytes (total-2) 5 to 64

* byte 3..n-1 - I2C packet

* byte n - end of message (= 0x00)

*

* for I2C packet description see dgt_i2c.h

*/

 

#define DGT_MSG_I2C             0xa3

/* byte 1: DGT_MSG_I2C

* byte 2: LLH_SEVEN(size)

* byte 3: LLL_SEVEN(size)

* byte 4..n: I2C packet

*

* for I2C packet description see dgt_i2c.h

* see dgt_i2c.h

*/

 

The contents of these I²C messages can be found in https://github.com/lucasvdp/dgtpi

First byte is destination, second byte source, third byte length, fourth byte command, last byte CRC16 checksum.

 

I will talk to my colleagues about putting the full documentation online.

 

Best regards,

Lucas van der Ploeg | DGT

From: pico...@googlegroups.com [mailto:pico...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of RandyR
Sent: 16 December 2020 21:14
To: PicoChess <pico...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: Next Gen DGT Wireless eBoard

 

Is this a software limitation of the DGT board when sending info to the clock via the clock cable? Maybe DGT could update the firmware to support 11 characters. Or maybe it's in the clock?

 

Randy

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[Kiko Gomez]

Hi Lucas,

many thanks for the updated info, just a question: This mean that actual SmartBoard already support it? so the 8 chars is only a Picochess limit in the smartboard? ....

Kiko

[Lucas van der Ploeg | DGT]

Hi,

 

That is correct, the Smartboard can support the 11 characters. Only this is not just changing one command, you would also need to change the way you read the buttons start the clock and read the clock. This all without breaking stuff for people who do not have a Smartboard or new USB-C e-Board.

 

Best regards,

Lucas van der Ploeg | DGT

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[Kiko Gomez]

Hi Lucas,

Yes, I know not easy but good thing to investigate ... 

Thank you

Kiko