It’s a well kept secret within Barix that the X8, our low cost “interface” widget, can do more than just contact closure interfacing via Modbus/RTU.

The X8 is quite a powerful little device ! In the “standard” firmware mode, it provides 8 universal 5V capable input/outputs which can be used as

• digital inputs with or without pull-up
• analog inputs with or without pull-up
• wiegand decoding input
  common formats, 4, 8, 26, 40 bit supported !
• Dallas Onewire Temp sensor interfaces
  one sensor per input, such as our Barix TS

All these functions are accessible via the Modbus/RTU interface.

But pssst – there are some more “special functions” hidden in the device, which we now intend to publish. The X8 can be put in “special” modes which then provide the following functions:

• 8 input analog encoder (8 bit) sending ASCII message (non-polled) on change or interval
• rotary switch encoder
• 8 bit keypad interface for the Annuncicom-100

We even do things like interfacing the X8 directly to the RS-232 inputs of Exstreamer and Annuncicom for volume control, channel selection etc !

In general, the X8 can be seen as a quite universal, low cost, 5V I/O interface for automation purposes. With its support for Modbus/RTU, Wiegand readers, Dallas Onewire temp sensors, it is suitable for many applications in the automation and data collection area.

Oops – for those who don’t know what a wiegand interface is … nowadays, the “de facto” standard interface for access control readers, keypads etc. Originally a wiegand reader was a specific card reader, able to decode cards which contained a wire pattern, based on the “wiegand” effect. Wikipedia has more, here is the link to the term Wiegand Interface.

If anyone is interested in these special functions, please let me know !

Johannes